I acknowledged my father looking at me with guilty eyes before making beeline to my room. I knew how could follow me so I locked the door behind me. I was too numb to move and too cold to feel anything and i had to resist theurge to sit by the door and wail. I dragged myself to the bathroom to change my out of my wet clothes. I slipped into my traditions wangala. it was long and baggy but warm. it perfectly covered my goosebumps covered body. I tied a kilemba on my wet hair and slipped under my covers trying so hard to prevent my teeth from chattering.
wangala- a form of long dresses that are loose, looks like a Dera
kilemba- a traditional head scarf used to tie hair
A minute later I heard a knocking on my door and I knew it was my father but I was not going to open for him. "Lua my sintere, please let me in." He coerced me but I was still pissed and ignored him. "at least drink some soup and medicine" he begged but I could rather die from pneumonia and hip dislocation than get out of my blankets. i must have been too exhausted because out soon after.
My sleep was however far from peaceful. A few hours later I woke up with sweat pouring down my face. That however wasn't the reason I had woken up in a rush. The sound of something breaking had startled me awake. I was feeling a little rested but I was still in some pain. I could also hear maffled sounds coming from the living room. it sounded like an argument and I rushed to open the door. I burst into the living room and my fathers body was turned to the other side his shoulders shaking. was my father crying? it was known across all tribes never cried. in some tribes in the north a man crying was even considered a taboo. i disappeared behind the corner, first in shock at what I might have witnessed.
"You know we have to tell her sooner or later Bogani" my mother said her voice trembling.
"this doesn't change anything soma! this conversation is over!" my father said with finality and I could almost taste the anger in his voice. Mr. Bogani had never been known to lose his anger. why were they arguing about me I wondered and coughed loudly to alert them of my approaching presence.
"Are you arguing about me?" I asked lowly. did my anger outburst make my parents to have a conflict. I hid never heard them argue before and I was a bit shocked. they both turned to look at me wearing the most cinematic convincing face. my fathers eyes were red and my mothers eyed full of an emotion I couldn't put my finger on.
"Sintere, you are awake," my father said gliding towards me. "sorry I was caught up at work and couldn't make it in time to get you" he said his eyes filled with guilt.
"You don't have to fight with mom about it, I'm okay now" I said fearing my tantrum had caused a rift between my parents. after all I hated to be the one to cause others grief.
"Its not about you sintere, sit down let me warm you some millet porridge and some medicine for your pain" he said leading me to the coach. I sat down slowly dot to upset my hip and watched as my father worked hard to make me porridge.
"Mother I'm sorry about what I said earlier" I apologized looking at my feet. She finished peaking up the broken shards of glass and dumped them in the trash bin in silence before turning to acknowledge me.
"Let me see your injury," she said getting to work to message my ankle and hip with anti-welling cream. she had never been good with apologies and I took it as an apology.
"I'll be going east in a week, its probably for the best" she said while tying a gauze around my ankle.
"we could go together during my coming of age ceremony next month" I said and she froze before finishing up hurriedly and disappearing to her room. what was going on? I couldn't help but wonder.
"Here drink up before going to bed" my father handed me the porridge and some black pills before biding me goodnight. he walked stiffly as if the carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. I had never seen him that way before. I forced myself not to worry too much about it and sipped my porridge slowly. I didn't realize how hungry I was till then. I hadn't got to eat dinner and in my tantrum I had gone to bed hungry. i gulped it down in one go and added too more portions before swallowing the pills. I felt weirdly rejuvenated as I walked back to my room.
I wasn't going to school anyway so I slept until the sun was up in the sky. mother had prepared breakfast, more millet porridge with arrow root soup and vegetables. she was however nowhere to be seen and I guessed she was in her room. I felt suffocated with nothing to do and chose to go for a walk. some part of me missed school. now that there was an addition mysterious individual in my level some part of me wanted to see what was hidden behind the mysterious aura surrounding him. it was like he dropped out of nowhere and no one knew where he came from.