JUST A LITTLE SIN - Episode 22

While Konji resume his job as one of the church cleaners, I stayed home waiting and hoping Omie will call me with a good news.

I gave her all the required information, Yoara was the person I used as a guarantor and I also informed him about it immediately I got home that day.

He was very okay with it and said we should be praying that it works out this time.

Another week came and I decided to call Omie. The last time she called was last week Saturday to remind me of Sunday service but I asked her about the job and she said that she submitted all my details and her friend’s Aunt was yet to call her back but I shouldn’t worry, I need to relax because it will work out.

The confidence in her voice was all I was banking on and i didn’t feel like going anywhere last week Sunday, I stayed back home.

Konji called early in the morning to ask me if I was coming but I told him I wasn’t.

I’m not sure Konji was taking his new faith very serious, even though he said he has repented I don’t believe him. I haven’t seen anything convincing about him. It must be because he was a worker in church that he had to attend their mid week prayer, be in church everyday and goes off very early on Sundays to make sure the place is tidy.

I asked him few days ago when I managed to visit him why he haven’t still tidied up his room despite he was now a church cleaner, Konji told me that I won’t understand how having a good paying job makes him very busy, I should wait until I have a job first then I will understand.

I was supposed to feel insulted but I was not in the mood for his banter.

I only sighed and told him since he was too busy to clean his room, maybe he should pay somebody to do it for him because according to what I heard Yoara say “cleanliness is next to godliness”

Is not just Yoara that said that but several others.

He began to laugh and told me he doesn’t have any money to pay me, if I can’t stay in the room I should leave or clean it without asking for anything in return.

I remembered I angrily fired back at him that day, I made it known that even if he offered me millions, I will still not accept to clean his room. When I said he should get somebody I wasn’t referring to myself, I mean getting a cleaner to help him out.

He wasn’t obviously taking it all serious, Konji was more after getting his first salary from his church cleaning job.

I wasn’t happy with the way things were going, it was over a week and the second week was gradually approaching yet no good news from Omie.

She said I should try to come to church the next Sunday.

I will try and be there maybe she will have something to say about the work.

Chumi comes most weekends and may probably be around this coming week because she didn’t come last one.

Which is a good thing because I won’t be around too.

I will manage to strol out on Saturday and off to church on Sunday.

If not that she wasn’t around last week I could have gone to church.

As just like I planned it Yoara said Chumi was coming over with her niece that Saturday.

He said I should avoid getting into a fight with her or the usual quarrel.

That advice isn’t meant for me rather he should be dishing it out to Chumi. His woman is trouble personified and I have always avoided her.

I don’t even reply whenever she starts ranting, I have mastered the act of silent and never to say a thing no matter how much I’m pushed.

Yoara asking me to not to get into a fight sounds awkward. Because he knows clearly that I have never gotten in the ways of his woman.

She was rude with no training. She makes a grown man like me babysit her niece and the thank you I get most times is Chumi asking me irrelevant questions like”hope, you didn’t pinch her or make the little girl cry because I know you can be a bit scary and most kids will be scared of you, but my little Ellie is scared of no one. I just hope you didn’t threaten her while we were away?”

I will ignore and pretend like I didn’t hear her.

 Ellie, her niece wasn’t so little and she talks and disturbs alot just like her aunty Chumi. I’m sure she will run her mouth if I happen to do anything bad.

I’m very careful whenever I have to babysit her. I never ask or say anything implicating but Ellie will run her mouth until Chumi returns

I know this weekend won’t be any difference but the good thing is that I won’t be totally available for their ridiculous activities

On the friday of that week, I decided to call Omie

I wanted to know my fate, how strong I should keep hoping and waiting.

Omie said that I should come to church on Sunday first and she will tell me.

I told her that I was coming nevertheless but still insisted to know what was delaying the Job.

She explained to me that the woman traveled and will return in about two weeks

Omie said I need to be patient and wait until the woman comes back.

