Under the Crimson Sunset (a Nigerian Romance story)

At The Wilsons, workers got themselves busy with their chores as usual. Auntie Ella was in the kitchen preparing dinner while Tina leant against the kitchen counter to assist. Right from when Tina was young, Auntie Ella had never allowed any worker to prepare their meals, only herself and none. If her parents were around, she'd only supervise the meal while the workers prepare it. Tina also loved watching her cook and because of that, she had always been in the kitchen with her, discussing, laughing and all sorts.

As Auntie Ella turned the sizzling fish inside the hot vegetable oil, Tina maintained her distance due to few drops of hot oil splashing out of the frying pan. One thing Tina always adored Ella for and still couldn't bring herself to do, was frying fish. The oil splashing on her skin scared her more than acid being poured on her skin. She'd rather dress like an astronaut to fry fish. At her distance, she began;

"Mom, I think it's high time I confronted Father and Mother."

Ella paused slightly before turning to her. "Why?"

"Well, I'm not the young Tina anymore. I need them to realize how far they are in my brother's and my life."

Ella scooped the hot brown fried fish from the hot oil into a sieve. "Tina, sweetheart, I'm not discouraging you, but you need to remember your numerous attempts to make things right before now."

"I remember. But I can't cease the efforts now. My brother needs help. It had never satisfied me looking at my brother have psychological struggle. Why won't Father and Mother do something about it? They don't..."

"Tina, they did something about it. They got a Therapist for him."

"He was away from his family for years!"

"But he found a family over there. It wasn't like they treated him like an outcast. You also paid him visits some times."

Tina exhaled. "Are you for me or against me?"

"I'm only stating the fact that your parents did something about Dave."

"Alright, I concur. But, I'm confronting them anytime they come back. Why did they treat him like a beast before they sent him away? He pleaded that he didn't want to leave. It still pains me to my bone that Dad took him away."

Ella turned off the gas cooker and proceeded to transfer the fried fish into a bigger food flask so it didn't get cold before dinner time. "Tina, no matter what you do, exercise patience. I'm not in support of screaming and yelling at one's parents. Be at your best state of mind."

Tina scoffed. Who would care if she yelled at them? It wasn't as if they were there in every significant celebration of their lives. Ordinary birthdays, they were always on one journey to another and eventually send their wishes and gifts via calls. It hurt her deeply, although Auntie Ella was there for her. She'd ensure each celebration was beyond memorable, but the void of Mother wasn't filled. Tina and Dave might chose Ella as their Mom, it still couldn't fill the rightful space of their real mother in their heart. Tina also needed answers. She needed to know why her parents were nonchalant about her and her brother. She wasn't the toddler Tina anymore, she was twenty now, four years younger than her brother.

She moved closer to Ella, since she had finished frying fish. She slipped her hands around her waist and settled her cheek on her right shoulder. Ella reached for her cheek and stroked it gently. "Everything will be fine, eventually."

It was twenty two minutes past 10 PM when they heard a honk. Both of them were in the spacious Living Room where a chandelier, ornamented with blue and white bulbs, hung from the ceiling. They just finished watching Game Of Thrones and were about to comment when they heard the honk. Tina sprang from the succulent cushion and raced to the window to peep on whose car it was. They hardly have guests unless their parents were around.

"Ohhhhh! It's them." She exclaimed and looked at Ella with shock. Ella also sprang up to look. The car was driven into the interlocked compound through the already opened gate.

"Oh, that's sudden. They said they weren't arriving till morning."

Tina looked back at her. "so, you knew when they'd arrive and you didn't tell me. It's not fair, Mom."

"Tina, your mother is back, you need to refrain from calling me 'Mom' now."

She scoffed, "huh. I know. But it's a relief to call someone 'mom' after spending years without the real mother."

When Chief Wilson and Dr. Mrs. Wilson alighted from the car, they quickly left the window to avoid being seen. Ella scurried to the door to collect their bags. The workers had slept since no one was expecting them that night. If not for the series she watched, she'd have slept by then. Tina stood arms akimbo in the living room, waiting for them. Her confidence was overwhelmingly overflowing as she tapped her right foot on the tiled floor, waiting for them.

