1 Chapter One

"Have you seen what to wear?", asked Mrs Maxwell

"No, mama"

The day wasn't promising as ever in the family of Maxwells. They lived in a two rooms apartment, one apartment was where the children did sleep while the other apartment was meant for their parents. The family was a typical African family who lived by their daily earning. It consisted of a father, mother and three children, a female who was the first child called Mary while the remaining two were males called John and Kelvin respectively.

On a stool at the entrance was Mary, who sat with a big garment sack at her front. She seemed frustrated due to the unending quest for a suitable dress for her graduation revelry. She had been on the neck of her parents all long before the revelry, all she had been hearing is that "let the day come". She knew of the condition which her parents were subjected to hence she never bothered them that much despite the incessant reminder. Her mother was a petty trader while her father who was a graduate of a metallurgical engineer now works as a taxi driver due to job unavailability.

Mary was seventeen years old whom despite her brilliance the society which she found herself hadn't been academically inclined hence her heart had been inoculated with the prospect of el dorado abroad. She was making herself ready to be at her graduation revelry which will be taking place in her school premises, Command Grammar School, Lagos.

She continued with the search for the suitable dress for the revelry when a thought culminated in her psyche.

"Mama, hope you will present at my graduation?"

Mrs Maxwell feigned as if she didn't give attention to her statement in the first instances, she did as if she was brisked with what she was assembling for work. Though she planned to attend her graduation but her heart had been eaten like a horse with uncertainty due to the demands which will be made at the revelry and the market atmosphere might be so favourable that she might be tempted to lengthen her stay to make more profits. Mary knew she heard, but she thought she was too occupied to reply hence she chose to echo what she asked, but within the twinkle of an eye, Mrs Maxwell muttered.

"Of course, I will come"

She never aimed to utter such a reply, even she was surprised by her own response, her immediate thought was to give an uncertain reply which will pose doubt in the mind of Mary, but she didn't want her disgruntled. She had been the one who had always been present at any event relating to her children unlike their father who had always been busy with his occupation, it was never his fault, but his desire to provide for the necessity of the family and to make sure they never lack anything good for their education and well being.

"Oh, yes!", exclaimed Mary.

She sprang her hand into the air as if she won a lottery. Alas, she found a suitable dress for revelry. It was one of her favourite dresses which had been relegated to the bottom of her big sack, it was a Christmas cloth bought for her by her father two years ago. Amidst the grandiose mood, her psyche went straight to the size of the cloth, though it was a large size cloth when it was bought for her two years ago her mind didn't think of that. She wore it and it fitted her even more than when it was initially bought for her.

Amidst thought of how the cloth would be smoothed, her mind was in her neighbourhood where she did iron her school gown. Amidst that, she saw her two brothers who were sleep-walking towards her. She stood up forthwith to hold both of them because they could fall as they were half-awaked.

"How are you?", she asked both of them

"I am fine", one of them mumbled.

She took both of them forthwith to the bathroom to clean them up and fulfil her daily routine. She did help her mum to take care of the two boys and also dropped them off at school before she left for her college. Her mum was always brisked assembling goods that would be sold at the market for the day hence she had limited time to prepare the two boys for school.

She was done taking care of her brothers and she was also prepared. She went to the kitchen to get some food so they could eat before they left for school. They were usually not given pocket money that they could spend in school instead enough food was usually prepared so they could eat and take it to school.

Mrs Maxwell was done assembling what she would sell at the market for the day, she did make sure her children left home before her or with her. But it was different at the moment as she needed to be at the market very early so she could market the little she could before she would take off for her daughter's revelry.

"Mama come and check John's pulse", Mary requested.

Mrs Maxwell had picked up her handbag and was about to walk to the entrance so she could get a taxi that would convey her goods to the market when she heard Mary, she retreated and dropped her bag forthwith.

John was haemoglobin SS because her parents who unfortunately were aware of their blood genotype and failed to project for it because they got married due to lack of funds. His parents were AS... AS, John was, unfortunately, the victim of SS produce. She did struggle with different kinds of sicknesses which had wrecked her father financially despite his efforts to have enough the little that is saved would eventually be used to treat John.

John spent three days of last week in the hospital and had spent limited time studying hence he lagged academically. Forthwith Mrs Maxwell heard of Mary referring to her pulse, she couldn't be faster.

The initial plan for the day was revamped and John had to be taken to the hospital. She instructed Mary and Kelvin to head to school that she would convey John to the nearest health care centre before she depart for the market.

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