One thing Mrs. Itse hated more than poorly cooked Banga Soup was having to search for things around the house.
It made her feel incompetent and sloppy, just like her late husband, Mr. Itse, used to mock her whenever they had a little disagreement.
So with that familiar anger, she ransacked the entire house, eyebrows tightly knitted together in a kiss, and her breathing pressured.
She was ready to snap at anyone who would approach her at that moment.
And just as it is typical for the Universe to answer the prayers we least expect, Tuoyo, her son, walked into the room.
Even with his face littered with perspiration, he was empathic enough to inquire about his mother's activities.
“Abeg! Abeg! Abeg!” Mrs. Itse growled. “All of you in this house will not give me high blood pressure. Ahn Ahn, why can't I keep something on this table and come back to meet it?”
Tuoyo was calm, “What are you looking for?”
She paused to look at him. “My money o. I dropped it here before I went out. Money that I set aside to pay the light bill. Now with the way it is going, we are going to sleep in darkness tonight.”
“Hm.” Tuoyo set his work bag on the long parlor chair and slumped into it. “This is strange.”
That moment, Glory entered the parlor and was startled by how much of a mess it was. She wondered if her mom and Tuoyo had gotten into a fight again. “What happened?”
“I am looking for my money again.” Mrs. Itse said. “This is the fourth time this is happening in the span of two months — I won't have it.”
Glory clapped her hands to show astonishment. “Nawao. Again?” She turned her brother. “Good evening brother. How was work?”
“Doh. Glory. How —”
“So as I am lamenting about my missing money, none of you want to say anything?” Mrs. Itse was at the top of her voice. “So you mean to tell me, with four of us in this house, there is nothing to say about my money abi? Ozugo.”
“Mummy, this is a very complicated situation o.” Glory said. “How are we going to know what to respond to?”
“Will you shut up!?”
“Mummy calm down.” Tuoyo pleaded.
“Which calm down? You want me to calm down when there are human rats snatching my hard-earned money? In this Buhari period? Glory! Go and call me your sister now!”
Her senior daughter gave her a long look before disappearing into the room. Jane, her younger sister, and their last born was yawning as she approached the parlor with Glory beside her.
“Mummy, you're home already?” Jane did not greet. “Brother, this one that you're squeezing your face like shit. Go and baff na?
“Shut up,” Tuoyo said. “Did you see mummy's money on the table?”
Jane wore a confused look. “Which money?”
“The money I kept here!” Mrs. Itse slammed the wooden center table, startling Jane and Glory in the process. “So you mean to tell me that I cannot leave two teenage girls in this house with money and I will come back and find it abi?”
Glory and Jane knew better than to challenge this woman.
“So you have both turned to thieves abi?” Their mother continued, shouting at the top of her lungs while Tuoyo shook his head in tired disgust, “I did not raise thieves so if any of you is behind it you better talk now or else I will take action!”
“Why would I steal your money?” Jane asked. “Reason it nau. Does it make sense?”
“Watch your mouth,” Tuoyo warned.
“Do I know? You might have a boyfriend in this street that you're sending money to. Who knows!?”
“Mummy chill.” Glory was angry. “You know that Jane would never do that. She might be rude but she would not steal.”
“How do you expect me to know anymore? Since she started going to that Jamb Lesson she has turned into something else!”
“Mummy!” Glory throated.
Jane's eyes were wet.
“Oh, so you're crying ehn?” Mrs. Itse said, “You think I will feel pity for you? Better stop all those crocodile tears. You're not a kid.”
“Mummy!” Glory said. “Stop!”
“Telling me I should stop, am I your mate? First, it was 8K, I calmed down. Then it was my 2K for bread, I calmed down. Last time it was the small change that I brought from the market. You think I will calm down like that? No, one of you must confess today. It must end here. I did not bring up thieves, so you people will not come and disgrace this family.”
“I've said my own.” Glory moved closer to Jane, she placed hands on her sister's trembling shoulders in a bid to console her. “We did not steal your money and that's that.”
“Are you saying that I'm lying or that your brother is a thief now?” Mrs. Itse scoffed.
“Anything you want, biko! You cannot just come and be accusing us of something we didn't do.”
Mrs. Itse was about to respond when Glory guided Jane out of the parlor. They headed to the room.
A furious Mrs. Itse turned to her son and said, “Can you imagine this rubbish?”
Tuoyo shrugged. “You said they should be outspoken women, sha deal with what you wished for. God know say if na me dem yarn that dust for, I go slap person.”
She packed her belongings and headed for her room, carrying that fury with her. It lingered till evening, even when they had to turn the generator on. The next morning was no different. She sat on her bed with the first golden rays of the morning sun settling with warmth upon her bedsheets and her inner thighs, and all she could find herself thinking about was who exactly was behind these stealings.

TO BE CONTINUED