September. September. September

The last time I spoke with her was two years ago, the first day of the first ember month and it was on a phone call. I was almost in tears as fear plundered my heart with the tone of her voice. I was obviously scared to death. I should have thrown myself on the floor and curse God like the way I express my own anger and grief but mommy Samuel's eyes are on me. Not only her, but her children's eyes, and Samuel himself, my friend from secondary school. There they're in the sitting room with us, their smiling eyes over my shifting lips and expressions and reactions as I conversed with my mum on phone. I never knew or thought or sensed or had insight or believed or realized that that'd be our last conversation ever. And it was on a short-time phone call.. Was that a good farewell enough? Can you imagine?

It was only but eight days later that they brought her to her incomplete house through a Micra, all tied up. I always associate the multitude of people I saw that day with big concerts and events in vogue style. Friends, frenemies, and more enemies alike. I had thought I was in a wild dream since daybreak. No one open their lips to say anything but there were tears in their eyes, I mean the people who came first even before they brought her. And now, they'd brought her, only her in the whole cab, I successfully wrenched from someone's arms and ran outside to see the reality - with tears in my eyes I imagined - so, this is mama lying? Deaf & dead?

After couple of hours, she was brought into the ground while we were told to pour our last portion of respect to her - a handful of sand in our hands. The three of us did it. Accompanied by mama's various friends and people, those I have known for a very long time, dating many years back when I could barely write with pen and those mama just introduced to us as her new trusted friends (as she always did) lately. And they all promised to take care of us, beating their chest, wagging their fingers. Even though no one asked them to. Many went on vowing to outdo my mother regarding care and our welfare. Thank God I didn't rely on the wall of their promises.

Kehinde, Adedeji

August 31st, 10:11pm.