“Why are you so unforgiving?” The words hit Claire like a slap. She flinched. Looked up from doodling to find a female corper eyeballing her five feet away. Hands akimbo, she was the latest in a posse of emissaries in the two weeks since Claire had walked into Fola having sex with his neighbour.  Claire… Read More »Finding Claire Ep.7 – Pause

“I want you” Claire stared at the WhatsApp message. She wanted her brain to interpret something else, or for the letters to rearrange themselves. Neither happened; of course. But she didn’t have an answer to the missive, so she was hit by instant regret. Why had she opened his message, for pete’s sake? Fola expected… Read More »Finding Claire Ep.6 – Scars 

“Sannu” Claire curtsied at the entrance to the Principal’s office. Alhaja Aliyu looked up from the newspaper she had been reading and her face swelled in a smile, like puff puff batter meeting hot oil. “Koppa Klaire!” Her teeth flashed, and so too did dimples that holed both her cheeks. Right hand beckoning, Alhaja Aliyu… Read More »Finding Claire Ep.5 – Back To The Future

By; Dupe Kuku. “Pregnant… It’s always these quiet ones… Desperate to be big girls but they don’t know the first rule…” Slivers of conversation reached Claire from dreamland.  She fluttered her lashes to get a view of the speakers and the person to whom they referred, and her heart jumped against her ribcage. Four of… Read More »Finding Claire Ep. 4 – Grapevine

By; Dupe Kuku “Heeey! Mrs. Igwe! You must be upset!” Dr. Thuma’s head poked into the ward. Not waiting for response, she marched to the consulting room with quick clanks of court heels. She deposited her bag on the table. Fetched a transparent disposable bowl from her food basket. She waved the colour-filled plastic in… Read More »Finding Claire Ep.3 – Leak

By; Dupe Kuku Nurse Igwe was clocking out when Thomas strode in with his human bundle. He had noticed Claire’s head lolling and walked slower; wanting the rhythm of his strides to lull her to sleep. She had not stirred since, and he was proud of it. “Can’t she walk?”  “Sssh. She’s asleep” Nurse Igwe’s… Read More »Finding Claire Ep.2 – Old Wives