Crazy day

Karen jumped out of bed, startled by the continuous ringing of the alarm. She turned it off and looked at the time in shock. No way. How was it 7:00a.m. already? She was going to be late for work. She snatched her towel off the wardrobe and rushed to the bathroom to turn on the tap. Where was her toothbrush? She entered back into the room, leaving the door open as she rummaged her wardrobe for the brush.

Oh my God, Oh my God, how did this happen? The thoughts whirled in her head.

She usually set her alarm for 6 but she must have been so tired from work the day before that she most likely continued snoozing the alarm till now. She found the brush and raised it in triumph. As she crossed the distance between the room, her pinky toe hit the foot of the bed. Her face squeezed in pain.

"Ye-ouch" she clamped on her lip and hopped for a few seconds till the pain eased before she entered the bathroom and began to brush. The school was on holiday and she usually went to work before her coaching lessons by 2. If she didn't get to work early, her pay that day would be slashed and she was saving for her mum's birthday in two weeks - it was just the two of them.

She raised her head and saw her mother in a confused state, looking just as asleep whilst standing. Guess she overslept too.

"Karen?" She rubbed her eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Mo-lahte" she spat the paste.

"I'm late." She rinsed her mouth and ran to drop the brush in her wardrobe, taking a glance at the clock. Four minutes had passed already? Why was time running so fast? 

"Late for what?" Karen joined her mother in front of the bathroom.

"Oh God, mum, for work." Karen's shoulders drooped as she opened her arms. Was her mother still asleep? 

Her mother's brow creased and creased even further before she began to laugh. Karen had no time for her mother's antics. Perhaps she was even sleep walking - not that she had ever done it but there was a first time for everything.

"Karen, you have the day off. Today's a holiday."

She stilled. What? Suddenly, everything came crashing. It was a public holiday in honour of MKO Abiola. She hadn't set an alarm by 6 at all. It was the alarm to pray by 7 that rang. Blood rushed through her ears and relief flooded her even as her mother laughed till she entered her room. Karen couldn't believe her luck. She slowly walked back into her room, glad she hadn't started bathing yet as she crashed into bed. 

She snuggled into her blanket, raising it up to her ears. She closed her eyes and smiled, taking a deep breath. It's a holiday!

***

Karen rolled in bed, slowly becoming conscious of her environment as she glanced at the time. It was 9:30. The covers had inched away from her body, becoming a huge mass underneath her buttocks. She sat up and stretched. Today's a holiday. She smiled. She wondered what to do first? She went to the living room and found a note by the fridge.

"Gone to work. Do your chores, don't lazy around."

Karen chuckled and then she stopped, feeling down. Even on holidays her mother didn't have the chance to breath. She was a tailor and for her, the number of dresses determined the pay. Karen momentarily wished she could be of help but her mother would have none of it.

Ever since her father left them, her mother had used the profits from her dresses to feed, cloth and school Karen. It was worse now that she neared SS3, the money for the exams... She didn't want to think about it but her mother barely spent any money on herself. Karen planned to buy her shoes, clothes and every other feminine wears to celebrate her on that day but for now, she swirled, she was on break.

A day to herself! She jumped and felt a pain shoot up her toe. She crouched and rubbed it. Remembering all that happened in the morning caused her to laugh. She had an idea of what she wanted to spend the day doing but first, the house chores. She got the radio up and inserted the C.D of one of Marvin gaye's love song. It was old and a classic, and her mother loved it so she loved it too. 

She danced with the brush, swirling it and swaying from left to right. When it was time to mop, she sprayed water everywhere, changing the song and dancing a slow salsa to it, adding a couple of splits. She let loose her braids and whirled in joy once the ground had dried up. With hands raised, she took in a deep breath. The air smelt of lemons, such a beautiful, beautiful thing. She crashed on the sofa.

"Who would have thought you had all of those dance steps up your sleeves?" Karen startled up and whirled to the window beside the door, her eyes a great deal out of their sockets. She got up as Mina laughed.

"Girl, you look a mess!" 

Karen walked slowly to the door. She wondered if she was forgetting something again. 

"What are you doing here?" She asked in confusion folding her arms by the window as she stared at her secondary school friend.

"You won't open the door? I was passing by so I decided to check up on you."

"You could have just called. Anyways, as you can see, I'm fine and busy," She shrugged and left the window. 

"Uh-uh, it's fine. I think I'd just share your dance video with the class group chat."

"Mina." Karen screamed as she hurriedly opened the door.

"What if I wasn't around uhn? You could have just called." Karen huffed.

"Well, I'm here now." Mina shrugged and laughed before flicking her wrists. "Please get me some water, I'm so thirsty, oh God." She fanned and touched her forehead.

