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Hi friends, sorry I haven't been able to update this story. But no body even missed me or did you?
This is an update......comments make the story flow.
Continued.......

At first it seemed as if he might not answer. Then he said reluctantly, "I knew the driver couldn't see the girls. He could see me, though"
Sitting on the edge of the bed she took his hand. Sprinkled with dark hair, it dwarfed hers. She squeezed it gently. " You risked your life for my children. I ....don't know how.....I can't thank ..."
Oh no the tears were coming. She had held them at bay during the crisis, helped Mayo into the house , put the girls into separate rooms, called the police and death with the careless teenager. But now, in front of this stranger, she was going to lose it. She tried to quell it.
When she had seen the girls run into the street Aina thought her life was over. She had been through a lot , catching her husband in bed with another woman, having the twins come two months early and dealing with their births alone, and the anxiety about being their sole provider. But she rarely let herself cry.but this was too much for her to handles as the tears came rolling down like waves of ocean down her chicks.
Mayo gripped the hand that held his, and said " Shhh. It's over now. It's alright"
Tears became sobs. Tugging her hand away, she braced her elbows on her knees, buried her face in her hands and wept.
After a moment, Aina felt something in her hair, His hand. It rested lightly on her crown, then stroked downward tentatively. His touch was comforting and she leaned into it. Accepting solace from anybody was rare for her, and to take it from this stranger was crazy, but she couldn't help herself.
He continued the motion and the soothing words until she quieted, removed her hands from her face and straightened . He let his arm drop to the mattress.
Dabbing her face with a tissue she said " I'm sorry. I can't remember the last time...it's just that ..." she shrugged helplessly. 
I understand 
" No, really, I'm not a weeping willow. I'm ..." she stood up abruptly. " look, I am not the important one . You are. You're obviously in pain. Please let me call a doctor, or at least the neighborhood nurse , Bimpe, to come out and look at you.
His eyes flared at the mention of Bimpe's name. She could have sworn it was with a spark of recognition."No." more quietly he said, " This is a chronic injury. I first got it when I was in Secondary School. It will swell and be sore for a few weeks . All I need is ice, some pain pills and rest.
" Do you carry the medicine with you?"
" Yes, along with my brace. My knee has been bothering me since I ......" she stopped as if he had said too much. " In any case , the pills are in my car-in my shaving kit."
" I'll get it for you"
He tried to get up. "No.." then he fell back into the pillows. " I guess I am fairly immobilized " under his breath he said " Damn."

TBC...

I got busy over the weekend. I shall post an update tomorrow.

Chapter Two

With every ounce of strength she had, Aina willed back the stark panic that bubbled inside her. Summoning a false bravado, she straightened the covers on the old mahogany bed and plumped the pillow behind the man who had saved the lives of her children. Nightmarish images tried to surface in her mind, but she fought them back. There'd be time enough later to deal with the demons. Right now, she was grateful for the angel that was sent to her and her twins.
" Are you comfortable?" that's stupid, Aina she thought to herself. His face shows pain.
He watched her through thick lashes, his dark brown eyes, undilutedlooking somehow familiar, " Not exactly " he replied.
" Now that we have you in the house I will call the doctor"
" I don't need a doctor"
" I can understand why you wouldn't want an ambulance to take you to an hospital, but a doctor will be glad to pay a visit out here. It's a small town. People do those kinds of things here" She nodded to his knee, which they had propped higher than his heart and immediately iced after she and Lamidi- the kid driving the truck- had practically carried the man into her house.
" As I told you, it's an old injury" His voice was hoarse, probably from the pain. He raked back his hair and shrugged mile-wide shoulders. He was a big man with the build of an Athlete. " I know how to take care of it" Angling his head to the door, he asked, " Are the boy and your neighbor gone?"
" Yes. And the police officer called Lamidi's parents about the accident. They will talk to him about driving safely." She smiled weakly. " Now I can just take care of you"
The man stiffened. " You don't have to take care of me"
" Ofcourse I have to" Again the emotion in her voice tried to get out. " You saved my daughters' lives." She clenched her hands behind her until they hurt so she wouldn't cry. " And I don't know even your name"
" Mayo Olateru
" I'm Aina Oladuni. The twins are Taiwo and Kehinde as you would already know" she smiled wearily.
He stared at her
" I suppose you were wondering how this happened" she said.
" How did it?"
" I was chopping wood before church, and the girls were playing with the kites we made last night. Some dust flew into my eyes. I came in to wash it out" 
" You left five-year olds alone outside when you live on such a lousy road?"
She knew she deserved the consume in his voice, though his reasoning was wrong. " No. I brought the girls in with me. I sat them down in the back bench and I told them to stay put. I locked the hook at the top of the door, way above their heads. Apparently, Taiwo dragged over a stool, stood on it and managed to unlock it." Aina shook her head horrified at what had almost happened. " I never imagined she will disobey me so blatantly." Tears misted her eyes, but she didn't let them fall. " Thank God you were there." 
" God had nothing to do with it" He seemed to say the words by rote, as if to himself, not to her
In any case, it was an odd remark. But she was too shaken to discuss theology with him. If she could just keep it together for a few more minutes..." 
" I saw it happen from from inside the house."
His quick intake of breath told her he understood, on some level at least, the significance of witnessing the two most important people in your life almost lose theirs. It was the only emotion he had shown in the past hour.
" it was like watching a horror movie I saw Taiwo then Kehinde . Then the truck came over the bend."
" Iya Ibeji, you don't...."
She shook her head. " You ran right in front of that drunk driver" her voice caught, but he said nothing. " If Lamidi hadn't been able to stop, you would have been killed. Why did you do it?" she asked him?
 
