Chapter Three

"My angel, have a nice day at school. She tried to smile but failed at the attempt. She looked weird.

"I don't want to go to school today", I mumbled.

"I want to stay home with you", my eyes became teary because I couldn't imagine her being alone and lonely.

"No baby. Go to school. Your dad will be very mad at us if you stayed home. Go to school and make mom proud okay"

Dad would be mad at us? Honestly, I didn't care. I knew she didn't want me around so I wouldn't see or hear all the insults and curses dad would throw at her.

No matter what mom did, she didn't deserve the bad treatments and cold shoulder she got from him. And I tried to believe that whatever happened was never her fault.

Where do I go from here? How did we even get there and why did it seem like we'd be stuck there for a very long time?

I wished I could reverse time to undo a lot of things.

"Hey, Ruby... wait up!"

I turned to see AB jogging toward me. I turned back and increased my pace. I didn't want him to see my tears, the dark bags under my eyes caused by lack of sleep... my disheveled looks. I didn't want him to know what was happening at home. Besides, dad chased him out of our house the previous day so I knew a lot of questions had been prepared.

Well, gifted with legs much longer than mine, he caught up with me very easily.

" What's with the attitude??!! Why are you running?!"

I pretended not to hear and walked on, as fast as I could till he had to yank my hand and forcefully turn me around. Then he saw my face and saw that I had been crying.

"Ruby...", he whispered. "Did I hurt you? Did someone die?" His voice shook, a sign that he would cry too if I continued to.

Now, I didn't want the neighbors to think we had gone crazy did I? I couldn't control my sobs as they increased so AB took me home, to his house.

When we got there, his mom was in. Mrs. Ben is a very beautiful woman and you could easily where AB got his good looks.

By then, my sobs had decreased and I was sniffing. One look at my face and she flew off the sofa and ran to me.

"Ruby, darling stop crying. Come... Come sit with me". Then she turned to AB "what happened?"

AB was at loss as well. I knew that Mrs. Ben knew what was happening at my house but she just pretended. Almost all the neighbors knew. I wonder how it became so. Who'd have told them?

"I just saw her crying and running to school. I called... she wouldn't stop..", he went on to narrate everything that had happened.

She led me to the bedroom and asked me to sleep. "Everything will be okay", she said.

I woke up hours later and exited the room. AB was sitting on the sofa, watching a movie.

"Hey"

"Hey", I replied, a bit nervous and awkward.

"What's wrong with your face... You look so... I don't know... What's on your mind?"

Well, I was just thinking no one likes to associate with a kid whose mom has HIV. I thought AB was going to... maybe say he didn't want to be friends with me anymore. He sort of read my thoughts and went into a fit of laughter. This wasn't funny so why was he even laughing? My anger was building up.

"Look at you, Ruby I have always been your friend. I still am and I'll always be because... because I love you. Naughty.. get in here"

He threw his arms open for a hug and I ran into them. I felt comfortable and I felt safe.

"We are in this together Ruby"

O dear God, what could be more peaceful than this?

That evening, I got home and AB's mom was there at our house. She was speaking with mom so I just said hi to them and dashed off to my room to pull off my uniform.

I came back later and stood by the door staring at them. They were speaking in hushed tones but I could make out words like; care, death, father... What were they talking about?

After she left I went to sit by mom. This time, she sat up so I could lie on her lap and she told me stories... Just random stories, till we fell asleep.

Dad still didn't come that night. We stayed up late waiting for him.

The next day was a Saturday so AB came over and we played chess. Mom always joined in but on that Saturday she didn't. She said she was too weak and couldn't crack her brains.

Doc. Audu came by later in the day to check on mom. I left them in the sitting room and made to go to my bedroom but I hid behind the door and eavesdropped. I know it's bad but I had to satisfy my curious mind.

What I heard... What I heard didn't settle well with me. I could feel dark clouds hovering over our heads as if impatient to pour down a very heavy rain, with lightning and thunder that could destroy...