The door creaked as it opened wide, the noise penetrating the silence as I lay quietly on my bed. The reflection of light and a casted shadow remained over my face, the occurrence felt like I was in a dream and it left me uneasy.
"Emreal, Emreal," I heard my name, but it sounded from a distance.
I quickly opened my eyes to behold my mom standing at the door, her hands akimbo looking at me with an intense frown on her face. Her eyes moved over the room scrutinizing every item from one end to the other.
I stretched myself on the bed and rolled from one end to the other, unleashing a prolonged yawn.
"Good evening Mom," I greeted after sitting up.
"Look at how your room is disorganized," she complained and stepped inside.
"Emreal, aren't your credentials mixed up among these papers scattered on the floor like a waste?" She picked my statement of results from college, gazed at it for a moment, and looked at me, her mouth agape.
"Isn't this your NCE certificate, the one you labored so hard to get?" She asked, extending the brown paper to me.
"Mom, you have started again," I grumbled as I received the paper from her.
She looked at me and shook her head. "You have been sleeping since you returned from work, you didn't even eat your meal," she said after opening the lunch box on my table and covering it again.
"My dear, this is unlike you, what is wrong," she asked, placing her hands on my forehead to determine my temperature.
"Mom, I am fine, I just had a busy day at work. Work is becoming more demanding these days and I barely have time for myself," I replied.
Hmm, she sighed. "I know how exhausting a teaching job can be. Sorry I came in like a thief, I was just bothered, you didn't step outside since you came back and your door wasn't locked."
"No, it's okay Mom, I understand. Sorry you met my room unkempt, you always emphasize keeping our documents well organized.
I had to mix up the documents that way because I was looking for my score sheet, I can't figure out where exactly I kept it after using it last night," I replied.
"Oh dear, sorry about that, were you able to find it?" She asked
I let out a deep breath, losing my smile. "Mom, I have been looking for that sheet since I came home but can't find it. My boss is already on my neck to finish up my compilation, and I assured her that by tomorrow I will have everything done. The whole thing is eating me up, I am feeling frustrated."
Hmm, she sighed. "Sorry for disturbing your sleep, but if you don't mind, can I help you find it?" She asked.
"Sure Mom, I would appreciate it," I replied and we got into action without hesitation.
We searched the room together, messing things up more without finding the sheet. I concluded that I was not going to see it.
But my mom insisted that we continue to search. We sought almost everywhere possible but my mother's resilient spirit wouldn't let us give up.
I went to my wooden shelf and began to take out my books one after the other just so my Mom wouldn't think I was not serious about finding the score sheet but deep down I knew I didn't take my file that direction.
While I was still taking the books out and checking them thoroughly, my mom said, "Wait a minute, did you say you kept the score sheet on the table when you made some entries last night?"
"Yes Mom," I nodded, leaving where I was standing in the direction of the table.
"Did you use any book at all while making the entry?" She asked
Em, "Yes! My biology textbook," I answered.
"Where is it?" She replied
"It's with Enze, my colleague," I answered.
She stopped searching and paused for a moment, "did you ask him about the sheet?"
"No Mom, I didn't. I don't think it's there, I kept it on this table, Ma," I argued.
"You know what? Call him first," she suggested.
"Mommy, I know where I kept this thing, I can't be wrong," I replied as I dialed Enze's phone number.
It was as if he was just waiting for my call. He picked up the call right away, "Hello Emreal, how are you?"
"I am good, how about you?" I replied.
"Fine too, what's happening?" Enze responded.
"Em, bro, please can you check the biology textbook I gave you earlier on, it seems I left my score sheet in there," I asked hesitantly.
"Guy, I didn't even touch that book, I have been busy since I got home. Let me check it out and get back to you," He replied.
My mom and I stopped searching and decided to wait for his call. A few minutes later, my phone rang, and I sluggishly picked up the call.
"My man, it is here, I saw it on the first page of the book, should I bring it to you?" Enze confirmed with his soft voice like that of a woman.
I let out a deep breath, "Yes bro, thanks, man."
My mother looked at me and hissed, "When next I told you a thing, believe me," she cautioned my initial action.
A grin spread across my face as I hugged her. "Thanks, Mom, I won't argue next time."
Together we arranged the things we scattered in the room, then I swept it.