MY ORDEAL✊✊
Episode 6.
He st©pped looking at me confused as I ran towards him waving my short broom..
“Any problem? He asked when I st©pped before him but I couldn’t say anything to him.
My mouth was so heavy to spill such a thing out as I noticed he was well built and I feared he could sl@p me.
“Ermm.. Ermmm…I… Sorry it was a mistake, I said and wanted going back.
“Next time make use of your eyes before running after someone with a dirty broom, he said and left while I slowly carried my legs back to the shop.
I dropped the broom in my hand and blinked my eyes to be sure I actually saw the person I prayed so ha-rd for, yet I couldn’t ask him just what I wanted asking.
“Ahh Dorathy! I shouted hitting my head and shaking my legs wishing Benson was there at that time to ask him……….
The whole day was boring and annoying for me as I kept ignoring the questions people do ask about my mother, then Benson c@m£.
Just a sight of him gave me joy and I quic-kly told him what happened in the morning after he left,
“You mean you saw him? He asked and I nodded.
“But I couldn’t ask him, mhen the guy is hvge looks like I didn’t notice that aspect of him when I first saw him, I replied and Benson laughed.
“What’s funny? I asked trying to figure out what could make him laugh in a serious situation like this.
“Nothing o, so you finally saw someone you suppose to run your mouth with and you bec@m£ scared because he’s hvge, if it was me you would have Shouted for the whole village to hear, he replied and I heaved.
“What are we going to do now? I asked ignoring what he said.
“You lost the opportunity to talk to him nah, but are you very sure it was the guy? He asked.
“I can’t forget that face, I replied him.
“Well just pray you see him again when I’m around, or better still get to know where he stays, he said and I nodded.
“I think that’s what I’ll do, shey you’ll talk to him yourself? I asked and Benson laughed ha-rd this time.
“Dorothy I am afraid of sl@ps too and I’m not hvge, you picked the wrong guy nah, he said.
“Benson st©p nau, its not about sl@ps thing but you talking guy to guy with him, he might listen to you more than he will do to me, I said.
“Seriously? But you’re a girl and you have more advantage than i do. Okay Don’t worry, get to know where he stays first, he said.
“Thank you, I said and checked the time.
“Time to go? He asked.
“Yes I nee-d to pick my brothers from school, I replied getting up.
“Will you come back? He asked.
“No no, I’ll be parking the things in, I replied.
“Okay let me help you, he said.
“Thank you, I said looking at him and he laughed when he saw the way I looked at him……………
I got home with my brothers and they happily ran in to see my mom,
“If she’s slee-ping don’t disturb her okay, I said to them.
“Okay, they said and ran in first before I did.
I dropped their bags in the room and went to the kitchen to have a cu-p of water.
“Sister, I heard Samuel called and i ignored him.
“Sister, Samuel said coming into the kitchen.
“Sam what is it? I tiredly asked..
“Sister come and see, he said dragging me out to mom room.
“Mommy, mommy, I said shaking her but she was still breathing.
The room gave a stench I didn’t un-derstand and I looked at her legs and saw it was brownish like its beginning to rot.
“Dorothy, I heard my mom weakly called me with her eyes still closed.
Tears tickled in my eyes as I looked not able to answer her,
“Mommy what’s going on? plea-se tell me why are you doing this to me? I cried holding her.
“Dorothy, listen to me. Know that I have always been proud of you and I have no doubt you will be a good mother to your brothers, plea-se take care of them well and always remember that I have always been proud of you, my mom said while I held her crying.
“Mommy plea-se hold on, we will take care of them together, its my fault you’ve not begin treatment because I was careless. But plea-se don’t go, we really nee-d you, I said and ran out of the room to the only place I felt I had hope left to safe my dying mom since I knew no one I could trust anymore.
I arrived at my uncle place that afternoon and met him sitting un-der his moringa tree, with the sight of me his mood changed.
I fell before him immediately crying bitterly this time around,
“Uncle plea-se you nee-d to help us beg that man to begin treatment at least, mommy is dying, I said and he shook his head.
“Is there anything done free in this world again? You opened your smelly mouth and told me there was no money, yet you foolishly lost the 50,000 naira that would have gone extremely far In saving your mom life. Dorathy you killed your mother yourself! My uncle dropped and I g@sped looking at him.
“Uncle plea-se now is not the time to put blame, mommy is still alive and something can be done to help her out of this, plea-se don’t abandon us now we really nee-d to do something else she’ll die, i said and he looked at me from my head down and smiled.
