Priceless One – Episode 5

Evelyn continuously stirred the soup on the gas and poured a generous amount of seasoning to it. She had tried to wake up early to cook for Harriet her daughter, as a compensation for coming home very late in the past two weeks.

Taking up the responsibility of a mother was a task she was trying to adjust to gradually. But it wasn’t easy at all, especially when she had to adjust her lifestyle so she could be a role model to her daughter. 

She knew she was far from being a perfect mother to Harriet and she needed to improve. Although she tried her best, but her very best wasn’t enough. Her work wasn’t something she could drop abruptly because it was the only source of her livelihood and it came with a lot of benefits.

It was through this job she was able to buy a house, drive expensive cars and could afford to send her daughter to the best school in town.

She was only 18 years when she got pregnant as a result of a wayward lifestyle, and gave birth to Harriet. 

At that age, she didn’t know much about parenting and besides, she was just in her first year in the university. And due to these reason, she had to leave her baby in the care of her mother so she could have the liberty to complete her tertiary education. And since then up until recently, Harriet was raised by Evelyn’s mother.

And she must confess, her mother did a fantastic job in raising Harriet into a prim and proper young girl. Not until dëäth raised it’s ugly head and snatched her mother. That was when she took custody of her daughter, and this was very recent.

Evelyn tasted the soup and sighed softly.

It didn’t taste good at all. Infact, she almost puked at the taste the soup presented. 

She grunted in frustration, wondering what to do. It was a weekend and Harriet needed to eat something nice as a compensation for the obvious reasons that she didn’t spend enough time with her daughter.

Evelyn almost never cooks. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had cooked something for herself because whatever she wanted, she ordered it and made sure it was delivered to her doorstep. That was why she employed a house cook some weeks ago, but Harriet refused. Harriet had insisted that she was trained by her grandmother to cook for herself and so she did the cooking.

Evelyn turned off the gas and poured the soup inside the kitchen sink. 

There was bread in the fridge and enough beverage at home. 

Maybe Harriet would have to manage it this morning until she figures out what to order for her to eat.

Putting a few slices of bread on a plate, and a mug filled with beverage, she walked briskly into Harriet’s room.

Harriet was already up and dressed when Evelyn entered.

“ Good morning my sweetie pie….. How was your night dear?” Evelyn beamed.

“ Good morning Mom.” Harriet replied coolly.

“ I brought you breakfast Harriet dear….. I want you to manage this for now, till I get you something better.” She said and handed the tray to Harriet.

“ Thanks ma.” Harriet said, taking the tray from her, she balanced on her bed and began to eat slowly.

Watching her daughter eat was a strong reminder of how much time she had missed out in Harriet’s life. 

Evelyn sighed.

“ I learnt you emerged with the highest scores in your midterm examination.” Evelyn said.

Harriet nodded and smiled faintly.

Evelyn brushed her hands tenderly on her daughter’s cheek.

“ I’m really so proud of you dear…… you are the best thing that I have going on in my life right now…..” Evelyn said soberly.

“ Thanks Mom.” Harriet replied.

Evelyn nodded emotionally.

“ I see you are adjusting perfectly to your new school….. and I believe you have started making friends…… I just knew you are a smart girl and I love the fact that you are coping really fast……” Evelyn commended her daughter and chuckled.

“… So tell me about your friends?” She requested.

“ I have no friends yet.” Harriet informed her mom.

“ And why?” Evelyn asked in surprise. It’s been over two months that Harriet started schooling in Hamsford College. It is expected that she would have made some friends.

Harriet shrugged indifferently.

“ I guess a lot of my classmates are rich spoilt kids.”

Evelyn scoffed.

“Hmm!…. But there’s got to be at least one out of them all, that you could be friends with…… you need company Harriet….. I understand I’m usually busy since you moved in with me, but I’m trying to put some structures in place and make some adjustments in my life for your sake…” Evelyn said and sighed.

