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The wait was aching. It was three weeks now since the application acception for the bursary at U.W had began and she hadn't been notified yet. Seyi felt fearful and a bit low for the first time since she had applied for the grant. She couldn't understand the reason other applicants had been receiving congratulations notifications while she hadn't yet. Maybe it was because she had put all her hopes in one place. She suddenly felt that she hadn't gotten lucky. But she had received a consideration note then. But, not yet. She assured herself. She hadn't gotten it yet.
"Did you hear that that bursary thing is out?" The customer asked Màmá Àríkẹ́non challantly as she threw a few seeds of roasted groundnuts in her mouth.
Seyi was in the salon, having her work hour. Bolu, Hannah, and herself were practicing on wigs while Màmá Àríkẹ́made a customer's hair. The salon was divided into two wings- the part where wigs and hair materials were displayed, and the other wing where customers sat to have their hair made. The space was almost quiet, except for the two ladies who were talking, the apprentices were focused on their work. Well, apart from Seyi. She looked focused alright, but her ears and mind were all on the conversation. She became even more interested when she heard about the bursary. No surprise, it was a trending topic and the woman customer was quite famous in that aspect...
Mama Arikẹ́nodded. "Kola got in. His mother told me."
Seyi strained to listen. The offer was out? She hadn't heard anything.
"I heard that they are only picking a few this year." The woman said and turned a little as her head under Mama Àríkẹ́'s hands could bear. She seemed to have felt Seyi's staring eyes on herself. Quickly,
Seyi turned her face downward at the hair closure she was sewing on a wig. The woman, that particular customer, was one of Mama Àríkẹ́'s 'big' customers. She was a renowned gossip and was not very nice to the apprentices. No, she wasn't the boss, just a recognized customer. From the corner of her eye, she saw Màmá Àríkẹ́gently turn her head away and Seyi looked at them again.
She felt weak. Disappointed, somehow discouraged, even a bit afraid. It was just news. Random news with no sure backing or confirmation but she couldn't seem to get it out of her head.
"...they are only picking a few this year."
She tried to shake it out. So what if they're picking only a few? She thought. She'll get picked too.
Afterall, she had been sent a letter of consideration and processing request. With this, she consoled herself, only, she wished she actually felt as motivated as she hoped to be.
She felt heavy that day as she returned home. But she couldn't tell her mother. She hadn't ascertained the news and why bother the old lady anyway? Although it didn't make her feel better, she kept her anxiety to herself, determined to find out the truth soon.
_____
It had been two weeks. Two weeks? Her head spun. It was really hard taking in the news, or restraining the tears of frustration that threatened to pour. Two weeks! Others had been accepted, given slots, pushed in, but she was still hanging in between. What could have gone wrong? Why hadn't she made it?
Tears stung her eyes every now and then. Slowly, she began to grow frightened. But the lady at the admissions office calmed her down.
"Don't worry, my dear. You are only on the waiting list. Just wait a bit."
With renewed confidence, she held this in mind. And, she didn't tell her mother. She kept it in, hoping the lady's assurance was true and that she could avoid breaking her mother's heart.
_____
"Why didn't you tell meeee?"
It was a few days now since she had confirmed that her application request had been put on a waiting list.
Why had she thought that her mother would not find out? Gossip and small talk reigned freely everywhere. A free commodity. At the market, the store, the salon, the taxi...
She hadn't wanted to disappoint, to make her mother sad. She could hold it, but not her mother. She had tried, really. But Màámi was bound to know anyway, and she was upset.
"You've known since when now?"
"Almost a week." Seyi said in a small voice.
"And you've held that in your chest since? Why didn't you tell me? Do you want to kill me, Seyi?" Màámi asked in the local language.
Seyi replied the same way. "No, ma."
She was heartbroken. Màámi shouldn't have known. Now, things just got complicated.
Màámi had been quite upset. Who could blame her? After losing a husband and a child, it would be trauma to let her face the talk that her daughter was facing issues that she wouldn't share.
However, by midnight, Seyi had gone to her mother's room to apologise. After a long talk, with her, Seyi could have sworn that she felt better. Màámi had taken her time to advise her. Talk to her. And her voice was so encouraging.
She said;
"My daughter, nothing comes without due toil but not yet is not a rejection."
It was a glimmer of hope. Her mother. And right then, she became motivated.
Following . Episode 9 please. I'm sure Seyi's wait will be worthwhile.