chapter seven

It might have been because of the tiresome previous day that l felt like I was waken the same instance l had closed my eyes.

A knock on the door woke me up. I opened my eyes and saw that the room was still a bit dark. The sun hadn't came out yet.

There was a second knock and this time l answered.

"Yes, l'm coming", l rolled off the blanket and stepped out of the bed.

My legs sought the soft rug beside my bed because I knew that the floor was cold. I pulled down the hem of my loose nightdress that had risen to my belly. It made me wonder how l behave when I am asleep.

I took the night gown which l had draped on my bedside table. I wrapped myself snuggly in it to keep out the cold. I slipped my feet in some blue comfy slippers and walked to the door.

Deborah was standing a few feet from the door when I opened it. She smiled widely showing her perfect white teeth. She was already lively like she was already in the middle of her day although it was still too early.

Her hair was neatly tied into a tight bun. I looked at her joined hands and saw that she was holding a small transparent semi-circular bag with a plastic handle.

"Good morning Arielle, sorry for waking you up this too early. I just thought that since it's your first day at the school, you might need more time to prepare".

"Good morning Deborah, that's no problem. Thank you for being considerate" l paused and looked at the small bag in her hand, "but what's that you are holding.

"Oh miss, if you may allow me, let me shampoo and retouch your hair. It will make it easier for a hairbrush to run through it."

I was a bit taken aback by her caring. I then nodded with a smile then opened my door wider for her to enter. She walked in and headed for the bathroom.

I closed the door and followed her. She had placed the small bag on the bathroom sink and she was extracting many small things and arranging them beside the small bag.

She took out many small plastic tubes of shampoos and hair food. She also drew out many small silver hair devices, hair straightener, haircurler and more other devices that l am not familiar with.

She beckoned for me to come before the sink. I obliged and removed the night gown and hung it on the bathroom rail. I went and put both hands on the side of the sink and bent down a little.

Deborah wrapped a towel around my shoulders. She unclipped my hair, letting it fall into the sink. She put a drain plug and opened warm water.

I watched her putting on some thin white gloves waiting for the sink to fill up. She closed the tap after she had finished then lowered my head so my hair would sink into the water.

I was startled by the way my hair filled up the whole sink. The chestnut strands spread like blood coloring the water.

Deborah opened a sweet smelling tube and l heard the sound of her hand squeezing out the contents. I then felt her fingers running through the strands of my hair reaching my skull. She opened another tube which had a powerful perfume scent and added. She cupped water in her hands and poured it on my head. This time when she ran her hands in my hair, the mixture became soapy with bubbles.

I closed my eyes paying attention to the good feeling of her hands massaging my skull. Her movements were defined and firm but gentle at the same time.

I now couldn't open my eyes because of the soap but fortunately she started rinsing my hair. I almost thought she had finished but then she started pouring some cold lube like fluid. It was cold when it touched my skin for the first time but started to burn after seconds.

I contorted my face at the scorching sensation but it didn't last long because she immediately started rinsing it off. I heard the drain plug being plucked off and the soapy water draining. After a while, l felt her running a soft dry towel in my hair. She passed me a small soft face towel and I wiped off the water on my face then opened my eyes.

Deborah took a hairdryer and blew my hair. After a while my hair was starting to fly loosely and easy than it ever did. She took another tube with a pointy top and squeezed out a grape smelling transparent oil into her open palm. She started running her fingers in my hair again but this time she would also pull out some few strands between her fingers and continuously twirl and pull each strand. This was making the oil absorb deeply into the hair and making a silver like shine on my hair.

After oiling my hair, she took a hair straightener and started running it on my hair. I was surprised to see that my hair was now running along my back and down below my waist. The untangling must have increased its length. A silver line was now running up and down along it which was just a reflection of light.

Deborah took the haircurler and held the end of my hair. She started rolling it at the end of my hair causing my hair to twirl around it. She then pulled the haircurler and let go of my hair. My hair fell to my back and the curls dangled from the small of my back down to my behind.

I giggled when it tickled me.

"What are you laughing at?", Deborah asked taking a small spray from the small bag.

"The hair tickled me", l answered.

She brought a little spray to my face giving me a cue to close my eyes. I quickly closed my eyes then she began to spray my hair from head to the curly ends at my waist. The perfume had a faint relaxing scent.

I heard her stop so l opened my eyes. She had stepped back and she was now looking at me with admiring eyes. Her gaze became dreamy and l saw her eyes start to glisten with tears. A small sniff followed.

