Mother’s Love – Episode 12

MOTHER’S LOVE – Episode 12

A story by Jochrine Kunda

 

I was in the living room reading a novel then I started thinking about how the priest still managed to get dad and Florence married so I made it my mission to find out if all priests were enemies of progress since I had nothing to do, I was snapped out of my thoughts when Florence spoke

Florence: Lucy, could you please me out with the vegetables in the kitchen?

“I’m seriously being tested here,” I said to myself as I looked at her, her son and Monica were in the cinema room and she decided to disturb me and she told the girls to do all the chores except for cooking coz she thought she’d manage on her own then she comes to me saying else. I rolled my eyes and continued reading

Florence: Lucy, I’m talking to you

Me: Nancy and Mapalo do the chores around here and I help them out if I want to and you won’t come here and order me around like you own the place especially force me coz you’ll get your bags packed before you know it

Florence: you won’t talk to me like that, you’ll respect me like your moth….

Me: SHUT UP!

That ticked me off and got me boiling coz that was one word I wasn’t going to allow any woman say to me

Me: YOU’RE NOT MY MOTHER AND WILL NEVER BE, I’LL TELL YOU THE TRUTH AND IT’S GOING TO STING A BIT: TO ME YOU’RE JUST A DESPERATE WOMAN WHO WOULDN’T MIND MARRYING A WIDOWER BECAUSE OF HIS MONEY

Florence: and to me you’re just a bitter, ignorant, spoiled little girl with no respect at all
That got me angry but I still managed to smile

Me: we’ll see about that

Florence: I’m ready

I went to my bedroom and got changed, I wore my clothes as I thought of how she managed to build such confidence in just three weeks. I left my bedroom and as I was heading for the door to go out she cleared her throat, she was seated in the kitchen with Monica and her son
Florence: don’t step out of that door
I looked at her with so much hatred and went out, I went to visit mom and just sat there looking at her grave, my anger had swallowed my tears. I stayed in that state for two hours until I was calm then I went to visit Mrs Mutale since it was nearby and I was glad to see her and I wasn’t going to see Austin coz we had a misunderstanding and weren’t talking to each other.
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After leaving Mrs Mutale’s house I went to do my shopping and went home when it was dark, I found everyone having supper and I was about to walk out when dad spoke

Dad: where are you coming from?

Me: doing my shopping, anything wrong?
I lifted up my shopping bags showing them to him

Dad: what time did you leave this house?

Florence looked at me while chewing and looked aside

Me: seriously dad? since when do you ask that?

Dad: LUCY, I’VE ASKED YOU A QUESTION

Me: at 15

Dad: and what time is it?

Me: 19

Dad: you’re living under my roof and will abide by my rules, you won’t leave the house anyhow and under no circumstance should you talk back at Florence especially raise your voice at her to tell her nonsense
this woman is more like your mother an…..

Me: well, she’s not and I’m glad it’s like this

Dad: BE QUIET

Me: I WON’T, I BURIED MY MOTHER FOUR YEARS AGO AND WILL HAVE NONE. I CAN SURVIVE WITHOUT HER, WHERE WAS SHE WHEN WE WENT TO BED HUNGRY? WHEN WE WERE INSULTED? WHEN YOU SOLD WATER TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE? WHEN MOM DIED BECAUSE WE HAD NO MONEY FOR HER SURGERY? WHEN I WENT TO WORK IN SOMEONE’S HOUSE JUST TO TRY AND PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE? WHEN…

All those memories played in my mind leaving a big lump on my throat and Florence gave me a bored look but I didn’t care
Dad: ENOUGH LUCY, Florence isn’t the reason we went through all that
I left to my bedroom and anger had taken the best out of me , I tried to sleep but sleep had deserted me and kept wondering why that woman wouldn’t let us live in peace and why dad easily took her side….
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I was on my way to the kitchen the following morning when I met Florence’s son in the hallway and he shook with fear upon seeing me, I felt sorry for the little boy because he was caught up in his mom’s drama. He greeted me almost bowing down and I couldn’t take it then I knelt so I could reach his level and I looked at him with his trembling in fear
“Don’t be scared of me, I’m a good person and we can be friends if you want to”
I told him and a smile crept on his face exposing his perfect white teeth probably because of excitement
“So can I call you my sister like I call Monica?”
He asked excitedly
“No, no, no I’m not your sister just call me your friend, okay?”
He slowly nodded his head with disappointment written all over his face, he walked away and I made my way to the kitchen where I found Florence and Monica laughing their lungs out but the room immediately went silent when I walked in. I boiled myself some milk and I could feel Florence’s eyes on me until she finally spoke

