Half life

I'm Not A Floriculturist

"Aunt Mena it's hot in here can we go outside to go get some fresh air?" I said trying to get her to go out from my room

" Oh well do you want us to go outside?" Aunt Mena asked peering at me

" Yeah" I stuttered and began to head out of the door, hoping Aunt Mena would follow me from behind but when I got to the staircase and still didn't see any sign of her trailing me, I halted and leaned over the stair rails

"Hello. Waiting for anyone?" A feminine voice I knew was Aunt Mena's waffled into my ears

"Huh" I muttered, startled a bit as I turned to face her slowly

"I scared you right?" Aunt Mena teased folding her hands against her chest as she peered at me

"No you didn't" I replied softly looking at the floor with a taut face as I tried to conceal my fear

"Then why are you looking so flush?" Aunt Mena asked still peering at me

" Me? Do I look flush?" I retorted quite surprised she noticed my fears even after trying to conceal them

"Yeah. You do Amanda. What's going on deep inside you? Are you Ok?" Aunt Mena asked

" I'm fine Aunt don't worry" I replied casually

" Well if you say then ok" Aunt Mena said and began to climb down the staircase but I still stood rooted to where I was standing

"Aren't you going downstairs again?" Aunt Mena asked stopping abruptly

"I'm coming right after you" I said and began to walk towards her

When we got to the sitting room, she halted and stared towards the door.

"What is it Aunt Mena" I asked as I inched closer

"Nothing really. Did anyone came to the house while I was in my room sleeping?" She asked turning to face me

" Umm ... yeah Dad is at home as we speak" I said casually

"Oh really?" She asked

"Yeah. He came in some hours ago" I said stealthily

" Oh and someone else also came right?" She asked

"No... Well I guess someone else did" I said acting nonchalantly

" You guess?" Aunt Mena asked looking at me

"Yeah. I mean Perrie also came visiting" I said

" Oh wow. I hope she came for good this time" She added

" Yeah. She said she wanted to speak with Dad but he wasn't around then so I asked her to come in and wait for him" I said

" Oh that's nice of you and did she tell you anything else" Aunt Mena asked

"No she didn't. She couldn't even get to see him so left after waiting for about an hour" I said after much hesitation

"Ok. Is that not the juice that made you label me a foodie?" Aunt Mena asked peering at the table some meters away

"Oh yeah that's it" I stuttered

"Won't you go get it before we go outside before you accuse me of stealing it behind your back?" She teased and chuckled

" No I don't need it for now." I replied with a grin

" Are you sure? " She asked

"Yeah whenever I want it I'll come get it" I said

" Alright then let's go" Aunt Mena said and led the way while I nodded and trudged behind.

Standing by the pavement just infront of the house, I sighed and focused my gaze on the parking lot while Aunt Mena stood beside me perhaps lost in her own thoughts.

Now I have get that letter from the table but how?

Aunt Mena could help me anyway.

Somehow I will have to get Dad to see it now especially when I do not know what could be up in Perrie's sleeves.

"Umm...Hey Amanda" Aunt Mena called softly

"Yes ma'am" I replied staring at her

"I'm Mena not Ma'am Amanda, so call me Mena please" Aunt Mena said

"Oh ok I get it now" I replied

"Now how about we go water the flowers" Aunt Mena said with a smirk

"That would be lovely. I love doing that with mum alot" I said with a smile

" Wow. Well come prove what you just said to me" Aunt Mena said and started walking towards the garden.

After exhaling deeply, I shrugged my shoulders then also started for the garden.

"Hey come over here quickly you lazy bone" Aunt Mena teased beckoning on me with a wave of her hand as she got to the garden while I just smiled and increased my walking pace

"Now that I'm here let's get to business already." I announced the moment I stepped into the sitting room

"Sure we are already on it" Aunt Mena said stealthily

"I just can't wait to prove you wrong" I said in a hush tone

"Huh what did I hear you say?" Aunt Mena asked peering at me

" Oh nothing Aunt Mena. Just go get the hose for us let's get to work" I cooed as I ran my hands on the flowers

" Ok then let me get the hose. I will be back just before you know it" Aunt Mena said and shot me a wink while I nodded and shifted my gaze back to the flowers.

The garden has really changed with all these petals shinning brightly and giving the house a magic look as their fragrance fill every nook and cranny of the house in splendor.

I bet my mates will all be amazed by it when they all get to see it by weekend.

Well all thanks to my wonderful Aunt Mena. She has been the hands behind the sudden sense of pride in the house. I think its high that we already appreciated her. I will get Dad to do something for her.

What would be a perfect gift for her? Maybe something really unique and special.

