Must Read: The Thomas:

7 years ago

Must Read: The Thomas:

Dad, I am still not in support of you going to court. Why will you file a divorce? What do you want people to say about us? About our family?” He asked. “1 don’t care about what people say, as far as I am concerned, your mother started this and you should talk to her not me.” His father replied. “She is your wife, the first thing you ought to do was talk to her, its your family we are talking about. If anything goe s wrong, you have a fair share of the blame because people will ask what you were doing when your family was heading to the ditch.” Nathaniel said, something that fetch him a slap “Dad, you shouldn’t have slapped him” Seran said stepping between the two m en. “So what should I have doen? Pat him on the back?” Her father asked moving close to her like he wanted to slap her too. She was stylishly moving backwards to avoid stories that touch. “l see, your mother is now teaching you against me. We shall see.”

H e said and stormed out of the living roomDavies, as usual was seated in the dining watching as the drama unfolded. “Seriously Davies, you are just a figure head first born.

Can’t you talk to dad?” Serena said angrily “Mind what you say to me girl.” He w arned ‘And what if she doesn’t?” Nathaniel asked moving swiftly to the dinning area with clenched fist. Nathaniel closed in on his elder brother. ‘Dave, as the first son in the family and considering your age, you are in the best position to resolve thi r s issue. Talk to dad, then talk to mum, but you won’t probably because you think they’ll beat you.”

Nathaniel said. “Don t you dare talk to me like that.” Dave said still sitting down. Everyone knew Dave to be an easy going guy who only speak when spoken to. He doesn’t cause trouble and he doesn’t support fights. ‘”You are just useless. Mind you, you are a graduate and in maybe a year of two, you’ll take over dad’s business then start a family of your own. I won’t be suprised to see your wife beating you.” Nathaniel said. Dave was still sitting down looking at his kid brother like he was mad His gentility has made people take him for granted and either the devil likes it or not everything is gonna change. “One more word from you Nate and you’ll be suprised to see yourself in the hospital the next time you wake up.” He warned still sitting down. ‘What can a dead chicken do than to pollute the air? Only a live chicken can make sounds, a dead one can do nothing. As far as I am concerned, Dave, you can do nothi ng.”

Serena had only seen this in films and she always called it camera tricks but before her eyes, it was performed. Davies flung himself on Nathaniel’s stomach and holding him, he pulled him to the ground and started punching him all over the face. Natha niel could have fought back, but the attack on him was too sudden and he was caught unawares. He was only trying to block he blows, but he got more punches as a result of the resistance. Serena knew better not to move close to them, she was just screaming Davies name. “Dave!!!!

You will kill him o. Dave, you better stop.” She screamed but it seemed to be empowering Dave the more. She ran to their father’s room. She pushed the door opened ad barged in. “Are you out of your senses? Don’t you have courtsey?” H er enraged father asked.

But she didn’t care. “Dave is almost killing Nate.” She said. Her father ignored her and continued writing only God knows what. “Dad! I said Dave is beating Nate.” She screamed.

out there “So, what do you want me do about it? Come to seperate them? They are men, one needed to be taught how to speak to elders.

said. “Dad!! Is that all you’ll say?” She asked. “Now get out of my room.” He said.

She angrily walked out of the room banging the door behind her. Her next stop was her moth er’s room where she also met disappointment, the elder lady sent her out even before she stated her mission.

