It has been days since the Principal last sent for me. Again,I was afraid to go her office because I didn't want to know what would happen if I did but I wanted to know how she was. For some reason,I was uneasy and anxious and nervous and frightened and worried. I would lay in my bed lost in thought or blank of any thought just staring at nothing. I could remain like that all morning and afternoon and only get out of bed to carry out my usual routine and return to it again. Since I had no friend in the hostel, it was rather lonely and boring as most of the girls would be out and I would be the only one in the room . The only time I didn't feel loneliness eating me up was when I was in the garden with Oliver,she helped me take my mind off everything.
Days went by like this and I wondered when the Principal would stop this silent treatment and just table the issue. I hated silent treatment,it made me feel like I was trapped in a dark cave with no knowledge of my surrounding or just drowning in the deep waters.
Finally, she sent for me but I was to meet her at her house and not her office. I was scared when I got the message because it was not what I had in mind but I went anyways as I wanted to know the outcome. I only hoped,it would end well.
Uneasily,I treaded the path that led to her house to honour her invitation. Her house was behind the garden so I dragged my feet towards it. Walking to her house was like walking into uncertainty and the unknown. I couldn't even tell what to expect or how I felt, excited, anxious, confused, afraid,I didn't know.
I looked towards the garden at some girls who were chatting and giggling excitedly. I noticed someone peeping at me from behind the tree which was some distance from where the girls sat. She gave me a knowing smile and waved,I forced myself to smile back briefly but didn't wave back as I didn't want the girls thinking I was waving at them or had gone mad. She gave me a thumbs up and withdrew behind the tree. I felt a bit relaxed and settled. I let out a deep breathe I didn't know I was holding. Just then,the girls took notice of my presence and stared at me as I walked by and began murmuring among themselves. I looked away and continued walking down the pathway.
Arriving at the veranda, I breathed hard and knocked at the door but got no answer. I raised up my hand to knock again when I heard her voice from within asking," Who is it?","It's me, Emily, I'm...", I said but she interrupted me," Come in",she said. I turned the door knob, opened the door and went in.
Let me say I was disappointed at what I saw when I entered. I hadn't expected the living room to be richly furnished despite its small size. I had expected a poorly or average furnished living room but was disappointed at the turn of event . I took in the entire room in one glance and I felt exalted feeling lucky to be in the Principal's abode." Please, have a seat", I heard her say from where I presume was the kitchen. I sat down and this time I wasn't disappointed,the sofa was as soft as it looked.
Minutes went by as I savoured the sweet smell of stew coming from her kitchen. It reminded me of my Grandma's stew which she prepared each time she visited or when we visited her on Christmas and new year holidays. Each time we visited and met her in the kitchen I would go stand by her side and watch her cook. She may have thought it was because I wanted to be by her side being her favourite grandchild but it was actually because I wanted to learn the secret of her marvelous cooking. I tired many times to replicate her cooking but it never tasted like hers,maybe years of cooking was the secret. I really missed her." God bless her soul wherever she was", I prayed for her in my heart as i felt a tear drop but I quickly wiped it off .
The sound of clearing throat brought me back to reality and I immediately stood up to greet her. She nodded in response and sat down on the one man chair and I did the same ," So,tell me ,how do you know my daughter?",she asked ," We use to meet in the garden every night", I replied," Hmmm",she said," And how long have you known her?",she asked," Some months now", I replied," Hmm", she said again," Some months?", she asked and I nodded. " Where was she going with these questions and what was she so calm?",I asked myself, she was calmer than I expected.
She was silent for some time making me uncomfortable," Did she tell you what you told me?",she asked," Yes,she did",I asked unsure where she was going with this." You are deranged ", she bursted out and let out a brief laugh as she reclined into the chair.
I had no idea what that word meant but I wasn't going to sit there and be called names over something I knew was true. Didn't Oliver said convince her that was what I was going to do," But it is true,If not explain how I knew she had been died for fifteen years and she died from a snake bite?",I asked ," So you have been...",she began but I cut her off," Explain how I know you have balmed her corpse and hid it in a place only you have access to?", I continued," Explain how I know the reason you did that was because you still blame yourself for her...", she interrupted me," Enough!",she yelled at me and the whole room was filled with silence.
For minutes,none of us said a word. I sat there watching her while she covered her face almost completely from view with her palms. I didn't know what her next reaction would be but I wanted to know it would be.