"hello Priscilla. how are you?, why are you crying" i asked pulling her close to myself.
"am hungry"
"this early" i yelled looking at the wall clock. oh my goodness the time is thirty minutes past six. she tried today without much doubts.
"come on, i will get you your breakfast"
"i want white oats for breakfast with much milk?" she said
"you don't have to ask, i will do just that miss Priscilla," she took the lead while i followed behind. after preparing her the breakfast, it was nice watching her finish up a bowl filled with oats.
Priscilla never had the chance to feel a mother's love and care, she has always crave for this all her life, but none of her wish ever came through although we have someone that poses like a mother in our life, A STEPMOTHER! dad remarried two years after mom's death, my mother's death was a cause for another's life. the memories flow fresh and stale everyday in my heart, the cry of a baby from the hospital's labour room which caused everyone to rejoice and for a moment. mom stopped breathing causing tears and mourning leaving me and Priscilla to cater for ourselves. My stepmom is a high class social oriented woman, she cares a lot about her career and social personality. I have always wondered what was the chemistry between dad and her that brought them together.
"am going to aunt Teresa's room. so go back to your room and have your beauty sleep, i won't disturb you again' she said "and thank you so much Idara" she added and ran off to Aunt Teresa's room.
i spent the rest of the day solving algebras, subject of formula and most of my subjects weak points. examination is fast approaching and i am looking forward to spending my Christmas holiday with my grandparents at Akwa Ibom. Dad and step mum returned home while Priscilla and I were having dinner. The door open widely, dad walked in with his suitcase and Mrs Philips followed.
"Welcome dad" I greeted as he walked towards the dining table.
"How are you?" He asked politely, he looked depressed or probably stressed out. Priscilla was engrossed in her plate of afang soup, she didn't care about the things happening around her.
"Priscilla!" I called out, "dad is back" I whispered while dad was talking to Teresa.
"Am seriously hungry right now, I don't want to lose my appetite for this food" she said simply and continued with her food. Priscilla has also been that way since she started school, She speaks her mind and doesn't care who gets hurt by it. "My teachers taught me in school to always speak out my mind and not be dreaded by the outcome" she once said last time i made a comment about the way she talks.
"Hi! Idara, am so sorry I couldn't come home yesterday, I thought your Dad came in yesterday, I had an emergency patient rushed in very late last night, I had to stay back at the hospital and today we performed a surgery, that's why am coming back late today also" She narrated. I've heard this excuses repeatedly that's its more than I can count. Its now beginning to sound like a broken record.
"Alright, Teresa took care of us very well" I replied beeming a fake smile across my face. Although I have my disagreement with her, I can't simply bring it to the surface.
"Hi! Priscilla, you don't want to say hi to me?" She asked in a pleasing and mimicking tone.
"No,I was so serious with my food that i didn't see when you came in with dad".
" really?" She asked in disbelief while pulling a chair next to her to sit.
"You've always been too serious with your work that you don't know if I am around" she replied. she said her mind in a little simple and twisted way, Dad let out a titling sound of laughter but stopped when Mrs Philips took a glance at him.
"I thought she was just making a joke dear".
" we are sorry Priscilla " dad apologise but still couldn't shake off the laughter on his face. My phone buzzed on the table, it was grandmother calling, she calls almost everytime to ask how we are doing.
"Hello grandma" I greeted,
"Ayen Mme, aba dieh" she asked in a her usual accent. Priscilla spranged up from her seat and walked towards me, she was coming for the phone. She grabbed it and ran off to talk in private with her, she hasn't really given me the chance to talk to her. She loves grandma more than anyone, since grandma took up the responsibility of catering for her after mother's death. I have no idea about what she was saying to her but she kept on saying yes to everything, she was smiling all through except for a moment when she handed over the phone to dad. She walked over and mutter a word to my hear, I grinned happily to the news.
" no they can't come" dad shouted over the phone and ended the call.
"Whom amongst you told your grandmother you want to spent your Christmas holiday with them? Dad asked in an angry tone, his tone was aggressive. My face went pale for a moment, the whole house was much quiet than a grave yard. Dad is heartily and funny when he is happy but the complete opposite when angry that no one can approach him.
" I did " I replied with the fear of being beaten
"Why?, you want your grandma to feel we are not taking care of you or do you want to go to your mother's land and spent you life there as slaves?" He asked looking at me while I looked down.
"Am sorry dad"
"You better be, because am sick of them diving into our affairs and from today, you stop talking to them" dad said and walked away. Priscilla was already welling up with tears. She ran off to her room while I also retire to mine.
"Sorry" Teresa murmured as I walked past her. I finally fell asleep after crying my eyes out the whole night. We went to church service the next day as a family together, no one was talking, everyone was wearing a sad face throughout the day.
My results came out perfectly and clear, I worked hard for it. As usual, Priscilla kept to her leading role in the class as first. Dad came home later in the evening, he congratulated us for the results but didn't stop to fine fault in my grades. Teresa got her salary for the month. She was going to leave for the holiday, which made us more unhappy.
While I was trying to take a nap and try to forget most of my problems, Priscilla ran into my room with a smile plastered on her face, I thought for a moment dad has permitted us to go.
"I know what you are thinking, but he hasn't given us the permission" she said, Teresa also walked in, "they surely have a surprise for me" I thought to myself.
"Teresa and I devised a plan on how we are going to ...............she said.
TO BE CONTINUED....
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