Chapter 23: Chapter 23

"Honey guess who I saw at the mall?" she didn't wait for him to reply but continued.

"Arit. Can you believe it? I tell you I was shocked. You know it's been ages since I saw her and you won't believe it. She owns that fashion school I told you had just been opened close to my salon. Apparently this was just another branch. Honey are you listening?" Mrs. Ekpenyong paused when she noticed that her husband's attention was still on that boring newspaper.

"Honey?" she nudged him slightly, annoyed.

"Yes, yes I heard you."

"Then what did I say?" she folded her arms and raised a daring eyebrow.

"You saw Arit at the mall and apparently she owns a fashion school next to your salon did I miss anything?" He said still with his eyes on the paper.

Mrs. Ekpenyong smile satisfied.

"Okay, so we talked and I invited her over today but she she said she was quite busy and so I extended my invite till tomorrow. So we'll be expecting her tomorrow. She's here with her son so...honey?"

"I am listening."

"Remember back in secondary school when she used to have a crush on you?" she laughed at the memory.

"Did she?"

"Oh don't be so modest." she hits his arms playfully.

"she even confessed to you kneeling down and all and then you rejected her right in front of everyone. I remember thinking you were so cruel and even hated you."

That got his attention.

"Cruel? I rejected her in the kindness way. Did you know I wiped her tears when she started crying? Do you have an idea how uncomfortable I felt especially knowing I was going to confess to you that day?" he interjected, his newspaper now forgotten.

"Really? You wanted to confess to me?" She blushed, eyes widened due to this surprising information.

"Yeah and she ruined it." he grumbled.

"Awwn honey, I had no idea." She gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"Well..." he laughed "I am married to you, so I've gotten over it." he winked and of course Mrs. Ekpenyong gave the natural response. She giggled.

"Ehe that reminds me. I was thinking..."

"Yes..."

"The girls, Uyai and Affiong. What do you say about them learning a trade?"

"That's so thoughtful, but what kind of trade?"

"For a start, hair dressing. They could work in my salon." she shrugged.

"That's okay, but what about the eldest girl, her pregnancy?"

"That's not a problem." Mrs. Ekpenyong waved. She was ready to take care of the girl especially when she had received help from her grandmother. Taking care of the girls was her way of repaying the old woman who helped them at a dire period when they had no one. How could she forget?

"Have you discussed it with them?"

"Not yet. In fact I can discuss it now. Affiong?! Uyai! " she yelled.

The girls who had been busy with disposing their clothes in the trash bag, heard her call and immediately answered.

"Aunty, Uncle." they curtseyed when they stood in front of the couple.

"Sit down." Mrs. Ekpenyong motioned to the chair opposite.

When they had sat, Uyai feared they had done something wrong so she was tensed.

"You know I have a salon right?" Mrs. Ekpenyong began.

They shook their head.

"Well now you know. So I want you ladies to learn hair dressing and probably in time learn the makeup aspect of it what do you think?" she asked and waited for their response.

They nodded again.

"Can't you girls talk, why do you keep nodding . Am I that formidable?"

Uyai wanted to answer with a 'maybe' "no." she said instead.

"Good then speak up."

Affiong who was ever bold spoke first.

"thank you aunty, uncle. In fact am quite good with hairdressing and I am a fast learner. I don't know about my sister though." she spared Uyai a glance.

"Eh-I don't have any talents in particular, but I know how to use the needle. I can knit?" Uyai informed her of her only skill. "But I am also a fast learner. " She added

"Perfect. That's settled then." she clapped.

At the moment Gift strolled in with her doll and went straight to the TV.

Definitely her appointment.

***

Uyai and Affiong were lounged on the twin sofa while gift sat crossed leg on a lone sofa with her eyes glued to the flat screen TV. Her immaculately dressed doll sat on her laps. Uyai could recall Gift had said her doll dressed better than her. Uyai could certainly agree with her.

Affiong and Uyai wore their new clothes after Gift has seen to it that they had disposed of their old ones in the trash bag. Affiong was wearing a cream coloured blouse and black skirt while Uyai for the first time was wearing a peach coloured tank top and skirt that actually fitted her.

