“Mum? Dad? I am home!” I screamed as I bade Kelvin, our driver, goodbye without looking at his face.
“Mum, come see what Miss Betty made us do!” I held the drawing in my hand as I made my way into the house.
“Mum!” I called out severally. She must be busy I thought to myself.
I made my way to the living room on getting into the living room all I could see were so many people.
“Ohh lord!, Mum must be having one of those her parties where we had strangers trooping in and out of our house with loud music and lots of food,” I said to myself as I shook my head.
I made my way to my room. Tired already of Mum’s unending parties, and how she did them effortlessly baffled me.
I opened my room and saw Miss Charity, my Nanny.
“Good afternoon Miss Charity,” I said smiling as I handed her my drawing.
“You made this?” She asked.
“Yes I did, is it beautiful?” I asked her.
“Yes, my darling. It’s the best mermaid I have ever seen.” She smiled, but it was a sad smile; one that didn’t reach her eyes.
“Miss Charity, are you okay? Did mummy yell at you again?” I asked concern laced in my voice.
“No baby,” she smiled and wiped her face.
“Let’s get you cleaned up,” Miss Charity pulled me by the hand and led me to the bathroom.
“Miss Charity, please can we play hide and seek when we are done?” I asked politely and gave her that puppy face that always did the trick.
“Okay baby, no problem.”Miss Charity said plainly without protesting which was weird.
I had my bath, got dressed in a blue dress, and headed outside with Miss Charity. Holding each other's hand, we swung our hands in unison with our footsteps.
“I’ll go first Miss Charity, close your eyes so I can go hide,” I said excitedly.
With eyes closed, Miss Charity counted “1, 2, 3, I’m coming for you kiddo!” She exclaimed as she went in search of me.
“Gotcha!!” She exclaimed after searching the whole field for me and finally finding me.
Just when it was Miss Charity’s turn to hide, my aunt Charlotte made her way to where we were standing and pulled Miss Charity aside. Her eyes were swollen just like Miss Charity’s eyes, “were they okay?” I asked myself.
I watched as they both talked and I saw them bend their head and in a split second, they were cleaning their eyes. Something was wrong, there was something in the wind, something that screamed sadness.
I tiptoed to eavesdrop on their conversation. I was worried at the same time, curious to know what the problem was.
Moving forward, I heard it. I heard the conversation that would forever change my life and status.
“Grace just died like that? Leaving her Princess and her poor husband? I heard Aunt Charlotte ask Miss Charity.
“Ma, I just can’t believe that she is no more. It’s so sad; each time I think about it, it breaks my heart over and again.” Miss Charity burst into tears this time.
“Grace was always worried about childbirth. It was a miracle that she gave birth to Joyce without complications, I guess she wasn’t lucky this time. Oh Lord, why? Aunt Charlotte also burst into tears. I had heard enough and I needed a serious explanation of what they were saying about my mum dying and leaving my dad and me alone.
“Aunt? Miss Charity? why are you both crying?” The duo immediately wiped their eyes and tried to compose themselves but it was too late.
“I heard you say my mum is dead,” I saw both of them gasp in utter disbelief.
“My mum is dead? Like really dead and is never coming back? She’s gone like Aunt Sophia who went to heaven and became an angel?” The more I spoke the more every word became heavy, and the lump in my throat became bigger and more painful to suppress.
“Can you both explain to me why my mum isn’t home with my baby brother and seated in that party of hers that is happening?” I said as I began to put everything together. “Oh, the party!” That wasn’t a party, those people are here because Mum is dead.
“No!!!!!!!!” I screamed as realization dawned on me. I started laughing hysterically and shook my head in utter disbelief.
“This can’t be true, because Mum assured me that by the weekend she would be home with my baby brother. I chose a name for him already. He was to be called Leon,” I said to no one in particular.
Without warning, I fell on the floor and rolled endlessly. My mum was gone for life and so was my baby brother. I was motherless.
I glanced at Aunt Charlotte and Miss Charity who tried to calm me down but I was too overwhelmed to be calm.
There was something in the wind, there was something that didn’t sit right with me the moment I entered the living room. But, it was glaring the moment I went out to the fields to play with Miss Charity.
I sat still on the floor not knowing where to go from there. My best friend was gone and my life was about to take a different turn.
Image is mine except other wise stated.
Thanks for stopping by
Loads of Love🥰🥰
XOXO