Chief Wilson was a tall huge man. He could be easily mistaken for a 7"feet man but he was 6.5"ft tall. His well chiseled muscles from the years he had spent in the gym made him appear more huge. He already had the tendency to be huge from his teenage years because he already looked like a training wrestler in his fifteen. No one would believe he had celebrated his Golden Jubilee two years ago because he looked like a forty-year old man. His voice was as cool as a serene flowing river. Whenever he entered a room, his presence spoke more than himself. His presence always command awe. Due to that, everyone respected him and looked up to him. Despite his physique, wealth, and his weighty presence, he never misused his power. He was an angel to everyone including a foetus. He established an organization that helped the poor, that helped a community, that helped houses of God, and all sorts. Everyone liked him, everyone except his own children. He was gentle with everyone but his son.

Dr. Mrs. Yemisi Wilson was a slender sleek looking woman. Not just slender, she looked thin as well. Her fair skin was as fresh as a ripe pawpaw without blemish. She was an exact opposite of her husband in height, she was Tina's height. When she stood beside her husband, her head would reach the middle of his elbow and shoulder. Her husband never complained about it and she loved it as well. When he hugged her, she felt protected. But the aura around her was standoffish. Her stone-cold face spoke alot of her before she spoke. Everyone was cautious of speaking to her because she hardly smiled. Even when she smiled, it gave uneasiness. But she was always with her husband anywhere they went.

"Welcome sir. Welcome ma." She bowed slightly as she greeted both of them. They approached her.

"Ella, Ella, Ella." Chief called her name like a villain calling on his prey. But that wasn't the case. "It's been how many days now? How have you been? I can't thank you enough to managing my home in my absence. You're a rare gem."

Ella wanted to blush but the presence of Mrs Wilson, oozing offish aura made her caution herself. "I'm just doing my job sir. It's been three months, not days sir. I've been fine as well."

She opened the door for them to come in. "Leave the bags till morning, when others wake up, they'll carry it in for you. It's late already." Chief said as they entered the house. Ella slightly bowed as Mrs Wilson passed by her. She scoffed sternly at Ella. Ella was already used to her odd behavior. She knew she could be fretful most times. She had hardly seen her cheerful to anyone. She hardly spoke to anyone also.

When they got in and saw Tina, Chief let out a joyful shout as he saw his daughter after several months. Tina intentionally packed out of the house to stop seeing their faces; not like she saw the faces often. It pissed her off to see her father being bubbly to everyone except his own children.

"Valentina Wilson! My beautiful daughter! Oh, 'shall I compare thee to the summer's sun'? Your beauty is too radiant darling?" He quoted William Shakespeare to praise her daughter. Tina wanted to scoff, to start her discussion, to vent her anger, to yell at him for neglecting them since they've been young, to do something she had thought of doing. But she couldn't. Her face melted into a smile and she ran to his open arms. Ella wanted to burst into laughter but Mrs Wilson's gaze was tearing her apart. She had always gazed at her like she was a weird creature that sprang out from nowhere.

"Daddy!" She yelled as she ran into his arms. He was in a good mood when he came in, that's why he could quote Shakespeare for her. If it was otherwise, he had greeted her like a worker and went into the bedroom. That was the kind of atmosphere Tina wanted, so she could easily chirp in her anger. When Tina hugged him, it felt like she was hugging Dave. He took after their father's physique. Although, if Dave could build himself more, he'd outgrow their father. As she sank into his body, she wished it was like that everyday, everytime. She wished Dave was there and they were a happy family. What's the cost of a perfect family? Sacrifice? Love? Or both? Is there a perfect family?

"I missed you, Tina." Tina drew her right cheek upwards and looked at him. This man doesn't even know what's going on in his house. I'd left this house since six months ago.

She nodded and let him go. Then she saw her mother beside him, staring deeply into the soul of Ella. Tina's smile diminished, her bright face went cold

"Hi, mother."