After revisiting my wristwatch for the trillionth time, finally, the lecturer delivered my favourite phrase of any God given day: “And that, ladies and gentlemen, concludes our income tax unit. Please do not forget the online quiz which will be made available later this afternoon, and, the homework questions for our Tuesday morning class. Enjoy the remainder of your Friday, thank you.”

“Hallelujah!” I mumbled to myself as I started packing my belongings in my bag and headed to the door. Getting outside, I took my phone from my pocket, plugged in my ear sets and started walking to my flat whilst listening to music.

A thing about me is that I take my time before I am socially acceptable in any environment I find myself in, so at that time I had no friends and it was only my third month at Long Park. Yes I would engage in small meaningful chats here and there, but I had no fixed circle of pals and the only person I knew fairly well was my flatmate, Kate.

For a final-year student, it made no sense to people why I had changed environs. And the story I typically sold to those who enquired directly with me was that my funders preferred me being in Long Park as their sole office was located there. Fortunately, cheap inventory is bought in bulks – so the tale was soon bought and I no longer had to recite it. My fellow mates didn’t mind explaining to those who were still wondering.

But in honest truth, the real reason I had relocated was to start my life over on a new, clean and clear slate. I took the decision to move after I had discovered that my then boyfriend is actually my half-sibling from my paternal side of the family. As a result, for more than two years I had been actually sharing a bed with my beloved brother. So instead of dealing with the blame and shame of it all, I reckoned that I needed a breather.

After a long walk I arrived at my flat and found my flatmate busy trying to clean her room. In my opinion, Kate was one foul being. She didn’t mind living with worms laboured by her two weeks of dishes and the suffocating smell produced by her untidy bed. Her greatest excuse was that at home she had her own maid, exclusively hired to take care of her. A rather foreign subject in my life.

“Hey roomie,” I greeted as I motioned to my room and threw myself on my bed.

“Thank God you are here.” She continued, “Can you believe my mother decided to only tell me that she is on her way here when she is like 15 minutes away?”

“That is what you get for being a lazy snob,” I laughed.

“Stop laughing. Can you please come and help me? Pretty please with doughnuts on top?” she begged.

“How many doughnuts are we talking about?”

“As many as you two want.”

“Are you sure?” I asked with a huge smile on my face.

She nodded with a puppy grin.

“Where do we start?” I said jumping off my bed to her room.

“You and doughnuts though! I swear that child is going to come out holding one, I am telling you,” she mocked.

“I honestly do not mind going back to my bed,” I threatened with a straight face.

“Hormones… oh hormones… please leave Ruth alone,” she karaoke’d using the broom as a microphone.

“Please stop abusing my ears Mariah Bury,” I said covering my ears.

“Mariah CAREY not BURY.” She rolled her eyes.

“Bury fits you just fine dear.”

“Whatever hater!” She said, throwing the broom that she was holding in my direction, and I swiftly shifted in order for it to not land on me.

“Typical wooden mic contestant behaviour,” I teased as I went to pick the broom up and walked into her room.

To my surprise, the room was fairly clean and I only had to assist her with moving a couple of items around the room. Even before I could think of whining, we were all set and done, and heading to the lounge to wait for Kate’s mother.

***

Tell us: Would you keep a child conceived out of incest?