[Story] Jessica – S01 E06

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 06

I got home and my neighbors trooped in to console me. That was when i heard what really happened. A 400level student in the compound was shot when he refused releasing his laptop to the guys after collecting all the money he had. The young guy is still unconscious in the hospital and rumour has it that the guys must have come because of him after he received a huge sum of money from his uncle who base in Turkey, but greediness made them to invade the whole compound to take more.

“How did my mother got stabbed? I really don’t understand how it got to that point, I asked them.

“Your father hasn’t said anything to you? One of the women asked.

“He does not want to talk about it and its driving me crazy, I don’t know what to think anymore, I replied.

“I heard the guys shouting, “I will chuck her oo, i am not joking. Where is the money! My next door neighbor replied.

“I know my mother, if she had the money she would have released it, I know she would have released it, I said and cleaned my tears.

“What about your father? A woman asked.

“I don’t know, I really don’t know, I replied controlling myself as I got so pained again.

“Its okay Jessica, it is well, a woman said touching me and I shook my head.

“No it is not well, I should be the one to die….. “Jessica! A woman shouted on me.

“Not my mother, not her, what is my life without her? I can’t imagine me living with my father alone, I’m so miserable right now, I continued and heard a knock on the door.

My neighbor was the one who opened the door blind to see who it was but my church members walked in. Seeing them I got so angry, I have never been that voilent my whole life.

‘What are you doing here? I asked getting on my feet.

“Jessica we came…… “To do what? Raise my mother back to life huh? I asked interrupting the pastor wife.

“My dear you see, life…… “Please keep your preaching to yourself and get out! Oh I cried and begged your God to safe my mother but what did he do? She’s laying cold and lifeless in the morgue and you’re here to say what exactly to me that he lives huh? Its a bloody lie! I shouted.

“Jessica we can’t question God, in everything didn’t he say we should give thanks to him? The pastor asked.

“Please I am begging you to leave me alone! Why should I give him thanks huh? Is it for the job well done or the healing he can’t heal me? Please just go all of you, I said.

“Jessica my dear I understand your pain……. “Don’t touch me! I screamed when the pastor wife drew near to touch me.

“Jessica calm down, my neighbor said.

“Please aunty tell them to go before I’ll lose my mind, I don’t want to see or hear anything they have to say. They should leave me alone, I said and my neighbors sadly looked at them.

“I think she’s not in the mood for this, why not come back another day? A neighbor told them.

‘I don’t want to see them ever again, they should go with their God he is obviously not for me, I said and the church breathed out.

“May the Lord console you, the pastor said.

“Thank you please go, I said so unconcerned.

That week my grand mother came to see us and offered to take us with her. I smiled hearing that and shook my head,

“Why didn’t you do same for my mother when she was going through a lot in marriage? You made my mother endured all she saw because there was no home for her to run to, by the way where was home when you left her early? I asked and she bowed her head.

“I want to make things right now, aren’t you my grandchildren? She asked.

“I am not disputing that fact and thanks for your concern, I replied.

“Jessica, I know you’re not in talking terms with your father that is why I am doing this, she said.

“I can manage, but Cyril won’t agree to follow you, he’s close with his father, I said and my father immediately walked in.

“Are you taking my children from me? He asked immediately after eavesdropping on us.

“After what you did to my daughter I am rescuing them from you, she replied.

“That was your daughter and this are my children, my own flesh and blood and you have no right to take them away from me, my father said.

“You better not hurt this kids, my daughter has been protecting them from you, this is the memory of my daughter and I won’t forgive you if you hurt them, my grandmother said while I sat down watching them. My father smirked and laughed,

“You’re worrying about irrelevant things, why not channel your worry on how to bury your dead daughter because I don’t have money and she shouldn’t be there for so long. My advice to you is think of better things that will give you money, my father said to her and I looked at him.

“What are you saying? Won’t you lay my daughter to rest? She asked.

“Well I don’t have money, that’s the sad part of it and I can’t kill myself, he replied and went into his room while I sat there trying to control my anger.

