......When my mum entered the university she met a guy, fell in love again, ran out of the house and started staying with the guy as a live-in-lover, which made her mother-in-law upset, but unknown to them the father- in- law has been taken advantage of her and she couldn't tell anyone, the only person she could confide in was her new boyfriend who finally took her in and accepted her as his responsibility. My so called father never bothered to ask after her or even me. He got a new Jamaican girl who he settled down with and before I turned six, he had two kids!!!!! So I was told!
A day to my eighth birthday, my dad came back to Nigeria. I was with my grandparents to pick him at the airport. The moment he saw me, he asked who I was, I just stood there dazed with tears running down my cheeks. My dad introduced his wifey and two kids to his parents and my grandparents introduced me as an orphan they picked on the street to train and give a good life. I just stood there devastated, angry, frustrated and all what was in my heart was anger and bitterness!
From that day, I developed hatred for everyone around me except my mum who always made sure she visited me every two weeks and promised to take me away when the time is right.
Not forgetting, my dad came back to the country for good so he was staying in the family house with us. He never for once asked me how I was or even took a second glance at me. All I thought I reminded him of was BILE! His wife and step children never saw anything good in me, they never ceased to use every means to frustrate me in which ever possible way, they derived pleasure in seeing me cry! Which I did all the time!
My mum finally graduated from the university and was still dating that same guy! Although he was three years ahead of her when she got into the university then. He made sure she never lacked anything and provided for her all through her stay in school.
When my mum finally got a job with a telecommunication firm she came to pick me from school and that was the end of my suffering. She just called grandma and told her I am doing fine with her and they shouldn't bother looking for me. I was so damn happy leaving with my mum, who was then leaving with her lover/boyfriend. Although the house wasn't as luxurious as the one I grew up in, but here I found happiness and love.
All these came to an abrupt end on one ill fated evening; my mum just got back from work and was trying to make dinner. Her lover breezed in and said since dinner wasn't ready, he wanted to go get a drink in a bar around the estate, and he didn't return until the wee hours of the morning. Mum didn't sleep she stayed up all night waiting for him. And when he eventually came in, he was drunk and smelled of alcohol. When mum tried to ask questions, he beat her to stupor and i watched my mum cry for help and there was nothing i could do than just stare with tears running down on my cheeks as usual!
(To be continued)
