"Aunty Nita, did I get this question correct? Mr. Williams said he will flog us very well if we fail it." Lolade asked holding her Understanding Math textbook to Vinita's face. She pointed to a question.

Vinita collected the book from her and sat on the kitchen table, lolade sitting close to her. "Em.....no. you didn't get it but see, if you want to add this question and get it right you have to know the basics. What is two plus two?"

"Four" said Lolade leaning on Vinita. Her twin came into the kitchen at that moment and began to wail. "Oooh!! Mr. Williams again! That man will not kee me sef. (That man will not kill me.)"

Vinita chuckled as she watched Bolade throw her hands in the air dramatically, her Textbook in one hand and pencil in the other. For four year olds, the twins were smart, funny and cute. "Bolade wait joor! See how you make noise. Like a babariy."

Bolade shook her head, now folding her arm "it's not babariy. It's Ba-Be-rys." Vinita laughed. "You two, oh my goodness! So funny. You're both wrong. It's neither Babariy nor Ba-Be-rys." Bolade sat down on a chair slowly. "Don't mind Lolade or me. So what is it?"

"It's Barbarian. Bar-ba-rian. You get?" They both nodded. "Yes." Lolade pointed to her book. "Oya continue jare?"

"Ehen. This is two hundred plus One hundred and fifty. What is zero plus zero?" "Zero!" The twins chorused. "Good. Write down that zero here....under the two zeros....Ehen. so what is em Zero plus five?"

Bolade began to scratch the back of her head while Lolade chewed on her pencil. "Emmm...."

"Okay. If I have No sweet. And Lolade gives me Five sweets. How many sweets will I now have?" "Five!" They both said "correct! So zero plus five is Five. Now write down the five. Then two plus zero?"

"Two"

"Very good. Write it down. Bolade you too oo." Bolade nodded and began to write. "I want to clean the rooms now. I'd be back."

Lolade looked up "Aunty Nita I want to help you. The house is big it will be too much for you" "yes Me too." Bolade agreed. After hesitating for a while. Vinita nodded. "Okay." The twins leaped in the air excited "yay!!!"

Vinita smiled at them. "Let's start with your room. Bolade please help me pass that mop." Bolade got the mop and handed it to her "thank you good girl." Bolade smiled very pleased. Lolade got up and got the mop bucket. "Me too I'm a good girl Na?" Vinita nodded and poked her nose playfully "yes you are."

The three of them went up the stairs into the twins room painted in white and pink, the two single beds side by side and a bed lamp in between them. The big wardrobe stood close to the bathroom door which held a mirror on it, low enough for the girls to admire themselves as they wished to.

Vinita walked over to the window and parted the curtains making the sunlight pour into the room, giving it a natural golden colour.

"Let's begin." She said. "We'd fold your clothes well, and arrange them well. Come lemme teach you." The girls gathered at her two sides and watched her fold one of their shirts.

"oya me I can do it." Lolade said picking up another shirt. She folded it and held it up carefully for Vinita to observe. "You got it!" Vinita cheered then faced Bolade. "Oya let me see if you would get it."

Bolade nodded and picked a shirt with floral designs on it. She folded it and held it up, Vinita nodded.

After folding the clothes and putting them away, They swept and cleaned the room then washed the bathrooms. They went to the next room, did the same and the next and the next. Finally, once they were done with upstairs, they went downstairs and began to clean up.

When the finished, Vinita made the girls have their baths and made them change to pink tank tops and blue shorts. "You guys can watch your Disney or play temple run or subway surfers or whatever but please don't do anything out of the ordinary. If you need me, I'm in the kitchen preparing dinner okay?" The girls nodded. "Yes Aunty Nita."

Two hours passed by and the bell rang. The gate man ran to get it and in a minute a black Range Rover purred into the drive. "Mommy is back!" The twins squealed running outside to hug their mother who gave them a light kiss on their two cheeks. "How are you dears?"

"Fine" they chorused. Their mother locked the car doors with her car key, and held the two girls as she walked into the house. "Vinita!" She called out. "Ma? Good evening ma." Vinita bent her head slightly while greeting. "Good evening my dear. How are you?"

"Very well thank you ma." Vinita replied warning a nod from Mrs. Olufunke. "I hope you've eaten and slept?" She asked "I have eaten ma, I haven't slept though but don't worry, I'm okay."

"Mommy. Aunty Nita taught us our homework!" Bolade said throwing her arms around her mother's leg. "That's good. Thank you Vinita. You're so good to us and very trustworthy. What can I ever do to pay you back?"

"No ma. Don't. You've already payed me back way too much don't talk of any other thing please. You really saved me from death, bought clothes for me, gave me a nice room, made sure I ate, what more can I ask for? I should be the one thanking you ma." Vinita said tears pricking the sides of her eyes.

And it was true, Mrs. Funke had a big kind heart and put herself in Vinita's shoes, she saw how bad the girl must be feeling and did her best to make her feel at home. She had bought a Samsung S7 phone for Vinita, given her a nice room, made sure she ate well and even took her shopping the day she arrived at the house newly. Vinita couldn't be any more grateful than she already was.

Mrs. Olufunke saw them and quickly changed the topic, looking at Bolade "So what did Aunty Vinita teach you?"
"No mommy" began Bolade, "it's not Vinita it is Ni-ta."

Mrs. Funke cocked a brow at her daughter playfully. "No it's Vi-Ni-Ta." "No" "yes" "no" "yes" "no...."

"Bolade!" Lolade shouted "stop arguing with mommy. She's correct you are wrong. Accept your fate very weh. Please Aunty Nita don't mind Bolade she's spoiling your name too much"

Vinita laughed, the twins were so amusing and funny. She never for once got tired of them. She loved them like they were her sisters and took care of them as well as she could. "But..." Bolade began but Vinita cut her off. "Oya is okay, you're all correct. My name is Aunty Nita. You hear?"

They nodded smiling brightly. "Ngwa go and watch TV."
They went away to the sitting room leaving Mrs. Olufunke and Vinita staring at each other. "I..I've finished cooking dinner." Said Vinita finally. "Oh. That's good, thank you. Since everything is ready, I'd go and rest. You can have your bath, sleep or watch TV with them or use your phone.

"Yes ma. Ma. I'm so so so so grateful I can never pay you back now but sooner or later I will." Vinita said. Mrs. Funke closed her eyes for a moment then opened them back and pulled Vinita into a hug. "You will not pay me back okay? You are taking care of my children very well so I shouldn't ask for more."

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This was so cuuuuutteee!

Comment and tell me what you think. I'm going to do a Q/A at the and of the book so send in your questions.