Priceless One – Episode 7

Harriet marched down to the HOD of Science office, and reported the what Sandra did to her. But the woman simply called Sandra and softly advised her not to behave like that anymore. After which, she dismissed them from her presence. 

This infuriated Harriet the more that there were no disciplinary measures against Sandra’s act. 

Harriet decided that from that day onward, she would not be an object of Sandra’s bully.

***************

School was over and the students headed towards the school car park as usual to have their parents or drivers pick them up. Chima grabbed his bag immediately the bell rang for closing time and exited the class with his friend by his side.

On a day like this, he didn’t feel like going home, 

Infact!

He never enjoyed going home after school but home was inevitable. 

He sluggishly followed behind Habib, meeting Sandra halfway through the passage way between the SS2 and SS3 Science classes. Sandra immediately stood in front of him in confrontation.

“ I didn’t like the way you just stood there doing nothing and watching Harriet challenge me!!…. Can you even believe that small rat went to report me to the HOD?” Sandra fumed.

Chima ignored her and continued walking on.

“…What Chima!….. Are you ignoring me now?” Sandra asked in disbelief.

Habib, who was obviously tired of Sandra’s rants, spoke.

“ Come-on Sandra….. let this matter rest….. we’ve all had a long day!” Habib cut in.

“ No I won’t let this rest!!…. Chima caused this!!….. He allowed that girl disrespect me!!…..” Sandra retorted.

“ And how did she disrespect you Sandra?” Chima asked loudly.

Sandra was beginning to piss him off.

“…if there’s anyone on the wrong here….it is you!….. You were the one who sl@pped her and threw her food away!!…. So why are you grieved?” Chima fired back at her.

“ So you do not see anything in her having the nerves to sit by your side?”

Chima hissed and hastened his step, ignoring the rest of her rants. Thankfully, his driver was the first to arrive at the park to pick him, so he immediately entered his ride and left.

Immediately he got home, he headed straight to his room and locked the door. He really needed to take a nap, and that’s what he did.

But his nap was cut short sooner than he expected. 

It was a noise coming from the other room. A very familiar noise that he had been used to from the early days of his life.

The flip of the whip his father used to beat his mother was really heard.

“ You are a us£less woman!!…. very us£less that I don’t know why I married you in the first place….” His father yelled in his deeply accentuated baritone voice as he continued to whip her.

Her screams were deafening, piercing through his ears like arrows. Even though he was supposed to be used to all this by now, he couldn’t help but feel the deep seethed pain that gnawed through him. 

“ Please I’m begging you….. please don’t do this!!” was his mother’s desperate loud cry.

Her wail tore through his heart, fueling the rage in him. But there was nothing he could do because fighting his father was like fighting the wind.

Holding tightly the pillow, as each sound of the whip intensified, he cμrsed his father in his heart, and cμrsed the very fact he was born into that family.

“ This is the very reason I hate coming home!!” he complained loudly to himself, knowing fully well that his younger siblings by now, would be crying profusely in their rooms.

Adulthood must be really complicated because as much as he fathomed, he just couldn’t place the reason his father beats his mother at any slightest provocation.

But his anger was more fueled towards his mother and he blamed her for making him pass through the pain he was feeling now, for allowing his father reduce her to an ordinary wife, and for making him and his siblings, stay in an a very toxic environment, when she had the choice of leaving his father for good.

“…She is a coward!!!….. A real coward!!” He yelled painfully, causing more agitations to his very bones.

Running his hands in frustration and thinking of the best distraction to douse the pain he felt, he exhaled deeply and turned on his stereo, raising the volume to the loudest. He took out his pack of c!garettes from his wardrobe and smoked.

***************************

Sandra increased the volume of the stereo in their sitting room, and danced to rhythm of the music. At least no one was at home for now so she wasn’t disturbing anyone except the domestic staff, and they dared not complain.

She danced so well that she didn’t know when her father came in and saw her dancing.

He smiled and moved gently behind her to tickle her.

Sandra jumped in shock and turned to see her father.

She frowned and paused the music.

“ When did you get in?” 

She asked flatly.

“ Come on Sandra…. Won’t you greet me with a hug…. Ehn.” He said, placing his hand on her shoulder but Sandra moved away.

“ You promised to get me a sport car…. And you didn’t get it…..each time I ask you, you will say you are working on it….. but you are not working on anything!” She murmured.

Her father looked at her and chuckled.

“ Is that why you are giving me attitude?….. Sandra I can’t get you a car of your own for now…… you are still underaged and it is against the law for an underaged to drive in Nigeria…why don’t you just pick something else apart from a car and I will buy it for you….. besides I have fleets of different cars parked in the compound….. if you need to go somewhere, just inform the driver and he will take you. ” Her father replied.

“ But that’s why you are my father!!….. You have so much influence to bend the law dad…..I do not like the excuses you are giving me.” Sandra said with her hands akimbo.

Mr Nwafor sighed softly.

“ Sandra…. You know you are my only child and I want what is best for you….ever since your mother d!ed, I have been the only one taking care of you and I try my possible best to give you what you want…. But you are too young to be left alone driving a private car….. what if you drive roughly and caused an accident?….”

“ I am not a child dad, I won’t drive roughly!!….. My mates driving their cars while I move around with a driver….”

“ And what is wrong with moving with a driver?”

“ it doesn’t befit me.” Sandra ranted.

He moved closer to her and pulled her into his hands, stroking her hair gently.

“ Ok I have heard you dear…… it’s ok..” he said.

“ Don’t cajole me dad….. I’m no longer your small baby….. I want what I want.”

Her father sighed.

“ Ok….I have heard you…..I will get you a car by next week.” He said.

Sandra smiled broadly.

“ Are you happy now?”

She nodded her head in the affirmative,

“ Then come and hug daddy.” He said, stretching his hands for a hug.

She hugged him.

Just then, the door bell rang.

And one of the domestic staff went to open it.

It was her grandmother.

Sandra ran to hug her grandmother.

“ Mama…. I didn’t know you were coming…. I would have asked them to prepare your favorite dish.” Sandra said.

Mama laughed out.

“ I know my daughter…. I’m sorry I didn’t inform you both that I was coming…..I wanted it to be a surprise visit.” Mama said cheerfully.

Mr Nwafor beamed brightly at the sight of his mother.

“ Mama you are welcome….. hope you are coming this time around to spend more time with us?” he asked her.

“ Yes my son…. I’ll be staying for a long time before I leave.” She said.

He hugged his mother and instructed the staff to take her luggages to one of the visitors room.

Sandra’s granny was really happy to see her.

 The last time she came to the house for a visit,  Sandra was just a junior student then. But now she had grown more matured into a full grown teenager.

Mr Nwafor didn’t sound so bright with his mother’s sudden presence but he had to appear happy while hoping her coming will be for good.

(Do not take credit or Plagiarize AMAH’S HEART stories)