"Hey! I'm back" Aunt Mena said, snapping her fingers in my face

" Oh welcome Aunt Mena" I stuttered and looked up at her

"Thank you. Here you go" She said handing me a hose which I collected reluctantly

"Alright then it's time" I half yelled

"I think you should just get to work and prove your prowess to me and stop being a drama queen" Aunt Mena said sarcastically

"I'm not being a drama queen Aunt Mena but then I'll show you the stuff I'm made of right here right now" I said in a boastful manner then walked over to turn the tap in the center of the garden to start watering the flowers

"Hey wait it's not done that way Amanda" Aunt Mena said laughing hysterically as she ran to turn off the tap now spilling water like a broken pipe.

"It's not just done that way. You haven't even fixed your hose properly and you want to start watering the flowers huh" Aunt Mena said and chuckled while I looked on paying no attention to what she was saying

"First you fix your hose to the tap and then from there you can start working with it" Aunt Mena explained as she fixed the hose to the tap

"I guess I must confess I have no idea about what you just explained to me. I thought you just get the water hose and start working" I said stealthily

" I see. Probably you all have the hose fixed already so in that case you just use it without any stress" Aunt Mena said and smiled

"Yeah actually Mum just walks into the garden whenever she wanted to water the flowers and picks up the hose then starts watering it. However sometimes, she uses a watering can that's specially for the nursery bed." I said softly

" Alright I see. " Aunt Mena said and walked over to the flowers

"Umm... hope I can start watering the flowers now" I said still holding the hose in my hand

" Yes you can...it's all set" Aunt Mena said while I nodded and began to water the flowers.

Oblivious of what was going on around me, I focused all my attention on the flowers as I frantically watered every part of the flowers using my other hand to dress them up whenever I felt they weren't all that well placed.

"Well done girl. I'm impressed by your work" Aunt Mena remarked as I got to the direction in which she was weeding out some unwanted plants in the garden

"Thank you Aunt Mena" I said with a smile and used my other hand to wipe out the beads of sweat on my forehead

"If you continue this way you may end up becoming a self made floriculturist just as I am" Aunt Mena added teasingly

" No I don't want to become a floriculturist" I said then continued working on the flowers

" Why did you say so dear?" Aunt Mena asked with a grin

" Because I have no interest in pursuing a career in floriculture" I said absentmindedly

"Oh really? Are you in any way saying that you don't like flowers?" Aunt Mena asked peering at me

" Yeah I'm just in-between. Like I don't hate them neither do I like them." I said candidly

" Oh wow. Now have a smell of this then repeat yourself again" Aunt Mena said, giving me a rose flower she plucked out

"What is in it. It doesn't change a thing about what I said earlier on. I don't like flowers neither do I hate them" I said

" Well it's not a new to thing to hear you say that" Aunt Mena said and chuckled then continued working

"Since you aren't interested in floriculture what career do you want to take up when you grow up and become an adult?" Aunt Mena asked

" Well to be honest I don't know. I'm still not sure of what I really want in life" I said casually

"Don't be ridiculous Amanda! How can you say a thing like that huh" Aunt Mena yelled

"Well I'm only being honest here Aunt Mena" I said with a shrug

" How could you say you don't have any idea about what you want out of life. You must be kidding" Aunt Mena said

" Of course I do. Like I want to live a happy life" I said solemnly

"Just a happy life?" Aunt Mena said

" Yeah. Any thing wrong with that?" I asked

"No I don't see a problem with that. I just wanted to hear you say a thing about being wealthy and stuff like that ... " Aunt Mena said jokingly

" Well if you ask me I would say I'm not so interested in becoming wealthy" I said

" What? What made you say a thing like this? " Aunt Mena asked

" Well you see Aunt Mena, nothing actually made me say that I just know that being wealthy doesn't bring a person happiness" I said pausing to take a look at Aunt Mena

"Wow wise words from my amiable prom queen" Aunt Mena said clapping her hands while I laughed.

"What you have said is true" Aunt Mena added then we both continued working

"Just in case someone else asks you in future what you would like to be what would you say to him or her?" Aunt Mena asked as she stood up and headed towards the center of the garden

"I will simply say nothing. I hope that won't be a very bad answer" I asked peering at her

" Of course it won't be, if you don't make it look so bad." Aunt Mena said and nodded.

_____

" Thank you so very much my dear. You have proved beyond reasonable doubt that you are good when it comes to watering of flowers and that's very laudable" Aunt Mena said, flexing her muscles as we were done working on the flowers and preparing to go back to the house.

"I told you I would and I actually did. Thank you so much for your work done and everything you have been doing for our family too" I said, appreciatively.