TBC...

flowerybabe:
Wow am gonna luv dis story,more ink to ur pen.

Thanks. I hope to satisfy your taste.

* Continued*

Taiwo scooted away and Kehinde skipped to the wheelbarrow. She stopped , gave Aina a hug of thanks, though not a peep of complaint escaped her lips, and climbed into the pile. Aina' s back ached at the added weight, but she pushed the wood to the enclosed part, at the back of the house, which was made to hold things like coal cooker, fire wood and logs of timber, and also served as a shed to store the freshly cut wood. She whistled quietly to herself as she pushed the load and her daughter.
After the girls helped her stack the woods in the shed, they returned to their kite which they had been playing with, all morning. Aina cautioned them " Zip up your jackets ladies, it's getting cold" Aina checked her watch, she could spend another half hour before she showered and dressed for church. Facing the twins who were trying unsuccessfully to get the kites in the air, she amended her timetable to fifteen minutes for the wood and fifteen minutes for flying kites. It was unusually windy for this early in the morning, so she'd take advantage of it.
She groaned at her choices. She had created a happy family: two girls, two grandma- types, a grandpa, a mom and dad, and a dog. She thought about adding a baby boy, but Aina didn't want to tempt fates. She will be happy with just a little more than what she has now.
A squeal from Taiwo made Aina's head jerk up: the ax missed its mark, the wind gusted and a spray of sawdust hit her face. Some of it lodged in her eye and stung mercilessly. She yelped, which drew the attention of the girls. Abandoning the kites, they raced towards her.
" Mommy, are you okay? Taiwo asked
Kehinde stared, wide-eyed and stuck her fingers in her mouth again.
" I got something in my eye. Head into the house"
Taiwo said " But I want...."
Gently Aina interrupted. " Taiwo, mommy is hurt. Get into the house now"
Inside she secured the hook on the door- placed as high as her arms could reach and turned to the twins. " sit down on the bench next to the stool I will be right back "
" What about our kites?" Taiwo whined. 
" They will be fine for a few minutes until I return, you can watch it from the window".
Kehinde sat on the bench, Taiwo was still fidgeting. Aina's patience frayed. " Taiwo, show some consideration." the girl nodded and repeated her sister's action.
Aina rushed to the kitchen sink to wash her eye. It felt like sand was in her eye. While washing her eyes, her mind went to her kids and she bemoaned whether she hasn't made mistakes in bringing them up. If she hasn't spoilt them a little , because it had taken long years to conceive them. Then, after her Ex- husband had left her And the girls were born, they had become the center of the universe.
As she finished up at the sink, she made a mental note of improving on her parental skills .

**********
Instead of pulling into the driveway he didn't want to alert Aina to his arrival Mayo swung his car to the opposite side of Molusi road and parked on the street. He waited as a few cars whizzed by, carelessly fast even for this part of the town, then he opened the door, wincing as he knocked his knee sliding out. Thank God he had brought his brace. He will Need to wear it if his knee got any worse. Ironically, it was a reminder of the of the good old days that had started in Molete. He stood for a minute by the Volvo, staring at the Family house. It had not worn well. The white or now brown walls needed re-painting, though the roof looked new. The front porch appeared rickety. Concrete steps leading to the road had been added, as well as a path to the backyard.
He was about to push away from the car when he saw a kite float up and out from the side of the house, then every thing happened at once.
First, one dark headed child popped out of nowhere and ran toward the road. Another of the same height and build followed. 
The kite sailed higher.
Mayo straightened and cupped his hands to warn the kids about running into the road.
A pickup truck came over the slight rise and barreled down the road at about forty miles an hour, windows open, some heavy fuji music blaring out.
As if guided by an invisible hand, the kite sailed over the road and the kids darted after it
Mayo lunged towards them. Seeing him- at six foot-two he was visible over the raised hood of the car, though the children were not-the teenager in the truck hit the horn and braked. Mayo scooped up a girl in each arm and swept them across the pavement, right into the concrete steps. Unable to stop the momentum, he lifted his leg to take the impact.
A roar erupted from his chest as his injured knee connected with the solid stone of the step. Pain splintered his leg, but he angled his body and held on tight to cushion the kids' fall as he crashed to the ground.

