***
My stepmother's warning resounded in my head. But if I get bored and something happens, don't blame me.
Cynthia should have paid attention to that warning. She obviously didn't think her mum would do anything to hurt Bruno. I wanted to share her faith, but I just couldn't. My stepmother would get bored and something would happen to Bruno.
Sat with Amarachi, Flora, Mary and Farah at our lunch table, I barely even heard a word from their conversation. I could not get my mind off Bruno.
"Earth to Victoria," Farah said. "Are you even listening to us?"
"I guess," I said.
Amarachi sighed. "She's been like this all morning."
"Are you alright?" Mary asked.
"Yes." I stared at her, noting how Raheem had overcrowded my friend-circle with his family. I'd been surprised to see her walk to our table.
"She's thinking of Bruno," Amarachi said.
"Who's the dog?" Farah asked nonchalantly. Silence greeted her question. "Sorry. Is it a human being? I'm sorry. It's that dogs are called Bruno, so I just thought-"
Amarachi giggled. "Bruno is a dog."
"So what's the story?" Mary asked.
"He was shivering in last night's cold rain," I said.
"Yesterday's rain was cold enough to wake up one's dead grandma." Once again, silence followed Farah's words. Punctuating the silence, Mary and Amarachi burst out laughing. Flora and I fought to resist the contagious laughter, but luck eluded us.
"So, about Bruno," Mary said.
"I brought him in," I said. "But mum doesn't like dogs. And she gave us a very unsettling warning."
Coloring her voice with a dramatic evil, Amarachi said, "If I get bored and something happens, don't blame me."
"Wow," Farah said. "That woman is so scary. What does she look like?"
"Farah!" Mary warned.
"The person you're calling is currently busy," Farah said, winking at Mary. Mary shook her head, and although she tried to fight it, a smile stretched her lips.
Farah returned her attention to me. "You best take that warning seriously. Who knows, you could return home to find poor Bruno hacked into bloody little bits. Poor poor doggy. At least you can't say she didn't warn you."
Farah's perception of my stepmother had a striking resemblance with Amarachi's. My gaze darted between the two girls. I had a feeling they would be great friends.