➖➖
✏My Days At Crown school📖
➖➖
✔EPISODE_14✔✔
Getting back to Abuja was of no stressed to me because I enjoyed my time chatting with the girls. I knew Dad often wonder what I was pressing on my phone, but he chose not to talk, and I was happy, taking the advantage to charge my phone in his car once the battery was low.
I collected my result this time around. I expected Dad to ask for it first at school, but he didn’t. I was so eager to show him, though I knew Dad would surely ask , but for a week, Dad didn’t ask for my result. I showed Mom myself, and she was very delightful.
Her smile when she saw my result made me so proud. The joy was clearly shown in her eyes. Happiness of being a proud mother was displa-yed that day. One of the things I cherished about Mom was, she was very appreciative. And when you make her happy, she would do all she can to reward you back.
That evening, Mom prepared my favourite food which I gladly ate. The toast bre-ad was h0t, and the tea was h0t as well. I ate everything at once which I enjoyed it h0t. I trusted Mom to have told Dad, but he kept quiet.
I enjoyed the whole week to myself, browsing, watching movies, and re-ading my new novels I bought from school book shop.
Sitting across Mom on the dinning table, I took the last spoon of the rice and stew Mom prepared. She raised her voice to speak. “Suzy are you okay with that? I left small for you if you would like to eat more,” she said. She knew her daughter could eat. But that was what sister Blessing don’t do. She doesn’t eat much, but when it comes to sugary and sweet junks, she can die for it.
“No Mom, I’m okay.” I replied her. Truly I was full. She served me a full plate. I drank my water, and immediately I was about to stand up, Dad called me back.
“Suzy.”
“Yes Daddy.”
“Hmm,” he cleared his throat. “I want you to listen attentively. I’ve actually checked your result at school. I saw you did well, that was why I didn’t ask for your result. Dad is very proud of you.” He said, and I smiled.
Daddy, daddy..
“Thank you Daddy.” I honestly did, and smiled too.
“You should thank Mr. John, and Uncle Abbey for taking their time to take you.”
Hmm.. Not again.
I don’t trust him when he mentions those two
names.
When I heard him mentioned physics and futher maths teacher, I knew something was coming up.
“I’m very sure you’ve enjoyed yourself for the week. And as a good student, you know it’s time to start getting re-ady for next term.”
,What I’ve been waiting for!
Was actually wondering if my Dad was replaced.
I thought so.
“Suzy.” I heard him call.
“Sir!” I quic-kly looked up.
“Is your mind here with me?”
“Yes Dad.”
“Okay,” he coughed a little. “To cut the long story short. ‘Strike while the iron is h0t’. You have no other time except now to help yourself academically. Aren’t you happy for doing well in the further maths?”
“Very, very happy Dad.” I said exactly what he loved to hear.
“Very good!” He continued, “now, have decided to hire a maths, English, and your physics and further maths teachers also.”
What!
My eyes wi-de-ned in shock
Dad can annoy someone
“But Da-”
“No ifs and buts!” He cut me off. “Get re-ady tomorrow to welcome both the maths and English teacher. Are we clear?”
As always.
“Yes Dad.”
He left the table, leaving Mom and I alone. We both exchange glances. And I knew what that meant.
Lecture time.
“Don’t be angry at your Dad Suzy.” Her soft voice c@m£ out slowly. To be sincere, I felt like crying, but the tears weren’t coming. I didn’t know why Dad can’t just let me have the little holidays to myself. Once I get back to school, is re-ading again.
Slowly the tears fell..
With anger, I spoke up. “Mom,
I don’t like what Dad is doing. All the time is re-ad, re-ad, re-ad. I’m supposed to have this three weeks to myself. Don’t you know too much of re-ading is not good.”
