At the end of the month, Mrs. John bought some baby goods from the market. She arranged them in a corner of the children’s room where she slept with Bunmi.

That evening, Mr. Mayowa John stepped in late. It was almost 10:00 p.m. when he got in. Knocking on the locked door, Rebecca, who was pissed off, took her time. Then, he leaned toward the wooden door and tapped gently on it, not to wake up the neighbours. Mayowa was understanding. His wife, Rebecca, had never locked him outside before. It was immature of her, and this was getting out of hand.

“Rebecca, please open the door. I bought something for you.” She rolled her eyes towards the door, knowing he was outside.

“Please, I’m sorry. I can explain... Just let me in.”

Again, there was no reply. It was 10:37 p.m already. There was no one outside but noisy frogs, stray dogs from the neighborhood, and crickets. It froze outside as the night grew. Rebecca gave him the silent treatment for about thirty minutes. Yet, she paid a listening ear. She walked up to the door and unlocked it.

Entering gave Mr. John cold feet and mixed feelings about why his wife suddenly opened up for him. Once he came in, she switched off the living room lights about to go to bed with Bunmi, who was long asleep.

"Rebecca!" He called her back. She paused her case, facing the direction of the room as she gaped at the ceiling.

“I’m sorry for the embarrassment.” Mr. John placed both hands together as he faced his wife. “I know I acted cold towards you. Don’t make this cause a rift between us. I am sorry, and I mean it.”

“Really?” she asked with a raised a smile on her lip. Then her gaze dropped. She finally faced her husband.

He had a fancy bag in hand.

“What is that?” She asked, walking up to him. Mr. John and his wife met halfway through the living room.

“It’s my first gift for the new baby,” he revealed.

“That’s nice.” Rebecca blushed as she checked. Her radiant smile brightened the dim room. It was a set of baby clothes for boys. It was all blue. Her slim eyebrows suddenly snapped together in a scowl.

“You bought boy's clothes? We’re expecting a girl.”

“What? A girl.” his thick brows lifted in surprise.

“Yes.” she looked up at him to study his expression. The edges of his lips pulled down like a child, about to cry. It disappointed him.

“Is everything alright, Mayowa?” her eyes clustered with flattering lashes.

“Yes.” He croaked. “You didn’t tell me we were expecting a girl.”

Mr. John’s lips pressed in a fine line as he smiled briefly with his left hand scratching his neck. “The baby can still use this.”

“Take this if you’re disappointed in the gender of our child.” She rumpled the clothes on his chest and turned her back to walk away.

“Rebecca! Rebecca!” Mr. John called on his wife while the baby’s clothes dropped from his chest. “It’s not what you think, please, come back! Let’s have a quick cha-”

Not playing the role of the doubting Thomas, she walked into the room and shut the door without saying good night.

Mr. John slapped his forehead as his fingers ran through his neatly shaved head. He wondered how Rebecca can have a change of heart in a blink. His lips pressed together as he exhaled an exasperated sigh.

Regardless, Mayowa didn’t even get the chance to tell her about his new job. This childish behaviour of Rebecca was getting unbearable. Unreasonable and uncalled for. A while ago, he thought their petty argument would be over. Mr. John settled on the sofa and placed the clothes on the table. He also bout a loaf of soft sliced bread.

It’s doubtless, Mayowa had a strong preference for having male children than having female children. This was because he was poor. If he gets into business, he can't employ people, so a bevy of sons was excellent to work with. They would pass thereafter a harvest which can earn some food and money and from generation to generation. For some reasons, Mr. John realized that they did not consider Bunmi a genuine member of the Williams family because she was a female child. Eventually, she would grow and get married off to another family. That might be a reason they, despite the young girl.

Mr. John got a janitor's job in a bakery on the next street. It wasn’t his dream job, but at least it had a fair pay. After so much thought, Mr. John concluded. He wrote an apology letter and attached his job acceptance letter to it. Then, he ate a chunk of the loaf and walked into the bedroom to sleep.

The next day, Bunmi woke up early and left for school. She had her first examination at a student of Basic 4.

Mrs. John read the letters and placed it back on the table. She was already in her shop when her husband took his shower. She didn’t serve him breakfast. Things got worse. Rebecca didn’t want to talk. She avoided him like a plague. Her husband went to work.

