CHAPTER TWO

Mom came home before Dad and went straight to the kitchen. I and Benita were in the sitting room seeing a movie.

"What big rat ransacked my kitchen?" Mom screamed as she walked into the sitting room.

I turned to look at her and observed she still had her work clothes on. Did the kitchen utensils have an alarm or trigger on them?

"Who made a mess of my kitchen?" she glared straight at me.

"Baby, can you wait in the room for me?" I told Benita and she scuttled away. I knew things were about to get ugly and I did not want her to be in the middle of it.

Mom glared at her as Benita disappeared through a door.

I stood to face Mom. "Mom, I am sorry. I went through your kitchen because your granddaughter was hungry and I didn't have any job today so I was broke."

She scowled at me, "And do you not know where the trashcan is?"

I felt my chest constrict as my mother's words hit a spot. I looked at Mom with disbelief. One would think she would treasure her granddaughter, since she was a product of her most loved son-in-law.

"Mom. You could punish me for what I have done. Me. But not my daughter. Not your granddaughter." A tear slipped. I put my daughter in this mess.

"She is not my granddaughter. I do not want to have anything to do with a murderer," she screamed all the more.

My heart clenched. It felt like a giant was crushing it under his feet. I could not believe this.

"Mom," I whispered as the tears dropped.

She jabbed a finger in my chest and growled, "It is high time you left this house. You and your product of murder." Then she stormed off.

I collapsed on the floor and fought for breath. This was too much to take.

"Mummy," I felt her hands on me. "Why are you crying? Why does Grandma hate us?"

I wiped away the tears and hugged her, "Baby, she does not hate us. She is just channeling her pain wrongly. Grandma loves you. Grandpa loves you. I love you. Always remember that, okay?"

"Yes Mummy," she said and patted my neck. "I love you, Mummy."

*

My phone binged the next day. It was a notification for me to come for an interview of a job I applied three weeks ago. I cuddled and kissed Benita's forehead.

"Baby, wake up. The sun is up," I whispered in her ears.

She hugged her teddy tighter and replied in a whisper too, "Mummy, one more hour please."

I smiled and got out of bed. There was no need waking her up, she did not go to school after all. And I believed that what she couldn't get in food, she could get in sleep.

I had my bath and a change of clothes. I mounted my bicycle in the drive way and rode my way to the newspaper company I worked in.

I jerked my head at a security man as I parked my cycle. "Hey."

"How are you?" he asked.

"I am alive," I replied and ran into the building.

I joined the queue of coworkers who delivered newspapers. Someone stepped on my foot and I recognized who it was immediately.

"Ow," I winced in pain and she laughed. "You did not have to squash my toes to say hi."

"But I had to, so you would regret being almost late," her smiling face came into view.

I shook my head, "Almost. Not particularly late."

"Same thing. Five minutes more and you would have been late."

"Really, Nancy? Really?"

"Okay, I am sorry."

Nancy was the only one I talked to here. And even though she had always tried to get close to me, I kept my distance. But I did appreciate the attention she gave me, I hardly got any positive attention these days.

It was her turn next and she got her stack. She waited by a corner as I got mine.

"How's my baby?" She asked me as we fell in step and walked towards the exit.

"She is doing well. And your mom?"

"Still at the hospital," her countenance changed.

I felt for her, "Do not worry, everything will turn out fine." I tried to reassure her.

We mounted our bicycles and rode our separate ways.