ZARA Chapter 1 By Rejoice Igbinovia Aluyi
......Shut up,I say shut up that dirty mouth of yours,before I could say a word,the woman had hit the little baby of about three on her beautiful cheek,I wondered what wrong this little princess would have done the woman who I presumed to be her mother to get such awful beating from her in a public bus ...
Hello,,the woman phone rang and she picked..how are you Jenny,oh,no problem, I'll see you in three days, it's Grace and her big mouth,yessss, she's the one crying,what do you mean she's probably missing her father,that useless father of hers, what's there to miss about that one,she had better keep quiet, else I am going to beat the living day light out of her, she's disturbing me with her cry, okay dear, I'd call you when I get home, bye,she hung up.....
It's obviously a case of a broken home, she's certainly transferring the hatred she has for her father,on the little girl,,,what a pity....
Wondering how I know that,oh I should, that's the story of my life,I soon arrived at my bus stop,I alighted and tried locating the house,mother had sent me to collect money from her friend who had newly packed to the area,and it was my first time finding the place, thankfully I did,I met her son,who told me his mother had just left,but would be back soon,since she just wanted to see someone down the street....
I waited for about an hour and thirty minutes,before she came....
Zara,oh my God, your mother actually told Me she'd be sending you to my place,I honestly forgot,has it been long you came,she asked concerned....
Good afternoon ma,about an hour plus,I said...
Oh so sorry my dear,I am coming,she went inside and gave me the sum of five thousand Naria,give your mother for me,and say me well to her,she said....
okay ma,bye,I said turning to leave..
Wait,do you have transport fare to go back,she asked....
I nooded in the negative....
have this,for your transport,she gave me two hundred Naira,oh thank you ma,I said..
I hurried back as fast as my leg could carry me to the junction and took a bus to our junction,I soon got to our junction and I was given a change of 120naria....
I ran home,as I know mother would have been waiting for me.....
Mummy good evening ma,,,
Taarrrrrrr,I heard on my right cheek.....
So I sent you on an errand and you decided to sleep there,or decided to be playing on your way,she asked angrily....
Mother I wasn't playing on the way, aunty Joy wasn't home,I had to wait...I tried to explain
Oh shut that rotten mouth of yours,lair, there's no way Joy wasn't home,I called her myself,you good for nothing child,I will make sure I bend you in this house,since you have decided to be as useless as your father.will you give me the money,idiöt,she shouted.
I handed the money to her....for this rubbish you have done,you would not have anything this night,I would make sure you go to bed on an empty stomach,you stûpid thing,she said and walked out of the room.....
Now you get how I could understand the plight of the little baby in the bus earlier,yes we are both on the thesame boat,hated by our mothers,for the sins of our fathers....
By the way,my name is Chizaram,and this is my story.......
I know very little of my father,very little,as he barely checked up on me,hence I was at the mercy of my mother,who hates me with every being in her,she sees me as a constant reminder of my father's betrayal....
There wasn't any food in the house, that explains why mother asked aunty Joy for help...I know she wasn't going to give me dinner,as she had already said it,it wasn't the first time she was doing that,I was grateful I had a little change form the money aunty Joy had given me for transport....
I went to a near by store,I bought a cup of garri for #100,and groundnut for #20,and had that for dinner before mother would come inside.....
She had gone to buy some food stuffs from the market close by,she came back and made a pot of jollof rice,she sat on the floor,and ate the plate of rice in front of her,along with a bottle of cold soft drink,she sent me to go wash the plate when she was done,I did without complaining nor frowning,I mean I was use to her starving me at will.i had my bathe and went to bed....
It was morning already,a weekday,but unfortunately,i couldn't go to school,as I was yet to pay my fees,hence the school authority had asked me not to come,unless I have my fees...
Mother asked me to heat the pot of rice,which I did,she had her bathe and ate,when she was done,she picked a couple of clothes and a shoe in a bag,and told me she was going on a short trip,that she'd be back in two or three days time,I should make do with the rice in the pot,and she gave me #200 extra....
Where are you going mother,I asked her...
Are you insane,she asked with a slap,what right do you think you have to ask me where I'm going,you had better go and ask that useless father of yours, nonsense,she said and walked out....
I went to the pot to serve breakfast,and the food in it could barely last me for the day,how in heaven's name am I supposed to eat this for the next two or three days I thought within....
I served very little,ate and drank a lot of water....
I took my school bag and brought out my English textbook reading and answering some comprehension passages...
Soon it was noon,and school had close for the day,our neighbors children were back from school,after they had lunch,I asked them to bring their bags and I helped them with their home work,that I did on daily basis,and that made their mothers loved me,as I was saving them the stress, though mother had warned me not to assist the children,I enjoyed doing so,as it's a kind of way getting involved in school's daily work,even though they are just kindergarten works, anytime mother wasn't around,I assist the children,their mothers sometimes gift me beautiful things like shoes or clothes,and sometimes money.i wasn't doing it for the gifts though,but for the love of it....
I didn't have lunch that day,I was trying to Manage the food,as I do not know when mother would be returning......
At about 6:30pm,I warmed the rice,and ate dinner, of course, drinking a lot of water,I kept the little remaining for breakfast the next day........
The next day,I ate the last of the rice,and no other food in the house,for dinner I bought noddles with the #200 mother had given me,I prepared it and saved some for the next day, apparently that was my last meal....
The children were back from school,and I was helping them out with their home work as usual,I had eaten the remaining noddles,and I didn't even know what I'd have for lunch,but I didn't allow that bothered me,I had prayed,and somehow,I believed God will do something, even though I didn't know how....
While I was busy with the children's home work, Chizaram,I heard my name........
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