Sharp Tongue

Episode 8

Dorcas made her way into the sitting room.
She found Boma and Edidiong watching a movie
on a Dstv channel. She took a seat on the
seatee and stared at her children. They were
growing faster than she could blink. Her son who
had just turned twenty-two was preparing for
his NYSC programme. He had graduated with a
second class upper in Chemical Engineering
and her twenty year old daughter was in
year three, studying Micro-biology. She and her
husband had wanted them to school
abroad, but they changed their minds and enrolled them in the University of Lagos and there
had been no regrets so far.

“Where do you think they are going to post
you?”

Boma shrugged, his attention was fixed on
the television screen.

“May be they will post him to the north,”
Edidiong started to laugh. He hit her on the
head and she cried out.

“Boma!” She gave her son a stern stare.
“Sorry mum, Edidiong has a big mouth. ”
His sister eyed him and gave him a wide
breth.

“I hope they post you to one of those
villages where there are no electricity, pipe borne
water and other social amenities.”

“That’s enough Didi.”

She stucked out her tongue at her brother,
and smiled at her mother. She likes it whenever
her mum called her ‘Didi’.

Imabong came in and joined his wife on the
seatee.

“You have been on the system all day,” she
eyed him.

“Yes baby,” he winked at her, ” I had to chat
with Douglas, remember Douglas?”

“Yes, yes, your money-hungry business
associate,” she rolled her eyes.
He chuckled, “The CEO of Allied Insurance
daughter is getting married soon.”

Dorcas looked at her husband, “Tell me you
got the contract.”

He beamed, “I got the contract baby.” His
wife leapt into his arms and kissed him.

“You are bestest husband in the world.”
Boma and his sister glanced at their
parents, wondering why they were acting lovey-
dovey.

“It gets better baby.”
“I am all ears,” her excited voice filled the
room.

“He wants you to plan the wedding.”
Dorcas shrieked, jumped off the seatee and
started dancing. Edidiong and her brother
exchanged glances. What’s with their
parents this evening?

“Douglas has set up a meeting and it’s
tomorrow.”

“Great! This people are loaded.”
“I know baby. Aside the fat check and all
that, this job will open doors for us. This could
lead to the beginning of getting government
contracts and all that comes with it.”

She sat back on the seatee, “You are right.
I am so happy. What time is the meeting?”
“Seven in the morning.”

“What?!”