d ask if she had eaten and maybe offer her something to eat and spare her t

wouldn't like to interrupt her or walk out on her. She would blame herself for even complaining. Because

e are ephemeral and the joy it gives is transient; it doesn't last," she

they may wear off too quickly because of overuse

d the word 'ephemeral and transient' she didn't realize the effect it had on her. Bisi had looked a

expose her to numerous opportunities. That she should stop obsessing over material

her badly. With little or no option left for her mother, she started

ree times daily. But to her surprise, Bisi watched her

e. She saw her Mum with different big men that visited them; when some

those shiny materials she cherished. And

Mummy who had caramel skin with a straight line marked above her eyebrow had

t body creams and all kinds of lipsticks and many other things. From time to time, she came hom

things, Bisi hardly got her share. And sh

ng met with different men while hawking, it was so easy for her to blend and she didn't feel guilty for making

burn all those clothes she used to seduce men. All those clothes she didn't know t

not going back to school anytime soon," she said

into a habit. When would she stop doing this...when would she sto

ut anything else but education?" Emelda said, worried. She couldn

eration was this

eave. Today was different. Today was riddled with boredom. She didn't

about the kind of life she would like to live. None of those things had occurred today. Even

insane amount of energy and excitement. Maybe, just maybe, it was rese

been disturbing her ears... talking to her about life...her life...

uldn't listen to her homely even when she pretended to. How would she tell her that

but because of her niceness ...because of the way she had always trusted a

before her effort to seduce Donald yield result

r than she had appeared and take life head-on without

alled her. Had s

da called ag

nto consciousness. "Where h

orry, D

did yo

nty. Just a bri

ed Donald. What about him

gue. Don't mind me"

said and she would have repli

idn't prepare

ate ou

aid she would no

did s

lways tell me

ave anything f

in the morning. I ate

is the

, it was half past 11:P.m and

ime. She knew her first reflex impulse would be to look up at the wall. Her smile degen

she would go to bed with an empty

d at the innocent, pretty girl as if she had never seen her before...but what was she

be trained by a Professor. It was after her mother died that thin

s to go to Professor's house at Nsukka while her younger sis

thing turned around for her was beyond her comprehension. It was as if her mo

ome years, took her away to stay with them at the Staff Quarters at the Univ

Except that Professor's wife could be mea

pired to become a lawyer because she had come into the den of a brilliant family. At the thoug

a brilliant child that would have incredible passion to be great. She had come to believe that

st always pushing her for academic excellence. Trying all he could to prevent her from th

tan. And the dove turned into a devil. The plant that blossomed withered. Pr

duated; of course, he was the one paying the bills and other welfare, and any disobedience could amount to e

elf locked between the devil and the red sea where either path was full of potential da

bitter about life and one would hardly notice as she always put on her smiling

, whom most people called Prof Eziokwu – the pro

ad. She had stopped thinking about Bisi going back to school if sh

ucation. She wanted to distract her from the danger of men full of libido,

gue. As though she had eaten too much. She carried herself to the set

death of her mother. She had become so pressed down mentally, with goose pimples that she didn't seem to realize when Bisi too