Chapter 5

On Friday I was so excited that I got to be with my mum for the weekend, knowomg that woman she'll spoil me and that's exactly what I needed.

When I was almost at my house I heard voices talking. It was my mum and stepmom talking.

"Yes o, Pamela now follows men around. I caught her with my own two naked eyes, romancing with a certain man shamelessly in the middle of the road. And she's so disrespectful! Ever since you came back and started building she always said that she'll move in with you and do whatever she liked that you won't stop her. I just want you to advice her before she spoils rotten. She doesn't pay heed to me because I'm not his real mother, so please talk to her she'll listen to you" I heard the karishika say.

I don't know why that woman wants to distroy my life! I never did anything to her too! I never spoke back at her, I never disobeyed her. So then why turn my own parents against me?

"Mmmm is that so? Well if it's my building she's relying on then she has another thing coming. Cause I'm not building any house for her!" I heard my own mother spew such words and I couldn't help the sting of pain in my heart.

My heart clenched painfully and I broke down. A loud sob escaped my throat. My heart hurt so bad I felt dizzy. But I thought she was my mom? I thought she would love me no matter what. Even if those accusations were true which they are not, isn't she supposed to be on my side?

When they heard the cry, they quickly turned to my direction. My stepmom looked shocked but quickly recovered. My mom, not so much. She just scowled at me.

"Get changed. Pack for the weekend and let's go. Be sure to pack the new things I brought for you" she spoke with so much anger and I contemplated whether to still go with her or not.

But I nodded anyway and wiped my tears.

I packed for the weekend, the cloths mum brought me was indeed beautiful and I loved them. But hearing her say those words made me question my entire existence. If they didn't want me why birth me? Why make your own child suffer like that and why just stand and watch and do nothing?

When I came out, she bid goodbye to that woman and we left. Took a taxi to her hotel. She didn't talk the entire time, until we were in her hotel room.

"Mimi is there something you are not telling me?" She asked curiously with a slight frown of worry.

"No mom but I want you to know that whatever that woman told you is not true!"

"Well yes I know! That is why I'm asking. The way that woman spoke about you didn't sound in anyway motherly. Does she maltreat you? Oh god! does she hit you?!" She almost yelled with wide eyes!

Oh to hell with it!

"No mum she doesn't hit me. She makes dad do it. She tells lies about me and make him hit me mum! I'm suffering in that house! If you don't take me away I might die before you come back next time! Please take me with you! Please mama."

"It's okay my baby! I'll take you away from them. I can't believe this! How can someone be that wicked! It's gonna be okay baby, I promise you that!" She soothed softly with a motherly tone while hugging me tightly to her body.

When I calmed down. I couldn't help but think, if she's on my side, then why did she say all that?

"Mum why did you say those things? I didn't do anything! Why did you believe her? Why did you tell her those things mama?" I asked sadly.

"I didn't mean it. I just wanted to say something to shut that woman up! She can talk for the whole Africa, I tell you! She never stops. She talks too much." She said face palming making me laugh.

"Yes she talks a lot. She likes gossiping too. She even talks about dad with her friends"

"She does? Oh god. I can't believe my baby had to go through all that. I thought your father loved you to the extent of not hitting you. Even if he did it shouldn't be this bad but just look at you, you look so thin and your uniform today was just simply horrifying. They couldn't sew you a new one? What has he been doing with the money I send him for you. Does he give you money for school?" She hissed, she was pissed now.

When my mum was pissed she turned nasty. I remember during those days I stayed with her, she broke a mans head with a titanium bucket! The way blood oozed out still haunts my imaginations.

"No he doesn't give me money for school. I walk to school and then walk back. If I arrived late I get beaten. I'm expected to be home by 3:30 pm when school closes at 3:00! So let's just say I get beaten all the time!" i whined.

"Jesus! From that long journey? Emmanuel is gonna wish he never laid his filthy hands on you! I'm gonna arrest him, and when he's released I'll kill him myself!!" She yelled frustratedly. She was livid!

"No please not yet! Please let it be for now or else I'll be the one to suffer the consequences!" I screeched horrified.

"I'm so sorry Mimi, I wasn't there for you when you needed me. I'm so sorry! I'm a horrible mother, I shouldn't have left you with that monster because I knew exactly what he was like!" She apologized with tears in her eyes.

I wiped away her tears with my fingers.

It wasn't worth it.

"Dad said you left me in a dark room with mosquitoes at the age of nine months, is that true? Why mama? Why did you leave me with him for your new boyfriend?" I asked her.

"What?! Is that what that good for nothing son of a bitch told you? He lied to you about me?!" She sighed and sat beside me on the bed.

"My mom died giving birth to my younger brother, Kossi, at Togo. So I had to come to Ghana to live with my aunties. I didn't believe what your stepmom said about you because I've been through the same thing in the past. Literally! But my aunties weren't different either. They forced me into marriage with your father because they wanted me out of their house. I didn't like your dad, not one bit. He'd hit me all the time. I was planning my escape when I fell pregnant with you. He was over joyed and so was I. So I waited till I gave birth. During the pregnancy he stopped hitting me so I thought he changed. But the abuse continued after I gave birth. He loved you so much that he didn't let you out of his site. When I saw that he was never going to change I took you and I took off. I went back to my aunties house because I had no where to go to. He found me later and took you away from me. He said I could leave but not with you. And from what I believed, he loved you so much, I thought you'd be better off. I was young and naive baby. I was only 16 and I'm so sorry this happened because of me. I guess if I had stayed I would've been the punching bag and not you. I'm a horrible mother. I'm sorry my baby. I promise I'll take you away from here okay?" "Would you forgive mama, baby?"

She was crying when she finished her story and I hugged her tightly. I believed her because I've seen how my dad hit his wives too. It was nothing new.

"It's okay mama, it wasn't your fault. I know how that man can be so I believe you. I just want to follow you back, please don't leave me here again."

"I promise" "now go freshen up so we can go eat, you know you still dirty from school and god that dusty road! I can't believe you had to walk all those miles of that dusty road!"

I stood up slowly and took off my dress. I heard a loud gasp followed by "Jesus!" My mom was sobbing loudly and I looked at her in confusion.

"Curse you Emmanuel! God will judge you! You'll pay for all your sins one day I promise you!" She said between loud sobs.

Then I remembered I was naked before her, means all my scars are now visible to her. I didn't know what to do! She was crying her eyes out! And I stood there feeling dumb. I shouldn't have gotten naked in front of her. I totally forgot about my scars. My whole body was disgusting even to myself. I always wore baggy cloths to cover them up. I pitied myself. I hated my life. Sometimes I just felt like ending it all.

But then a certain beautiful boy would appear in my mind with that beautiful smile and I'd have hope again.

Gideon....