That Wednesday morning started unlike any other day. For some reason I couldn't figure out, I didn't sleep well during the night, and when I finally managed to get some shut-eye in the early hours of the morning I woke up too soon for my liking. I literally woke up on the wrong side of the bed as the saying goes.
I knew trying to force myself to sleep would be pointless, so I got out of bed and decided to carry on with my day.
“Good morning ma” I greeted my aunt who was also just coming out of her room with a frown on my face.
“Morning dear” she replied, looking as if she wanted to ask why I was frowning but decided not to.
Better don't ask because I don't understand why I'm in a foul mood either, I thought to myself. After using the restroom, I grabbed a broom and started sweeping the house. Anyone watching my movement would think I was quarrelling with the broom or floors.
“Good morning” I greeted my cousins who were already busy talking and laughing.
“This early morning, I guess the house will clean itself” I muttered to myself pretending not to hear their ‘hope you slept well’ questions.
After sweeping, I headed to the kitchen and tackled the plates and pots in the sink, slamming and banging drawers while trying to figure out what was really the cause of my bad mood. Since the drawers couldn't reply me I gave up and walked back to my room.
I decided to stay there because it wouldn't be fair of me to transfer my aggression to my family members. The need to bathe was the first reason that brought me out of my room, then hunger caused my second sojourn to the kitchen in the afternoon.
I tried to be jovial and happy but gave up after realizing that the day was just going to be a bad day for me as my cousins kept annoying me. So after eating, I wandered back to my room and decided to listen to music. Around 4pm, I offered to take our dog on a walk because I was tired of staying indoors.
I was just outside by the gate when my phone rang.
“Ha, unknown number, who could this be?” I said to myself. I let it ring without answering the call, until the phone rang for the third time.
“Hello who is this?” I asked gruffly.
“Good evening please is this Loveth?” a feminine voice asked through the phone.
“Yes…” I replied trying to figure out the owner of the voice.
“Wow, Loveth how are you? It's been years now” the voice replied excitedly.
“Sorry, who is this, please?” I asked.
“Sorry dear, I should have introduced myself first. It's me Chinaza Okoli from secondary school” she replied.
“Chinaza Okoli?” I asked racking my brain to place a face to the name.
“Yes dear, you may not remember me. I left when we were in JSS3. My family relocated to the US, that's why I left. Don't you remember me?” she asked.
“I'm sorry I don't, it's been so long. How are you?” I replied.
“I'm fine, and I got your number from Chisom. I'm currently in Lagos for my Aunt's wedding and I ran into Chisom. She told me you guys still talk, so I asked for your contact” she replied.
“Yeah Chisom and I are still friends” I replied giggling.
I was still trying to figure out the face but mentioning Chisom made me relax a little. Chinaza went ahead to ask of my other friends from secondary school who I was really close with, and I replied beginning to smile. I finally concluded this Chinaza girl knew me really well when she mentioned me losing my dad before I got to senior secondary school.
“Sorry, dear, let me attend to my aunt. I'll call you back” Chinaza said shortly after.
I hung up smiling and thinking that the day was not going to be a bad day after all. Quickly I let the dog back into the compound and sat outside. Then sent a text to Chisom my friend to confirm the story Chinaza told me about meeting her.
Furthermore, I called my sister Ify to ask her if she remembered this Chinaza girl, but she didn't answer the call. Two minutes later, Chinaza called back and we continued talking. We talked about where we grew up and how she would go to visit my mum in our in Lagos.
“I wish you weren't schooling in Awka, I would have loved to see you before I travel back” Chinaza said.
“Yeah, I would love to see you too because I really can't remember you” I replied.
We talked a little more and got to the part where she wanted to put in a word for me with her uncle to help me secure a job as soon as I graduate. Okay… I thought to myself, is this a miracle or what? Before I could reply or start celebrating I heard laughter through the phone.
The voice laughing was different from the voice I had been speaking with a second ago. For a moment, I was confused because the current voice sounded like my sister's voice. I didn't know whether to be angry or to laugh as I realized what was going on. There was nobody like Chinaza Okoli, I had been talking to my elder sister the whole time!
I finally decided to laugh, but not before I used some very colorful insults on my sister Ify.
“I got you!” she screamed, laughing.
“And today is not even April fool's day. You're a mad person” I replied smiling.
“I knew you wouldn't recognize my changed voice. I should be an actress” she replied still laughing.
“Yes you should, and you should also consider yourself lucky that I'm in aunt's house and you're not. I would've bitten you” I replied shaking my head.
“This is my new phone number by the way” she replied.
“Chinaza Okoli, nice one. Sister Ify, I hope you know I must retaliate?” I told her.
After the call I couldn't even be mad at my sister for pulling my legs. She had made me laugh for the first time that day and the bad mood disappeared. I hurriedly sent another text to Chisom asking her to ignore the prior text I'd sent her.
I walked back into the house thinking hard on how to prank my sister. But until I come up with a good idea, I've resorted to calling her Chinaza Okoli.
