Chapter 1
"Rose!! Rose!!"
A young lady who was in her late thirties was seen screaming the name as she came out of an apartment. Even though she's just an epitome of beauty, her dress couldn't say the same. The darkness of her skin color was glittering as though she applied cream to her skin. Just a glance at her would expose that she's a typical African. Her dresses were unable to correspond with her natural beauty. She only wore sleeves that exposed some parts of her chest. And also reveal how bumpy she was. She then tied the wrapper in a way that one might conclude that she was in her home.
She was stylishly searching the corners of the building as she continued calling the name, Rose. Furthermore, she proceeded to a corner of the building where there is a narrow road.
By the corner, she met a young lady who was washing some clothes in a bowl she placed before herself.
"Mummy Rose!," The young lady said as she drew the attention of the woman screaming the name ROSE. She then continued. "She went down the street to get some food seasonings. She told me that you sent her."
"Yes, I did, but that girl is gradually turning to someone else. How many hours will it take her to get the seasoning and come back to the house" Rose's mother replied?
"The Rose I know is not turning to anything. It has not been long since she left here." The young lady blatantly opposed mummy Rose.
"Grace, don't tell me like that. She's my daughter and I know when she's doing the right or the wrong thing. Whenever she comes back, she'll explain to me what happened and where she went"
Mummy Rose replied as she could be seen fuming in anger.
Already Grace started suspecting if there was anything else that had transpired between Rose and her mother or if she just wanted to pick offense unnecessarily. She couldn't help her suspicion but chose to make it open as she said.
"Mummy Rose, take it easy on that girl. Even if she's committed any punishable offense, take it easy on her. She is no more too young than you would say, she won't know right or wrong. And besides, it's her age. You know, adolescents do play some tricks on children."
"If that is adolescent, she has to keep it away from anything that concerns me. I can't just tolerate such lunacy. Let her first come back. I need to teach her some lessons the hard way. If that's the case, it's written all over her that she wants to be wayward." Mummy Rose replied while still exposing how angry she was by the body language that followed her words.
"I've not given birth to anyone. But I have to remind you to be mindful of what you say or do to her. Human Rights activists are here and there looking for whom they'll take as an escaped goat. And I won't like you to be one. Please be guided" Grace replied in a softer tone.
"Hehehe! Rose is my daughter and I train her as I want. As long as I remain her mother, I will make her learn in any way. Nobody dares try to question me for that." Mummy Rose replied.
"That's fine, I'm just reminding you to use your brain. If she grows up to be a better person, which she has always been, it's for our good. If the other way around, all of us bear the consequences. But hitting her can never teach her the lessons."
I just trekked into the compound to hear the conversation between Aunty Grace and my mum. What pains me is that I do not know the origin of the discussion. I only overheard aunty Grace saying to my mum who was standing eagerly to hear from her
"… But hitting her can never teach her the lessons'' How am I certain that they are not talking about me? I had to act as though I heard nothing so that they might continue their discussion. Then, in a good manner, I started the pleasantries as though it's been a long I met with aunty grace.
"…good evening, aunty Grace!"
She couldn't even allow me to finish with the greetings before she replied
"Good evening Rosy. What's up?"
"I'm good, aunty…"
She proceeded to ask a question,
"Where have you been since you left?"
"Nowhere oh! I just went down the street to buy the seasoning my mum sent me to buy. And that's all!" I had to clear the air since it was gradually clearer to me that they were discussing me.
"Are you certain?" Aunty Grace funnily asked but mixed the fun with a grin which made me show more concern about her question and for my mum's mood who was just quietly observing the conversation without uttering a word.
"Ah! Aunty this question is confusing me. I only went there to get the seasoning and here it is!" My mum who already exceeded her elastic limit grabbed the season from my hand and in a fury she said.
"Will you shut your mouth and stop lying? May I not enter into this house before you." Though I was already expecting such behavior from her, I got shocked by the way she acted. As she grabbed the seasoning from my hand unannounced, she pointed to our apartment and also continued walking to the house without uttering more words or allowing me to react to the one she already said.
I had to follow her since I knew my Iron Woman. A second I may spend standing with aunty Grace might result in 30 minutes of punishment.
Just as if she'd been waiting for me to get inside the house, she hit me with a long cooking spoon. Out of surprise and pain, I screamed out loud
"Mummy, why did you hit me?"
As if she didn't hear what I said, she kept the spoon and slapped it with her bare hand. I could say that I didn't understand what was going on. I reiterated the question. But she couldn't allow me to finish before she interrupted.
"I'm the one who is supposed to ask you that question"
"Mummy, what do you mean by that?"
That line of question catalyzed the beast in her to show itself.
How! Many! Times! Have! ….(How many times have I warned you not to have an affair with Damian?)
She kept hitting me with her hand as she was saying each word.
Since I already knew where she was driving, I ran out of the house while using my hand to rub some parts of my body where she hit me. He couldn't just let me be, even though I was on my heels. She continued saying.
"What were you doing with him in the street? I've warned you to desist anything that will bring both of you together, but you won't hear. You won't put me to shame."
I turned a def ear to her and met with Aunty Grace, who was still washing her clothes. She got confused as she saw me in such a manner and said.
"Rosy, what's wrong?" I found the question to be rhetorical since she could vividly see that my mum was hitting me and still asked me "what's wrong?" As she stood up from her chair she asked again
"Why is she beating you? What have you done again?" I even got pissed since she concluded that I already did something wrong. Though that was true.
Since I refused to answer her, she drew me closer to herself. And used her hand to wipe the hot tears that were already rolling down my chin. Since she'd shown such hospitality, I then had to tell her what happened, but still, I won't demarket myself.
"Aunty, I don't know what's his problem with Damian. The one that sells in Peter's stores."
"What happened?" She couldn't maintain silence, so I had to exhaust my words before chipping in.
"I can't tell! She just told me that she doesn't want to see me and her"
"Has she been talking to you before?"
She asked as she was inquisitive to know everything in its entirety.
"Well, she insinuated that I was dating Damian. And because she doesn't want such a thing to happen, I would avoid everything that concerns him…" I narrated.
"But in actual sense, are you dating him?" She further asked
"Aunty. Don't you know that I'm too young for that? My mind hasn't even gone to such. Remember, I turned eighteen last month. How will I do such a thing?" I said while trying to clear the air.
"I didn't ask you your age. I only asked whether you're dating him or not. Because your mum can't just wake up and cook up stories to tarnish your image."
"That might be true, but she's too hard on me," I replied while pouring out my mind
My dear, she's your mum and wants the best for you. Be guided" She was masterful in her advice and I got touched just by her words.
"OK, I've heard you ma"
"And, you should apologize to her and also follow her instructions. Avoid that boy" She further advised.
"Hmm, such a strong decision" I asserted stylishly.
"Your stubbornness is the main reason why she's always beating you up. Respect me and do what I said" She affirmed.
"Yes, ma" The response was just to make peace reign.