When Bunmi got back from school, she had a shower and changed into her house wear. She had lunch and went to the shop to check on Mrs. John.

“Good afternoon, ma,” Bunmi greeted on her knees.

“Oh, you’re back!” Rebecca faced her with a satisfying grin. “I wrote a list of things here. Go to the market and buy them.”

Bunmi gradually rose from her kneeling position. She stood up and leaned against the wall. Then she moved to her.

“But ma, I’m only 8-years-old, Aunty. Is it okay if I go to the market alone?”

Listening to Bunmi contorted Rebecca’s entire face.

“Yes, I know your age, Bunmi. If you don’t know, know it today! I started selling when I was only 7!” she stressed, with crossed arms. “We have been to the market a couple of times, haven’t we?”

Bunmi eyes blinked, but maintained her eye contact as she faced up. “Yes we have, but-”

“Don’t but me, Bunmi. You are a smart girl, so don’t make me doubt you! I only need to prepare soup, okay? It’s not as if I’m sending you to buy me my shop provision.”

“Okay, ma,” she cooed with a bow and left for the market.

“What a sluggish girl?” Rebecca hissed as she watched her walk out of the gate. With a glare at the gate, Bunmi’s reaction reminded her of the look on Alex's face the last time she visited him.

“Thank goodness I burnt that stupid letter. This little brat would have exalted herself in this house!” She slowly massaged her temple and checked on her mobile phone.

Bunmi took a motorbike to the market. She bought the fish, pepper, onions, palm oil, vegetable and ingredients as written in the list. She boarded a bike back home and Rebecca went to the kitchen to cook. Although she complained that the goods were bad, Bunmi started in the shop to sell while she prepared dinner in the kitchen.

Later on, she washed the plates, and Rebecca served the food. Mr. John wasn’t home yet. The both of them ate silently together when Mrs. John brought up.

“You should prepare for your next holiday. How long will it be?”

“Just two weeks, ma.”

“Good, you’ll spend three weeks with uncle Felix in the town.”

“Hmmm.... Why Uncle Felix?”

“Yes, uncle Felix. Aren’t you happy to visit your family? They’re all you have, Bunmi. Staying away from them like this won’t be a good idea. So it won’t look as if we deprived you of staying with them or living in your father’s house. Do you understand what I’m saying?” she emphasized.

“Yes, ma,” Bunmi replied in a low voice. The hairs on her arm turned needles. “What about Alex? Would he come home for the holidays, too?”

“Yes, he would.” Rebecca answered with a small smile. “It’s also going to be for two weeks.”

“It’s sad.” Bunmi trembled in melancholy. “I was looking forward to meet Alex next week after my exams. Does... Does Uncle John knows about this?”

“Don’t worry about Uncle John. I’ll discuss with him and I’m very sure he won’t oppose to this,” Rebecca clarified. “No matter what, family is family, my dear.”

Reserved, Bunmi walked into her room to study. Something clouded her mind. Rebecca’s words have caused it. Of course, Bunmi didn’t want to spend a day with Uncle Felix or his wife, or Aunty Yemisi. As Bunmi held onto her book to read, her eyes stung with fear. A sense of menace blurred her mind and intestines tangled with a mass of anxiety. A solemn tear rolled down Bunmi’s eyes as she sniffled, not to cry.

Suddenly, the withheld cry turned to whimpers, and a sob rose in her throat.

Water pooled in her eyes as she cried bitter tears. That night, as Bunmi couldn’t understand anything, she read. She took a sheet of paper and put her sentiments in words. She wrote a letter to Alex and placed it between her book, since Bunmi couldn’t meet him. Fighting back the tears was impossible. She cried till sleep took over her.

Rebecca entered and met Bunmi asleep. She helped arrange her books and placed it on the table in the room. Then, a folded paper dropped from the book. She took in the sight of the paper and checked on it. Rebecca scrunched her face as she read her clear handwriting.

Dear Alex,

I miss you so much.

“Oh, hers is a short one. A two line-letter, impressive! Bunmi replied his message without receiving that letter?” Rebecca’s expression hardened as she watched her sleep. A lot went through her mind as she thought about it. Everything puzzled Rebecca more. “You must go for that holiday, Bunmi.” she finalized with her lips set in a hard line.

She burned it too.