“My dear stop crying and think ahead,
crying over split milk dosen’t make any
sense” our Landlady advised as she led me
to her apartment.
“my life is useless i feel like dying” i
weeped,
“my dear stop mocking God, he alone knows
the reason he kept you alive, so don’t be
ungrateful” she cautioned.
“i however think you should leave your bag
with me, return to your family and see if
they will accept you” she advised minutes
later, after i had calmed down a little. I
cleaned my eyes and stared at her with
prayers in my lips.
“i pray they do, if not i’m stranded and
doomed” i murmured with a broken spirit,
knowing fully well the kind of parents i had.
Only divine intervention could make them
change their stand.
But I had no choice than to try my luck
once again. I trekked from Igbariam to
Nnaji-nwede street where my parents
resided, carrying Winnie with me.
I couldn’t afford using public transport that
fateful morning, because i needed to make
good use of the little money i had. Mum
was the only one at home when i got there,
making me relax a bit as i rested in her
shop which was just in front of the house.
The fire in her eyes died as soon as she
saw me, tears quickly formed in them as
she stared at my weak body.
“Nne” was all she could mutter, while i
swallowed hard with tears in my eyes. Other
mothers would have reached out and
carried their daughter’s child who equally
was her grand daughter, but she didn’t,
instead stared at us with pity.
Even though she never did support Dad’s
harsh treatment towards me, she equally
never condenmed it, perhaps because i had
five other younger sisters, whom they
needed to protect by using my punishment
as a lesson and example to them.
“Mum help me please i have nowhere else
to go, Nnamdi threw me out of his house
this morning” i sobbed and knelt by her side
with little Winnie in my arms. She breathed
deeply, scratched her head and stared at
the ceiling.
“have you eaten today?” i heard her ask.
“no Mum food isn’t my problem” i replied
with tears.
“i have beans let me get some for you” she
murmured, left her shop and went into the
house to get a plate of beans for me.
She returned with it, dropped the plate on a
small stool, and reluctantly carried little
Winnie, so that i could to eat properly.
____
“please be quick with it, because you have
to leave before your Dad shows up, i don’t
want his problem today” she urged.
Her comment really broke my heart, but i
was already used to such comments. I
rushed up with my meal, washed my mouth
and thanked her.
“now you can leave abeg” she murmured
and gave me fifty naira,
“use it to buy akamu {pap} for your
daughter” she added a bit coldly. I closed
my eyes out of pain but tears refused to
fall out.
“Mum i have no-where to go” i reminded
her, but all she did was just to shrug.
“it’s non of my business you arn’t our
responsibility anymore, if you have any
case, do present it to your father please
and not to me” she replied nervously.
Leaving me once again lost, confused and
hopeless,“how can i face Dad when Mum is
behaving like this” i wondered.
I had hoped with time that their cold
behaviour towards me will reduce, but
instead of reducing, it only increased.
“anwúómú ööö{i don die} here comes your
Dad” Mum exclaimed as she sighted him
from afar seconds later, instantly pushing
me out of her shop.
I stood outside and waited for Dad defiantly,
with a broken spirit and Winnie in my
arms,“whatever will be, will eventually be,
let it happen now” I said myself as i waited
for him to finish me.. To be continued...
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