Instead of Mom to speak, she got up and sat next to me. Held my head, and placed it on her che-st. “Calm down dear,” she said slowly. All I could do was allowed myself to cry because I didn’t know what else to say. I’m blessed having her as my Mom. She takes things easy, and never fights back. With tears dripping out of my face, I fought myself to speak. “But Mommy, I didn’t fail. I had A1(excellent) in most of my subjects, except my maths and English which I had B2(very good).”
Mom patted my back. “Of course, you did well. But, you can always do better Suzy. When you st©p trying, you st©p winning. I’m very sure there are some of your mates that had A1 in that two subjects.”
Yes Mom. Kunmi for example.
I answered to myself. Even without me seeing her result, I was very sure my friend would never have B2 in maths especially.
“Yes Mom.” I re-leased myself from her hvg. “Thanks,” I smiled.
I accepted my faith, and truly agreed with Mom. I should not relent on myself, pla-ying all the holidays. As much as I wish I could travel, I knew Dad would never allow.
•••
As usual, I spent most of my time re-ading and calculating. Whenever Dad is back from work, he would always ask how the lesson went. This time around, he didn’t seize my phone. Once it’s be-d time, I chat away till I’m asleep. And mostly sometimes, I get tired and wouldn’t be able to chat.
Its been two days since Dad travelled, and I knew he wasn’t coming back until the end of the week. I was done with the lesson for the day. Since I only get to do one lesson on Friday, I was done by 12:00pm, and immediately I answered some past questions for two hours. Once the time was two o’clock on dot, I packed my books aside, and brou-ght out my phone. I knew Victoria would be online, because she replies immediately she sees my message.
“Hi Victoria,” I greeted.
“Suzy baby, we’ve missed you so much. Where are
you right now?” She asked.
I smiled pressing my phone as quic-k as possible to reply her.
“Suzy never leaves the house. She’s at home right
now.”
“Oh my God! You’re missing. Temi, Debbi and I are
at the lekki beach right now. We are having so
much fun.”
“Aww..” I replied first. “How I wish I was there with
you guys too, but Dad would never allow me. My
first time of coming to Lagos was when I c@m£ to
do my registration in school.
“Hahaha.. ” she s£nt to me.
“Promise to take you round Lagos whenever you
visit. It’s fun here.”
I laughed. That would be until I’m away from Dad. And that should be when I gained admission into university. He doesn’t know anything yet. I’ve promised myself I would take those universities far away from home. I really want to see how he would do it.
“Can’t wait to visit those places. I’ve missed you
guys too. s£nd my k!sses to Temi and Debbie. Tell
them I love them so much.”
“Smiles… We love you too beautiful. Enjoy your
day.” She s£nt back.
I wish I could be that free to go anywhere I want. If every man is like my father, I wonder what the world would be like? I hope to get an answer to that one day.
••••
➖➖➖➖➖➖
Just a week more for school to resume. It was on Saturday morning, Dad was out even before I woke up. I got up around thirty minutes past six, and when I asked of Dad, Mom told me he went out.
Around eight o’clock after I’ve taken my bath, and done with some necessary things for the morning, I sat comfortably on my single chair at the dinning table. I took plenty of rice and stew to my satisfaction. Add one egg Mom prepared, though meat was alre-ady on my food. I brou-ght out one coca cola from the freezer. It was very cold and almost turning into block. I sat down majestically consuming the plate of rice when the door was opened by my mom’s younger sister.
“Suzy!” She shouted my name with so much joy at seeing me. I was sure Mom heard that voice, because she ran as fast as she could to the sitting room. Her face lit with happiness as she saw her younger sister. She smiled with so much joy and hvgged her.
I quic-kly knelt down on my two kneels, showing much respect for Mom’s younger sister. Not only that, she was really nice, and jovial. She helped me up and hvgged me to her b©dy.
“Aunty Moni, is this Suzy?” She called my Mom’s name and asked over and over again, while Mom was just smiling. Her smile was more than someone who won a visa. She couldn’t hide the joy she felt seeing her sister again for over two years.
