CHAPTER 12

Collins sat on the sitting room seater, quitely admiring his new toy. Maria had stopped at a small store to get them for him. She had watched him admiring them, when she had stopped at the store to get some groceries.

"Food is ready" Maria announced, as she walked in with a tray. Collins quickly packed the toys away and helped her take out the salad from the tray arranging them on the neat table that had a beautiful tapestry cotton in it.

As they sat down to eat, Maria watched as Collins right in the middle of his meal, began to sniff and use his palm to wipe his eyes.

"What is it honey" she quickly asked, wondering if she had said or done anything to make him cry.

" Nothing really much" he answered quietly, trying not to sniff again.

"Baby, please tell me what the matter is" She insisted. " Did I say or do something that made you sad?"

"No you didnt" he answered sharply.

"I can't believe, I now have a home and even have a mother like other kids I watch at the playground do" he spoke quitely almost in a whisper.

"When my sister was alive, we use to go watch other kids play with their parents at the playground. They had toys to play with. They also played games with their friends too. They would never let us in, because we were dirty and didn't wear good clothes like them." He continued.

"I never knew that someday, I could be like them. Having my own toys to play with too. I wish Marah was here too. I miss her soo much" he said, and he broke down and wept.

Maria couldn't contain her tears as she wept too. How would she explain to him that life was never fair to all. Some were born rich and others poor. She also hadn't had the best of life too. Her family had seen more of pain than happiness.

She had being a school drop out in her early days, when her parents couldn't afford her fees. At a point, she had to move away from home to live with the parents of her best friend so as to survive. Her only brother 'Sam' was reportedly shot by a group of cultist in a school brawl. She usually wondered that, while she and her family starved of hunger and were at a point in time homeless, some families, had so much to throw around. One of their uncle's had even denied them entrance into his house, even though their family were supportive of him when he had nothing.

Life couldn't be predicted. It favoured who it wanted to and left behind who it felt like leaving. Determination had kept her going. She had pushed beyond all force to break through to where she was today. She was still pushing and knew she would still conquer. She only prayed for health. Her mother had to be alive to enjoy all the pains and labour she had being through. This would be her consolation.

Maria walked over to the sobbing child, and circled her arms around him. She knew and understood his pain. She took out a book opposite his bed, in a tiny shelf filled with different bed time stories and read it quietly to him. Then he slept in her arms.

She laid him gently on the bed, and rooled the duvet over him, and quietly shut the door behind her.

She sighed.

She had to clear the table and quickly call Mandy to be home as soon as possible, so she could quickly rush to the hospital.

Few minutes later, Maria was on her way to the hospital. She had stopped by to buy some fruits.

As soon as she got to the hospital, she quickly made to the ward her mom was and entered into the room. She exhaled as she saw her mom lying on her side,

facing the wall. She seemed not to have noticed that anyone entered.

"Hello mom" Maria said, as she walked towards her to brush her a kiss.

Her mother didn't respond. She only stared at everyone, not able to say anything. Sometimes, she would use her hands to make signs.

The doctor had told them, that she would need to travel for a surgery since the disease was escalating and getting closer to her heart. It had affected her lungs and also her vocal cavity.

She opened the flask of food to dish her some meal. Her mom quickly shook her face, showing she wasn't hunger as maria sniffed and turned to return the flask.

Tobi had told her how he had found a bank, willing to give them a loan. She had felt some kind of relief and was willing to give it a try. Even if all they would achieve with the loan was ensure their mothers health, it was worth it.

"Mum, I've got a job. I finally got a job" she said, as she watched her mother eyes lit up, but she still stared into empty space.

"I am even going to attend the staff meeting and welcome party with the new organisation tomorrow." She said, as her eyes started to get wet again.

"Mom, I wish you will be fine. I wish you will be home to celebrate with me. I miss all those days we played hide and seek at home." She added, watching as the tears began to drop.

"I want you to be fine and come back home with us. Mom, please don't go away like Dad did. Please don't." she said as she leapt towards her mom's body and wept.

Her mother didn't reply. She only blinked her eyes. Right by the side of her eyes, some tears were begining to drop. She wished she could stop the pain she felt now and go back home. She wished she had the power to even go away and cease from making her children go through such pain and agony because of her health.

The tears began to flow even more!!!

The building stood out with it's silver and blue painted wall, giving it a magnificent and captivating outlook. As she handed the invitation slot to the hefty security men guarding the gate, they ushered her into the main building, one which she would fill her eyes at the glandour of it's equisite beauty.

The outer court of the building had beautiful rose flowers decorated by its side. There were various glass and transperant doors leading to, only God knows. She saw the inscription of " Newbie? Please come in" written boldly on the door right in front of her. She pushed the door slowly and found her self in an equisite and beautiful hall. The hall, had a secretary cubicle, beautiful drafted almost close to the elevator leading to various departments and halls located at strategic parts of of the building.

She smiled back at the young security guard who was waiting patiently to help her with the buttons of the elevator.

''I Hello" she murmued, still beaming with the captivating smile.

"Hi mam. You are highly welcome" he replied smiling, ushering her into the elevator.

The door opened at the fourth floor and maria got out, and was directly by another guard into a big hall, as Maria stared in awe and perfect amazement at the artefacts of modern design crafted into it.

She was a lover of art, so she couldn't help being immersed in the creativity of which ever artist made such beautiful and modern artistic design.

She turned immediately to face a man with the warmest of smile.

"Sorry ma'am" he quickly said, " I am afraid, the meeting have started at the lunch hall" he explained, and pointed to her towards it's direction.

"This way please" he said, pointing to a hall at the opposite direction

She thanked him profusely and took a brief walk towards the hall which was almost crowded by guests and few others that she believed should be staffs and newbies like her.

Many heads turned towards her direction . At that instant, Maria took cognisance of her look and dress. It was a pink flowing dress decorated with ivory coloured pins. She hoped it was still in good shape, hopefully not to draw negative attention to her self.

It was the only decent and beautiful piece she still had in her box. She had sold off most of her wears in school to some big high school girls, during her final year, to offset some bills.

She walked towards the crowd to find any empty seat to collapse into. Times like this, was when she appreciated the presence of Tobi. Now she was all alone in the midst of strange faces, with no body to rest her head on or complain to, if she had the need to.

She remembered and almost laughed at the thought. This was her mother's constant fear. Something she had always tried constantly to prove in the negative, how she didn't need any body's presence to keep her from harm.