#Episode_7
“I warned you before hand…I told you i don’t want you and him acting any romantic movie around this house, you should focus on what you are asked to do…
. But you disobeyed…the food you made wasn’t enough after i asked you to make enough food that I was expecting my friends..what is wrong with all of you in this house…you all hardly listen to instructions…you are being paid enough money and yet i will still be repeating myself every time…
I don’t even know what my mom sees in you before employing….you
you suppose to be professional at what you do…you have three years experience…you told me that yourself..for crying out loud, you don’t need to be told what to do…
“but sir..your friends where more than the expected…and the…
“shut up, I’m still talking…don’t ever cut me off when I’m still speaking.. Don’t ever try it… Let this be your last warning…all of you in this house are just so annoying…
He waved me off to leave, this was after his party, the next day when he asked me to report to his room for questioning, I already knew what awaits me so i was prepared, after the whole shouting and scolding I returned to the kitchen,
The next day the mother came back and the house was hot, I don’t know how she got to know about all that has being going on in her absence but i wasn’t the one that told her, although i would have love to anyway, is probably Joe that filled her in, I was hearing noise coming from down stairs, I have retire for the night so i was in my room about to hit my pillow, the noise was sounding like a quarrel, I quickly wear back my night rob and ran down stairs
“…I have practically done everything for you Victor…everything a mother could do…i gave you the best education and sent you out for your master degree so that after everything you will be ready both mentally and Physically…what haven’t i done for you….no tell me..answer me Victor I’m asking you a question…is this
how you want to live your life…after all your education and personality you still will not have sense…
those your friends you hang out with tell me any positive thing they have contributed to your life…you go out anytime you like and comes back at your own will…you care less about anyone except your self…
.i didn’t dedicate my life raising a fool.. I raised a son who will fear and love both God and humanity, who will be willing to serve others and accept everyone and anyone, treating the poor and the rich alike…
I didn’t raise a son who treat his workers like slaves and ignore those that need help…i raised a son that will be humble, patient and forgiven…that’s the way i raised you after your father died…do you think he will be proud of your life style if he was alive…
why are you so different from the boy i trained so well with my hand…look at your sister…she has never given me reason to worry.. What happened to you…because you are not acting like a man i bore, the boy that suckled from my br**st…you are a total stranger…i was also told one of your friends harassed Uju…after you made her act like a waitress…
You over stressed the poor girl as if that wasn’t enough your so called friend harassed her in this house and you didn’t do anything or even show remorse…the innocent girl didn’t mention anything to me…probably she was afraid of what you will do to her because you are gradually turning yourself into monster that everyone should be afraid of…
God have mercy on you for giving me reason to worry all the time…i call for prayer every morning…you will not come down from your room and join the morning devotion, just because you are probably bigger than the God that gave you life ..yes… If you respect God you will be part of the people worshiping him every morning…i raised a better son not this prideful, unrepentant, unforgiving, unloving man standing before me…
“mom…I’m sorry…it won’t happen again…please calm down, I’m a man and i can make my own decisions…
please mum stop shouting the staffs are watching you talk to me in this manner…i..
“shut up..don’t tell me to calm down because i have being calm for too long…i have watch you treat everyone around you like they are trash…i have listen to you question me on my decision to be nice to people…those staff as you call them all
has a name…and is high time you learn their name and stop addressing them by what they do…the cook, the one your useless friends harassed is your sister name sake…
i haven’t heard you before address any one here by name and you should start doing that and I know you are a man start acting like it and stop acting like a spoilt boy because i know that i raised my son better than that… I don’t want to see those your unreasonable friends here again, they were all lucky because i wasn’t around…
I just listened as mummy shouted and scold i saw that she was disappointed and angry with Victor who just sat there with his head bow…the sister Ujunwa was also there but was obviously angry with his brother too.. When his mum was done she asked him to leave her presence he tried apologizing again to her but she waved him off, he passed me with an angry face but never looked up as he went to his room…
the mum turned and called me to come, she asked me if i was hurt from the attack by Victor’s friend, I told her no that i wasn’t hurt, she apologised to me on behalf of Victor even Ujunwa came and hugged me..
I looked at Joe and knew he was the one that told her, Joe looked at me and smiled as he ordered other present staff to go to there quarters
I was happy for the scolding…i was loving the way she handled Victor’s arrogance…i felt no mercy for him…he deserves it, someone need to call him to other and the mother was a disciplinarian when it comes to that.
I went back to my room with my name sake, Ujunwa who followed me and we sat on my bed and gist for sometime before she went to her room,
I just hope Victor change for good this time…for the first time i prayed for him before sleeping that night I also prayed for mama and Papa and also my siblings, i can’t remember when last i did that,
if only mama knows that the way she calls my name no longer annoys me but makes me proud, I missed them all but I’m determined to work hard to make them proud, I’m saving up for the future.
