JESSICAšš
(My story of faith and pain)
Episode 7.
Ā©Miriam Edem
“Enough Jessica! What’s the meaning of all this? Did you ask how I got the car? Or were you here to know what transpired here at home that led to her death! You think i made them stab her? What do you take me for! My father shouted on me.
“How am I suppose to know when you refused telling me what happened? What do you expect me to think when there’s a new car parked outside just few days after my mother death yet she’s in ice with no preparations for her burial! I screamed out.
“Look here, you have no single right to question me how I get my things do you hear me? You have no right to tell me what to do, he said pointing his fin-gerat me.
“Yes I do because my mother has to be buried and you should know better! Its not the time to wear nice clothes and ride in a clean car when your wife is out there waiting while you claim you don’t have money, have some conscience!! I shouted and ran to my room.
I la-id on my be-d crying and thought of who to call. Why should my father be this heartless and wicked to the woman who gave him two children, even if he doesn’t love her at least won’t he be comp@$$ionate enough to do this one thing for her even in death? I asked myself and the headache increa-sed the more.
I spr-ead out the mat my mother bought for me so I can safe my mattress the stress of going out every morning. I knew I was going to fall asleep so I can feel better and I didn’t want to risk it.
I felt a tap on my shoulder and woke up to see my father looking at me, that was very shocking to me because he has never entered my room for any reason.
I cleaned my eyes and sat up,
“Jessica I want to talk to you, he said as I just looked at him saying nothing.
“Jessica its not what you think, that car is a gift, he continued and I scoffed.
“Really dad, by who? I asked.
“By a long time friend, I mean there was a friend I did something good for and he just vanished into air. I gave him a hu-ge sum of money for business and he ran off with that money for about 10 years now, you were still young then. When I finally found him, he apologized and begged he was sorry and his ready to pay back the money with interest. Today I was in the office when he came and told me he has a surprise for me, and when I followed him out he showed me the car and still begged for my forgiveness. I simply told him that I still nee-d the money for my wife burial which he promised to se-nd it unfailingly tomorrow, trust me when the money lands I’ll surely bury your mother, my father calmly said to me for the first time in many years.
I just heaved knowing the kind of father I have, he just got scared i challenged him that way and he could not decipher what I may do next that’s why he’s opening up though I know very well the story is a co-ck and bull one. But it was not my business as long as my backbone is la-id to rest.
“I’ve heard you dad, I have to change up now i smell, I said seeing I had already urinated.
“I’ll get you some good air fresheners tomorrow when I get back from work, he said when I was about to get up and I looked at him.
“Thanks, I said and he left the room. I rolled my eyes and shrugged my shoulders still not believing that was my father humbled to his last just so Jessica won’t rain fire on his head. I didn’t know I had such powers until that day.
Just as my father promised, he began preparations for my mother burial but couldn’t stop asking me about my mother bank account. I also had to make him believe that I know nothing about her account and he quickly left to where my mother worked knowing for sure an envelope will be given from the school and he warned them not to se-nd anything into her account.
3 weeks later my mother was la-id to rest. When I looked at her as she la-id in the coffin, i could not shed a tear, I guess every tears in me was exhausted and I knew I had to be strong. I will miss her I know, but life has to go on. I don’t know if I was deceiving myself then to be strong, but when i saw her down with the guys covering the sand on her my eyes cleared.
“That’s my mother! Why are you covering my mother? what are you doing! I cried out struggling with the guys and my principal quickly held me as i almost fell inside the grave.
“That’s my mother sir, what if she wants to come out, they are covering her please stop them! I cried begging my principal and Sandra tearfully tou-ched me.
“But Jessica she is already gone, please stop this, Sandra said hu-gging me as I watched the grave covered.
I felt very lonely at home after her burial and a call came on my phone from the principal which I quickly left to see him.
“Heard anything from school yet? He asked.
“Nothing yet sir and boredom wants to kill me, I replied.
“Its alright, you did very well in your examinations and they can’t deny you that admission, but I think you should learn a skill that will help you somehow, what do you think? My principal asked.
“That’s right sir but I don’t have the money, and I think its time for me to get my mother money from the bank, I replied him.
“That’s very easy, just open a bank account and withdraw the money and safe it in yours. And about the skill I’ll enroll you in one, I know you’ll do well in it, the principal said.
“Ahh thank you so much sir, I said.
“Its okay, I know you ladies loves baking so I’ll se-nd your name over to them and please be very serious in the training, it will help you there in school, the principal said.
“I promise you sir I’ll put in all my best, thank you so much sir, I thanked him again.
“Its alright, hope you’re fine? He asked but I just nodded……
The training distracted me from some thoughts and kept me busy. I started practicing and sold some to my neighbors who were very happy to patronize me. 3 weeks later I finally got my admission and told my father about it.
“Who told you to chuck your eye in such a far distance? My father asked me.
“Mommy wanted me to study outside, I replied.
“Oh she did? And where is she now? Okay you go tell her that you have an admission and dont forget to get your transport, feeding and rent money from her okay, nonse-nse! My father said and left the house immediately. I didn’t know when tears rolled down my eyes hearing that from my father, not even a congratulations from him despite he never cared to ask if I will be furthering my education or not.
I didn’t want to bother the principal knowing he has done so much for me, I just sat down calculating on how I will raise money until I heard a knock on the door and my grandmother walked in.
She saw my sad face and asked what the problem was which I opened up to her,
“I’ve been given admission and I have to travel down there to get things set for myself before resumption. I don’t even have a place to stay and dad is not interested either, I told her crying.
“Ssshhh Its alright, I’ll get you some money but before then can you try to find someone who will arrange a house for you over there? She asked.
“I’ll make some calls, I replied.
“Please do and tell me okay, don’t cry everything will be fine, she said cleaning my tears.
After she left I called my principal on phone and told him about the admission,
“Congrats my dear and don’t bother yourself too much I have some contacts there, I’ll reach out to them and tell you the outcome tomorrow okay, the principal said.
‘Oh thank you so much sir, I happily said.
“You’re welcome, and make sure you get a bottle of coke there to celebr@te this okay, he said and I smiled.
“I will sir I will, I said and dropped the call so happy to see my neighbor asking for chin chin.
It was finished, but I promised that it will be ready tomorrow. Seeing that I took some money and rushed out to the market, came back and did more of it with the intention of going out also to sell so I can raise some money for myself.
The next day I was hawking with my products. Some people could not believe it when they saw me but Jessica must survive. After two days of my new found profession, I returned home very tired and hungry but saw a strange lady in the house. Her legs were just on the center table comfortably sitting with the remote. Since she was far older than me, I greeted her but she gave me this unconcerned reply concentrating on the television,
“Sorry are you looking for someone? I asked her.
“Excuse me, she said looking at me.
“Are you looking for excuse me? I asked her and my father came out from his room,
“You ask too many question, Jessica this is my house, my father said to me and I wanted retiring to my room with no intention to say anything.
“And Jessica, she will be staying here with us from today, my father said and I stopped and looked at him.
“As what? I asked him.
“As someone I will soon get married to, he replied and I suddenly had stomach upset.
“Oh is that so? She must be so happy that someone had to die so she can come in, what a shame! I said and the remote fell from her hand as she looked at me with her eyes bulged out.
“Jessica! My father shouted on me.
“That’s my name, have fun! I replied and left for my room with my heart so heavy.
“Rest in peace mommy, I silently said as I looked at my mother photograph on the wall….
TBc