Compound matters

"Part of the process of beginning anew, or changing directions is to know where you want to go. I know this sounds simplistic and easy, but this is one of the most difficult of choices to make with clarity.",

 "The chief beauty about time is that you cannot waste it in advance.The next year, the next day, the next hour are lying ready for you,as perfect, as unspoiled,as if you had never wasted or misapplied a single moment in all your life. You can turn over a new leaf every hour if you choose."

Those rich words by byron pulsifer and arnold bennet respectively resonated in my head that morning in light of my recent confusion as to what I wanted out of life and the direction I needed to tow professionally as read in the third part of HASHTAG SURPRISE AWAITS  as I got ready to resume work at  NIMC headquarters to begin a new course in my life, charged with gusto to give my new job my all,create good impressions and do a satisfactory job to the best of my ability,although naturally I was a nervous wreck,I tried to pull myself together and show up to work as promised.


I had woken up earlier that morning,got dressed up and almost ready to set out to start my first day at work where I would be briefed on what my job title is and also get to know my job descriptions and  if am to officially start that day or not. It was children's day so I was almost set to go when Mom walked into my room in her light,baby-pink, night dress and her hair rolled up in a beautifully messy bun on top of her head.

On seeing her,my countenance froze up in a look of resentment,she smiled,slowly shaking her head and told me she didn't mean what she had said with the way I had taken it,

"Darling,what I said wasn't an indirect dig at you or meant to upset you,you simply got things misconstrued and hurting yourself by sulking and getting resentful,I am proud of you and all accepting and loving of who you are"

I nodded with sarcasm,still dressing up, pretending to pay no  attention to her or  what she was saying whilst going through my credentials to ascertain all I needed were there,Hamz tiptoed in through the door that was left ajar, stopping midway with his arms locked across his chest seeing the melodrama going on between Mom and I and how she was trying to sweetly placate me which got him pissed and suddenly,with a dismissive wave of the hand  sounded off at me,asking why I was being a bitch at everyone for a
statement made that wasn't intended to hurt me,I stopped in my tracks,my flushed face turned in his direction to look at him,totally galled at his utterance and without thinking,gave him a blinding hot slap to the horror of Mom who covered her agape mouth with her palms,I didn't even act like I did something rash as I went about  getting prepared whilst a shocked Hamz looked on stupefied,his palm covering his cheeks which must still be reeling with stings of my slap while his 5 seconds of daze ostensibly must be dragging by slowly,seeming like forever,since the Hamz I know hadn't reacted so far but from his outlook,I could feel his temper  erupting quickly through him like an active volcanic mountain shooting out hot molten lava,in a flash,he made to charge at me but Mom caught him mid-flight ,his strong arms hitting her on her tummy which made her yelp in pain,holding her belly where she had her invasive surgery as read in WARD 309. Both stricken with shock and utter fear,we quickly grabbed her and slowly helped her to the bed,Mom's face in a grimace of pain as she relaxed,taking in deep breaths as we expressed our apologies,asking if she was alright which met no response.

Karl and QT came in following each other and asked what had happened,Hamz and I looked at each other,not knowing how to start, 

12 HOURS EARLIER.

 I was in the kitchen frying some pieces of meat when I got a call delivering the happy news of my new job at NIMC and had screamed excitedly,ecstatic with the news  and on rushing into the kitchen,my brothers thinking I had probably spilled hot oil over myself, gave me a ticked-off look with a loud hiss,wondering why I had screamed so,I announced the job news and they were all so happy,I instantly looked at QT's face to see if I would again detect the slightest hint of dissent,resentment or jealousy but saw none,though quite blank an expression he wore. Later that evening while we all ate our meal,my brothers announced they were going for their workouts while I reclined on the sofa,watching a game of formula one.

Mom arrived from work late that day and met me lying on the sofa,I quickly got her handbag and ran her bath water,after which I served her dinner and I sat with her,telling her the good news. Before my brothers got back from their workout, I had told her all about the job news and all I needed to do and she was quite elated. Soon afterwards,my brothers,all shirtless,dirtied and sweaty with sand sticking all over their faces and bodies bounced in,they greeted Mom and after she acknowledged their greetings,suddenly  clasped her palms together,sighed and moaned,she then sputtered

 "Seeing the three of you (Hamz,Karl and QT) reminds me so much of your late father when he was your age,so athletic,full bodied,so strong and sexy,I see a lot of him in the three of you,you exude everything he was at your age...you take me back many
years when I'd just met him" ,