Your comments and critism are needed before we move to the next chapter.
End of Chapter.
TBC....

I had to post double today because I will be caught up tomorrow. I hope you guys enjoy the update. Apologies in advance.


*Continued*
Her shoulders aching, Aina raised the ax over her head and brought it down hard into the wood. The log split neatly in the center, drawing a satisfied grin from her. She was getting as good as Mallam Sanni at this. A slight breeze teased a lock of her shoulder-length hair from it ponytail and cooled her sweaty brow. Tucking back the wayward strands, she made a second chop, then a third until the big log was in several pieces. Bending over, she tossed each one into the wheelbarrow. That filled it, so she hid the ax behind the pile Olamide Akanni, a friend in town who was like a brother to her, had delivered just yesterday. " I got a cord of uncut wood, Aina. You can have half dirt cheap. I'll even deliver it." Though she never accepted charity, she was world-class bargain hunter and never passed up an opportunity to save money. Just to be safe, she'd drop at Olamide's hardware store tomorrow with some of those brownies he loved. Mentally she added, Bake brownies to her Kitchen to-do list.
As Aina grasped the handles of the wheelbarrow, wincing at the blister that had formed beneath her worn gloves, Taiwo yelled, "My turn to ride." Kate groaned inwardly, wondering how she'd gotten into this game. Her five year old daughter raced toward her, her dark hair flopping wildly in the wind that had just picked up, her jacket open, her denim overalls already dirty. Kehinde on her own, dressed in pretty pink sweats that could be featured in Omo detergent commercial for the "after" shot, was rooted to the spot, two fingers stuck in her mouth.
Aina released the wheelbarrow and neatly intercepted Taiwo as she drew near it. Encircling her waist firmly with her hands, she chided, "Hold on. Baby" Kneeling to be face-to-face, she started straight into slate-dark eyes exactly like her ex-husband Wande's. " Is it really your turn, Taiwo?"
The devil danced in and out of her wild child's expression as she nodded. Aina continued to give her the stern mother look that women miraculously inherited from the delivery room. Finally, Taiwo shook her head.
" it's not nice to lie, Taiwo, or to hurt Kehinde by cheating her out of her turn. " Mom has told you many times not to lie or cheat" she said .
" I don't want to hurt Kehinde she whispered "
"I'm sorry mum"

TBC....

This update is dedicated to harjay0623 and betybuk.

*Continued*

Arike Oladokun sat bolt upright in her old brass bed and slapped her hand over wildly beating her chest. Disoriented, she scanned her surroundings and took in the faded pink-flower wallpaper, the rechargeable lamp and the wooden dressers. The clock on the night stand said 7:30am. She had slept in. It was Sunday and she needed to be in church in an hour.
There was a soft knock on the door. " Arike Ade are you awake?"
" Come in, Asake."
Her twin opened the door. Still in her long purple bathrobe, fuzzy slippers and the net she wore to bed to keep her hair in one place, Asake bustled in like a cheerful maid carrying tea. " I brought you some - What's wrong ? Arike smiled. Twin intuition was on red alert. " I overslept dear"
Regarding her with wary eyes Asake asked, did you have another dream?
Weary, Arike sank into the pillows and noded.
Setting the tea on the table , Asake crossed to the bed and perched on the edge. She gave Arike her glasses, then grasped her hand. Arike took comfort in the contact. Asake said, "Your're very cold, and it's warm in here". 
Arike just stared at her sister.
" you dreamed about him again, didn't you?"
"Yes" 
" It's because Chief is gone, dear"
Valiantly Arike battled the back the tears for the brother she will never get used to losing. " I know, but this one as real, Mayowa was back in town in the dream"
Asake's dark eyes flared angrily, " it's because you expected him for the burial, and in the months since, you kept thinking he will walk through the door"
" I can't believe he didn't come"
" I can, something terrible happened between Mayowa and Chief all those years ago. We'll never see him again" she puffed out her chest. " You have to accept that"
" I won't. We will see Mayowa , and soon . I know it"
" Yes, well, maybe he will come to our funerals"
Arike straighten her shoulders. " That remark is un-Christian and beneath you". Though her twin sister has some powers over her, yet Arike knows when to make her stand against her sister. " I know he will be back, just like I knew it when he and Shade were stranded at Kudeti. I also knew it when he had that big fight with Chief."
"Okay, I wo lo mo...." " I just hate to see you get your hopes up and then get disappointed.

TBC...