CRY FOR ME: Part 1 – 10
Part 2
Franca Uwuigiaren
Since school resumed, I have been dull. Everyone who knew me was surprised that Susan the boisterous girl was not lively.
Why should I be? Ever since I overheard my parents discussion about me, I knew I was in a deep trouble. My mother just hated me.
There was a day Cheta asked mum why I was light skinned and she and Blessing were dark.
“We’re all dark in this house except Susan. I want her colour.” She told her. “She has alot of friends in school and I have few. Why is her colour different from ours? She kept asking
I was curious to hear the answer mum would give to Cheta but she just laughed.
Once when the maltreatment was too much, I asked mum if I was her daughter.
“Of course you are.” She said smiling.
“Why then do you make me do all the work in this house?”
“Because you’re the eldest and you’re a girl”
” But Blessing is a girl too mum. There are things she can do in the house. She can wash the plates or even sweep.”
“She needs to watch television” she replied.
“I also love to watch too but you don’t like me sitting with my sisters. You always send me to my room to eat while my sisters eat on the dinning room. You treat them so special.”
I had not finished talking when she landed two terrible slap on my face.
“Spread your fingers” she commanded and I did.
“Are your fingers equal?” She asked so angry.
“No ma but they are of equal value” I told her.
She slapped my left ear.
“You only talk when I ask you to. Blessing and Cheta are more valuable than you. You must never question my authority in this house again. Their blood is different from yours. Do you understand?”
“Yes ma” I said trembling.
I could understand then that she was indirectly telling me I wasn’t her child. With time, I forgot there was television in the house.
When Dad is around, I always avoid the sitting room. The excuse I gave him was that I had loads of assignment. Wherever dad doesn’t see me with others in the sitting room, he would believe I was attending to my assignment.
CRY FOR ME: Part 1 – 10
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There was nothing to capture my attention in school. Not even the new teacher could make me happy. I just wanted to know why my real parents hated me so much to abandon me in a refuse dump. Was I a bad luck to them?
I must have been a real mistake to appear in their lives to make them throw me away. May be I would have been better if I never knew I was abandoned.
I had no appetite, so I didn’t touch my food. I trashed it. If I take it home untouched, mum will deal with me. I was hungry but no appetite. My heart was too heavy to accommodate food.
Immediately the bell rang for closing, I picked my bag and siblings and rushed home. If I don’t get home in time, I will be in trouble. No one knew how heavy my heart was. No one!
CRY FOR ME: Part 1 – 10
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Whenever dad was home, he would ask how my day went. He knows how to make me laugh. He knew my favourite food, colours and subjects. He used to tease me alot. He once told me that the day I will get married, he would demand for triple amount of bride price.
“Why is that?” I asked curiously
” Because you’re my pride”
“You will be selling me off dad”
“That’s not true angel.” He looked at me in the eyes. “I will train you to any level of your education. I will try to be the best father to you. If I eat you will eat Susan. Just keep praying for me.”
I laughed.
“But I don’t know how to pray” I told him.
“Me too!” He said shrugging his shoulder “but when I learn how, I will teach you.”
“Alright. I love you so much Dad. I will make you proud.”
“I know you are a great child Susan.”
I hugged him. Mum stood at the entrance of dad’s door looking at me with disdain. I quickly disengaged from his shoulder. Dad turned but mum had disappeared.
“Is it your mum”?
“Yes sir.”
“Don’t worry about her. She’s your mum and I know she loves you.”
All I did was nod my head.
CRY FOR ME: Part 1 – 10
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I rushed into the compound holding the bread I went to buy in my left hand.
“Ogini? Mum asked in Igbo language.
“My skirt is stained with blood mum. Even my pant is wet and I feel stomach cramp” I told her
“Where are you coming from”? She asked.
“To buy bread. You asked me to buy bread mum” I said Wondering why the question.
“I know I asked you to buy bread Susan but where did you go after that?”
I looked at her bewildered.
“To mama Edafe. It’s Barakat had no bread so I went to mama Edafe.”
“You liar.” She screamed. “Tell me the truth, who touched you?”
“Touch as how”
The next thing was hot slap on my face. Dad rushed out and stood in between us.
“What callousness is this?”
“Ask your miserable daughter who deflowered her.”
Dad just turned to me with confused expression.
“Nobody dad. I went to buy bread from mama Edafe. After selling to me, she asked me to rush home because my shirt was stained with blood. So I rushed to tell mum but she didn’t believe me”
“May thunder fire your mouth there,” she said.
Dad was upset with mum. He shouted at her.
“A caring mum will take care of her child”
“And that is exactly what I am doing” she responded.
“By beating her?”
“Yes oo. She may have visited a boy who might have disflowered her.”
“You’re mad chiamaka” dad told her.
She slapped him so hard. Dad was shocked. He could have hit her but he restrained himself. He stared at her for long, then he took my hands and we went in. He asked me series of questions and I supplied the right answers.
“Susan, you’re menstruating. You’re scared because this is the first time.”
He told me to go and bath while he gets me pads. Before dad returned, mum was already attacking me.
“Let me tell you Susan, I am not your mother. I can now see why your parents abandoned you. You’re a bad luck.” I allowed the tears to flow freely.
“You can’t be serious mum.” Blessing said.
“I am telling you and Cheta that this miserable girl is not your sister. I hate her. She always cause misunderstanding between my husband and me.”
Blessing and Cheta looked at their mum, then at me then at their mum again.
“Susan is our sister. She has been taking good care of us.” Cheta told her.
“Oooh! Susan has taught you girls to talk back at me”
She went into her room and came out with Cane. She flogged the three of us mercilessly. I suffered the most because I was just out from the bathroom with towel on my chest. In trying to dodge the cane, I fell and was nked. The strokes landed on every parts of my body.
“You’re a wtch.” She kept shouting.
CRY FOR ME: Part 1 – 10
My dad returned and was aghast. For the first time, I saw him cry.
“You flogged my kids like this? This is the height of what I can take.”
I saw the pains in his eyes. He took care of our injury. Throughout the weekend, dad rejected mum’s food. None of use ate the food she cooked and we avoided her.
CRY FOR ME: Part 1 – 10
Written by Franca Uwuigiaren
Inspired by the Holy Spirit.
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