DEAR MOTHER.
Chapter 5.
As we went home, mother was lost in thought, she was sad and disappointed at her parents,some tear drops were coming down her eyes at intervals,some persons in the buses we boarded were concerned,even though they didn’t know in details what was wrong, they’d just tell her,madam no matter what you are going through ,it is well,God will see you through.some even offered to pay for mother.she was very grateful.
Getting home, we saw uncle Clement at home,which was so very much unusual.he was boiling up, immediately we got inside,,he pounced on mother,so this is how you go out with this little ba$tard of yours to commit adultery when I go out to work.you are shameless and a disgrace to womanhood.he was busy beating mom without allowing her explain where we were coming from.i tried to pull him, at least to try and speak for mother.Daddy,daddy,we went to grandma’s house,I pulled him trying to explain,but unfortunately for me,he kicked me with his feet,I fell backwards and hit my head on a stool,it really hurt,and I cried out in pains.mother was trying to come to my aid,but uncle Clement pushed her back,but she couldn’t bear seeing me in pains,hence she hit him with the little strength in her and rushed to were I was and carried me.uncle Clement came to were we were and pounced on the both of us,beating us blue and black…
After the wrestling combat,mother bought me some pains relieving drug,massaged my body with hot water so I don’t fall sick because of it….mother slept in my room that night,she held me close to herself.i heard her say,I am sorry my child,I thought getting married we do us both good,I never knew it was going to be our biggest nightmare.she thought I was sleeping.i couldn’t help but cry too,I had also thought having a father figure in my life was a blessing, unfortunately,it has become a curse…..
Days had passed after the incident,and uncle Clement was always at home,his car was no longer in the compound,mother at first thought he was making sure she doesn’t go anywhere, because at times he’d refuse to go to work saying he had a dream that mom brought a man home,so he would stay for days waiting for the man he saw in his dream to come to mother.But this was getting longer by the day,after about a week,mother went to him.honey why have you not been going to work,and where is your car,mother asked him…
You have succesed now,he shouted at mum,yessss you have succesed in making me lose my job with your witchcraft,ever since i married you and brought you and this imbecile of yours into my house,my life had been a mess,it has been up side down.a job I had for years before I met you, suddenly doesn’t need my services any more, isn’t it obvious you are cursed.he shouted more.now that I don’t have a job I will see where you and this wtch of a child will get what to eat,since you have refused to take her out of my house.,,,
When you came to me and said wanted to marry me you saw me with a child,you knew I have a child, I didn’t hide her from you,also If you had allowed me continued with my food business and not chased all my customers we would have had something to fall back on by now,you didn’t allow me work in my restaurant because you think men would take advantage of me,you didn’t allow me work else where either,now we have nothing to fall back on since you no longer have a jobbbbbbbbbbb,shut up he said to mum with a slap,you stupid prostitute,you want me to give you license to commit adultery you adultrious woman.he said to mother.Clement you have always called me an adultrious woman,what in the name of heaven is the meaning of that,have you ever seen me in a compromising position or place with any man, what’s the meaning of all these ,mother said angrily and walked out on him.
Uncle Clement meant every word he said that night,he stopped giving mother anything for feeding,they were days we went to bed on empty stomach,they were days we had garri,other times mother would ask aunty stella for help.i had stopped going to school,it was.my JSS 1 promotion exams,but I was not able to write because of unpaid fees….
Aunty Stella came visiting with some food stuffs one day,and had a talk with mom.Sarah,I would once again say sorry for this life you are in now, God knows I wanted the best for you,I had thought is was the best,little did I know that looks can be deceptive.but Sarah,i think what your mother said is good, your daughter had stopped going to school, because there is no money,you can hardly feed her,but you and I know Mrs Williams is a nice lady, she’d take care of your daughter,give her a good life and even send her to school,please Sarah think about this,and then she left.
I knew mother was not going to send me away,we are all each other has, that’s what she always told me,so there’s no way she’s letting me go live with someone else at just 11.,so I had thought.
About five days after aunty stella had left.mother called me ,and told me, that she loves me so much,hence she wants a better life for me,she wants me to grow and become a young strong and powerful woman,that I would not experience the pains and hardship she is going through in the hands of uncle Clement,for this reason she would be sending me to Mrs Williams in Abuja so she could send me to school,since there was no money for her to continue my education,I was shocked,I looked at my mother and sincerely hoped those words didn’t come from her…..
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