OUR DISTANT MEMORY

I never look at the mirror for the one I see there, I'm so certain it is a stranger.

This morning when my mom called me to her room, I knew it was serious because we never talk.

Just squeezing out hands as a reassurance or a few hugs, she's quite a withdrawn person, not her fault but her life was also planned out.

And her heart is constantly broken anytime she sees my sister and I, for she doesn't want the same thing for us, but what can a woman truly do in a male dominated world.

I knocked slightly and opened the door, there she was, an ethereal light skin beauty, tall and stylish. Something I'm grateful for inheriting.

She sat facing her dressing mirror.

"Mom you called for me" I said, waiting for her to turn and spill the not so good beans, as I walked in till I got to where she sat.

But yet she kept avoiding my eyes, then I knew doom is not far from me.

" I'm not going to beat around the bush honey, your dad wants you to stand in place of your sister, till she gets better" she said, still looking at the dressing table.

My heart sank and I couldn't find the right words. I'm already finding it difficult living and being me, now all of a sudden I have to pretend to be someone else.

"What?? Mom this makes no sense, PRETEND!!, I can't.." my voice trailed off, I didn't intend to yell, seeing her tears alone filled me with guilt.

"It's not in my hands dear, but to complicate it less, just do it!" She pleaded now staring at me

That was when I noticed Dad was also in the room, humming to a hymn along the balcony.

"Mom, I'm not going to do this at all". My voice was rising, expecting to turn around and find her laughing that this was some sort of prank but it was not.

"It's not easy for me to put this sort of pressure on you but who else should we ask huh? Mom snapped.

I looked at my father in his eyes, it looked emotionless. He wanted to say something but he just walked up to my mother and tapped her shoulder and left the room.

I've never seen my mom so devastated but this must be a lot for her, seeing her child in coma and everything she worked for going to the drain because the sickness took a lot from us than expected, we even went as far as getting a loan but still to no avail.

Maybe this is really the least I could do.

My heart softened.

"Mom, stop crying now, okay?" " I said , hugging her.

"Adelaide baby I'm sorry for even trying to make you do something this silly, we'll announce it on television and to Leo that Maude is in coma" she blurted out.

That would be a huge scandal and we won't have sources to keep my twin alive, she needed all the resources.

She was always my protector. Now it's my turn to do something for her.

It shouldn't be a big deal.

My mom's mental health too has gone to the drain, she has lost so much weight.

And Dad is just putting up a facade of a man in the house which is too much for him.

"No mom you would do no such thing, I'll pretend to be Maude, the doctor said it's just six months right?

She nodded.

I continued "I'll accept Leo's ring on her behalf, sign all the deals on her behalf and run her company too".

"This would be over soon, I promise, very soon Maude would wake up" she assured, squeezing my hands.

"Now that I've accepted to do it, it would be on one condition, You would travel to Tokyo and stay there with your Aunty Koksi, I'll handle everything here including my twin".

The shock in her eyes was visible, it broke my heart but this was the only way I could face things head on.

"You can't do that to me Adelaide, I want to be here with both my daughters all through this difficult phase" she replied.

I held her hands "Mom can you listen to yourself, look at your deteriorating health, do you think it's easy for me? No it isn't!

She kept on shaking her head.

"Mom I'm ready to sacrifice my life for this family, why can't you just do this little thing for me" I said, but she flinched instead taking her hands out of my hands.

She frowned "little? Taking a vacation and leaving my children to the lions?

I smiled, my mom is funny, we're twenty-five years old and yet she's worrying like we're toddlers.

"Mom we're adults now, don't worry we'll figure it out" I gave her a peck on her forehead.

"Both of you would always remain my babies"

"So are we on the same page?"

Her eyes left mine "I'll come back once a month, non negotiable"

I raised my hand in surrender. At least she would be in a better condition.

And I gave her medication prescribed by the doctor and let her rest she's been through a lot already.

In my sister's schedule, she is to attend a party by Eduardo's by 5:00pm.

But I rather sit at my window and cry, every tear that I've been holding back all these days.

If tears could bring to me things I've wanted, I would cry an ocean.

But it doesn't, it's like everything I've wished for as a child doesn't ever come to me.

So I stayed quiet and wished nothing at all, until I met Dayo, a Nigerian bubbling breed.

He is a big dreamer, something I am, but the reality of life seems to remind me in every way possible that my life has been totally planned out.

From my school, to my career and I didn't even have the right to move out to another city, my life is just like Rapunzel's, only that I'm let out of the walls once in a while to see the sunset, it's my favorite place.

And a few times, our house keeper, Big mama, sneaks in letters from Dayo.

We met at the circus, me and my twin sister sneaked out to go see, a fun one.

Many would be convinced that it was love at first sight but I knew it was something deeper.

Deep enough to ease my heart and let me free, with him... I was free. Not walking in a certain way or speaking in a certain way, but acting like a bird, free and wild.

And he loved me that way too, so his letters said and I believed him.

Aside from Dayo, my two other safe places are my mom and twin sister. Over three months ago she had an accident trying to jump from her room window, to escape my father's house for good but unfortunately fell down and has been in a coma for three months.

I would never believe whatever that long nose doctor has to say about my sister living fifty fifty.

She would live and not die and I'll make sure she never comes back to this house,instead pursuing her dream,that I promise.

Mr Jonas my father has been nothing but a thorn in our flesh right from our birth, we were nothing but objects to him.

Women are nothing but objects to him, a misogynist that believes women are nothing to him. But these days he has been filled with nothing less than pain, immerse pain, and just for a flicker of a second, I feel pity for him.

I believe everyone has skeletons hiding, and so do I.