CAMARADERIE TROUBLES

The four children squealed playfully, all struggling to spread their own portion of the large outdoor mat as the evening darkness settled upon the earth. Gentle humid breeze blew, just like it did every evening. Playful laughters rang out as the siblings tugged at the fluffy dark brown mat. Little Solomon, however, abandoned the quest and ran about amongst his three elderly ones, basking in the evening glow. IK gave the mat a final tug and smiled to himself, knowing what was coming next.

“I am lying in the middle” Selena yelled.

“No” Amanda countered. “You were at the middle yesterday; I would lay in the middle today.”

“No! The first person to get here always stays at the middle and that’s me” she pointed her slim second finger at her chest with her left brow raised in a saucy manner. IK noticed the stubborn jutting out of her chin and almost laughed. Being the first born, IK had the loveliest siblings. Selena, his impossibly stubborn immediate sister was just four years younger than his twelve years old self, followed by Amanda, the partially quiet, yet partially talkative one, then the ever bouncing last born – Solomon. They were the loveliest siblings, closer than most and forging an unbreakable bond that went beyond blood ties, despite their occasional fights - one of which always came up during nights like these.

“I want to stay at the middle?” Amanda whined, pulling her face up to a pout.

“Me too” Solomon cooed.

Selena put her small hands on her hips, a tell-tale sign that they were in for a serious round of argument if IK didn’t intervene. Selena for one, has never been used to losing.

“C’mon now, Love” he called, using the pet name he knew always got her doing his bidding. “Can’t you just allow Amanda for tonight? You know only kids like cuddling between two people. You are not a kid, are you?” he raised his brow.

Selena glanced at him and seemed to be battling with herself. Of course, IK knew that she would always give in using that argument, because Selena would never admit to being a ‘kid’. Her face broke into a plastic smile. “Well then, she can have the middle. I don’t really like it anyways, I can’t roll around when I am stuck between two bodies” she shrugged. Amanda’s face pulled to a frown like she hadn’t thought of that.

IK shook his head and smiled. Trust Selena to turn the tables anytime she isn’t pleased.

“Are you children done arguing already?” Florence called from behind, as she and bimbo watched the exchange between their children with a wry smile on their faces. They always had this session every night.

Amanda and Solomon pranced about on the mat happily as their parents came to take their positions on the mat. They always looked forward to this time every day. It was always the family’s favourite time of the day – lying outside after dinner, talking and laughing happily as they together watched the changing clouds and sparkling stars.

Finally settled, the four children lay knitted together, loving the company of one another above all else. They cuddled closer as darkness blanketed around them – Amanda obviously winning her spot in the middle along with Solomon, with their heads closely placed on the mat, looking up at the dark sky above in companionable silence. “I should have brought a wrapper” Selena said as she shivered from the cool evening breeze. Maybe she shouldn’t have let her middle spot go so easily, she mused.

Amanda frowned at the sky. “IK” she called and IK turned his head towards her in response. “Why is there no star in the sky today?” she asked innocently.

IK stared at the lone half-moon ahead, trying to rationalize his answer. “They are there Tess, you just can’t see them.” He said.

are they, IK?” she also looked at

are very far away,

seek too?” Amanda asked,

and playfully poked

her. “My teacher told me that when a child is born, a star is born, just like the Jesus story” she explained. “It means that if a person dies, a star

normal imaginations of a child.

don’t exist; maybe we

widened with fright. “We are not

Ik shot Selena a warning glance. “Stop scaring Amanda

back at her. She rubbed her arms gently, driving away the chill that brought

“Me too” Amanda seconded.

smiled at the sight of her children, discussing gently. Something was different about tonight, she could feel it. Even the restless Solomon seemed to be lying quietly tonight, for the first time. It was like everyone wanted to be calm enough to take in the peaceful contentment of the moment. Despite the fact that they had to struggle day in day out

with the hair on her husband’s head, the way

are happy”

head in amazement as her thoughts and gaze strayed slightly from her children. “You think we would have been

“I don’t know. We might get too caught up in our wealth that we forget about one another” he smiled up at her. “God doesn’t make

had gotten over the extreme handsomeness of her husband, but as she gazed down at his smiling face, she was struck once again with womanly pride. At thirty six, her husband was even more handsome than she remembered, it was no wonder that her children were so beautiful, all taking on the beauty of their father. Florence ran her fingers through her husband’s hair as her eyes strayed to the dark starless sky above. Thoughts of the immediate needs in the

about to seat for his Junior WAEC. The foodstuff was already exhausted, not to mention the new uniforms she needed to get for the two girls. There was always one thing or the other needing money; she was already used to having wants and needs. Her eyes scanned the sky seeking the nightly stars, knowing that the sight of blinking stars would bring hope of a brighter tomorrow. There was none. No star tonight! Why did that unsettle her so much? The usual hope she always got from the tiny beautiful stars was

into the air. “All would

opened her mouth to respond when all of a sudden,

IK’s voice rang

And then it began!

jumped out of her sitting position in a flash, rushing to her first son. bimbo was right at her heels, reaching

is it, IK?” Florence rushed as she removed his hand to stare in confusion at his chest. “What is

his chest, groaning in excruciating pain. “My… chest” he

agitation as bimbo sat on the floor and moved IK gently to lean