I was glad she told me but I felt bad that the job was taking too much time when I desperately wanted it immediately.

I called the man that thought me plumbing job if there was any Job for me and he said there wasn’t any at the moment but he will let me know whenever something huge comes up.

I checked on Konji to see if I can borrow some money.

He said he does not have anything on him, it was same week that the money the church gave him finished. Ever since yhi he had nothing and was waiting to collect his salary from the church job once he completed a month.

Everywhere I look I’m greeted with disappointment and i was getting frustrated day by day.

Chumi arrived that weekend with Ellie her niece.

“You still don’t have a Job I guess? Anyway I’m going for rehearsal and I need you to babysit Ellie for me until I return. Make sure that she does not cry. When she’s hungry feed her, if she wants a particular cartoon Network makes sure you change the television station to that. If she feels like sleeping give her a special attention and I don’t want to hear complain until I return. Since you can’t get a proper job, atleast you have one now through me, make yourself useful and do it well. the only difference is that you’re not getting paid, maybe just a pat at the back will be payment for your services and that only depends how good you’re at the nanny job today..”

This time around I wanted to let her know that she was either delusional or crazy.

But Yoara winked at me and with a sign asking me not to react to avoid further problem.

They left, leaving Ellie in my custody.

The little girl started her usual questions and too much talk.

She reminds me of Onmi, my own little girl but my daughter isn’t a talkative like Ellie.

I wondered why Chumi won’t leave Ellie with her parents since she knows she wasn’t going to rehearsal with her.

Why will she bring her each time and leave her at my care anytime she was going out, when the little girl can stay with her parents.

“Are you the only child of your parents..”

I asked the girl. That was my very first question to her ever since she has been coming with her aunty.

 she looked at me surprised.

“I thought you don’t like talking, that’s why I’m doing all the talking for both of us until momm..no, aunty Chumi returns..”

I repeated the question again and she replied

“Yes, I’m the only child but my momma said she will born baby when she marry and that’s why I really want her to marry so that I will no longer be the only child”

That means her mother is not yet married. I see why Chumi kept moving about with Ellie, taking the little girl from her sister when she can’t even look after her.

Or maybe Chumi’s sister is the busy type, then what of the father of the girl.

“What of your daddy? You don’t like staying with him? I asked her

“My momma wouldn’t let me and she said my Daddy does not exist, but I will be having a new daddy soon. She said if I continue to be a good girl and do whatever she says then i will have a new Daddy, a new baby, a new home. I want a new daddy and baby too…I will carry my baby…”

She paused and I thought she wasn’t going to say anything again but she continued.

“… maybe I will have two daddies and two babies, my momma said the daddy that use to come and visit us has money but he is not caring and not a real Christian. The daddy that we use to go and visit is caring and he is going to be a pastor but he does not have money. Momma said she wants to marry somebody that is a Christian because that is what the church people like. She doesn’t like me calling her momma, but I don’t know why. She likes it when I call her aunty. I use to make mistake everytime and call her momma. But she said if I keep calling her aunty I will get used to it but I’m still used to momma..”

I was disturbed as she kept talking. Everything she began to say was pointing back to Chumi.

I don’t want to conclude easily but what if Ellie is actually Chumi’s daughter.

Ellie talks alot like Chumi, they have a striking resemblance and some of the things she said is implicating and pointing to her.

I could have find out more all this while they’ve been coming around but I hardly pay attention to the little girl anytime she starts talking none stop. Except today.

“Who’s your momma and who’s your aunty, Are they the same person? I asked her

She wanted to start talking but suddenly kept quiet.

“Let’s play a game, I hide and you seek. Is called hide and sick..”

I told her I wasn’t interested. She frowned at me and started talking about her friends.

I need to find out if Ellie was Chumi’s child.

Something wasn’t right and Yoara is my brother and shouldn’t end up with a woman who lied and hide the identity of her child.

I don’t know the truth yet but I will find out soon enough.