They all laughed and smiled except me,I don't know if I should be jealous or let it slide but I felt that comment sting,Mom had always told me how I looked so much like Dad in the past only for her to mention how my brothers look so much like him without as much as a glance towards me or being sensitive as to how such a comment would make me feel,it just resurrected my insecurities as learnt  in GOD MADE ME BEAUTIFUL amongst other places on the blog where it has been mentioned. The statement made me weak,making me feel inferior to my brothers,a little jealous...maybe a little more and quite bitter. She turned to me for us to continue our chatversation but I stood up with a scowl on my countenance and left her presence,she called me back but I didn't answer. Apparently,she had figured out what happened and kept calling me back. I locked myself in our store and picked up my phone to chat with my best friend Tchubs who thought i was over reacting,

 "it's nothing to get worked up about,you are just being childish",

I sort of agreed but I couldn't help feeling hurt and that lasted all through the night to the next morning.

BACK TO REALITY. 

Mom slightly winced in pain and said she was fine. I packed my credentials and left for work while Hamz narrated what had happened to Karl and QT. I got to NIMC security post and this time,I was prepared for them,I simply told them I was to start working there now and was there to get my appointment letter and was promptly allowed in. At the reception of the main building of NIMC,I signed in on the visitor's register and promptly walked up the stairs to the floor of the office of the general manager human resources department,I knocked softly at the door leading into the office and entered where I met my partner,Udofia already being addressed by the senior officer to the head of human resources department,I was filled in on what had being said before I stepped in then we were ushered into the office of the general manager.

The petite, chocolate complexioned woman in her 50s looked at us critically then asked what were our disciplines,udofia and I answered then we were asked to either start work the next monday or we could resume the first working week of the coming month,we were briefed on our roles and job description and regarding when to resume,I chose the former.

Stepping out,I was so glad and quickly called Mom to inform her of the news,immediately she picked my call,her voice quickly cuts in, asking me how she is to activate her newly downloaded whatsapp application,I gasped in shock,choking on my excitement and accompanying  words I had earlier wanted to say,with a stutter,which was natural from being interjected,I sighed to regain my cool then told her what to do before quickly adding why she needed to be on whatsapp,

 "I thought you didn't fancy such things,what do you want on whatsapp?"

I queried and her answer surprised as well as amused me,

"My dear,lots of my colleagues and even older women in my office are on whatsapp,bbm,etc, using sophisticated phone and tapping away and am beginning to feel left behind in the scheme of things,don't you want your mother updated and feeling modern and all?"

I laughed and agreed,we discussed about my trip to NIMC and she congratulated me,

 "Make sure you cook something sumptuous today"

She said and with a giggle,I responded

 "You bet momma"

Then ended the call,then as if a mirage,a collage of all my avatars  on whatsapp through time flashed across my eyes,as I thought about Mom being on whatsapp and the effects that would have on the type  of language I use on my updates and avatars then I gasped as I  instantly recalled the image on Karl's avatar on whatsapp,the naked body of a thot, I  suddenly screamed,looking around to see if no one saw that,then fishing out my phone,I tried to dial Karl to alert him to quickly change it before Mom gets ushered into her whatsapp list but saw zero balance on my phone and since I was in an official area of town with card vendors hawking cards rather than sitting in one spot to avoid task force agents arresting them,it made it quite hard to get recharge card around the area and I ended up sprinting towards the bus stop to get a cab home.                           

 By evening when Mom got home,she was looking rather crossed and teary,naturally,we inquired what had happened,Mom sank into a sofa,sniffing repeatedly and turning her mouth in disgust,she said

 "Who else,ehn! Who else,if not your grandmother,she just likes getting on my nerves and right now,am beyond pissed! I've made up my mind....I'm  hyphenating my surname,bringing in my maiden surname,I want a dash between me and the Adagiris,it's compound "tinz" "

 As shocked and confused as we were about her  announcement and attitude,we all smiled at
the mention of "tinz", Karl opined that she couldn't detach herself from the Adagiris as her four sons all bear the name and it would be a subtle disrespect to her sons for her to drop it,

 "No one can make you drop the name,you've earned it Mom,by marriage and by kids,you could keep it if you want,don't allow the matriarch bully you"

To which she lashed out angrily,saying she doesn't care,with shock engraved all over our faces,we began to wonder what could have happened between these two fierce lionesses! 

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