Sharp Tongue

Episode 17

Boma, Edidiong and Sheila walked out of
the cinema hall. They had just watched a movie
and had decided to eat at one of the restaurants
in the building before leaving.
“Have you tasted their new pizza?”
Edidiong and Sheila shook their heads.
“You need to. It’s like tasting heaven.”
Edidiong rolled her eyes and Sheila giggled.
“I am serious, come with me.”
They followed him. Edidiong picked out a
table for them while Boma went to order their meal.

“I hope the pizza tastes as good as he
sounds.”
Edidiong rolled her eyes again, “We will
see.”
Sheila browsed through her phone and saw
a
ping from her mother. She decided to reply.
She
had, had a lovely time so far. Her cousins
were
cool to hang out with. They could do this
every
weekend or whenever they were free.
“What are you doing?”
“Hmmm… ”
“Who are you chatting with?”
“My mum,” her eyes remained fixed on the
phone. Edidiong stared at her cousin. It
was
difficult to believe that she and her brother
were
on an outing with Sheila. When was the last
time they had gone out together? Ten years ago?
She wondered why they stopped. How did they
all drift apart?
“Here you go!” Boma placed a box of
steaming
pizza on their table. The aroma distracted
Sheila.
“It smells good.”
“I hope it tastes good.”
“Trust me,” Boma winked at them.
“What about drinks?”
“Your turn,” he pulled out an empty chair
and sat
down. His sister frowned.
“Don’t worry, I will get it,” Sheila got up and
hurried away. Her cousins watched her go
and
exchanged glances.
“It’s hard to believe, right?”
His sister nodded.
“The last time she was this nice was when
she
was nine.”
Edidiong nodded again. She remembered
being
close to Sheila when they were young. She
would
give anything to have that friendship back.
“Do you think she will return to the old
Sheila
when her memory returns?”
Boma shrugged, “Let’s wait and see.”
She sighed. She hoped not. If the old and
new
Sheila can blend, excluding all the drama,
that
would turn out well, that would be fantastic,
a
wish come true.

---

Sheila stood at the gate and turned to look
at her
parents again.
“We will pick you up in the evening,” her
father
started the car.
“Go on… Go in,” her mother encouraged her.
She exhaled, turned around and pushed the
gate
open. The moment she stepped into the
large
compound, John drove off.
Her aunt’s house was as large as her
grandparents’ mansion. She wished she
didn’t
need to visit them. The woman doesn’t like
her.
She had sensed it since the first day they
met.
She took a deep breath and started walking
towards the front door.
Martha watched Sheila from her bedroom
window. She had dreaded this day for the
past
one week. If not for her husband’s constant
plea,
she would have disagreed when her father
informed her that her neice would pay them
a
visit, all in the name of recovering her
memory.
Daniel came out of the bathroom, “What are
you
looking at?”
Martha drew the curtains and headed for
the
door, “Sheila is here.”
“Oh, I see… ” He watched his wife leave the
room.
It had taken him a whole week to convince
her.
The young helpless girl needed their help.
What
else could they do?
Martha unlock the front door and opened it.
Sheila halted when she saw her aunt
standing at
the door. Both women locked gazes.
“Don’t just stand there, come in,” she turned
and
walked into the house. Sheila felt like
leaving. She
could call her parents and ask them to pick
her
up. She wasn’t sure she could go through
with it.
She had a feeling that things might end
badly
before sunset. Her parents wanted her to do
this.
They believed it will help her. She exhaled,
swallowed hard and stepped into the house.
Martha and her husband were seated in the
living
room. She greeted them and took a seat.
No one
said a word and the silence was irritating.
What is
she doing here?
Daniel nudged his wife, but she refused to
say
anything. She didn’t even look at him.
“So… Sheila, how have you been?”
“Okay.”
“Can we get you anything to eat or drink?”
She shook her head.
“Okay,” he glanced at his wife and kicked
her.

“Ouch!” She glared at him. What was wrong
with him? Why must she speak to her? She was
in no mood to chit chat with the girl. This whole
visit- thing was a failed experiment.
Sheila stood, “I want to go home.”
Daniel opened his mouth, then closed it. He
looked at his wife and frowned. Martha
cleared her throat and said nothing. Good! Finally,
she would have peace in her own home.
“I will call my parents, I don’t think they
have gone far.”
“Sheila… ”

“Why do hate me so much?” Her question
was directed at her aunt.

Martha blinked and looked at her.
“What did I do to you to deserve this… this
coldness… and… and hatred.”
Her aunt eyed her, “I do not need to refresh
your memory.”

“Martha!”

Sheila shook her head and walked out.
“What is wrong with you?”
Martha ignored her husband and walked out
on him.

“Martha!” What was wrong with her? Why
couldn’t she get past her bitterness
towards her neice? It was beginning to affect them
negatively.

Sheila headed for the gate. How she wished
she could recover all her memories. She dialed
her father’s number. The phone began to ring.
Suddenly, her vision blurred. Images flashed
through her mind’s eye. She stopped
walking and tried to breathe. She felt as if a thousand
bells were ringing in her head. The images played
like a video tape, events, conversations,
everything
she had said and done in the past nineteen
years
ran through her mind. Her heart beat
accelerated. She placed her hands on her
head.

Her kneels caved in. She hit the ground and
darkness consumed her.