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F.A.T-Chapter Eight

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  The clatter of pots and the faint hum of voices woke me the next morning. For a moment, I thought I had dreamt it all. But the emptiness in my chest confirmed otherwise. Dragging myself downstairs, I found Chinaza at the table, her laughter like music in a house that suddenly felt foreign. “Good morning, Big Sis!” She wrapped her arms around me, pressing a kiss to my cheek. Funke was there too, bustling in the kitchen, placing a plate before me with a small, encouraging smile.  “Please eat,” she whispered. I obeyed silently, the food filling my stomach but not my spirit. My eyes caught Chinaza’s cheerful pout as she asked for bread, Funke teasing her in a mock country accent. The scene should have been normal, ordinary, but Mum’s absence was like a shadow over every corner. Two Weeks Later The house had become a revolving door of visits. Parents dropping by, neighbors whispering condolences, my friends refusing to leave my side. “Fresh air will help, Ada,” Funke’s mother rub...
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F.A.T-Chapter Seven

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  The Call The next afternoon, I yawned and stretched into my pillow when my phone buzzed. “Hey, new friend,” Tunde’s voice teased. “Good morning,” I said groggily. "It’s afternoon, actually.” I glanced at the clock. 2:30 p.m. Oh no. “You’re really enjoying this break,” he laughed. “Guilty.” “Good. Because I’m picking you up at 4:30. That gives you enough time to inform your mum.” Mum was away on a trip. I smiled. “Alright, sure.” After chores and a few playful protests from my younger sister, Chinaza, I finally slipped into my Ankara off-shoulder gown. Chinaza helped zip it up, standing on the bed, grumbling about catfish pepper soup as her “payment.” Funke texted back immediately: You better bring extra pomo. Love you. When Tunde’s convertible pulled into the compound, Chinaza clung to me. “I want to come with you.” “Aww, I’ll get you something,” he offered. “No.” She folded her arms. “C’mon,” Tunde pouted dramatically, making her giggle. Finally, she relented. “Okay. But take c...
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F.A.T- Chapter Six

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Stretching always felt like freedom,  the luxury of splaying in every direction at once. My hands groped lazily across the sheets until they landed on my Bible. With a sleepy smile, I sat up slowly. “Lord Jesus, thank You for another beautiful day, a day You blessed and gave me. Thank You for my family, my academics, for Tunde, and for my friends. Help us live for You. And Lord, I don’t want to be nosy, but I do care about Tunde and his issues. It feels strange that someone who drives a convertible wrestles with such heavy problems. I’m not saying You can’t bless him or that he doesn’t deserve it, I just… I want to stop driving myself crazy with questions. If it’s Your will, let him open up to me; if not, shut those thoughts out. Thank You for loving me, even though I disturb You every single minute. And I promise not to stop, because I know You love hearing everything from me. In Jesus’ matchless name, Amen.” I flipped open to Joshua 1:5: “There shall not any man be able to stand ...
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F.A.T- Chapter Five

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At home, I balanced two steaming plates of jollof spaghetti crowned with boiled eggs. Doing a playful jig, I announced, “Chef Ada at your service!” Chinaza squealed. I set her plate down and mine beside it. She eagerly gripped her fork.  “Not so fast,” I chided. “Pray first.” She quickly folded her hands. “Lord Jesus, thank You for today’s sermon and this amazing food my big sis made. Thank You for being our provider. Please also provide for the orphans and everyone who doesn’t have hope of a meal. And Lord, bless my sis with a restaurant so she can make even bigger, more delicious meals. In Jesus’ matchless name, Amen.”  I burst into laughter, cleaning up the sink as she dug in, her innocence lighting the room like sunshine.         ------------------------------------------------------------------- Later, in the lab, Funke frowned and nudged me. “Okay, Judas Iscariot,” she teased. Then sighed. “I hate my life.” “Hey! Watch your language. Take it back.” Sh...
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