The Christmas holiday is an avenue for Cynthia to explore her village, visit her old friends and family members. On the her third at the village, she visited Chioma, her favorite childhood friend in the village.
On getting to Chioma's house, Mama Natasha's voice welcomed her.
“You do not like to have your bath all the time and I will make sure that everyone in the village knows that you're a very dirty girl,” Mama Natasha yells at her daughter, Natasha.
Natasha's body is so full of bubbles including her face which is Cynthia's greatest fear when she was a five year old just like Natasha. That wasn't all, but Mama Natasha uses a pale bucket which was the most popular Nigerian bucket which mothers use to have their children's bath right outside the front of the houses.
“Cynthia, what's the problem? Why are you crying?” Chioma, who's rushed out to welcome her friend's arrival by hugging and jumping on her was surprised to see her friend in tears.
She immediately hugged her friend and wiped her tears off her face.
Anyone's face who comes back from Lagos is usually very happy, smiling and glowing but merely looking at Cynthia, everyone could tell that there was something wrong with her.
“Why were you crying outside?” Chioma asked while she brings out a sheet of tissue to wipe her friend's tears.
“I miss my mum so much. Looking at Mama Natasha take her daughters bath makes me remember the good old days when my mum was still here,” Cynthia said.
She went outside again to check on Mama Natasha. Seeing her take her child's bath made her remember her mum's days on earth.
The pale bucket which Mama Natasha was using to take her child's bath played a huge role in her childhood. She checked the mark on her left leg and remembered the day when she got injured by the pale while her late mum was having her bath.
“Cynthia, raise your leg so I can wash your feet,” she remembered those word by her late mum when she was bathing for her and immediately she tried raising her leg so her feet can be washed, the edge of the sharp pale, the pale cut the upper part of her right leg.
Cynthia didn't stop her reminiscing moment there but went further to remember the day when she offended her mum and she knew she was going to be spanked. While her mum was bathing for her, she thought she will be spanked and she ran away.
“Help me. My mum wants to spank me because I refused to wash the plates last night,” immediately Cynthia ran to the elder of the village, he pleaded on her behalf and that's how she escaped being spanked by her mum. Such a day and moment to be remembered.
Cynthia wanted to be a child again but having the thought that her mum was no more alive and there will be no mum to take her bath for her made her sad.
“Would you like to follow me to my mum's graveyard,” Cynthia asked Chioma.. Chioma had no other choice than to go with her if that's what will make her friend happy.
Getting to Cynthia's mother's graveyard took a hour and twenty five minutes because she was buried at the other side of the village. On getting there, her mum's graveyard isn't what it used to be. There are weeds on her graveyard and looks abandoned because no one has been there for years.
Chioma helped her friend in cutting off all the weed on her mother's graveyard. That wasn't all but they made sure to wash the entire graveyard with broom, soap and water so it will stop looking dusty like its usual self.
After cleaning the graveyard, Cynthia laid on it and reminisced her childhood days when her mum is going to carry her on her legs and hug her so tight.
If there was anyway Cynthia could bring back her late mum to life which would last for just an hour, she will do it just to feel that childhood moment again.
They got home late at night and Cynthia spent the night at Chioma's house.
Very early in the morning, there was a heavy downpour of rain and Cynthia woke Chioma up so they can have their bath outside the house before people start getting out of their houses.
They took Mama Natasha's pale bucket and used it to have their baths which serves as a way to be children again.
I loved your story. Have a nice evening.
Thank you so much
The loss of a very dear one as a mother, could be very devastating. I feel for Cynthia.
It’s a very sad experience
I feel sorry for her too
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A story of memories and sadness from the girl toward her deceased mother. A very enjoyable read.
Thanks for sharing your story with us.
Good day
Thank you for loving my story