PICTURES OF STONY FACES BY URHURU
“See this picture” Kamsi handed it to Gold.
Gold took it and went back to the wardrobe, her eyes fixated on the picture. She studied the people in it, each face glowing with happiness. Suddenly, she tossed it aside, she wanted to make a remark to counter any impression that she was interested in the picture but decided against it, there was no need to pretend with Kamsi.
She picked it back from the floor, folded it and put in her suit pocket.
Kamsi chuckled and spoke while backing her “See Gracious’ teeth. I’m sure that she’ll be very embarrassed.”
He walked towards her with a mischievous smile “In fact, give me the picture let me snap it. I will post it every year on her birthday.”
He stretched out his hands for the picture.
Gold glared at his outstretched hand for a while but decided to put aside stubbornness. She took out the picture from her pocket and gave it to him. She knew that she was trying his patience.
Kamsi brought out his phone and snapped the picture while laughing. He stretched the picture back to her and withdrew when she tried to collect it. His laughter morphed into a look of concern. He held up the picture and pointed to her face.
“You have not smiled in years.”
She grabbed the picture from him and walked towards an empty box pretending to be focused on packing.
The room was filled with the sound of moving objects until Gold decided to speak. She wanted to make the most of the time as she didn’t know when next they would see each other. There were many things left unsaid.
“Broda”
“Mm”
“Do you think I look older than my age?”
“Ahn ahn”
“Do you think that no one will marry me?”
He stopped what he was doing and faced her but she didn’t turn to face him.
“Gold when did you start having these kind of insecurities?”
“I know what you are thinking, you would say ehn if it bothers me so much, I should have loosened up all these years and my face will not be the granite it is today. ”
“Gold”
“What is there to laugh about?”
Kamsi sighed and went back to arranging the things in the room.
“No look at it” she turned to face him “what has smiling done for anybody. People can look at me and say that I am cold and unapproachable but I am better than everyone else.”
He turned to face her “you are better than everyone else.”
“Yes because I am not pretentious. Smiling is a pretentious gesture.”
She brandished her teeth making a scary imitation of a smile ” People will be shining teeth, covering their troubles so that people will not gossip about them.”
She brought out the picture from her pocket and pointed to a middle aged woman.
“Whereas they’ll be dying inside!”
He looked at her for a few minutes and turned back to continue what he was doing.
“No talk na, what has it done for anybody?. If mummy was not hiding away her pain, she may have been diagnosed early and she will not have died. DADDY-”
He flinched from the volume of her voice
“ALSO WILL NOT HAVE HAD A ” ROAD ACCIDENT” WHEN HE CAME OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AFTER HEARING THE NEWS!”
This time there was total silence, save for Gold’s laborious breathing, the sound of moving objects were not heard.
“Frowning all the time shows lack of trust in God”
“So” she tried to catch her breath “are you saying that I don’t trust in God?”
“Everyone goes through challenges-”
“He’s calling death challenges-”
“But while we grieve and cry and fume, we should not do it without hope. We should remember that God is there to comfort us.”
A bitter laugh came out from Gold’s mouth
“At least you are not like those that will stop coming coming to church and say that they are angry with God.”
“I didn’t go to church in uni”
“But”
“I only did when I came home from school, I didn’t need my siblings to be concerned that their sister had gone astray.”
“But, but I always asked how church was and-”
“I lied”
Kamsi raised his eyebrows “wooww”
“Did you know how hard things were for me? Do you know how bad things are for me?”
He pushed a box towards the exit of the door
“Come back, you are not evading this conversation.”
“I am beginning to get upset.”
“Upset about what?”
He left the box at the door and walked towards her.
“You act as if you are the only one who went through this. Like I don’t understand, you of all people are saying I don’t know how bad things are for you? Look at you telling me what has smiling done for anybody”
He slapped his palm on the other one repeatedly ” What your attitude done for anybody? Whose parents died when he just finished NECO? Who worked to send you and Gracious to the university? Even if you want to spew all this nonsense, it’s not me you should be saying all these things to.
He shook his head slowly “Ah Gold, your unreasonableness surprises me.”
“Brother! Sister!” someone open the house’s front door.
Kamsi’s countenance changed “We are here!”
Gold scoffed “So pretentious”
“Brother” a young lady ran to hug Kamsi. “Good evening Sister” she gave a polite smile.
Gold noticed that she remained at Kamsi’s side.
“Good evening”
“Gracious” Kamsi said “go and start packing the things in the other room.”
“Okay” she walked towards the door
“Money, you did not provide. You have done absolutely nothing to help.”
Gracious stopped walking and turned towards them
“Even emotional support” Kamsi pointed towards Gracious “Your sister, the last born that you were supposed to protect, help her to cope you did not.”
“Brother” Gracious said
He raised a hand to silence her “and you are here talking.”
“In fact” he kicked one of the boxes causing the contents to fall out.
“Brother!” Gracious shouted.
Kamsi walked towards Gold and folded his arms
“You know that Gracious cannot talk to you and I hate arguments. Gold, why are we selling our family house?”
Author’s Bio: Urhuru is basically an art that hopes to inspire and entertain. Her works are published in the Ekstasis Magazine, WRR Magazine, Spillwords and in other places.
