Just like a Boy

CHAPTER FOUR

Laide woke up early on the day she was supposed to leave for Salabar she was nervous and felt a little bit sick to her stomach but she got up took her mat and spread it on the ground kneeling she waited for the mazat call , when the shrill mechanical enhanced voice of the mazat reached her she lay posteatrd and began her prayers , raising her palm she

"Allah the God of my father please help me as I face this life's journey do not desert me " she asked rubbing her cupped palm over her face she stood whispering beneath her breath

"Jesus the God of my mother help me in my trying times" she prayed because she would need all the help she could get.

She went to the kitchen to help prepare breakfast and met with the aromas of different foods and a bustling kitchen

"Ekarooun ma, mama"

She greeted curtseying, to her mother then her stepmother

"Eh what are you doing here" her mother asked and she stammered

"I came to help with breakfast, " she answered

"Go and bath your bus is leaving early oh Baba put you on iya Adeji's husbands bus he leaves early " her stepmother answered and she nodded dazed

" we will make food, your sisters need to start learning anyway" her mother replied and went back to stirring the a bowl of blended beans ,surprised Laide turned out the corridor and into the hall she walked briskly to her room picked her toiletries, and then hurried off to the single bathroom they all shared, although their family was quite wealthy Baba had refused to splurge on fancy things he kept them as modern as possible without being ostentatious hence a single bathroom with taps and a shower, she remembered when Baba has first had them installed standing under the shower had been like bathing in the rain, she removed her clothes,turned on the wayter and stood beneath the spray, she let the water cleanse her body and mind if not spirit then proceeded to scrub thoroughly once she was done she rinsed off wrapped her towel and stepped out, racing through the corridor she  skidded to a stop narrowly escaping jamming straight into her sister.
" sorry " she muttered and paused
"Sorry too" Moremi replied looking contrite and a little morose
"Your going away" Moremi said her voice tight anxious
" it's not forever, just for a while" she replied
"But why do you have to go at all" she whined, Laide barely concealed a smile of all the sisters Moremi was the most behaved but she was still a child no matter how grown up she tried to be
"I want to go to school, so I can come home and make plenty money for us " she replied patting her sister unruly curls
" You want pretty toys " she asked and her sister nodded
" good , if I can finish school than I can get them for you if you go to school you can get them for yourselves too"
" You will miss anty Modupe wedding " she answered sounding thoughtful and Laude smiled
" I will but I will try to come home, for Christmas and even Ramadan if I can" she answered, Moremi nodded then smiled
"Ok , see you then" she called and founded away, laughing she went into her room to get dressed.

She came out of her room fully dressed taking her bags in hand she entered the parlour where mama had set up breakfast for the first time in ever. She c
curtseyed to her father who brought her close
"Omo mi , Allah bless you" he said in Yoruba and she nodded
"Ami"
"As you have grown here go there and shine, don't let the circumstances change you be kind and meek as Allah has taught us" he said and she nodded her eyes prickling with tears he patted her head and stood
"Let us go, baba Adeji is waiting for us " he said and she nodded letting him walk ahead of her, her mother took her hand and one of her bags
" don't forget all I have taught you,make me proud" she said her eyes shinning with unshed tears nodding she crumbld into her mother's arm
"I will miss you" she sobbed
" And I will miss you" her mother replied,pulling away Laide straightened
"Good bye mama" she murmured a final parting , her mother only nodded. Turning away from her family her home Laide followed her father to her future.