She dejectedly returned to the living room where Nate was seated on the floor his fair handsome skin battered beyond what first aid could heal, whi le Davies was seated at the dinning like nothing happened. “Nate, oh my God! See your face.” She said as she squatted on the floor beside him? Dave stood up and made to walked out of the living room. A hiss from Serena caught his ears and he changed his di rection as he approached Serena who quickly hid behind Nate, who shifted to avoid another round of beating The little showing from them amused Dave who was forced to laugh as he bent down before Nate. “Guy, am sorry. But next time, know what you say to me .” He said extending his hand for a handshake. iving room. Nate looked at him for a while, then spatted at him, before he stood up and limped out of the living room. “Did you see that?” Dave asked wiping the spit off his face. Serena hissed before running out of the l The last two days has been hell for Serena, fOurty eight hours without her mother is something that has never happened to her before. The highest she had gone without seeing her mother was fifteen hours, which was the last time her mum travelle d to Niger state to pick up a relative, but any other travels are always within the range of seven to twelve hours. She couldn’t categorically tell if her mother had left her brothers at home for more than one day, and even if she travelled for five days, it will look like five hours because there is this assurance that she would be back, but with the situation of things, she would never sleep under the same roof with her mother unless if she visits her wherever she lives. But to sleep inside her father’s h happy family is far from coming to fruition. ouse as one She had tried to shut her mind from dwelling on the subject, but she couldn’t help it, her greatest fear is her father getting married to another woman, she would just have to run away and never come back home. “You will be driven to school this morning and there is nothing you can do about it.” She could hear her father’s voice from the living room. Who could he be fighting with this early morning. She had locked herself up since the previous night a nd when Nate came to call her for the morning devotion, she refused to oblige, even though she was suprised that Nate, a rebellious person is present at the devotion to the extent that he rendered the praise and worship with his s*xy** voice which she(Serena ) couldn’t stop admiring. But who could her father be fighting with? That person must be a student, but her brother Dave is a graduate, and she a secondary school leaver, therefore, no one is of the school age. Then she remembered Nate.

But Nate schools in Ilorin, Kwara state and he could possibly go to the park to board a bus, why will her father insist of getting him driven to school from home? She needs to find out She got down from the bed, adjusted her nightie and tied a wrapper around her body. She s tood at the dining watching the drama of her father ranting and threatening her second brother, Nathaniel. But what has gotten into dad? Why is he acting strange and temperamental of late?

Were the questions on Serena’s mind as she watched her father and b rother arguing. Even Nate was not helping matters, he stood his ground and in spite of the pushing from his father, he stood up to him defiantly. “Dad, I case you have not heard. I am well above eighteen, I can make my own decisions, it is my life, I am tr avelling back to school on my own and there is nothing you can do about it.”

Nate said calmly, but one could feel the anger in his words and the determination. Serena could see her father’s jaw twitch. “Let me see you carry your bags and walk out of the ga te.” Serena knew it would come to this, she knew her father would put Nate in a tight corner which is locking him inside the house.

Nathaniel is a guy who stands by his own decision, and convincing him is like telling a monkey that apple is sweeter than ba nana.

“l love that. Then I’ll have an excuse of not going back to school when test is starting tomorrow,” Nate replied slumping onto the nearest chair. “l am you father and as long as you still live under my roof and I still pay your bills, then I can tell you what to do. Therefore, you’ll be driven to school from home this morning and that’s it ” And with that their father walked out of the living room. “Nate, what’ going on?” Serena asked. “Are you blind? Can’t you see or hear the issue we were dragging?” Nate asked angrily as he stood up and made to walked out of the living room. “Will you allow the driver to drive you to school?” She asked “um.. Yeah, but that will be the last of me in this house. At the end of this semester, I will move in to Taofeek’s houser his parents won’t mind.” He replied.

Serena remembered the first time she met Taofèek, it was almost a year and a half ago when Nate matriculated. She could remember her parents driving down to Ilorin and she went with them. Taofeek was a meek guy, a muslim and an epitome of humility, plus he is handsome. “That’s twenty thousand naira I think that should be enough, call me if you need anything else. I believe you still have foodstuffs in your hostel.” Oluwole Thomas had returned to the living room a nd handed the money to Nathaniel. “Nate, you can not do that”
Serena said, but Nate was long gone into his bedroom. Is he loosing his mind? Why will he decided to run away from home because of this trival issue that could be solved? She asked herself as sh e walked dejectedly back to her room.