𝑨𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒚 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒂

"Hello Tim, come spend the weekend with me," Auny Bena politely requested on the phone while I was preparing dinner with my mom.

"Oh Aunty, that would be nice, I'll tell my mom about it," I hurriedly hung up and walked closer to mom.

"Mom, Aunty Bena wants me to spend the weekend with her," Wearing a wide smile I nudged mom excitedly.

"Tim, that's a very good idea, at least I'll have some rest from all your troubles," She chuckled and then continued stirring the egg sauce which was on the fire, the aroma filled the whole kitchen and I was already salivating. How much mom and I enjoy eating yam and egg sauce for dinner.

"Dinner is ready!" Mom exclaimed, I hurriedly brought out our favorite plates from the plate rack, "I can't wait to devor this food mom, you know you're the best cook ever."

"Don't forget to marry a good cook too, hehe," She teased and then we moved to the dining to savor our meal, "what is Aunty Bena's favorite meal mom? " I took a break from rattling my plate on the dining table as my eyes were fixed on mom.

"White rice and stew, when she was younger she couldn't stay a day without eating white rice and stew but I don't know about now, maybe she's changed haha," mom replied without looking at me, her gaze was fixed on her meal and then I knew that food was serious business.

Ten minutes later, we were done eating and now I knew we could talk as much as we wanted.

"This will be the first time spending the weekend with Aunty Bena, what do you think I should know?" I folded my arms in a bid to listen to mom.

"Okay, let me tell you a thing or two about Aunty Bena," Mom held my hands and walked me down the living room, "here is comfortable for a gist like that," she replied wearing a smile.

"Okay mom, shoot! " I was so curious to know about Aunty Bena.

"She's a very nice woman, she is a good cook too but very superstitious, while we were younger, she never allowed us to have meaningful conversations over dinner neither did she allowed me to sing at the dining room,"

"Huh, why Mom?" My eye brows were raised already as I could not fathom why families couldn't hold meaningful conversations over dinner, "I thought dinner time is bonding time? "

"She believed that there are evil spirits everywhere and when you sing at the dinning table, you are inviting them to come eat with you, now once they are seated, they listen to every conversations you hold with your loved one over dinner, and they could cause you harm, "

"Wait a minute, is that why you hardly talk in the dining room?" I asked laughing uncontrollably.

"Yes Tim, I have grown so used to it, even though I now know it is just superstition.

"Quick one Tim, you dare not whistle in her house, because I know you love whistling,"

I interrupted immediately,"Huh, why?" I asked in curiosity.

"She would say you want to bring down her house in flames and cause her lots of bad luck," Mom chuckled, "Do you think you can cope? "

"I am having a rethink right now, I don't want a situation whereby I wouldn't be free, I don't want Aunty Bena to link my every move to superstition, I would surely be terrified, do you think I should still spend the weekend with her?" My desire to visit Aunty Bena began to dwindle.

"Yes, I think you should, she requested didn't she? Do you want to disappoint your favorite Aunty?" Mom gave me a stern look.

"Hmmm, I love Aunty Bena very much though, maybe I'll learn a thing or two from her superstitious belief, haha even though I do not believe in them, but mom are all superstition bad?"

"Tim my son, I have no idea, some might be true, ermm, or maybe not, but I think what you believe in works for you right? " She shrugged.

"One of my friend once told me that when you have an itchy palm, then you're about to hit an unexpected money, for the past two days I've been having itchy palms and I expected to hit it big, but look at me mom, I am still a broke bloke, " We both laughed hysterically.

"Naughty boy, maybe Aunty Bena might know a solution for that, have no fear, since you're going to spend the weekend at hers, tell her about your itchy palms, she might just give you lots of money, so that you can now start believing in superstition." Mom sarcastically replied and we both laughed it off.

"Okay, mom it's time to hit the sack, I love you mom," I planted a kiss on her forehead as we walked into our separate rooms.

The next morning arrived, I had my bath and prepared to spend the weekend with Aunty Bena, who knows, I might just be rich when I get there.

"Enjoy your holiday Tim, and be good okay?" Mom reminded.

"Sure mom, I will," I walked out of the house wearing my favorite pair of Jean, a black polo and my mini traveling box hoping to return by Monday.