October 9th, 2019. 4:40PM 07 (Unedited)
“Give your enemies enough rope to hang themselves.” LACKSON
There is nothing that gives me more joy than knowing that I will finally get what I have always wanted – power, fame, prestige. Being second born comes with its own advantages and disadvantages, in my case being second born and a middle child meant that I was always considered second or not at all.
I wanted to be an engineer from a one age, but my father opted that Mulife does it being first born and all. He was supposed to be my role model but I hated him for the fact that he knew I always wanted to be the engineer and yet he took up the job. As if that wasn’t enough when he came back home after school he continued to be the favorite child.
I stayed home, I was with my parents through some difficult times and yet it was always about him. The last straw was when they brought Olipa, I don’t know if he knew it but my parents were using their arranged marriage for political gain. I wanted so bad to be recognized as well and so after finding out what I did concerning Thelma, I knew it was my time to shine. Now all I needed to do was get as much information as I could on her so that I would always be a step ahead.
*
I curse as I get into the bedroom, Lackson is a fool to think that I will bow down to his needs, but I am smart. I am not the little girl that was blind to all the cruel that society used to throw at me. So if he wants to play smart, I will even be smarter.
The following day is uneventful, I know Lackson is plotting something really big and whatever it is I am prepared to make him go down alone.
‘Lackson tells me that you will be his date to the gala.’ Olipa says I don’t even turn to look at her.
‘I see you finally went to the man of your class.’ She adds
I am now irritated but I don’t show it because I don’t want to give her the satisfaction.
‘Are you the one now in charge of current affairs?’ I ask her with a smile
I see her cheeks flush red and I want to laugh, so bad but she is not worth it.
‘I hope having an affair with Lackson isn’t a way of you trying to get close to my husband.’ She manages to say
I look at her.
‘You know what Olipa, I am tired of all your drama. Why don’t we just table it like two grownups?’ I ask looking her in the eyes
‘And what makes you think that I would want to table out anything with the maid? You are a house keeper for crying out loud, you belong with filth.’ She said
At no point has Olipa ever made me angry, this time around she has managed but as usual I keep quiet and just walk away from her.
Picking up my small phone, I call my mother. I haven’t talked to her in days and I need to check on how she is doing.
‘Good morning baby.’ She says on the other end of the line I can feel her smile in her words, I can never miss it.
‘How are you mummy?’ I ask a warm tug at my heart ‘I am fine.’ She says before coughing
‘Mummy are you fine?’ I ask worriedly ‘I am baby.’
I can feel that something is totally wrong and she is lying to me ‘Ma stop lying to me.’ I say seriously
There is silence
‘It’s getting worse.’ She says
I feel the tears threatening to fall
‘Have you been taking your medicine?’ I ask
‘Yes baby I have but there is little to nothing that they can do right now.’
I hold the phone close to my ear, way to close as the tears continue to fall heavily. ‘I don’t have much time Antoinette, please come home.’
‘Please hold on for me.’ I say
‘Come home baby.’ She says again before the line goes dead
I let out a cry, why does life have to be so unfair? Why do the innocent have to suffer at the hands of their oppressors?
My insides are breaking apart as I think of everything my mother has been through, all the strong walls I have been building come crumbling down all at once. My vision gets blurry as my eyes are crowded by my tears, am so engrossed in my sorrows that I don’t hear my door open and close.
Mulife holds me tightly in his arms without saying a word, I let myself go and cry some more as he begins to run against my back.
‘Hush now.’ He said kissing my forehead
But I continue to cry remembering the day I finally left home, I had just gotten back from my evening jog when I heard voices coming from my parents’bedroom. Not once had I ever heard them fighting or arguing so that came as a surprise to me, I wanted to walk in on them but I stood by the door and eavesdropped on them.
‘How long will this go on?’ my mother had asked in tears
‘You have no right to question my ways.’ My father responded violently That was a side of him that I wasn’t aware of
‘What else should I battle with before you can finally send me to my grave?’ ‘You can die for all I care.’ He yelled
I couldn’t take it in any longer so I walked in on them.
‘Baby.’ Dad began but the look I gave him made him aware that I had heard everything
‘What has he been doing to you?’ I asked mum who was now trying so hard to wipe her tears
‘Its nothing baby.’ She responded looking scared as she looked at dad
I saw the papers on the bed that she was trying to hide but I was quick enough to grab them from her. My heart breaking into a million pieces after reading them
‘Hush now.’ Mulife says bringing me out of my reverie
‘I am here if you need someone to talk to.’ He says and I nod my head Winnie