Young readers foundation mathematics work book

                                                                                                                                                                                                    She was the cause of her own calamities, she had done so much, she was in so deep, such a crazy world she designed for herself,So fast how all came crashing down,                                                    

                                  As if the noises of car engines, horns, and people struggling  to get along with their days activity was not enough to wake her up that Wednesday, the knock sound on her door was the hardest she had ever heard, and if the dead could wake, it should bring a dead person back to life,  hurriedly and  sheepishly  she threw on her petite body, a big 50 cent black T shirt that belonged to one of her boyfriends and ran towards the door ignoring the sharp heard-arch pain that kept her head banging like a drum house, and once she was at her door and opened it, she gave a harsh hiss without saying anything to the person, quickly turned and headed back the way she came like she had forgotten something, straight towards her two door silver  Panasonic refrigerator she headed and  grabbed some aspirin from the rank in the fridge then swallowed two seeds, she did go clubbing last night and every other night for the past three years, too many shots of red label Johnny walker and inhales of strong crusted raps of weed was the cause of her hangover, her visitor found his way into the house  like he was used to such reception from her, helped himself with a piece of cookie biscuit that laid on the mighty tinted all glass center table, then found himself a sit, after a while of salience she asked in a rude tone.

 “ Watin bring you come here?”

With biscuit in his mouth he coughed out nonchalantly       “dad is dead.”

“What?”          She asked in shock

“Yes, he died two days back, you no dey pick your call that’s why I came, plus it’s almost twelve and you are still sleeping”                   

ignoring that hypocritical last statement from her brother, she bit her upper lips then opened the refrigerator again, these time pouring herself a drink, she needed to cool off these stage of anxiety, after gorging down half a glass and felt a little bit bold she walked towards her spinning brown leather office chair then collapsed on it, two days ago? He died two days ago? what was she doing two days ago? She murmured within herself trying to figure out how she was so less concerned for her family, ah! She remembered, two days ago she was hosting a show at lekki gardens, damn! She cursed out then gave her brother a look

“What killed him?”  she asked finally

“You did.”       He replied with a serious look

“Me?”             She asked pointing to herself in disbelief

“yes, you are the one who caused him to have hypertension with all your funny annoying wild ways of life, inability to marry or bear children, your smoking, drinking, clubbing, sleeping around attitude………”

“Hey! Hey! Hey! Don’t insult me in my house.”  She cut him shot in a flare of anger but he continued unperturbed                                                                                                                                                    “ I will, am your elder brother even if you have more money than I am, your way of life is the same reason mama slummed just outside your house two years ago, hitting her head on the concrete and died all because she was trying to talk to you to change your way of life and bring respect to yourself, you have brought shame, reproach to this family so yes, you killed papa and mama, and  I hope you sleep well at night.”

That wasn’t fair, Maria thought to herself as she watched her very calm, sluggish brother speak out in anger, and it wasn’t as though she didn’t know her life style wasn’t good, but to say she was responsible for her parent’s death was harsh.

“So that’s what you came to tell me, all the way from Warri ? That papa is dead and am responsible!”        She asked surprisingly calm for her stoned face

“Yes, and your presence is needed for the burial”

“How much do they need?”             She asked sarcastically, as she got the message, that’s all they ever want her for, chichi-dodo all of them, they cast the first stone but eat the first meal you give them, she cursed within her

“I don’t know, probably half a million”                 he responded dryly

“I see, alright! I’ll be there next tomorrow”         Maria murmured standing up with dismay, she felt sick all of a sudden, for what it's worth, she did love her dad, so much she quit smoking and drinking for two months when he was diagnosed with acute high blood pressure, now he is dead,  heading towards her dining table Maria balanced on a chair and  picked up her black wallet that sat next to her bag, she dropped them there last night when she returned from the club, she gave out a long hot breath and counted eight one thousand Naira notes, it was as though she had been hit by a truck as it dawned on her that her dad was dead.

“Bro Efe!”                    She called in a very mild tone once she had finished counting the money and watched her brother appear in front of her as though he was a ghost

“Here is your transport back, tell them in warri that I will be there by Friday”                she murmured and watched Efe nod before storming out of her house,  Efe was the first child of three boys and two girls, but the last if you turned it backwards, while Maria was the last born but the first if you also turned it backward, from all five children she was the only one who finished university although wild and crazy she still graduated, realistically she was the bread winner, maybe that was why she had to do all she had to do just so she provided for the family, but along the way all she had to do became her life style.
                                              to be continued......