" Oh it's nothing dear. I'm just doing my job you know." Aunt Mena said casually with a smile plastered on her face

" Your job you say huh?" I asked peering at her

"Yeah my job Amanda. I'm paid to do that so I ought to do it to the best of my ability" Aunt Mena said

" Well you maybe right but you have done more than you are being paid for in this place for us and we appreciate everything you have done and keep doing for us Aunt Mena. I wish we can be able to repay you." I said

" You all are very nice people and I don't think I have done anything to warrant the love you guys shower me with and so the very least I can do to say thank you is to be very faithful to my duties as a housekeeper here." Aunt Mena said

" Aww... thank you Aunt Mena we love you" I said with flushed cheeks

" Thank you too" She said

"Alright are we taking the hose inside" I asked staring at Aunt Mena when I was done folding the hose into something less bulky for it's ease of movement.

"Should we take them inside?"Aunt Mena retorted

"Well you decide as for me I don't know what to say " I replied with a smirk

"Take them inside then" Aunt Mena instructed

"Ok" I said and began to walk towards the house with it while she ambled from behind

"Uhm... Aunt Mena!" I called as we approached the door

"Yes dear any problem?" I asked

"Yes... umm" I stuttered trying to figure out how to tell her about the letter on the table before we go inside

"And what is the problem?" Aunt Mena asked giving me a cursory look

Fidgeting with my fingers, I hung my head low and said,

"Just this afternoon, shortly after Perrie left and Dad returned back home, I saw a letter all covered in red on the table"

" A letter from who? " Aunt Mena asked as she widened her eyes in shock

"I don't know Aunt Mena. I was so scared that I couldn't stand a second to look at it before running to Dad's room" I said in a rush

" Ok wait let me get this straight. Like are you trying to say that there is a letter soaked in red ink on the table as we speak Amanda? " Aunt Mena asked

" Yes Aunt Mena" I replied and nodded my head.

"Like how did it happen. Did you see someone dropping it on the table? " Aunt Mena asked

" No nothing like that happened. Actually when Dad got to the house, we both sat in the sitting room and did talk a little before he then asked me to get some water from the kitchen for him. He also told me before I left for the kitchen that he was going to his room and should in case I came back and didn't find him in the sitting room, I should just take the water to his room and I did just that when I came back to the sitting room and didn't see him seated in there. I returned later on to the sitting room to see that letter on the table" I said and heaved a sigh when I was done talking.

"You mean to say a mysterious letter landed on the table just like that" Aunt Muttered.

"I don't know Aunt Mena its all strange to me" I said

" Did you tell Dad about it?"Aunt Mena asked peering at me

"No I didn't. When I ran to his room and was about to tell him, something happened and I changed my mind" I replied staring blankly into space

"What happened? You should have told him so that he will know how to handle the situation." Aunt Mena said

" I was just to afraid Aunt Mena, I tried to but I couldn't" I replied calmly with my gaze fixed to the floor

"Afraid of what exactly huh just come and show me the letter. I want to see it's content" Aunt Mena commanded and stormed into the house even without hearing me out

Left with no choice but to follow her up, I walked into the house as well and headed for the table

"Look at it there" I said pointing at the letter on the table.

Aunt Mena nodded like a robot and carefully picked up the letter then began to read it out slowly:

'Hey Mr Edwards,

I guess we cross path again huh?

You won't get away so easy this time.

It's time the game is all over and out.

Just watch out You leech!'

She was still reading the letter when a picture fell out from it and landed on the floor so I hurriedly picked it up only to see Dad's image with a cross drawn with a red ink on the head.

With mouth agape, I stared at the picture still trying to make out sense from what I have just heard and seen.

It is obvious Dad is in a big danger.

Who could have sent such a letter to him?.

What has he done to warrant all of these threats?

Are these from Mum or Perrie?

I'm just so confused I don't know what to think anymore.

After heaving a sigh, Aunt Mena cleared her throat and asked

"When did you say Perrie left the house?"

"She left after waiting for Dad for about an hour" I replied calmly

"Did you by chance left the sitting room for any reason while she was around?" Aunt Mena asked

" Yeah umm... I did when I went to get her some refreshments from the kitchen" I stuttered, wondering about where these questions were leading to

"Then it's obvious something is fishy about Perrie and her visit as well" Aunt Mena muttered looking at me in the eye

"You think so?" I asked quite confused about her assertion

"Yes it is. If not why would she choose to pay your Dad a visit at home by that time of the day when she knows too well he wouldn't be at home by that time?" Aunt Mena asked, staring at me

" I have no idea Aunt but she actually didn't want to come in when she learnt from me that my Dad wasn't at home" I replied quite slowly

" Oh really? so how did she finally came in then?" Aunt Mena asked, waiting impatiently for an answer

" I told her that Dad would be back soon so she should come in and wait for him and then she accepted my offer." I replied

" Was that all?" Aunt Mena asked still not satisfied with my response

" Yes then I left shortly to get her those refreshments on my own accord because when I asked her what she would like to take, she refused to answer me but told me she was ok just the way she was" I explained softly, heaving a sigh.