EMMA CHAPTER THREE

Chapter Three

The desperate bangs on the door almost deafened Emma. She had been knitting,- an hobby she developed from her love for creativity, and had locked herself in to avoid any disturbance. Now, who is the kill-joy that is bent on ridding her of her leisure moment, and disengaging the door from its post? She wondered. She had determined to allow the desperate knocker exercise his or her muscles a little more, but then hesitated as the bangs became more amplified and persistent.

Hissing with pent-up frustration, she relunctantly dropped her emboidery and dragged herself out of the sofa.

'Who is it?!', she inquired with a harsh tone.

'Open sesame', Mabel answered from outside.

A smile broke through the rigid frown on Emma's face. Her friend hadn't notified her of her visit, but then she was thankful she came. It had been a boring Saturday for her anyway.

She had barely opened the door when Mabel barged in.

'I made it! I made it Emma!', She exclaimed exitedly as she dumped a brown envelope on her friend's chest and ran into the living room in exhilaration.

Emma shook her head curiously as she shut the door behind her, walking slowly into the living room, opening the envelope. She wondered what it is that is driving her friend so crazy, or has she won a visa? She glanced through the sheet, she found enclosed in the envelope and then...

Oh! Her WASCE result! Jeez! So our result is out?!

It was already two months since they sat for their Secondary School leaving examinations, and they had scheduled for its release in the third month. Emma had eagerly waited for this day, and the result she held in her hands triggered a commending smile on her face, though she hadn't seen it well. She reached for her pair of glasses which lay on the T. V set and put it on to get a better view of the content of the paper in her hands.
Grinning widely, she threw a well-done embrace at Mabel who had already retired into the sofa from her jubilation spree, trying to catch her breath.

Oh sweetheart, Emma cheered, 'I'm so proud of you!'

'Abegi!', Mabel objected, pushing her off, 'I can't wait to see yours, then we'll know who will be more proud. I mean, this is just three distinctions and six credit passes. I can bet my life on it that mine will be no match for yours'.

'Hmmm, the optimist!' Emma jested as she returned her spectacles to its case and placed it back on the T. V. set. 'I'll say, since seeing is believing', she pulled Mabel up from the sofa, 'Let's go and find out. By the way, what of Dimeji?'

'We went to the cafe together to check when we got the news, and he immediately ran home to show his mum after printing out his result'.
'Aha, that's Dee for you; His mum's husband'.

'Well, that's boys for you generally. And I'm happy for him too, he cleared all the subjects'.

'Good of him', Emma nodded in approval. 'If he had performed less, I would put soap in his mouth!'.

'Yeah, as usual', Mabel teased and the duo burst into laughter.

'I would have gone home to inform mum and dad too, but they are out attending a function', Mabel explained.

'So where are your siblings?'

'Gone with them. I stayed back to do some house chores as I won't be chanced tomorrow due to church activities, and weekdays are always occupied'.

'Yeah, with your computer training classes, I understand'.

'Exactly. So where is Aunty Nurse?', Mabel inquired.

'Gone to work'.

'I really can't wait to show it to her'.

'Hmmm, omo Aunty Nurse', Emma teased. She went in to get some things, as Mabel paced impatiently in the living room, going through her result over and over again.

'Hey, secondary school graduate!', Emma called from the room, 'Will you put that down for a while for Rabbi's sake and come and assist me with something here?! I wonder if its going to disappear'.

-Temi