Sometimes I wonder if my mother death touched him even a bit, I never saw him sad nor drop a tear for her neither is he looking as if he’s mourning. He dresses up very well early in the morning with sunshades and steps out taking Cyril with him before and after school like nothing happened, and am not wrong to say my mother death is a big means of freedom for him.

That night I was still awake thinking about my mother as I looked at her picture when I heard noises in Cyril room. My mother shares the room with him before she died for peace to reign while my father slept alone. I left my room and decided to peep to see my father scattering seriously looking for something, then for the first time I remembered the ATM card my mother told me of when I wondered what he was looking for because I could not ask.

I went back to my room and checked my textbooks and was surprised to see every thing about her bank in my textbook,

“When did she put all of this here? I asked myself and kept them safe.

The next morning I was in the kitchen when my father walked in and asked if I knew where my mother kept any details of her bank.

I shook my head and told him I know nothing,

“You are lying to me, where will she keep it then? Are you not her ally? He asked.

“Wrong word dad, i am her daughter not ally. You are sounding as if there was a calendar marked and set to tell my mother when she will die so she will hand everything to me, besides was I at home when it happened? I asked him.

“Look here, we need money to bury her and you know that right? he asked.

“of course, So you’ll use her money? For once take up your responsibility as her husband, I replied and he fiercely came to me looking at me as if he wanted strangling me.

“Don’t forget that you’re alone now, you’ll surely need me and you won’t find me, you are alone now and will always be alone, he said and left the kitchen and I breathed out.

I didn’t want his threat or words to bother me, and for my mother to put everything about her bank in my hands was for a reason and I knew for sure my father won’t put a kobo into my education.

That day I ran to my principal because I was close to him and showed him everything my mother left behind.

“You will have to open an account Jessica, its a good thing she gave you the ATM card so it will be easy for you, my principal said and I cleaned my face.

“Don’t worry I’ll help you and if you’re worried about your education the school will keep to its promise, the principal said and I nodded.

“Thank you sir, I said.

“Its alright, do you have any school in mind? He asked.

“Yes, my mother wanted me to school outside the state and for sure I will have to rent an apartment outside school, i won’t stay in the hostel because of my condition, I replied.

“I understand, I pray you get the admission so it will get you distracted from what you’re going through now, don’t worry you’ll end well and make her proud, my principal said and I covered my mouth holding myself from crying whenever I hear that statement.

“Why do people think I am really strong? I asked.

“Because you are Jessica, be more courageous than you’ve ever been everything will be okay, the principal replied and I bowed my head.

When I got home after leaving my principal, I felt so dizzy with my head aching badly because of lack and sleep and all that has happened this few days.

I took the Panadol extra in my room and swallowed but heard a car drove in and parked at the backyard,

“Ahhhh daddy Jessica, you don marry new wife? I heard my neighbor voice and quickly climbed on my bed to peep through the window but saw a brand new car. My mouth flew open in shock. So my father has the mind to buy a new car yet he was asking about my mother money and complaining there is no money to bury her? I thought as I quickly left my room to have a better look.

Cyril who was with him ran in and met me about opening the door,

“Sister come and see, we have a car now, Cyril said and I felt like landing him a dirty slap for saying such rubbish to my face.

“Who is the we? I asked him and decided to sit down to wait for my father to come in.

Minutes later he finally walked in with all smiles feeling himself with all the congratulations the neighbors poured on him,

“Congratulations daddy its beautiful, I said getting up and he looked at me and knew that congratulations was filled with anger. He ignored and wanted heading for his room,

“But mommy is lying cold in ice and you complained that you don’t have money to bury her. And again when the heartless guys held mommy with the knife close to her neck telling you to bring out your money, did you care about her life? Did you exchange mommy life so you can drive a car? I asked with tears streaming down my face and he looked at me.

“Tell me daddy, did you beg for her life and would you have released the money to them to see her alive? I continued and he rolled his eyes………