Florence: Lucy, can I talk to you?
“God, please not this early morning” I complained to myself and it was like God heard my cry coz the milk got boiled and I gulped it down not minding how it burned me just so I could leave the place before she could say anything else, I rinsed my cup and quickly walked out then I heard her sigh but I really didn’t mind. I locked myself up in my bedroom the while day when Monica came knocking at my door and I allowed her in then she sat on the edge of my bed and looked at me

Monica: sis

Me: yeah

Monica: why do you hate Florence?

Me: did you really love mom?

Monica: yes I did

Me: do you remember what our Sunday school teacher taught us about the dead watching over us?

She slowly nodded her head

Me: so how do you think mom feels each time you’re around that woman especially calling her your mom?

She looked down and answered in a low tone

Monica: bad

Me: you’ve got your answer, that woman isn’t what she se……

Speaking of the devil, Florence decided to enter my room without knocking then Monica excused herself and she sat on my bed
“This woman wants the worst from me” I thought as I took my phone and logged in my Instagram account
Florence: Lucy, I’m sorry for what I said to you yesterday, I said all that out of anger and didn’t mean it
She said sincerely

Florence: I know how much you loved your mother and I’m not trying to replace her in any way all I’m trying to do is shower you with the motherly love she would have given you if she was still alive

Me: the door is wide open you may leave

Florence: I’ll give you time to get your mind off things and when you do I’ll be waiting for you with open arms

Me: leave my bedroom this instant

She stood up and left but I felt bad for what I did, I brushed away the thought because I knew that woman to be a green snake in the green grass better than anyone…….
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Months passed and things between Florence and I remained the same but I was glad that she stayed out of my way, she neither spoke to me nor said anything about me which I really appreciated and I also never paid attention to her so to me she never existed. I could finally say that I was at peace just that it hurt me when I saw her and dad play lovey dovey. Our exam results were out and I got distinctions in all the subjects which brought me so much joy coz I’d soon go to the university and be independent afterwards so I wouldn’t have to depend on dad and his “wife” anymore. Dad had frequent business trips and was rarely home but when he was there he’d make time for “his family” coz I wasn’t included, I’d either be locked up in my bedroom or at Austin’s place. I remember when I woke up one morning and found Florence, her son, dad and Monica in the lounge who seemed so happy and dad was almost leaving to go to work and he told Kelvin and Monica to be obedient and take care of their mother. I was standing by the door all along watching them and my eyes bumped into dad’s and he had a guilty look, I knew he had noticed how distant we were because of that woman and he tried saying something but I walked away. I stayed in my room and went on WhatsApp were I found Austin online and I told him what was happening and I could tell that he felt bad for me, there was a time dad returned from his trips and brought her beautiful dresses then Austin told me to gather all of them and take them to him since Florence was a problem to me. I did what he told me and I took the dresses to him then he led me to the market where we saw a beggar and we gave her the dresses, she was really thankful and couldn’t stop wishing us the best. Florence never asked me about them and I thought she was lucky coz what I’d prepared to tell her would send her back to her parents house….
I was hungry since I’d skipped breakfast so I decided to go to the back house and check if the girls had prepared their lunch yet, I got to the lounge and what I heard captivated my attention
“She’s a spoiled brat that needs to be taught a valuable lesson, if it were in my place I would have long put her in her place or even made sure she doesn’t enjoy her father’s wealth”
The voice spoke and I recognized it as Florence sister’s and something told me to record what she said, Florence was about to say something when I walked in
Me: it’s better to be a spoiled brat than depend on a gold digging sister
I said as I went in and I could see that she was shocked, she trued saying something but was stopped by Florence

Me: birds of the same feathers
I clicked my tongue and went to the backyard where the girls and I talked about Florence since they also hated her for their own reasons, I stayed with them till it was late and had supper at their house and went back to the house to go to bed where I threw myself on the bed and let sleep take over me…

To be continued…