Half life

Home At Last

On our way back home, dad had earlier on branched at a restaurant to get our lunch c*m dinner and some vanilla flavored ice cream for me as well as a gift to make up for not coming to pick me up from school on time earlier on.

"I guess some persons won't be sleeping in their rooms tonight" Dad teased as he got down from the car after turning off the car engine.

"Huh" I said wiping off the ice cream at the corner of my mouth with the back of my palm.

"Won't you come down from the car again?" Dad asked

"Of course I will" I replied getting out of the car then took the package lying on the seat.

Walking out of the parking lot, I stood at a distance and waited for Dad to lock the car.

"Let go inside then" Dad said walking past me as he headed for the door.

"Alright" I replied trailing from behind.

Walking into the sitting room I quickly located a sofa nearby and sank in exhaustion while Dad walked to the kitchen and returned with a glass of water in his right hand.

"Go have change of clothes upstairs" Dad commanded as he made to sit down on a sofa beside mine after placing the glass of water on the centre table.

"I will but wait let me rest here a little bit please" I replied weakly

"That's why it's better you go upstairs so you can rest well" Dad said adjusting uneasily on the sofa

"I'll but not now" I replied.

After resting for some seconds for up and headed for my room, climbing up the stairs slowly as I held unto it rails for support.

When I got to my room, I walked over to my wardrobe and selected a purple gown I'd change into after I must have finished taking my bath then headed for the washroom after unpacking my hair and placing the gown on my bed.

I got out few minutes later feeling cool and a bit refreshed and walked towards my dressing table.

Pulling out a drawer, I took out my body lotion and applied it all over my body then changed into the gown I had earlier on placed on my bed before going to shower then took a comb from the table and ran it through my hair after untying the towel I used in tying it after shower. I then tied into a pony tail, applied some make up and taking a glance at my reflection in the dressing mirror in smiled in admiration, then walked out of my room and headed back for the sitting room.

Plodding loudly as I cascaded down the stairs, I took a look at the left side of the doorway leading to the quest room staring at nothing in particular.

"You are back already?" Dad asked looking at my direction as I walked into the sitting room while lying down on the sofa.

"Yeah" I replied walking towards the center table to get the TV remote.

Switching on the TV and scanning through the numerous channels, I finally settled for entertainment news then walked back to sit down on the sofa I was sitting on earlier on.

"Aren't you eating again?" Dad asked in soft but light tone as I sank in to my sofa beside him.

"I will" I replied focusing on the TV

"When?'' he asked further

"Very soon because right now I'm not hungry" I said rubbing my stomach.

"Alright then" he said

"Least I forget, I've gotten us maid and she maybe coming over anytime soon probably before weekends" Dad said quietly.

"Wow. That's great news" I said turning towards his direction.

"But then you have to promise me you will show her some respect and won't make unnecessary trouble when she comes" Dad said

"Huh" I blotted out in shock

"Yeah. You heard me right. You know you can be very insolvent and troublesome sometimes" Dad said

"I'm not Dad" I replied visibly getting agitated

"Well I've told you already Miss Amanda Edwards" Dad said calling out my name as well.

"Whatever" I muttered in resignation then focused back on the program displaying on the TV screen.

"So how is school going lately?" Dad inquired casting me a witty look

"School is just great." I replied

"And guess what?" I asked

"What?. You know I'm not good at guessing so you just tell me what happened." Dad said exhaling deeply

"I made new friends yesterday" I announced

"Wow. That is lovely" Dad cooed

"A male folk or female?" Dad asked leaning inwards to my direction.

"A male" I replied stealthily

"Wow. That's great" Dad said

"Yeah. And his name is Joe" I said further.

"Joe Jefferson huh?" Dad asked pretending not have heard me right the first time.

"No just Joe and besides I still don't know his other names yet" I replied.

"Oh ok" Dad replied

"Yeah." I replied

"Give me some minutes let me go upstairs and change into something else" Dad said standing up.

"Ok Dad" I replied with my eyes still glued to the TV screen

With that, Dad climbed up the stairs to his room leaving me behind in the sitting room while I continued watching my Tv program as my mind wandered back and forth about random things but especially about the maid coming before the end of the week.

I wonder who this maid could be. Probably she is an old woman in her late 50s or perhaps a sweet, beautiful and nice young lady in her early twenties.

Whoever it really is I just hope and pray she is a friendly and nice person because I've heard really frightening things about bad maids and wouldn't want to have one.

"Aren't you tired of this boring thing you call entertainment yet?''Dad asked startling me a bit as he cascaded down the stairs and walked stealthily into the sitting room dressed in a pair of white shorts and a tight fitting grey shirt exposing his abs.

"Na it's not boring to watch" I replied, looking at him

"This and general commercials, which is more boring?" Dad asked sitting down on a sofa, this time ajacent to the TV.

