Chapter 2

   Iyunade tiptoed into the compound like a petty thief trying to steal a chicken from its owner's backyard. She had to make sure no one saw her entering the compound, especially Mama Ebuka, the landlady of the house. 

Mama Ebuka was a confirmed pain in the neck, she had been giving Iyunade and her family problems for the past three years especially when the house rent was due to be paid. She was always demanding for their piled up bills. Iyunade knew that her family was at fault but they just could not meet up with the bills.

Iyunade and her family had not been able to pay the house rent due to her father's ailing health. He had been battling with it for the past four years and they didn't have any more money to take him to the hospital. 

Her father had been working as a Civil Servant in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. He had to quit his job due to the illness and all the saved up money had been spent on his drug and hospital bills, and they had to leave the hospital when there was no more money. 

Her siblings had to leave their former expensive,conducive and better school to attend government school where they have little or nothing to pay as levies.

Her mother had always been trying to feed the family but the financial situation just kept getting worse. Things just got more difficult for them.

Iyunade had to do anything she could to feed her family, pay for her father's drugs, at least the ones she could afford, and also pay the school fees of her three siblings. The only silver lining for her was the fact that she was lucky enough to receive a scholarship to study in the University of Ibadan. 

" Iyunade or whatever you're called! Stop right there," Iyunade froze as she heard Mama Ebuka's deeply accented voice. 

"Oh God! Please save me from this woman today". Iyunade prayed silently as she turned to see Mama Ebuka. 

"Good day, Mama Ebuka," she greeted as she forced a smile on her face. 

"What is good about the day? Osiso, tell me what is good about the day?," Mama Ebuka demanded. "You this stupid girl, when will you and your useless parents pay my money.  Your parents are owing me a whole six hundred thousand naira. I even wonder why I still allow you people to stay in this house." 

"I am sorry, Mama Ebuka. I promise we will pay your money soon," Iyun pleaded.

"Don't Mama Ebuka me. You know that your parents are meant to have married you off so that your husband can carry all your responsibilities. Your mates out there are in their husbands' house and have given birth to two to three children." 

Iyunade felt sad, ashamed and pained to be in this situation. She was tired of Mama Ebuka's taunting and drama. She had to do something fast this time before the other people living in the compound woke up to witness the hullabaloo.

She quickly dipped her hand into the hidden compartment of her bag and brought out a part of money she had stolen from the Chief and helplessly handed the money to her woman.

"Mama Ebuka, this is fifteen thousand naira. I promise to pay you the rest by the end of the month and please don't ever insult my family and I," she hissed, then walked away.

"See this uncultured girl ooooo. When I finish with you and your family ehhhnn, you will regret it", Mama Ebuka lamented loud enough to wake the entire neighborhood. 

Iyunade walked angrily into their two-bedroom apartment where she met her two younger brothers. They both postrated to greet her.

"  Good morning sister Iyun."

"Did you sleep well? ," she asked, to which they both nodded. 

"Now that I think of it. Olumide, why are you both not in school?," she inquired from the eldest of the two born after Sade.

"We were sent away from school because we haven't paid our P.T.A fees," he replied. Sade was in Senior Secondary School two, Olumide in Junior Secondary School three, while Femi was in Primary three.

"Someone help me oh. Since when? Why didn't you tell Mama to call me?," Iyun exclaimed. 

"We wanted to but Mama said we shouldn't disturb you because you were in school," he replied. 

Why is Mama always like this? Now I see why Sade called.

"Okay, how much is yours and Femi's fees?," she asked.

"Mine is five thousand naira while Femi's own is two thousand naira," he explained. 

She nodded, took her bag and handed eight thousand naira to him. 

"Take this money. Tomorrow morning, go to your school, pay the fees and keep one thousand  naira for yourself and Femi," she said to her smiling brother.

"Thank you, Sis. God will continue to provide for you."

"Amen ooo. Where is Mama and Sade?"

"They went out not quite long ago but Mama was saying they wanted to go and look for money to buy some food stuff because there is nothing at home," he replied. 

Sighing loudly, she muttered, " I will soon go back to school so I might not be able to wait for them oo but I will send you to Mama," she stated causing him to nod in response. 

"Give this money to Mama, tell her to use it to pay for Sade's school fees and she should use the rest to buy foodstuffs and some of Papa's drugs," she explained while handing over some money to him. 

He nodded and stood up to keep the money in one of the shelves on the makeshift T.V stand. 

She made a mental calculation and realized that she was left with just  two thousand naira. 

"God! How am I going to buy my textbooks and handouts now? I will need to get another thing to do soon and it must be fast. It is well." She sighed.