Patting her daughter lightly on her shoulder, she continued in whispers.

“ I don’t want you to feel lonely….. and I really feel so sad on days I leave you alone in the house all by yourself….. but I promise you it won’t be for long okay…. I really do have my plans….. but in the meantime, you need to find yourself a friend.” Evelyn said in a sober expression.

Harriet nodded her head and resumed eating her food.

She looked up and saw her mom still staring at her with concern on her face.

“ I’m fine mom….. I’m doing ok.” Harriet assured her.

Evelyn let out a smile.

“ Ok.”

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

Shalewa was shocked and speechless 

The look on her mom’s face showed she was in deep soup. It was a look that shot daggers.

“ Where are you coming from?” She asked Shalewa with a straight face.

Shalewa swallowed hard with sheer anxiety written on her expression.

Her mom must not know that she went to a night party that was almost likened to a club, and so she thought of a perfect lie to serve as a cover up.

“ Erm….I was invited to sing in a vigil concert of a church not far from Diamond Estate Street…..that is were I went ma….” Shalewa lied.

Her mother glared at her in amazement.

“ So you were invited to a church concert….. and you sneaked out of the house without informing your family?” Her mother questioned.

“ I’m sorry ma….. I was afraid you wouldn’t allow me to go, that is why I sneaked out.” Shalewa replied.

But her mother’s glare showed that she wasn’t the least convinced about Shalewa’s excuses.

“ What is the name of the church?” her mother inquired.

“ Excellent Grace Church of God.” Shalewa replied immediately.

Her mother shook her head in sadness.

“ Shalewa you are lying!!!”

“ I’m not lying mummy.”

“Really?”

“ is this the kind of cloth you wear to a church concert?….. With heavy make up plastered on your face? and you are telling me you sneaked out of this house to go and minister in a musical concert!!!”

“ Yes mom!!….. Excellent Grace Church Of God is a new generation church….not as archaic as our church….. it is more of the youth oriented kind of church that allows us to express our talents.”

“ Ehen!!.” Her mother exclaimed in a cynical way.

“ Yes ma.”

“ Who invited you to the church?”

“ It was Tayo….. Tayo invited me…. You can call him to confirm from him…. Although he didn’t attend the program, but a friend of his who attends the church, told him to invite me!!”

 

“ What is the name of that friend of his?” 

Shalewa fell silent for a while and scratched her head.

“ I can’t remember his name again mom…. But if you are doubting me…. You can call Tayo to confirm from him.” Shalewa replied convincingly.

Her persuasions seemed to be working this time on her mom, since she had mentioned Tayo’s name.

She knew her mom wouldn’t call Tayo late that night, she would definitely wait till the morning time to call him, by that time, she would have called Tayo to fill him with the information and beg him to cover up for her. 

Tayo was the son of Elder Bankole, who was a highly respected elder in their church, and her mom will believe whatever he say.

Her mom sighed again.

“ Shalewa!!!….. You know you are a Pastor’s daughter….raised in the way of the Lord…… we have strived over the years to build a Godly reputation….. and you know we have been living off the welfare of the church, they are the ones sponsoring your education Shalewa…..”

She said and sighed again.

“ Is it because your father travelled for a program and will not be back till this weekend, is that why you think you can leave this house anyhow without my permission?” Her mother scolded.

“I’m sorry ma…..I promise this will not happen again.” Shalewa apologized.

“ This had better not happen again!!….. And where did you get that top you are wearing?…. Because I know I didn’t buy you that.” Her mother asked, suddenly observing the top Shalewa wore.

“ A friend of mine from school dashed me….”

“ And since when did you start receiving gifts from friends without showing them to me?”

Shalewa sighed and gave an apologetic expression.

“ I want that top returned to whoever gave it to you!!” her mother instructed.

“ Yes ma.” Shalewa responded and heaved a great sigh of relief after her mother had left.

She will have to try to call Tayo to cover up her lies before her mother will do.

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