"You remind me of a special day in my life, how it was when I met the love of my life", she paused and smiled then started wiping off her tears with the back of her hand, "please don't be bothered, l'm such a cry baby."

I was about to go hug her and tell her that it's ok when she swiftly raised her hand to stop me.

"Don't, l don't want you to ruin your hair yet", she said and l paused halfway.

She started packing the empty tubes and the hair devices back into the small bag. I repeatedly gave her my most heartfelt words of gratitude which she accepted with a smile. Unsatisfied by her reaction, I kept on thanking until it sounded like l was pleading or insisting. At last she surrendered.

"Ok, ok l heard you, you are most welcome", she said with a hint of irritation in her voice.

Her phone vibrated in her dress pocket and she immediately drew it out.

"I have to go wake the other girl up and prepare auntie's morning herbal tea, today she is the one who's going to drop you and Keisty at school. Take your bath in the tub today and make sure that your head stays above the water and your hair stays out of the bathtub. I will bring you the uniform soon after I am done with waking everyone up."

I nodded and then she left my room. As soon as she had stepped out the door, l ran and filled the bathtub with warm water and poured a fragrant bubble bath. I sunk my body deep into the water but left my head out. I let my hair out of the bathtub and it touched the floor of the bathroom.

After about a quarter of an hour l heard a knock from my bedroom door. I quickly ran out of the bathroom and wrapped a towel around my steaming wet body. When l opened the door l saw Deborah holding my uniform on a hanger, it was looking more flawless than before thanks to her gifted hands.

"After about twenty minutes, breakfast should be ready miss", Deborah said handing me the uniform.

I thanked her and took the uniform. After l closed the door, l heard her feet echo in the passage way. I put the uniform on the bed then returned to the bathroom. I had to wash my face separately in the sink.

When l was done, l went to the dresser and courteously anointed my body with a coconut lotion. The lotion was cool and moisturizing but made my skin to have a radiant glow from the high amount of glycerin. I dressed in my new uniform afterwards.

This time l could hardly move away from the mirror. My reflection was a fair sight that lured even me. It hypnotized me to the point that l felt the need to do a double check to see if it was my reflection.

Suddenly l remembered that Deborah had told me to come to the breakfast table in twenty minutes. I hurried out the room knowing that I was already a bit late.

I started hearing voices from the dinning room whilst l was still in the passage and knew that everyone was already at the table except me.

My heels could have gave away my approaching but they were absorbed in their talking and laughing to have heard me.

When l entered the room, the room became silent all at once. Auntie Yolei's spoon froze at her lips as she watched me make my way to Keisty's side. Keisty frantically chocked on her spoonful of cereals. Deborah had to rush with a dish towel before she could mess her cream white chess nationals blazer.

"Dear Arielle, what happened to you during the night to wake up an angel?", auntie Yolei asked genuinely surprised.

I blushed from her comment then greeted her good morning. She smiled politely and returned my greeting. I also greeted Deborah for the second time so that it wouldn't be too obvious that she was the one who did my hair.

Keisty's coughing fit had now stopped but her breathing was not yet composed. She turned to me with alarm in her eyes.

"Don't let the perverts at our school come near you, they will molest your innocent body. You will lose your virginity on your first day", Keisty said embarrassing me.

Auntie Yolei and Deborah laughed heartily. The breakfast became jovial and light with occasional laughter that made me momentarily forget about my first day nervousness.

"Today Keisty you are not taking your car, l will drop you girls at school. I want to take Arielle to the principal's office before she starts her classes, he requested to meet her before she starts"

"Oh, l was hoping to be the one to show her off to my classmates today, now it won't happen", Keisty said disappointed.

"Don't worry honey, l am sure that they will all get to know that she is your cousin sister ", auntie Yolei says to cheer her up.

Deborah passed us our small satchels fully packed when we were going out the house. I felt something warm and remembered the flask of milk.

The early morning air outside was still crispy and cold. We ran to auntie Yolei's grey SUV immediately after we stepped outside.

Auntie Yolei pressed the car keys to unlock the doors as she followed behind. Keisty and l occupied the middle role seats. All the while we were rubbing our hands together to generate heat. Immediately after auntie Yolei had set in the driver's seat, she started the engine and turned on the heater.

In no time the interior of the car was warm. Auntie Yolei punched the gas and the large SUV thrust towards the gate and outside.