Down The Memory Lane

"I am the first child of a family of four and my family is a very humble one. Did I say humble? No need to hide anything, we are practically poor. When I was born, my father worked as an assistant in a store while mother cleaned people's houses. Both of them met when mother was hired to clean a big mansion belonging to the owner of the store where father worked. Father was sent on an errand to his boss' house and while at it, he met mother where she almost fell cleaning the polished floor of the house and he helped her. So, their love story began" Emily looked up at Alex to see if he was listening as she had been head down since she started talking. "Are you listening?" She asked.

"Sure" he replied.

"Mom and dad had struggled to put me through school and in no time I had joined my mother in her cleaning job as soon as I finished elementary school. Early right?" She asked

"Pretty too early dear" Alex replied

"Beggers are not choosers you know, if I really want to go to school as I have dreamed, I had to help her with the cleaning job so as to enable her take more jobs and hence, more money. And funny enough, I had strength to work even as a child so my mom was able to take on more jobs and combining it with what dad earned, things because slightly easier" she continued.

"So that was how you were able to see yourself through school" Alex concluded.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha" Emily laughed so hard before objecting Alex's conclusion. "Easy to say, at the very time we thought it was getting easier, my dad was involved in a ghastly accident on his way home from the store on one unforgettable night. I had just returned from the cleaning job I went to after school, I was already going alone by then because I was already in highschool. It was around 7:30 pm on that terrible day. Mother had returned earlier than me and was preparing the dinner we could afford (smiles) when I returned. I barely took off my clothes when mother's phone rang. It was a call from the hospital informing her of the critical condition my dad was as a result of the accident. Mother and I rushed down to the hospital and the sight of father was too terrible to behold. He had lost his legs" She bursts into uncontrollable tears.

Alex was left with no option than to console her. He moved closer to her as they were already seated on a park bench along the path they walked. "It's okay dear, it's okay to cry, I can understand" He consoled.

"You don't understand!!!" She snapped. "Everything running through our minds was how we were going to survive without his contribution to the family, we barely had a life with his earnings, now he can't even work anymore. Sorting the hospital bills was so difficult but we were able to pull through that with the help of a good Samaritan who never showed up till today. We do not even know the person, the doctors just told us our bills have been settled. We are forever indebted to the person anyway" should concluded.

"Hmmmm, you have gone through a lot as a child" Alex commended as he patted her shoulder. "You are the first child of the family of four you said. Where was your sister at the time?" Alex asked.

"Brother" she corrected cleaning her face and putting herself together now.

"Oh! Brother, my bad" he replied tapping his forehead.

"As if the accident was not enough, mother discovered she was having another child two weeks after the accident. I was happy I was going to be a sister to someone but then it was a very wrong time to have a another mouth to feed in our home. Mom brooded and cried daily wishing it was a nightmare but it was real. She would have opted for an abortion but it was against her religious beliefs and she can never compromise her beliefs. Ryan was born two months after father was discharged from the hospital" she explained.

"Ryan! I love that name. That is a lovely name, and how old is Ryan now?" Alex asked.

"12" Emily replied.

"Would like to meet with him someday, would that be ok?" Alex requested

"Sure, no problem" Emily replied.

"So how were you able to pull through with him?" Alex asked with curiosity

"It was not so easy but we were able to pull through. I soon finished from High School and got into college where I met Anna and Tracy and we became friends" she explained.

"Oh! So you have been friends since college? That explains your closeness" Alex commented.

"Yeah, we are very good friends" she agreed

"But Anna is from a rich background, she didn't discriminate?" Alex asked

"Not at all, as a matter of fact, I have been so relieved since I met her and her parents are wonderful as well, they treat Tracy and me as their own children. They supported me through school and it really relieved my parents and even Ryan got a scholarship from Anna's mom, Anna is an angel sent to me by God. Tracy is from an average background so she was okay on her own then. We were good together and college was really relieving" she explained.

"Hmmmm, I see" Alex said nodding.

"She even helped me with the job at Cartar Enterprises" Emily said laughing in an unusual manner.

"Why are you laughing? And talking of work, why did you accept the job because I know too well that Anna must have told you how I changed secretaries?" Alex queried.

"Funny is it? She told me a lot about you which I can't say now but I still had to take the job, I couldn't get a decent job since I finished from school and the income barely cater for our basic needs. I decided to take the job and make a change. Anna even wanted her mom to get me another job elsewhere but I declined since I don't know what to meet there after all, the devil you know is better than the angel you've not met and I would have Anna by my side to encourage me and Tracy was there too so I gave it a trial" Emily explained.

"Hmmmmm, interesting. So what were you told about me?" Alex asked curiously

"No, no, no, I can't talk about that now, maybe later" Emily objected. "So enough about me, can I know about you?" Emily popped the question.

"Oh! No, not me" Alex jumped to his feet. "Let's get on our way, it's evening already he said looking at his wrist watch, the time was 5 pm.

"Oh! Really? So you are not going to tell me about you?, No problem" Emily said with anger sensed in her voice, she stood up, picked her purse and stated to walk towards the direction they came from. Alex noticed her anger and quickly rushed towards her holding her hands "I'll drop you off" He said

"Let go of my hands and I know my way, thanks" She replied shoving his hand off hers now walking very fast ahead of him. 

Alex increased his pace and held her hand tight twisting her hand around, he turned her to face him and hugged her tightly. A moment of silence ensued. Emily was not sure if she should break free from his hold or hug her back, she just stood still and did not struggle to leave his warm arms.

"I am sorry" Alex said breaking the silence and releasing her from his hold. "I'll tell you about it" he added holding her hand and leading her back to the bench.

"Hmmmmmmmmm" He sighed heavily