Dunamis isn't Silly

~Inspired by real experiences

My body temperature increased with every passing minute. The turmoil in my belly found its way to my head as the time inched closer to 11.00 am. I gently massaged the crease of my forehead while muttering under my breath. I had five minutes left and I needed a miracle. My phone rang and I ran to it. I hissed. It was a call from my network provider. 

Another glance at the clock made me hold my breath. I had only a minute left. I groaned and a tear rolled down my cheeks. "You're fast when you should be slow. And when I need you to be slow, you're not. Super annoying thing."

"Is she back?" Mum called from the stairs.

Heat rose up my throat and I fought the urge to scream. I closed my eyes and tried imagining telling my sister how she had made me miss an online meeting with the director of the company I was supposed to process waste for. I opened my eyes, it wasn't working. The only things I was seeing were different ways of...

"Dunamis?"

I snapped out of my thoughts, "She's not back."

"Okay. Will you use my laptop?"

"Mum, please." 

"I'm only trying to help."

"I already told you I need to…" I gently exhaled. Mum was not the problem. The fact that she knew that there were important videos on my laptop that I had to show the director doesn't make her the problem. Yes, it stirred my anger but she wasn't my problem. I lifted a corner of my lip. Remi was.

"Don't worry she'll be back soon."

"Hm."

I kept a constant gaze on the door while keeping my place on the sofa. My lips were feeling pain from being tightened but that couldn't compare with the pain of how quickly time slowed. Every dragging minute brought an awareness of the meeting I could have attended and the contract I should be close to sealing.

The door opened and a noisy Remi walked in with her friend. A look told me all I needed to know. I didn't like her friend. I paused. I wasn't supposed to not like her friend. Or was it okay to not like her friend? I shook the thought away. I would think about it later.

"Hey, Sis."

"Do you know why it's called a mobile phone and not a room phone?"

She raised a brow.

"That's because it's meant to be with you, not somewhere in your wardrobe."

"Oh, was that where you found it?" She dropped her bag on the table and sat. "What's up with your cold attitude? You didn't even greet my friend."

"Why did you take my laptop without telling me?"

Her gaze dulled and she laughed shakily. "Is that why you're like this? It's no big deal."

"It's no big deal?" I laughed while shaking my head. I turned around and stared at Mum who had been watching. "She said it's no big deal. It's no big deal to take my laptop when hers is fully charged. It's no big deal to go out with my things without telling me. " I turned back to her. "Did you say it's no big deal?"

"Yes."

"I missed an important—" I wiped away the thought of pulling off her wig. "I missed a meeting because of what is not a big deal."

"It's only a meeting, DD."

I bowed my head and huffed. I closed my eyes and within seconds, I had pulled Remi off the chair and was dragging her around the sitting room. She scratched my arms and even managed to bite me but I wasn't done with her. I—

"DD, you don't have to be worried. It's only a meeting."

I lifted my head and sized her up. It wouldn't take much for me to do what I just saw. It would even stem my anger. I stared briefly at Mum and pulled my laptop from her bag.

I forced a smile. "I hope you had a great day?"

"Well…"

I forcefully calmed my breath. Remi, don't make this worse.

"We had a nice time and I like the apps on your laptop. Seyi couldn't help downloading some of them."

I smiled—painfully. The Seyi had a laptop.

I walked up the stairs and didn't stop till I was out of sight. Tears dripped down my face but it wasn't because of the meeting, it was because I couldn't do anything to pacify my anger. I wasn't even allowed to think harsh things about her. And, that hurts. Far more than anything I knew. Mum's voice caught my attention and I sniffed quietly while tiptoeing back to the edge of the stairs.

"Can't they reschedule the meeting or something?" Remi asked.

My Chemistry teacher had been right. Too many movies could turn intelligence into stupidity or something close to that. I mean, did that just come out of her lips? I paused. I didn't just think that, did I? 

I sighed and whispered, "I'm sorry. My sister is the most intelligent person I know, even if what she said didn't sound intelligent." I banged my forehead. I had done it again. I blew out a breath. "Fine. I'll do it. I forgive her, even if it means not holding this against her." 

A change in the tone of their conversation brought me back to the present.

"I would have injured you if I were her. Your sister is dull ooo."

"Shut up, Seyi."

Seyi laughed. "I'm serious. She's too patient for her good. I only hope people won't take advantage of her because I know myself, I would have taken advantage of her many times."