"Oh Jesus." Karen muttered and went to the kitchen. Fifteen minutes after they had caught up on all they did during the holidays, Karen sighed. Her plans hadn't totally crashed. They could just watch a movie together and get some snacks and all would be back to normal. She didn't know when she'd find time to watch her Korean series after now - that had been her plan. She grumbled to Mina that she'd be going to have her bath.

Another plan down the drain. She just wanted to play around in her pyjamas till she got tired, to get over the madness that happened this morning. As she bathed, she heard voices and wondered if Mina was on a phone call or if her mother was back from work. She hastily finished taking her bath - if her mum was around, she wanted to spend the whole day with her. Mina would just have to find her square root. 

She finished dressing and went to the living room. Her mouth opened. Goodness, no.

"I must be dreaming." She muttered.

"Hey Karen," Efua chirped.

"Wa-what are you doing here?" Karen matched her sopranous tone with a fake smile.

"Oh, Mina told me she'd be coming over and I was so bored at home, I just had to come." She beamed and clasped her hand. "Long time..." Karen faked a laugh, nodding continuously.

Mina raised a brow at her.

"I'll be right back." She told them and left the living room.

She fumed as she slammed the door into her room. How could they come into her house without informing her? All her plans were gone now. She had to find a way to make them leave. Could she lie that she needed to go out? But she didn't want to go out, she stomped her feet. She wanted her privacy, her enjoyment. Besides, where would she go?

Her phone rang and she saw it was Ejike. She rejected the call and sat on her bed, brooding. She wasn't in the mood for any of his love nonsense and he was always insisting they go out to catch some fun - she'd rather stay home, taking chin chin with zobo and finishing her series. She rejected his call when she saw it the second time and left the phone in the room as she grudgingly went to attend to her friends.

She didn't have a plan to chase them but she at least had to feed them. As they caught up with each other, Karen decided to make them indomie. The doorbell rang as she began frying the sausage.

"Hey, uhm-hi, is Karen around?" Karen froze with the spoon. Was that-?

"Karen! Ejike is here to see you!"

Karen felt like her head was beginning to swell. What was wrong with everyone today? The sausage was burning! She turned off the gas and marched to the living room.

She gave him a murderous look, and he shifted, rubbing his neck.

"Is he your crush?" Efua smiled wide and Karen almost knocked her.

"What are you doing here?"

"You refused to pick my calls."

Oh Precious Lord. Karen had one arm folded and the other fisted underneath her mouth as she thought of what to do.

"Is that your friend outside?" Efua asked as the supposed friend came in. "Hi, I'm Tomiwa."

"Come in, come in." Mina urged.

"Uh-no. I just wanted to see Karen. I was going to show Tomiwa the estate gym."

"Aha! So you live in the estate." Efua clasped her hands excitedly.

"You've seen me, I'll call you alright?" Karen pleaded.

"Alright-?" He turned to Mina.

"Mina and Efua."

"Yes, it was very nice meeting you both."

"Please stay, Karen was just going to make us indomie. Have you ever tasted her food?"

Ejike blushed and shook his head, looking at Karen. She took in deep breaths and spoked with clenched teeth, "Mi-ina, they are busy."

"I think I'll just stay, get to meet your friends?" He shrugged and Karen almost fainted. What was wrong with Mina? And of all her friends, Efua just had to be the one around - the girl had no filter.

The guys made themselves comfortable and as Karen sluggishly moved to the kitchen, it suddenly clicked in her head. How did they get into the estate?

She swiftly moved back to the living room.

"How did you enter the estate without calling me?" She turned to Efua and Mina.

"Uh, when I said I was going to the George's residence, the gatekeeper said your mum had told them I'd be coming." Mina looked confused all of a sudden. "Don't look at me, I don't even have your mum's number."

"Same thing they told me." Efua shrugged.

Karen chuckled in disbelief. Her mum couldn't have made such an error. These girls were either lying or-

She got her phone and placed a call through to her mum.

"Hello,"

"Yes mummy, please did you tell the gate keeper that some people would be coming over."

"Oh yes, I did. Your cousins are coming to the house to take the clothes I made them for Thanksgiving Sunday."

Oh Precious Lord. "Mummy, you should have told me." Already, she was having a headache.

"Sorry, I forgot. Are they there already?"

"No- and I know where the clothes are, don't worry."

"Thanks dear." She dropped the call as Karen placed two fingers over her head. She had no doubt by the time the day was over, she'd be needing another month's break just to recover. Her plans were officially gone. 

By the time everyone had left and the mini-party was over, Karen looked around at all of the things she'd have to tidy and was reminded of why she loved her space. Next time, she was going to get a hotel room booked just for herself. For goodness' sake, she even smelt of baby food. She cringed.