Gwen sat by her south-facing window overlooking the street. Pen tucked behind her ear like a carpenter. A habit she picked way back from watching her father work in his furniture shop.
A few minutes earlier, she walked off the shop floor back into her office. Gwen owned a fashion institute which also doubled as a training school.
The factory hummed with activities thanks to the demands of the Easter season. Production of bridal wear was ongoing for about four different weddings. Which explains her peevishness at the sudden intrusion from her family.
“Sorry mommy, I could not get away earlier” She curtsied to her mom as she entered
“It seems Easter is gradually overtaking the Christmas period for weddings” her mom observed.
“You would think the rising cost of Living would affect weddings” her brother quipped
“Nothing affects weddings and births. Not even wars”. their ma remarked wryly
Her mother, brother and a sister were in there. The family had convened urgently in her office. Her heavily-pregnant kid sister, Lara, was in hospital again. Her husband had sent her back there, barely three months after the last incident.
Lara is dancing around this abusive circle with Tom, her husband of four years. He practices his mixed martial arts skills on her which so far has cost her three pregnancies and one stillbirth. The last time, their brother Deji, had handled it the street way — paying local street boys known as Area boys — to roughen him up. Except that it had gone too far and landed Tom in an arm cast for weeks.
Lara was livid with her brother and had gone to ……
A longer article which I wrote for another publication. Finish it here