"Commercials of course" I replied

"Why do you think so?" Dad asked further

"Because… this is entertainment and that is commercials" I replied stuttering a bit

"You can't be kidding me are you?" Dad asked laughing hysterically

"I'm not" I replied keeping a straight face.

"You are" Dad said

"I'm not" I replied suppressing a grin

"Well you have just 30 more minutes to finish up your program because I'll be watching mine after then" Dad said smiling

"No way. 30 minutes wouldn't be enough for me to finish up the program" I protested

"Well you will just have to let the remaining part go" Dad replied in sarcasm.

"No. You just stay sacrifice your program for me today" I said peering into Dad's eyes in search of approval.

"That's not going to be possible. It's so very important I watch that program as well" Dad said heaving a sigh.

And with that, the conversation ended as silence reigned afterwards in the sitting room with only the speakers blasting softly from the background.

***30 minutes later***

"Time up Miss Amanda Edwards" Dad said clapping his hands.

"Hold on a sec Dad'' I replied staring intently at the Tv screen.

''Not again" Dad replied getting up to go get the TV remote from the center table.

Walking back to his seat, Dad closed his eyes and sighed obviously running out of patience.

"I'll change the channel in the next 10 seconds so get ready" Dad said

"1...2...3" Dad counted then stopped at 10 to change the channel to another channel showing a cricket game.

"Yeah. There we go" Dad announced then sat upright after changing the channel while I sat down quietly staring into space then stood up and headed for the kitchen.

"Where are you going to?" Dad asked removing his gaze off the TV

"I'm going to the kitchen to get some dishes. I want to eat now" I replied walking stealthily out of the sitting room without waiting for his reply.

On reaching the kitchen, I walked straight to the sink and turned on the tap then walked back to the counter to get some dishes.

Putting the dishes inside the sink, I began to wash them and when I was through I rinsed them then walked out of the kitchen with them.

Walking back to the sitting room, I placed the dishes on the table then opened the package. And after dishing out some of the saIad, sat down on the sofa to eat while Dad continued watching his cricket game.

"Won't you even invite me at least to join you?" Dad asked

"No I won't." I replied

"Seriously?" He muttered in surprise

"Yeah." I replied in between mouthfuls of the salad

"But why?" He asked, chuckling

"You know why already" I replied

"No, I don't" Dad said

"Well I know you do. You vehemently refused to let me finish watching my program" I said

"But I did" Dad replied calmly

"When was that?" I asked

"Minutes ago" Dad cooed

"It's a lie. Anyway I'm not giving up any of these so sit tight and enjoy your cricket game Sir Edwards" I replied pointing at the salad on the table.

"You ain't serious are you?" Dad asked giving me a cursory look

"I am damn serious" I said half yelling while Dad let out a short throaty laugh.

"You can keep on laughing as you want but I'm not going to give you this" I replied grinning.

"But you can't even eat all of that" Dad protested throwing his arm into the air

"Says who?" I asked, looking at Dad with the corner of my eyes

"I said so" Dad said striking his chest with his right hand in a boastful manner

"I'll have to shock you then" I replied

"You just can't, believe me dear" Dad said teasingly.

"You just wait and see."I said

"If you finish it up. I'll get you an ice cream tomorrow if you do but if you don't what will you get for me?" Dad said waiting for a reply.

"A bag of candy" I replied suppressing the laughter brewing up in my throat.

"What do I do with a bag of candy?" Dad asked in bewilderment

"Eat them of course" I replied

"No. I don't need a bag of candy" he replied shaking his head in negation

"But… that is what I can afford to pay for" I said

"No. Think of something else" Dad said.

"Okay a bag of chips. How about that one too?" I said casting a glance at him.

"That is much better." He replied

Then I got up after placing my meal on the table and went to the kitchen to get some water then came back with a bottle of water in my hand.

"This is great" Dad exclaimed, with his eyes still glued to the TV.

"What happened?" I asked turning to face the TV.

"Look here" Dad said as the highlights showed on the screen.

"Oh" I replied looking away

"So you see why cricket is a sweet game played by lovely folks" Dad said

"Yeah yeah I see. But it still doesn't change the fact that cricket is a very boring game" I said feeling irritated already by the sounds coming from the speakers as the crowds watching the game kept chanting.

"You only think so because you don't understand the game. If you do, you won't be saying a thing like this" Dad said swaying his head from left to right.

"I agree and I don't want to know" I said dismissively.

"Aren't you going to have your meal now?" I asked cutting short the conversation about cricket.

"I'll" Dad replied

"Should I serve you now then?" O asked further

"No wait. Let me finish watching this game" he replied

"Or just serve me now instead" he added changing his mind.

Then I dished out some salad into a plate and placed it on the table just infront of him.

Sitting down on the sofa, I looked on in silence as Dad ate his meal while watching his game.

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