The Blood That Hurts

The blood that hurts [by Juliet Abudei]

Chapter 1

It was a beautiful Sunday morning with bright weather in Asaba, Delta State Nigeria. Andrew and Catherine were still sleeping, when their mother Mariam entered their rooms to wake them up in preparation for church.

Catherine yawned endlessly as her mom tried to wake her.

"Wake up sleepy head, we don't wanna be late for service this morning do we?" Mariam said while leaving her room to Andrew's.

"Come on big boy, you should be awake by now, you have to lead by example for your younger sister to follow, you are 16 and she is 13, don't forget that, I won't come back here again for you," Mariam said while heading to the bathroom to bath.

By the time she was ready, Andrew and Catherine were waiting in the car already. Catherine and Andrew love going to church early, in time for the praise session and the choir ministration but no one loved it better than Catherine. After the church service, Mariam and her kids went home. On their way, they talked about how well the choristers sang and how touched they were after their ministration.

Catherine was so excited during dinner because her mom prepared one of her favorites, oatmeal. While dining, Catherine asked, "mom is daddy truly in heaven?" Mariam replied with a smile "yes my love your dad is in heaven, and he is watching us from there".

"You don't talk while eating Cathy, it's called table manners, Andrew snapped. It's fine Andy, your sister only asked a question Mariam said as she held their hands. Catherine was only 3 years when she lost her dad, she wished she knew him more.

Andrew was fond of calling his sister Cathy, and so was their mom, she doesn't call them by their full names because her late husband prefers it that way. Ever since she lost her husband in a ghastly motor accident 10 years ago, it looked like her world was about to crash, so she made up her mind not to love again because she loved her husband so dearly and wondered if any man could ever fill the vacuum he had created in her heart and so she poured all her love and time into raising her kids. She couldn't bear to see them being mistreated by a man in the disguise of a stepfather.

She decided to stay alone and devote her love and time to her children and their future by doing whatever makes them happy and fulfilled. Mariam was a beautiful, hardworking lovable woman who had her future planned out. While she was growing up, she was the envy of all because she was not only beautiful with perfect shape, but she was also very smart and intelligent. This made so many young men desire her but she fell in love with Drake, Andrews's father the university, and they got married after graduation when she was 23 years old and he was 25 years old. u

Unfortunately, their love life didn't have a happy ending, but as the saying goes, sometimes, we don't always get what we want in life. The thoughts of how she lost her husband and their happy moments together were still fresh in her memory and so she wondered if she could ever heal from the torture of losing the love of her life.

After dinner, Catherine said to her mom while she was in the kitchen, "mom please can I share your room tonight with you?" Mariam replied with a grin "what's wrong honey, are you scared of something?" "Nothing is wrong mom; I just want to hold you tight while I sleep", Catherine responded with a scurvy face. Mariam giggled and said, "Not that face Cathy, that's emotional blackmail ".In that case mom, I think we should all sleep in your room tonight, I also want to hold you tight while I sleep, Andrew interrupted as he walked into the kitchen. With a smile, Catherine said, "it's alright guys, I am sure my room is wide enough for three". Mariam told her children bedtime stories, after which they said their night prayers and went to bed. She taught them to always pray because there is nothing prayers cannot do.

That night Mariam couldn't reminisce as she used to every night because she didn't want her children to see the pain in her eyes, she wanted to be strong for them. It has become part of her ever since her husband died.

The next morning, while preparing the kids for school, Mariam felt dizzy but tried to stand on her feet even though she struggled to and pretended as though everything was all right with her.

"Mom, are you okay"? Catherine asked. "I'm all right Cathy, it's probably stress from work, I have been stressed lately".

"You should rest then, you work so hard, I don't want anything to happen to you mom, Andrew said. Catherine smiled and said, "Mommy is just tired and stressed, she just needs to rest and she will be totally fine. Hurry up, the school bus is here we don't want to be late". Mariam smiled as she waved at her children and shouted, "I love you both so much".

After school, Catherine and Andrew waited patiently for their mom to pick them up as usual. "I think there is something wrong with mom Cathy, she has been feeling this way for a long time you know", Andrew said." I think she's just tired and stressed from work, she will be fine", Catherine replied". "You're still a child, you know nothing", Andrew retorted.

"I'm not a child Andy, I'm 13 years old ".

Catherine said with a wry face. Immediately Mariam drove in, "I'm so sorry guys, I had so much work to do in the office, have you guys been standing for long?" She asked.

"No mom, how are you feeling now". Andrew said with a distraught face. "I'm fine honey, you don't have to be worried about me", Mariam replied as they entered the car.

The next day at school during lunch, Catherine was going for lunch with her best friend Kimberly, fondly called Kim by her. Catherine and Kimberly were very close, they did virtually everything together and they enjoyed each other's company. They were the most intelligent in their class. Kimberly and her family stay in the same neighborhood as Catherine.

"Kim, I don't know why Stephen keeps staring at me all the time, he just never gets tired of doing it," said Catherine.

"Well, maybe he likes you; I heard when somebody likes a particular person, the person keeps staring at that person, you know Cathy that's the exact way my dad stares at my mum all the time". Kimberly said.

"Well, I think I will have to ask him someday if he keeps staring at me," Catherine said reluctantly." "I agree", Kimberly shrugged.

After school, Mariam prepared rice and shrimp sauce for dinner. "Mom, my birthday is around the corner, I can't wait to be 14", Catherine said with excitement. "You are still a child Cathy; you are not even a teenager yet, you have a long way to go". Andrew jeered. "Look who is talking, we are in the same boat my dearest brother, and you are not a teenager yet ". Catherine taunted.

"Enough with the arguments guys, Cathy, come help mummy clear the table; we will talk about your birthday afterward". Mariam said with a smile.