“How is school? How is it going at Crown school? Is it true the school is very big and different from other schools? Just look at how fresh and beautiful you’ve become.” She held my arm, and opened her mouth in surprise. “Is this your arm?” She asked as if surprised at something special, and I couldn’t help laughing. She is just too loquacious. But jovial.
“Suzy you’re getting fat o.. My God! Aunty Moni, this girl is not watching her weight.”
Hahaha..
I laughed out loud. This woman is just so funny. What’s there to watch. May be she wants me to be skinny like her daughter.
“Lola,” Mom called her sister. “You know Suzy likes eating.”
More fuel to the burning flames.
“So, Suzy still eat that much. I thought she has st©pped. But I thank that school for feeding my baby girl this big.”
I laughed.
Aunty Lola is just too funny.
“How is Mercy ma?” I asked for her daughter.
“Your cousin is fine. She missed you. She doesn’t have your number, or else she would have told you about her birthday.”
Oh! I realized she’s four months older than me. “So she’s clocking sixteen in the next three months.”
“Yes. I’ve come to invite you. Since it will fall during your third term holidays, Blessing can bring you.”
“But daddy-” I tried to tell her Dad won’t allow me.
“Don’t worry, Aunty Moni will talk to your Dad. You should also spend some time with us. Mercy really missed you girls.”
“Okay ma,” I excused the two sisters.
She was right. I’m sure she missed sister Blessing better. I suppressed my smile. If there was one reason Mercy wasn’t coming to spend her holidays here anymore, it was because of sister blessing. She sometimes acts like Dad, annoying you completely. She should have taken Dad’s dark complexion, and we would have agreed she’s just like Dad. But again, you can’t help but fall for her when she is as sweet as Mom.
Those memories pla-yed back whenever I remember Mercy.
“Mercy! Mercy!” Sister blessing shouts like that whenever she sees anything wrong done by me or mercy. Beside me on the settee, mercy sat with me watching our favourite Indian movie. She got up, and dragged her feet on the floor, walking slowly.
“Is Mercy not there?” Sister Blessing raised her voice again. I trust my lazy cousin, she never stresses herself. She didn’t say a word until she got to sister blessing.
“Who is going to pack your dirty plate for you?” My sister reminded her of the plate she used in the afternoon and left there on the dinning table. She just carried her plate and went straight to the kitchen. If there are two things people nee-d to watch out about Mercy. It’s her laziness and her rudeness. Two things the two fight about all the time. They never agree to each other.
Immediately I saw she turned to my direction, I quic-kly closed my eyes. “Suzy get up and go iron Dad’s clothes now.” She was that confident when speaking.
I wanted to finish watching the film, but she would never allow you.
We heard the sound of a car drove in, and immediately my sister’s phone rang.
“You’re back. Welcome Dad.” I heard her say on her phone and headed straight to the door. I jumped up realizing it might be true. Before the door was opened again, had alre-ady ironed three out of Dad’s clothes. Sister Blessing entered, and I couldn’t find Dad behind her. She laughed, realizing the pressure I was using to iron the clothes.
She laughed as usual. She was good at ma-king fun of people.
“You?” She laughed at me, and seriously, I felt so much anger towards her. She can annoy someone. I just turned to the other side, away from her. Easily, she would lure you to do your work.
I chuckled at the memory. She was always forming big sis. Mercy would never do any chores, until you shout and scream on her. I know she wasn’t at fault. Aunty Lola is to blame, because she spoilt her completely because she is the only child. To save her from sister Blessing, I would do all her chores, and we would watch our films together. Then, Dad never f0rç£s me to re-ad. He didn’t have time for me then. It was sister blessing facing all that. And that was two years ago, when I was in junior clas-s, jss3.
I looked at the sisters direction, who hooted in laughter at something they were both discussing.
Was again lost in my thoughts.
Would Dad ever allow me to travel down to Lagos to spend my holidays?
✔✔✔✔✔✔✔
Story_Continues