By Amie Sillah
Mam Beegay and Tenneng
“Mother I must be rich! I must be rich!” She posited.
Mam Beegay
“But how are you going to be rich my daughter? God’s time is the best, if he says you’ll be rich you’ll but if he decreed otherwise you’ll not. Angi and her family are meeting our daily needs and you have to take up her sustainability plan to learn skills and stop the runs; I agree with her.”
Tenneng
She exploded into anger.
“That’s what I mean! For how long would I allow my fellow woman to feed me on pittance? Look at me Mama! Am I not beautiful? Is Angi more beautiful than me? I must marry a rich guy and through the venue get myself out of poverty forever.”
Mama Beegay
She thought hard and seemed to be convinced by her daughter.
“Are you serious about what you’ve just said?”
Tenneng
“100% serious! I want to be rich and I must be rich!”
Mama Beegay
“First of all apologize to Angi then wait for my further instructions, trust me my daughter am I not Mam Beegay again?”
Tenneng
“Should I? Will that make her more pompous?”
Mama Beegay
“Just do what I say and leave the rest to me.”
Mam Buutor
It is Mam Buutor’s (Mama Rose’s) birthday and her family celebrated it in style. Papa Gaa bought her a combination of precious stones as a birthday gift and a private lunch at a posh restaurant.
Tenneng
She changed tactic as her mother advised.
She invited Singii and asked her to accompany her to Angi to ask for forgiveness.
“Sis you are right I have wronged Angi who has been our sole benefactor, I am such an ingrate, can you accompany me to go and ask for forgiveness?”
Singii
“Naughty girl! That’s it! I’ll accompany you, are we not all friends, Company Four Damsels!”
Tenneng
The duo arrived at Angi’s home and met her with Kanku.
She came and stooped before her.
Angi
“What are you doing in my house after all the embarrassment you meted at me? Get out and now never to show your face in my abode.”
Singii
“Please Angi, she is sorry, accept her apology, and give her a second chance.”
She also stooped before Angi and held her knees.
Angi
She looked at Kanku who nodded her head.
Kanku
“To err is human and to forgive divine. Are we not Company Four Damsels?”
Angi
She thought hard and gave a heavy sigh.
“Come up naughty girl! You are forgiven,” she posited.
“This calls for a celebration, let’s go and paint the city red!”
At Home
She called her daughter Angi and gave her some advice.
Mam Buutor
“My daughter life can be very funny, but a motherly advice is always useful, I am not happy with your best friend Tenneng; I am afraid she hates you and is pretending to love you, she is not happy for you so be very careful of her.”
Angi
“Mama Tenneng is naughty but harmless she can never hurt me, remember we grew together and our family has been providing their welfare for a long time; she is okay be rest assured.”
The Shock of their Life
Mam Buutor
“Take my word of advice and utilize it wisely whether I am alive or gone.”
As soon as she finished advising her daughter she choked and started to cough vehemently.
Angi
“Mom! What is it? Let me go and bring water.”
But the cough persisted and Angi called the house help Daado to bring water as she cannot leave her mother alone in that condition.
Suddenly, Mam Buutor collapsed and closed her eyes lifeless.
The Scream
“Mama! Mama! What is happening? Don’t do this to me,” she screamed and people rushed to the sitting room.
The Tragedy
Mama died and left behind a distraught family amazed and shocked.
The Reactions
Papa Gaa
“Now the funeral is over and we have to put ourselves together and continue our lives. She was my soul mate and the pillar of our family, we were married for 40 years and each other’s missing rib, she was also a devoted, loving mother and a woman of faith, and she is already in heaven looking over us and would like us to continue our lives as we have always been until we meet again.”
Sengaan
“Losing mom is a great blow to our family but as dad has said life has to go on and our family has to wax stronger so as not to disappoint her.”
Tenneng
“I am still shocked, exasperated and devastated but as dad and bro said life has to go on.”
Kanku
She is focused, disciplined and sober and always gives Angi good advice. Angi is short sighted and naïve, therefore easily hurt and betrayed by trusted friends.
“Be very careful with Tenneng she does not love you as you love her; she gossips you behind your back. I’ll not go into details but can only advise you to be very alert about her.”
Angi
“Why is this call for me to be careful with Tenneng? Do you know that was exactly what my mother said to me before she collapsed into my hands?”
Kanku
“Take note there is sense into it; just be very cautious especially as an advice from a dying mother. I don’t trust her; she is a serpent under a green grass. May Allah protect you from her evil intentions but as it is said Allah helps those who help themselves.”
Angi
“I’ve taken note. Thank you.”
The Girls
They formed a delegation to pay condolence to their friend; some cash was collected and they brought it for the family.
Tenneng
She delivered the envelop.
“We are very sorry for losing our dear mom and are praying that the good lord will grant her a place in Ajannatou Firdausi.”
Angi
She received it on behalf of the family and thanked her friends.
“It was as sudden as she was talking and advising me about life, she was my friend and I’ll miss her dearly but as dad and bro said life has to go on.”
The Girls
“We cannot fill her space in your heart but would stay around you and give you support.”
To be Cont.]]>
