Mother’s Love – Episode 8

MOTHER’S LOVE – Episode 8

A story by Jochrine Kunda

 

She looked at me and smiled nodding her head
Mapalo: yeah, I could see the similarities and she’s so beautiful that I got carried away
Me: yeah, she was beautiful inside and out
Dad: alright let me leave you people
He left and I went to take a shower then joined them later and Monica was awake by that time, I spent most of my day with the two girls and helped them out with some chores and they were great company.
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We had began a new year and the celebration was the best I’d ever had, dad had invited Mrs Mutale and Austin’s family over which brought me so much joy because there was nothing joyful than being close to the ones you love. Monica got a doll house she asked for from dad while I received a smart phone and we all exchanged different gifts, I spent most of the time with Austin coz it had been a while since we met and didn’t want to leave each other’s side.
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Our Grade 9 results were out and I beat the whole school which made dad proud, the look on his face is what I expected when I passed my Grade 7 exams but I knew why he couldn’t celebrate. I knew that my dream of going to one of the best schools would come true, I always wanted to go to a boarding school so I took my phone one afternoon and sat by the pool where I looked for the best schools on the internet. I called Austin to ask him if he had made his decision on the school has was going to and he said he was still searching so I told him of the one I found and said he had to see it first. I told dad of my decision which he gladly accepted even though I knew that I’d terribly miss them especially that I’d never been away from them for a long period of time.
I started preparing and packed everything I would need then said a prayer asking for God to help me progress in the rest of my studies then I stood up to pack a few of mom’s pictures in my bag and went to bed early since I was leaving the following day. Monica missed classes the following day because she wanted to see me leave so dad talked to her teacher at her new school coming up with an excuse as to why she wouldn’t attend lessons that day. Austin arrived just as we were having breakfast, he had accepted to go to the school as well. Dad kept singing the same song of Austin protecting me from any danger especially the Grade 12 bullies, watch ️ over me since I was his sister and always ensured that I studied. I made a promise to him to continue being the same good girl that I was and obtain good results when I left the school, he drove us to the school which was out of town and it was a beautiful place just like I’d seen it on the internet , he took us for registration and were shown to our rooms and I was glad that Austin and I would be in the same class. It was time for dad and Monica to leave and I couldn’t hold back my tears, Monica was so sad that I almost offered to return with them but something in me told me to make my stay there worth it.
I attended my first class and it was great with Austin making it seem like the times back in primary when we used to be classmates, he made sure we shared the same desk and he got in trouble on his first day then I noticed that most people wanted to associate with him especially the girls but I didn’t blame them since he was handsome. One dark girl they called Melody kept eyeing me but I ignored her and the teacher announced that we’d have a test the following week and Austin made sure that I never went to bed without studying like dad had told him so we were seated on a bench near the school’s garden going through the just ended topic when Melody walked to us
Melody: excuse me girly I want to talk to Austin
We both looked at her then looked at each other
Austin: as I was saying when factorising we first start by multiplying a number outside the brackets with what we have in the brackets ……
He said that imitating our maths teacher’s voice then I burst out in a loud laughter
Melody: helloooooo I’m still here
Austin: understood pupils?
Me: yes sir
Austin: we may proceed to the next equation
Melody left looking annoyed and Austin kept speaking ill of her…

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Time goes by so quick I knew I would love that school the moment I saw it on the internet and I still couldn’t believe that I was doing my Grade 12, I was packing my bag getting ready to go for the holidays so I sat on the bed waiting for dad who always fetched us from school each time we closed for the term.
I still remember what Melody did the day Austin and I were studying when we were just new at the school, we wrote the mathematics test we studied for and our teacher re-shuffled us making me occupy a different seat and I could see that Melody’s dream of occupying my seat next to Austin had come true and I somehow felt jealous and didn’t enjoy the test at all. Austin told me that she was a photocopying machine and he could see right through her so he scribbled something on his paper and made sure she copied what was there and he sat reluctantly waiting for the bell to go as he watched her then when he saw that she was having difficulty seeing clearly he just gave her the paper to use freely, he went to the teacher when time was up and we had all handed in our papers then he asked to write a “VIP” test which meant he’d write the same test while being monitored in the staff room. Melody was all flirty towards Austin and he entertained her which was killing me but I had to keep my cool, I approached him about it and he told me that he knew what he was doing so I let him be. Our teacher came in the classroom with our test papers in his hands a week later and called out each pupil’s name and mark obtained as he distributed them, Melody came out the last with a zero mark out of the whole class and I wondered how such a beautiful girl with some attitude would obtain such a mark and I didn’t notice that I was laughing at my thought when everyone looked at me, I really couldn’t help it so Austin who was worriedly looking at me joined me too followed by the whole class and our teacher wasn’t an exception. I could see that she wished for the earth to open up and swallow her then she approached me when the lesson was over and tried creating drama but I told her off and Austin put her in her place so she never messed with me again but sometimes I could see that she wanted to pick it up with me but didn’t know how to start and that was exactly were I wanted her and I’d sometimes step on her toes deliberately just so I could get her angry but she didn’t have the guts to face me and went complaining to other pupils which I didn’t care about.
I couldn’t wait to see dad each time we closed for the term and I remember when I first went home and I was all excited to see Monica who had lost a tooth and she looked cute, she told me stories about some tooth fairy and I really enjoyed her company. I always looked forward to going home because of her and dad, I was disturbed from my thoughts by Austin who walked in my room chuckling
Austin: you’re done with packing?
Me: yeah
Austin: great, some punk is here for us
Me: punk!! Meaning?
Austin: we’ve got a new driver today
Me: that’s not true, dad’s the one who’s always here no matter how busy he is
I got up attempting to go out but Austin signalled me that I’d left my bags which I took and hurriedly went out hoping to see dad but I was disappointed to see some guy and Austin whispered in my ear
Austin: I hope you don’t have eyes for that guy otherwise I’ll skin him alive
Me: no, I’m the one who’ll skin dad alive for not showing up. I wonder what has kept him so busy that he couldn’t make time for me and whatever it is, it better be worth it.
I said as I helped Austin load our bags since the person dad sent for us was just starring at me. We drove off and I kept asking the driver why dad couldn’t make it but he wasn’t having reasonable answers until Austin asked me to stop and told the driver to drop him at my house then I knew he couldn’t handle the thought of me being with the driver when he was dropped at his place. We finally got home and dad still wasn’t there so I took my bags to my bedroom then went to sit with Austin until he decided to leave, I sat in in the lounge and noticed something missing and quickly figured that it was mom’s pictures which were always there and I got up to look for Nancy and Mapalo who I found in the garden
Me: Nancy, Nancy, where’s dad?
Nancy: he went out, he said he had an important meeting
Me: ohh really and who removed the pictures of mom I placed in the lounge?
Nancy: I… I…I don’t know
Monica walked to us and I took her away dland did some catch up as I waited for dad to return…

To be continued…