Now, I knew why I didn't like her. I shrugged. I still wasn't sure if it was okay to not like her so it was okay to not like her, for the moment anyway. 

No one talked for a while so I sneaked a look downstairs. Mum's head was turned from me which made me unable to see her expression but from what I could see of my sister's side view, Seyi had seen the last of her. I smiled and walked towards my room. Irrespective of our tiny disagreements, we were still best of friends. I kicked my door shut and stared at it. My smile stilled as I grew conscious of my laptop. Maybe I shouldn't have called it tiny disagreements. They could be sometimes big. 

I lay on my bed and threw my arms wide open. I was too drained to think of a solution. I couldn't possibly call the company. Not when the only excuse I had was a missing laptop. My phone vibrated and my heartbeat increased when I saw it was from the company. I mentally went through the options I had and finally decided I wasn't ready to face them. 

The door opened and Remi walked in. Not the person I wanted to see at the moment. I shoved down the thought and managed a smile.

"How is your friend?"

"She left."

I nodded. We stared at each other—more like I was staring at her because she was acting awkwardly and she held my gaze because I was staring at her. She dropped her gaze and I decided to focus on my laptop. That should give her the courage to apologise if that was what she came for. I subconsciously shook my head. I only hoped that was it. I didn't have the strength for anything else.

"I walked her out," she said.

Great. Very good. I hid a smile. "Okay."  

"I didn't know you had a meeting."

And?

"I assumed you wouldn't be angry."

I huffed, and cleared my throat, "Sorry. Please continue."

"Okay. Your laptop's specification makes it a better option for graphic designing."

"I see." I didn't see a thing.

"I thought I could borrow it and—"

"Take."

"Sorry?"

"You didn't borrow it, you took it."

"Okay. I thought I could take it and return it before you'll discover it's missing. I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

"And…"

"Yes?"

"I know you heard what Seyi said."

I raised a brow.

"It's not true. You're not stupid for not causing a scene. This is a lot for me to say but I'll say it." She shrugged. "It's the least I can do."

"Say it already."

"I admire what you did. After Mum told me what this caused you, you seemed refined to me. I mean, you looked cooler."

"Wow." I smiled. "Remi thinks I'm cool. Wait a minute." 

I searched my wardrobe for my recorder but didn't find it. I grabbed a torchlight and checked under the bed. My actions might appear frivolous but they weren't. In a case where I was repeating what she said to others, Remi was somebody who would tell me to prove it—all in a bid to dull my shine.

"You can use your phone, you know."

I grinned, "How did you know what I was looking for?"

"Who else buys a recorder solely because of their sister?"

"Yeah, right. You got me there." I picked my phone and switched on the recorder. "Hello everyone. Remi has something to say to us all."

She laughed. "I'm doing this because I've been humbled. Never forget that."

"Whatever.".

"Dunamis is cool and powerful, and I'm not saying this because she's my sister. Her real power is in her character, and majorly, her self-control. She made me realize that what most people call wisdom is foolishness because it only worsens things. True wisdom makes things better, it doesn't make them worse. No wonder it seems foolish to most people."

"Aw, that's super sweet."

She rolled her eyes and opened the door. "I'm out of here."

"Love you too, baby."

She blew a kiss. "Love you."

I grinned widely and saved the recording. The first thing to do was to save it everywhere possible. I would even add sound effects to it. I laughed loudly and made a face. It would be a good thing for her to wake up to every morning. And with the loudness of the stereo in the sitting room, it wouldn't be long before she comes begging.

My phone rang and I sobered. It was the company.

"Hello."

"Hello. Is this Miss Dunamis?"

"Yes, it is."

"I'm Mr Oyinade's secretary and he asked me to reschedule a meeting with you."

I blinked. "What?"

"An urgent situation came up and he apologizes for his inability to keep to time. He would have called but he had to attend to some things. When would you love to have the meeting, ma?"

I shook my head and stared at my phone. Really?

"Are you there?"

"Yes."

"When do you want the meeting to hold? You can pick anytime from 3.00 pm today."

"Okay. How about 6.00 pm?"

"Great. I'll let Mr Oyinade know the meeting will be holding by six. Thanks for your time."

"Thank you."

I held back a scream and collapsed on my bed. What just happened?

© ADENIKE ONI 2021

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