CAMARADERIE TROUBLES

One hour after closing time, IK wasn't back yet. Florence was beside herself with worry. She couldn't keep herself calm as she paced the small confines of her roadside shop. Florence rubbed one sweaty palm nervously against the other as her eyes remained glued to the road, scanning every commercial bus that rolled by for her son. He should be back by now!

Florence came out of her shop, avoiding the small puddle of water on the floor - an aftermath of the downpour of rain barely an hour ago - and walked a few steps to the shop directly beside hers to check the time for probably the hundredth time. "He is not back yet?" Mother Thompson asked upon seeing her.

Florence swallowed, trying her best to keep calm. "No" she said stiffly, her eyes on every bus her eyes sighted.

"Calm down, I'm sure he would be here soon, besides, he is just an hour late" she pointed out. "Don't kill yourself before he arrives"

And if he doesn't arrive? Florence swallowed. She was torturing herself beyond necessary but she couldn't help it. IK wasn't usually this late. At most, he gets back thirty minutes after closing hour. She never should have allowed him to go to school, especially after what happened the previous night. Florence bit her lip nervously as she walked back to her shop.

A bus pulled to a stop and her eyes instantly snapped up, scanning every passenger that alighted for her son's familiar figure. Once again, she was left with increased fear and frustration when the bus rolled away without her son in view. She contemplated going over to bimbo's office to tell him but she didn't want to add to his worries, especially since she wasn't even certain if anything was wrong. She could hear the fast beating of her heart, the screeching sounds of cars rolling past the road, and something else... The familiar sound of chattering children made her turn to see Selena and her siblings approach the shop She was happy to see them but that only further heightened her worry. IK always arrived before his siblings. Florence blinked back unshed tears and put a plastic smile on her face for her children as they drew up to the shop.

"Good afternoon ma" they greeted unanimously as they trodded into the shop.

Florence smiled tightly, responding to their greeting without the usual enthusiasm. "How was school?" she asked more out of necessity as she removed Solomon's small schoolbag from the small of his back. Selena smirked. "We had a new comer in class today"

Florence could tell with that simple look in Selena's face that she doesn't exactly like the development but she was too worried to indulge Selena now.

"Where is IK?" Amanda asked.

Florence raised her eyes to scan the road again and nearly sagged with relief as she spotted IK afar off, walking towards the shop. She had never been more relieved in her life. She smiled genuinely, for the first time all afternoon. "That's him coming" she pointed in the direction and Selena took off instantly. Florence released a sigh of relief as she took an apple from the shed and sliced it in two for Solomon and Amanda who were already complaining of hunger. They were obviously eating into her capital but there was nothing she could do about that. She couldn't keep her children hungry because she wouldn't dare touch her capital, could she?

IK drew up to the shop and Florence was up in an instant. The relief she felt at having her son in one piece was unexplainable, but she still wanted to know why a commercial bus hadn't dropped him off like it usually did.

"Good afternoon ma" IK greeted, prostrating to greet Florence.

Arms akimbo, Florence shook her head. "My God, IK, you've almost given me a heart attack. I thought something had happened to you. You've never been this late; what happened?" she queried without even answering his greeting. "Why didn't a bus drop you off at this junction?"

IK blinked and looked at the wooden floor of the shop. "I... I didn't take a bus"

Florence frowned, not understanding. "What do you mean by that?"

"I... trekked"

"You trekked?" Florence's voice rang out. "From where? School?" Florence couldn't believe what she was hearing. She knew the distance to his school and could not imagine any sane person walking that distance. "Did you lose your money?"

IK shook his head.

Florence swallowed and lowered her voice. "Then, why did you trek, IK?" his siblings stared silently at the unfolding drama.

"I..." IK raised his eyes to his mother. "There is no money at home, so I thought I should... save the money for my transport so we can use it" he put his hand into his pocket and brought out forty Naira. Florence stared at IK, shocked beyond reason. IK had always been the sweetest kid she had ever met - a blessing that she happened to be his mother - but never in her wildest imagination did she imagine that he would do something like this. Something so thoughtful... Florence blinked back tears as she leaned forward slightly, dropping to IK's height. "You... you shouldn't have, IK" Florence's voice broke as she put her hand gently on his cheek. "It is the duty of your Daddy and I to provide for you and your siblings, you never should have trekked that distance, especially after what happened last night..." Florence took a deep breath. "Promise me you won't do that again" she said sternly, swallowing the lump that formed in her throat as she kept her tears at bay.

"I... I just wanted to help" IK mouthed quietly.

Florence nodded several times. She should be telling him just how wonderful a son he is but she was so overwhelmed with mixed feelings. Her children shouldn't have to go through such hardship. She had envisaged a happy and stress-free life for her children; never did she imagine that her son would have to trek to school in a bid to save money. "You trekked to school in the morning; you must have arrived school late"

"They did not flog me" he answered.

"Oh, my son..." Florence pulled IK into a tight hug, holding on to him like she never wanted to let go. She sniffed and pulled back. "How is your chest now? Did you feel any pain? Anything?" she asked seriously.

"No. I am fine, mummy" IK grinned.

Florence sighed in relief. "Okay" she rose to her full height. For the first, she collected the money from IK, palming it with a tight smile on her face. She took her purse and went to Mummy Ngozi's shop beside hers to buy some food items. Minutes later, she returned to the shop with rice and some ingredients. "You kids should go home now" she said, handing over the rice to Selena. She faced IK. "Prepare jollof rice for you and your siblings"

"What of you and daddy?"

"Don't worry about us, okay? Just make sure you all are satisfied" Florence answered.

Florence watched her children shrug on their school bags and walk out of the shop. At last, Florence allowed the tears hanging on her lashes to break free. She stared at the disappearing back of IK, wondering just what she had done to deserve such an amazing child.00000