Thankfully the couple had gone upstairs so Uyai could reside in the parlour in a comfortable position her back well rested on the chair, instead of the rigid posture she had subjected herself to a few minutes back.Though the Ekpenyongs were really accommodating, Uyai still had to get used to their unusual kindness so she she was still tensed around them.

Right now Uyai was reading a fashion and gossip magazine she found on the opaque glass centre table. A Rihanna girl had broken up with a desert Prince of some sort. According to Gift, 'Celebrity gossip was now the rage'. Uyai had no idea what that meant-

"Aunty Uyai come watch, come watch." Gift called excitedly.

Uyai pulled her eyes away from the intriguing magazine to Gift who was bouncing up and down on the lone sofa she sat on, still facing the TV. Her doll forgotten as it laid sprawled next to her.

"What is that?"

"Just come quickly...Oh my God! You've got to see this dress." Her eyes danced in excitement as she beckoned Uyai furiously with her hand.

"I am coming, am coming..." Uyai dropped the magazine on the table and went to see what made Gift so excited.

Affiong who was reading a book on early pregnancy Mrs. Ekpenyong had given to her with her face contorted in a frown as she tried to decipher the meaning of the embryological representation of a foetus.

Is that how my baby is going to look like? Affiong thought. The graphics were strangely disturbing. It wasn't a wonder she never liked biology.

Just when she was about to flip to the next page, she heard Gift mention a dress. Of course her curiosity won over the thought of viewing the disgusting images on the book so without being invited she went to see what dress could elicit that kind of reaction from Gift.

They stood beside Gift, flanked her on either side as they watched women as skinny as Uyai or maybe even worse parade in dresses with the signatory colour red designed in different fashion and styles.

"Wow!" Uyai and Affiong said in unison.

Gift grinned.

"I know right. These are Victoria Secret models. Okay watch! There are going to interview a blogger."

"Are these models?" Affiong's curious voice rang out. They were really thin.

She felt they could break any moment especially with the killer heels she thought were death traps they wore. Seriously, they looked like skeletons on heels.

"Duh! Didn't I just say that?" she rolled her eyes.

Meanwhile Uyai used this moment to assure herself that she had hope. In fact they made her look fat if that was indeed possible.

"Uyai they're even worse than you. Uyai if I ever called you a twig, I take that back. This lady is really owning that name. Goodness she's a walking stick." Affiong snickered as a very skinny lady with all her bones sticking out made a seductive pose.

Would a man actually fall for that?

"No they're not. In fact aunty Uyai could definitely pass for a model." Gift protested turning to give Affiong a glare.

"Really?" Affiong muttered sarcastically.

"Yes really." Gift scowled and turned her eyes back to the TV.

"Here with me is a fashion blogger, say hi Antonia." a commentator, a white woman with a short hair and a side fringe said with a wide grin plastered on her nude lips.

"Hi." the young girl dark girl wearing a furry purple coat smiled to the camera.

"What's a fashion blogger?" Uyai and Affiong asked at the same time.

"So how does it feel to be the youngest fashion blogger? If you must know I am a big fan."

"Awwn...am so flattered. Anyways am fifteen though I so don't count that as being young--"

"Really? She owns a blog." Exasperated Gift shook her head.

Uyai and Affiong wanted to ask

what's a blog?

But seeing Gift's expression they decided to leave it.

"...so that's basically it."

"So did you enjoy the show?" The commentator asked.

"Very I especially love the outfit by Von Patreik. It brought the exhilarating feeling of highschool romance to a whole new level."

"You can definitely say that..."

"Look! Look! See her right there."

"Who?" Uyai was confused as she peered closer to find the object of her attention.

"It's Francesca the Spanish model...she's so pretty." Gift voice had gone wistful

"Er....where is she?" Uyai wondered who that lady was that incited that reverence look Gift wore.

"Behind her, she's wearing a blue mermaid dress with stones lining the bodice." Gift pointed impatiently to a distinct figure behind the commentator who was now droning on about some fashion club.