“Stand up don’t kneel for your uncle iyeh. Come let’s go inside, he said carrying his chair while I stood up and followed him inside.
He cleared his throat and looked at me when i settled on the couch,
“So what do You really want me to do for you? He asked.
“Uncle for a little money to begin treatment for my mom, I’ll try to pay back, at least I still got some stuffs in the market to sell, I replied him.
“Do you know your mom treatment cost 100,000 naira Dorothy, so are you saying i should pay that money and which year will you refund it? He asked.
“Uncle mommy is ha-rd working I’m sure she will gather that money if she gets well, plea-se help us, I said and he smiled.
“You know Dorothy, at what cost do you want Me to help you? He asked and stood up from where he sat and sat beside me tou-ching my n£¢k. I shifted away a bit looking at him shocked to my bones and he laughed at me,
“There’s no nee-d to pretend, nothing for nothing and you know it, if you nee-d my help then you have to help me out too. Can’t you see I’m lonely and i nee-d some little company? Just 5 to 7 minutes and you’ll be out of here, then I’ll Dress up and see the man with the money i have here so he will begin treatment immediately with your mom. But the choice is yours though, he said and i stood up this time with a look if possible could kill him right where he sat.
“Are you really my dad surviving brother or are you the devil himself? I asked and he smiled.
“Get out of my house! Get out! He shouted pushing me out like dirt and shut the door ha-rd .
“Next time i see your tiny legs here I’ll deal with you bastard! I heard him say inside while fresh h0t tears ran down my cheeks as i kept looking behind me leaving his compound.
I broke down on the road crying so bitterly that drew people to me, they followed me home and tried to see how they can help my mom, but everything they asked me to bring required money which i didn’t have.
Evening c@m£ and all they could do was reduce the pains my mom was feeling a bit, while her legs still grew worst.
They all left and I thanked them for showing concern at least, then i sat with my mom and she slowly held my hand.
“Thank you, my mom weakly said and I wondered why she’s thanking me when I’ve not done anything.
“Mommy why? I asked.
“I realized I’ve never told you that before despite you’ve been a good daughter, I hope its not too late, my mom said and i held her hand ti-ght.
“Can you st©p this now mommy? You will get throu-gh this, i said.
“Always remember this, you’re special and you shouldn’t trade your dignity with anything in this world. Dorothy, plea-se take care of your brothers i beg you, no matter what happens plea-se make me smile wherever i will go, my mom said and i looked at her more closely.
“Mom its enough, what are you saying? How I cope and where will i begin if you leave us? I asked and she began to cough.
I got up and brou-ght her a glas-s of water and la-id her to sleep.
i left to the sitting room thinking about what my uncle was about to do to me,
“Should i give in to safe my mom? God knows I don’t want to lose her to anything in this world, i thought and breathed in wearing a jacket and left to my uncle house.
It was beginning to get dark as i arrived and my heart was beating so fast as I imagined myself slee-ping with a grown up man for the first Time in such a way,
“But What if he’s just tempting me? No I’ll beg him to plea-se forgive me and come to my mom rescue, I said and closed my eyes to knock on the door but i heard noises inside.
“Who’s at home with him? I asked myself and went to the side to peep, but behold I saw him on t©p of a woman.
I breathed in and slowly left the window and patiently waited by the moringa tree, so he wont get angry i was hearing all the action movie going on inside.
Minutes later he c@m£ out holding the w@!st of a woman who was laughing happily and i got to see it was Aunty Magdalene of all people.
They saw me and st©pped while Magdalene faced down as i approached them slowly,
“I thought I told never to come here again didn’t I? My uncle asked pointing at me very seriously.
“Uncle plea-se just come and see mommy and you’ll know what I’m saying, her legs at rotting, i said.
“So? I should cut it and put it in the freezer? He asked.
“Uncle plea-se nah, mommy did not offend you o, plea-se forgive us if we did, I said.
“Oh is that so? Now it is this same Manfred she always shout at and avoid me like a plague is who you all wants his help huh? Tell her to keep her money and I’ll be so kind and generous to help her out, but for now get out of my compound, he said.
“Take it easy nau, Magdalene said.
“I said get out! He shouted and i slowly left while i heard him hissed loudly at me.
I regretted going back there and i thought about so many things I could do to help my mom when tomorrow comes as i strolled back home.
I got home and la-id on my be-d with no intention to sleep after seeing everyone asleep, but the next morning i woke up so early to check on my mom but noticed she pas-sed away in her sleep…………..
Tbc
#milove