I’m no longer bothered about anything, I concentrate on my job and try to be more better everyday
I’m sitting down outside gisting with Joe when Victor passed and just glance at us as we greeted him, He smile and raised a hand in response to our greeting before heading to his car, he has being more quiet since after the mum’s scolding, he stays in his room often and sometimes come down to watch the TV in the big sitting room, or go outside to the pool side,
He has also being joining us for morning devotion and also goes to check out the family business which he sometimes does with his mum ,
he stopped going to hang out with his friends, he even speak to the staff with a calm voice and a smile too,
there’s a lot of change in him that even the other staffs noticed, they can’t get enough of it, he still hasn’t spoken to us or talk much or even asked who told the mum about the whole incident with his friends, But he didn’t relate harsh or arrogant with any of us.
Today after the morning devotion of which he was the one that lead us as he was instructed by the mum, he stammered through prayer just to show he hasn’t being so much involve with it, after his prayer and worship song he looked up at me, and when i thought there was a spark again he looked away and looked at other staff before saying
“…please everyone, permit me to use this medium to thank everyone first, for there hard work and total devotion to my mum and this household as a whole, I understand how difficult i have made your work for you all, I understand how over demanding and bossy I have being, I sincerely apologize for all that.
I will try to be the people’s person, I’m better off than what i use to be, don’t really know what got into me…I’m working on myself to be better everyday, continue to do your work and be selfless, continue in your diligence and total dedication,
I love the way the you all never allowed my negativity to affect or take root in your heart, I know there’s always a reward for every good work….and you will all
receive your rewards,
thank you all for always taking this family like yours…. Mum, I’m very sorry for
causing you much pain and sadness, I love you mum, I only become what i was out of ignorance, you are the best mother any child can have,
I have watched you care for all the staffs like your own children. I watch as you pulled in strength in running our business empire, employing capable hands to manage it and you do the follow up, I know i was supposed to be doing all that, I just felt unconcerned, I just believe that the employees can do everything, you opened my eyes to really see how self centered and foolish i have being, no matter the education, home training or age we all are bound to make mistakes, I’m not trying to make an excuse for mine….
I’m sorry and thank you mum for everything….i know Dad will be so proud of you
if he was alive because you are a true definition of a strong woman, I love you mum and i say thank you once again.
To Ujunwa my sister, I’m sorry for not being the loving big brother i was to be, I’m sorry for not always making you proud or happy, I promise to do better dear, i promise to love and protect you in any way i can, I will always be here for you if you need me
i love you always. Joe….hahaha..i know you must have wondered what planet i
fell from to have treated everyone differently and opposite from my mum and sister, I’m sorry for making your work difficult for you, I’m sorry for being a bully, thank you for always taking charge of the staffs and making sure things are in place here…
I don’t know everybody’s name but with time just gradually i will learn all your names and another thing, There will be a raise of salary for everyone…with the permission of mum I’m increasing your salaries…and you can meet me or mum if you need anything, if you want to learn a handwork or further your education or anything you will like to add to yourselves you are free to do that…
we will employ extra staff, to take your place while you are gone but be sure of this you will always be family, because your efforts can’t be denied, family you are today family you always be….
The cheering and thanks was coming from everyone, all the staffs where all happy, they couldn’t hold back their joy, mummy was also happy that her real lost son was finally home, I was equally happy, my happiness was so large that i wanted to go and hugged him, but held unto my emotion,
I know i can start my part time school or full time depending on the one i want, I have being saving up plus the increment, I can start the journey towards going back to school since they will be employing a kitchen assistsnce,
I was so happy and was so much in love with this family, when i thought he was done with his speech he suddenly turned to me, he looked at me without blinking, as he focused on me i thought i was going to melt under his gaze, I looked away and bow my head so he won’t see through me he then called my name for the very first time and said
“Uju, I saw how hard working you have being, feeding us everyday, we are more than 10 in this house yet you manage to make sure we don’t go hungry, mum wanted to get an assistant for you long time ago but I turned it down because i was self centered and didn’t want her to start spending on another staff, I thought that when one person can do the job what was the point of spending on another,
I know it hasn’t being easy waking up early and sleeping late with just little assistance from others, that was a total foolish thinking of me,
I know how difficult i have being and never thought you were also human, I just want to say I’m very sorry, sorry for allowing my guest harass you without tendering an apology, no matter who he was or is to you, he has no right to hurt
you, I could have asked the security guards to throw him and others that he came
with out but i allowed him to join the party and i ended up angry with you for
reasons i don’t even understand, I’m sorry, so sorry for everything, we are getting a
chef for you and a kitchen assistant, you will be able to do other things for
yourself, thank you for accepting us as family…
…so can i get a hug or handshake from you all?
Everyone was happy to hug and shake him and when it got to my turn i was shy, but he opened his arms beckoning me to come forward, I slowly went into his arm and he wrapped me with his,
I felt so glued that i don’t want him to let me go and he didn’t he allowed me to stay as much as i wanted before i finally released him, I remembered the first time i was so happy after he told me at Kala’s house that i can apply as a cook in his house i was so happy that i threw myself to him and wrapped my hand around him and he pushed me off and warned me not to ever do that again, hugging him now was a memory i will forever cherish.
#To_be_Continued
UJU
© Amarh heart