Uyai admitted the woman was stunning the mermaid hugging gown beautifully accentuated her perfectly curved formed. She was not overly rounded, but slim and curvy in the right places and she was tall. Uyai could probably gauge her height from the screen, about 5ft 8 inches plus the additional height the silver stilettos gifted her with.

Yep. She was indeed a beauty.

Affiong who still had not seen the lady turned to Gift and raised a mocking eyebrow.

"So what's got you so obsessed with this model people? Frankly I don't see anything fascinating about them at all except maybe their clothes. Do they actually live a healthy lifestyle. Look how skinny they are and--" Affiong who was her usual blunt self said to Gift.

"I am not obsessed with them." Gift interjected with a shrill cry.

"Then how do you classify your so called 'appointment' with the TV which is obviously this." Affiong made sure to enunciate the appointment part adding a little high pitched tone to mimic Gift's voice.

"Humph!"

Uyai hid a chuckle.

"Sister leave her alone. It's her business, it's what she likes."

"Yes my business!" Gift exclaimed heatedly and turned to Uyai giving her a grateful smile.

Affiong scoffed.

"Gift, Uncle Peter wants to speak with you."

They all turned to see Mrs. Ekpenyong coming down the stairs with a phone to her ear.

Immediately Gift ran to her grandmother and snatched the phone from her to the woman's amusement.

"Uncle Peter! I missed you."

Uyai and Affiong shared a look.

Mrs. Ekpenyong having noticed their curious glances said "It's my son."

Their mouths formed an 'O' shape.

"Of course! I need dolls, yes more dolls-- that's not fair." Gift giggled.

Must be a fun uncle. Uyai and Affiong thought.

"Where's Glory?" Mrs. Ekpenyong asked.

"I haven't seen her." Uyai told her.

"So who cooked?"

"I did." Thankfully Uyai was a fast learner, so she had familiarized herself with the kitchen with Gift's help of course and cooked Edikang ikon soup (pumpkin soup)

"Where did she go to?" Mrs. Ekpenyong asked

"I haven't seen her since morning." Uyai informed her.

Mrs. Ekpenyong frowned.

That lady was beginning to get on her nerves. Ever since she had moved out informing them that she has got a place. Even when she and her husband had questioned her about the sudden move. Her flimsy excuse had been 'she didn't want to be a burden'.

A burden, Mrs. Ekpenyong had scoffed then. Glory was someone she and her husband had trained through secondary school so definitely she didn't believe her excuse, not one bit and she made sure to make it apparent.

Of course her husband who was not one for argument had quelled the matter. This was when she had noticed the maid's unbecoming behavior; She doesn't come early to do her house chores and worse she had the mind to steal her groceries. For goodness sake did she think that Mrs. Ekpenyong would not notice?

What happened to 'ask and it shall be given unto you?'

What irked her the most was her vegetable oil. The one her friend had sent from France. She stole that too!

"Grandma, uncle Peter wants to speak with you."

Her granddaughter's voice brought her back to the present.

She gently took the phone from her and placed it on her ear

"Sure let me give it to your dad." she told her son turning around to climb the stairs to their room.

After Mrs. Ekpenyong had left, Gift skipped to Uyai and Affiong wearing a large smile.

"Guess what?"

"What now?" Affiong rolled her eyes.

Gift paid no heed to her tone, she was too excited to bother.

"Was is it?" Uyai's voice was gentler

"Uncle Peter is coming back with a parrot. His name is--

"Oga! Madam!" The driver Ola came into the parlour and made a halt when he saw the ladies.

"Sorry oo abeg where oga?"

Uyai pointed in the direction of their room.

"Oh... That man don come oo."

"Eh which man?" Affiong asked.

"Maybe you should call your grandpa. Gift?" Uyai told Gift.

"Okay." Gift said reluctantly.

A minute later she had returned with her hand in her grandfather's hand.

Together they walked outside to meet the man who awaited them.

Distinctively Uyai and Affiong heard as they greeted the man.

"Uncle!" It was Gift's voice they heard first.