Isioma! Have you ironed the clothes I’ve been asking you to?
Isioma’s mother, Mrs Uloma Iwezue’s voice echoed like thunder from the kitchen. Isioma’s heart raced, she froze on the chair, unable to lift a finger and stared blankly at her phone screen.
Her mother had told her to iron her wrapper and blouse since a week ago for a wedding she was attending on Saturday and had been reminding her ever since, but Isioma kept postponing the task, saying there was still time.
IMAGE GENERATED WITH AI.
Mummy it’s just Monday. I’ll do it, don’t worry.
Take a chill pill mom. I assure you, I’ll get the task done.
But before she knew it, like a thief in the night—Saturday had snuck up on her.
Scrolling through Instagram and Tiktok for a dress she needed to get made her forget totally. She knew her mother would be furious if she found out she hadn’t ironed the clothes. She shot up from the couch and bolted towards her mother’s bedroom. Opening the wardrobe, she saw the wrapper and blouse lying there, crumpled and unaltered, the world felt like it was spinning for Isioma.
Mummy please give me a minute, I’ll do just that now.
You will do just that now? I’m very sure I gave you those clothes to iron over a week ago and you’re just doing it now? You had better be done before eleven o’clock, I cannot be late for the wedding, when my mates will be there on time. I’m going to have my bath now , Mrs Uloma hissed and walked away.
Isioma looked at the time, it was twenty five minutes past nine already, so she needed to hurry. She took out the iron, the wrapper and blouse, and set them on the ironing board. Just as she was about to start ironing….kpa! NEPA(Nigerian Electric Power Supply) took the electricity and darkness fell.
Chineke! (God!). Oh, not now please. Isioma began murmuring under her breath while she clasped her hands, praying for magic to happen, for NEPA to restore electricity for a few more minutes. Unfortunately no magic happened , power outage in the morning only meant electricity wouldn’t return until 7pm.
She scratched her head vigorously, on the verge of crying, her mother would blame her for the rest of her life. Isioma shut her eyes for a second.
Did Nepa take the light? , her mother hollered from the bathroom.
Ermm, not really, no mummy. Isioma stuttered.
Then my clothes should be ready, keep them on my bed, I’ll be out in a jiffy. Isioma’s mother replied.
Isioma looked at the time, it was already fifteen minutes to ten, her mother was quick in the bathroom whenever she was going somewhere. And to make matters worse, there was no fuel in the generator or charcoal iron.
She slapped her phone in frustration. What am I going to do now? There’s no time. She stood, hands akimbo, as she paced about.
That is it! She screamed in delight, clapping her hands. Something had clicked. A line from a school debate rang a bell in her brain, there was no light but there was the "Sun" and "a bowl of hot water".
Isioma carried a table outside, placed her mother’s wrinkled clothes on it making sure the sun hit them directly. Then she dashed to the kitchen to boil a kettle of hot water and poured it into a bowl afterwards. She held the clothes above the bowl of hot water, allowing the steam to touch every corner and just like that, the wrinkles began relaxing.
IMAGE GENERATED WITH AI.
Ewooo eh, it’s working! Isioma said aloud.
Nawa oo, this girl will not kill me. What are you doing? And where are my clothes? It’s already 9:55. At this point, Mrs Uloma was furious.
Mummy give me just five more minutes and start preparing; I will be done soon, I promise. Isioma pleaded. She didn’t mind that her mother was giving her a side eye, all that mattered was that her "Sun-Steam Ironing" method was working.
Soon the blouse and wrapper were ready. Her mother looked in awe. How did you remove the creases from these clothes without electricity ? she asked.
*Hahahaa, Necessity is the mother of invention , I was desperate and had to cook up something real quick. *
Nwam oo(my child) you really are smart. You take after me. They both laughed.
Ehen mummy, you look too good. Let me take some pictures, make everybody see say my mama fine wella(so everyone can see how beautiful my mother is). Isioma took a few shots and walked her mother to the car.
She beamed with pride as she admired her mother’s blouse and wrapper, which looked good on her and rumple-free.
Later that night, Isioma uploaded the pictures with the caption Nepa wanted to disappoint me but determination surfaced…Necessity is truly the mother of invention.
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