Must Read: As Deep As The Sea

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: As Deep As The Sea

Prince and Gift sat in the Arrival hall of Murtala Muhammed International Airport. They were home for the holidays and had thought that they would visit their elder sister in Abuja, but their parents had informed them of her scheduled flight home. Although it felt like a dent to their plans, they were excited that she would be home for a while.


“Look, look, here she comes!” Gift was on her feet, half walking and half running.
Prince grunted and followed her. His ever impatient younger sister never stopped to amaze him.




Promise sighted her siblings and beamed with joy. It was good to see friendly and trustworthy faces.



Gift noticed how slim her sister looked. Her heart sank. She hoped her sister was all right.
“Promise, look at you! You have lost so much weight. Mum is going to have an heart attack,” she hugged her sister and relieved her of some of her bags. Prince collected the rest.
“I am just glad that I am alive Gift.”
Prince shook his head, “The food poisoning really did a number on you.”
“Hmmm… Let’s go home. I am tired and I need rest.”
“You do need a lot of rest. I parked the car in the Airport car park. I will get it while both of you wait outside,” Prince headed out.
Promise and Gift followed, but in slow sluggish steps.
“Which of the cars did you come in?”
“The Toyota Camiry. Dad has stopped us from driving his Jeep.”
Promise chuckled. She knew that was going to happen sooner or later.


**********


Prince drove the white Toyota Camiry 2004 into the compound. His father had refused to allow him to touch the black SUV Jeep since he returned from school. It seemed the old man had grown fond of his new car.
“Dad and mum are at the door,” Gift got out of the car.
“Really?” Promise saw her parents standing at the doorway, smiling as if they had just received a truck load of gifts from Santa Claus. She opened the door and alighted from the car.
Blessing gasped and Osagie sq££zed one of her hands. She understood what he meant. She glanced at him and wondered if she would be able to compose herself. Their daughter had lost weight and she looked drained and malnourished.
“Welcome home darling,” her father stretched out his hands. She walked up to him and bathed in the warmth of his embrace. It was really good to be home.


“You look… How are you feeling sweets?” Her mother stared at her. Her eyes held a host of questions she was willing to ask, but struggling to remain tongue tied.
“Now that I am home, I am going to be just fine mum.”
Blessing exchanged glances with her husband.



They had a feeling she wasn’t telling them the whole truth, but they decided to allow her to recuperate. They hope she would open up to them when she was ready.
“All right, let’s get you inside,” Osagie led his daughter into the house. Blessing sighed with heaviness and followed.



Prince and Gift carried their elder sister’s luggages and dragged them in.