CHAPTER 233: NEW COURAGE AND DETERMINATION

'Think about your future, there is no other chance like this. This is the only chance you must savage and use until you are satisfied with it and the only way to be satisfied and tired of it, is when you pass and secure a job for yourself.

Study like a hungry professor who would not let a microorganism or insect slide on his or her hand without studying it. Study like thieves who want to steal in the middle of the night without any remorse for the properties that belong to the owners.

Learn like a hungry lion who is looking for his prey without shear remorse in his dangerous eyes. Study like a lawyer in a court who intends to win a case by using all the tactics and means that he or she can come up with to save his or her client. Read like a surgeon who aims to rescue a sick person in a theatre room without giving up even though the condition of the patient is beyond his or her reach. Study like a political leader who wants to secure a seat in the government and use all the lies that he can come up with.

JUST STUDY my dear sister and thank me later'

Blessing could remember her sighing deeply while her eyes were somehow dark as if she was succumbed to sadness.

But she suppressed that and continued, 'Forget whatever happens to you in the past as they say, 'no one will try to dig out who you were and the many problems that you went through in the past.

Nevertheless, people will only respect you for whom you will be in the future. Don't forget, not just who you will be, but your success will drive people to you',

She then gazed at the girl beside her attentively as if to study her soul, making Blessing sweep her gaze all around the living room coyly while scratching her head.

Then the neighbour suddenly went on like she was possessed, 'If it is about a man which makes you go crazy, for now, forget about him and concentrate on your studies while you pray for him, okay? But just study. Study to show him in the future what he lost…'

'No! He will come back to me! I know he still loves me' Blessing opened up finally by that statement which she exclaimed courageously and exasperatedly in her tone of voice unknowingly to herself.

'Okay, pray for him and study. Don't shed a lot of tears and continue secluding yourself or hurting yourself even more because of him. He is not your God. You deserve to smile and enjoy your life as you build it.

Think about your parents. What will happen to them if you end up killing yourself in India because of stress? What will happen to your people? And the community at large? You are the future great surgeon who will be my boss lady Blessing! Don't you want to be my boss lady while I be your nurse?' She put her hand on her chin while gazing at her with countless hopes on her sparkling plae face.

Blessing returned the gaze with a nod, of course, she wanted to be a great doctor, and that had been her dream since she finished her secondary education and passed well.

She had many promises in her head that she would only achieve and fulfil when she became a great doctor. 

Her friend Susan needed justice for what happened to her. Her friends at ma'am Beatrice's place also required her to rescue them. Why was she not thinking all of that?

Was she this weak as the woman in front of her said? No! She wasn't weak and would do anything for her loved ones. And those were her family and all the people who came to matter to her on her life's journey.

She then remembered Lara, who died at the hands of Beatrice's men and all the determination to seek justice for all her friends piled up on her throat that she ended up in a rage and furry while her brown eyes were already turning dark in anger.

Not to forget Samir and his family!  This made her chest to rose at a bullet pace as she clenched her fists in sudden anger and rage and nodded to her friend who continued, 'Don't let this chance slide away just because of him. Stop this and study. Stop crying and hurting yourself and fill your brain with medical books, and you will never regret after the years that you will be here in India.

From now on, I will be cooking lunch for you because I want you to eat every time so that you will get more energy to study, study sister, please!

Don't shame me! And that is what I wanted to tell you. Don't worry, one day I will tell you why I have stretched that word study but for now, eat well and don't skip your dose and that unwanted ulcer will end without your knowledge' The lady finished her lectures which made Blessing clap for her.

Indeed, all she had said was very important to her.

Yes! She was right. She couldn't let this chance slide.

Furthermore, she needed to become a great surgeon so that she would have money to investigate who set her up that night too.

Yes, she needed to show the world that she was something. She had to afford all the good things in life and built a beautiful house for her dear parents.

The lady was right. It was like she was sent to open her mind and heart and to install new hope.

She had to be somebody in life and if Alex was meant to be hers, nothing would change the fact.

Thinking about it, it had been long since she went to church! She needed God to pray for herself and Alex and her family, plus Diana's. Not to forget all her friends who were being used by ma'am Beatrice.

She gritted her teeth for the umpteenth time,

'Thank you so much,  sister Rau! I don't know what I would have done if you were not around me. Thank you for your facts. It will help me a lot. Right now, I feel like a heavy sack of potatoes has been removed from my shoulder.

I will always appreciate you for today. I will study and I promise not to disappoint you no mattee what'

Indeed, no matter how tough one was, there would be a time when one could be shaken. Hence the need for severe encouragement and words of courage plus wisdom from time to time to strengthen the tough and determined person so that one wouldn't walk astray.

Blessing could remember how happy she was after that heavy conversation. It was like God had directed this woman who was in front of her to help her unburden her heavy luggage.

'You welcome girl. Don't hesitate when you need anything from me and always try to be strong because as long as you are still alive, you must encounter more than what you already encountered. I will be here to help because I want the best from you. I know you can. I don't want you to be swallowed by the bad people who didn't come to school to study but brought others. You are like a sister that I never had' The woman stated with a sad face finally.

'You don't have a sibling?' Blessing jumped to conclusions causing the lady to smirk.

Sometimes, it was not bad to jump to conclusions especially when one was right.

'Yes, I am an orphan who never knew her parents since was born. All my life, I have been blaming God for my cruel life but recently, I realized God never forget me' Blessing rushed and gave her a heartful hug feeling regret in her heart.

Why was Nea feeding her with lies? She could see that the lady was not bad as she was told. She was harmful at all. She felt for her right now.

'I am sorry for that sis Rau' Blessing mumbled with a tingle of remorse in her voice while tapping the lady on her back.

'Thank you but you don't have to. I have a beautiful family of my own. My son Safar and a loving husband. I am happy now. I want you to go and build your future okay? Go girl and don't look back! Go for it! You have a greater future and a shining star Blessing. Please don't lose all of it' The lady pleaded with a smile making Blessing nod.

With the way the lady was talking about her family, Blessing could guess that she loved them so much.

She remembered her family back in Africa. Even though they were poor, they were happy with them. She could see her mother's glittering face and her young siblings.

'Sofia is now tall and beautiful, hahaha!' She thought inwardly with a sad smile. 

How she missed her sister Sofia. Unknowingly to her, Sofia was preparing for her demise.

She hated her sister because of jealousy. But of course, Blessing didn't know all of that.

'Okay! I will come to see them both in the evening' Blessing chimed in happily like she was not the one who had been crying some minutes ago.

She was full of new courage and determination.

'I must achieve my dreams' She said to no one in particular with a smile.

They sat there and talk about other things that concerned them and later on, Blessing remembered that she had an assignment. She gave her number to her new friend because the lady bought a new phone and rushed to her own house happily.

Yes, that is what happened. Blessing came to the present and rushed to the door where her neighbour had been calling her for a while now.

It had been like a month now since they had known each other and were great friends together with the shy guy who later, Blessing came to realize that he was a medical student but a fourth-year one.

He had been a great assistant to her that she appreciated.

At first, it was hard for Blessing to have a friend from the opposite sex but later on, she came to realize that the man was a good person and never talked about anything that didn't concern studies or other jokes that sometimes, he could come and help Blessing in studying in the house.

"No matter what, I will always be yours, Alex. I always pray that you find something fishy in that video" She murmured to herself while giving her friend an extraordinary smile without knowing that Alex had already ruined the video.