Page 101 of Cursed Daughters
“I am not my father. And you are not Monife. I don’t know what he did or didn’t do to your aunt; I don’t know why they didn’t end up together; but I plan to stay by your side no matter what.”
“Z, we are still young. You could feel differently in a year or two.”
“I’m not so fickle, Eniiyi. I mean what I say. Can you trust me? Shut out all the noise and just trust me.”
III
Elegushi beach was mostly deserted. These days, her peers preferred to get on a boat and hop off on a private beach; so it was no surprise to her that there wasn’t much going on here. Her eyes could just about make out that there was a group of people to the right of them, but they were mere specks. The lack of an audience boosted her confidence regarding the steps she would take now. On the drive, she had berated herself for her foolishness; but now that she was here, the water was calling to her.
“Eniiyi, why did you bring me here?” asked Ebun.
She didn’t respond. She headed to the water, discarding clothing, revealing the neon one-piece beneath. Her mother was running, trying to catch up with her. She grabbed Eniiyi’s arm, and Eniiyi looked up. She had never seen Ebun look so afraid.
“What do you think you are doing?! You’re not planning on entering the water, are you?”
She wrenched her arm free.
“I’m a competent swimmer.”
“No. No. You can’t go in there.”
“Why not?” And she waited with her hands on her hips for her mother to confess. But Ebun had perfected the art of dodging the truth.
“These waters are not safe. It is not like a swimming pool, Eniiyi. People get carried away all the time.”
“Even now, you…” She sighed. “I met Golden Boy. And his wife.” Her mother sucked in her breath, further angering her.
“I told you to break up with that boy!”
“You didn’t tell me why!”
“I shouldn’t have had to,” Ebun said. Even now, her mother stood by her decision to be as reticent as humanly possible. Eniiyi felt like pulling out her hair.
“I am not a child. I deserved the truth. Why can’t you ever tell the truth?”
“I…It was never so simple. I didn’t want you to be burdened with it all. I didn’t want you to feel like you were not…you.”
Eniiyi burst out laughing. “Monife has tormented me all my life. I see her every time I close my eyes; and when my eyes are open, the people around me double-take, or mistake me for her, or assume I will do the things she did. You think your secrecy left me unburdened? Wonderful.”
“I did what I could, Eniiyi.”
“She slapped me. Zubby’s mum slapped me.”
“She didwhat?” Her mother’s look was terrifying; her eyebrows were furrowed and she had a mean look in her eye. Given the chance she would return the slap tenfold; but she was missing the point. Eniiyi sighed.
“I want to know the truth. I want to know what happened. Monife killed herself because of love?”
Her mother hesitated. “In a manner of speaking…”
“What does that mean?”
Ebun didn’t answer, so Eniiyi began to walk backwards into the water. Her mother grabbed her arm again.
“Eniiyi. This is not funny. I am sure you know this is where she died.”
“But,” and she began to list statements off on her fingers, “I am not trying to kill myself. And I am a strong swimmer. I took all those swimming lessons, remember?”
“Eniiyi, stop this nonsense, please.”
