The coffee machine beeped to a halt and I moved over to the cabinet top to switch it off. Zoe loved hot coffee whenever she came back from school no matter the hot weather and I always gave it to her- the apple of my eye! Humming Joshua Bamiloye's 'there are forces against my soul' song, I went into the store, picked up 5 pieces of big yellow plantain and came back into the kitchen. 'I am gonna make my baby fresh sweet chips. My little baby' I said aloud, smiling happily. If you asked me what gave me joy to still remain in my unfortunate marriage to Zack, then, I would say it was my only child, Zoe! I loved and adored her! As I started turning the almost brown chips in the frying pan, I heard the honks of Zoe's school bus. "My baby is here" I said aloud, moved to the window, drew the curtain and then I saw her as she stepped into the compound, looking as cute as always. I quickly drained the first round of the chips and then introduced the other set into the hot, boiling oil. "Hello mum, I am home" I heard her voice as she scampered into her room. "Welcome my baby girl. How was school today?" I asked with a raised voice "Cool" came her short response. She must be very tired! "Make sure you pray o" I shouted again "Ok mum" she replied softly. Few minutes later, she came into the kitchen in a beautiful white camisole and a short blue corduroy skirt and my eyes widened as I saw her. "Zoe! Why would you wear something clean when you have not even had your bath, huh!" I exclaimed. She looked at me briefly, sauntered to the coffee machine, poured out some and sipped it without looking at me. My ten year old Zoe would always behave like an adult! But something is not right as whenever she looked at me briefly, she had something bothering her but I had told her severally that this could be very disrespectful. "Zoe, isn't it you I am talking to?" I asked her loudly and she looked up at me and smiled briefly. "Your respect thing again shae? Ok mum, good afternoon. Howdy?" she said and looked into my face with a 'Isn't that enough' look on her face. I saw the dark circles under her eyes and I gasped. "Are you okay?" I asked and she looked away quickly. "Is there something you are keeping away from me?" I asked but she did not reply and instead downed another cup of coffee. I looked on, amazed. "Mum, it seems the plantain chips are burning" she said and I turned quickly to the gas cooker, turned the knob and quickly used the colander to bring out the chips. I served the chips inside a small salad bowl and Zoe came around to get it from me. "Thank you mummy. You know I really do love you" she said as she walked out of the kitchen. I followed her intently "And I love you so well too baby but you know my heart aches when you keep a secret no matter how little from me." "Mummy, you too like gist!" she said, giving me a half smile. I smiled too but it was short-lived. "Is Mandy fighting you again?" I asked and she shook her head in the negative "Ok, but she called you a proud girl again?" "No mum, you know I already told you that I don't give a damn what anybody calls me. I already told Mandy that if she calls herself my best friend and still tells me I am proud, it would all be over. I don't condone that indiscipline and she has actually complied" she talked on, her gist mode activated. I smiled appreciating the fact that she talked like an adult. "But don't do things that would make her..." I was saying when she cut me short "Say I am proud shae? What have I been doing? Mum, see o, 'Give me your assignment to dub' and I said 'I can't give you'. 'Follow me to watch the drama' and I say 'I am not going'. 'Ok, come to my house on Saturday' she said again 'No I can't come, that's the day I read'. The conclusion was then 'Zoe, you are proud!' Judge those instances well mum, do they signify pride?" she asked, really gesticulating "No dear. I appreciate the fact that at your age, you are able to say your mind without anyone affecting your decision. That is good. Clap for yourself" I said and she gave me a funny look and then chuckled "Mum, who does that? Clap for myself at my age and marital status? No mum. I have outgrown that" she said as she chewed her chips. I tickled her and she started laughing vehemently "That's what your age mates still do so. You are still a kid my dear. Don't say because you are in Jss2 at ten, you are a grown girl o." I said and she laughed. "Mum, don't say that jhur. I am a big girl o" she said again, winking at me. God, can you just help me to train my own daughter well? I prayed silently. I dreaded the thought that I had failed as a mother. "Zoe, can I ask you a question?" I asked and she nodded in the affirmative. She dropped the salad dish on the glassy center table, sat close to me and placed her head on my laps. I rubbed her chin. "Ask mum" she said "Are you proud to be my daughter? If you are asked to choose another mother tomorrow..." I was saying when she cut me short, sitting up with such alacrity that almost scared me. "Mum, I will choose you!" she said, nodding continuously. I looked on at her with my mouth suspended "Mum, there are lots of things many of my friends can't tell their own mother because it is either they beat them blue black or they take them to church for deliverance but for you, I can tell you anything. I can run towards you with poop smeared all over my body but you would still hug me and tell me with love 'Daughter, you smell'. That kind of mother is rare. Mum, it would be you and you again a million years to come" she said and I was so pleased. I pulled her close to me and pecked her cheeks. "I love you my daughter. Thank you for the encouragement" I said and she smiled "Mum, never for once should you doubt your quality of good motherhood. You are good inside out" she said again as if to say she was the mother and I was the child! Zoe won't kill me with laughter! "me daily?" I asked and she laughed loudly hugging me so tight "Look for a mum that treats her daughter as a friend, listen to her gist and still crave for more gist and I will show you my mother." She said as she gave me a 'high five' "Don't worry mum. I will tell you later. Let's face my own issue now" she said almost anxiously. "Ok boo, what exactly do you want from me?" "Lemme be frank with you mum. You know I am the youngest in that class and all of them know, although I am bigger than most of them." "Yes daughter. I know" I said looking into her face. She would never feel bad for her stature. In fact, she loved it! I really taught and instilled in her boldness and confidence plus love for oneself. "Mum, to be frank, I have a crush in my class" she dropped the bomb and my chest rose up with pain arising from it. "Crush? What's a crush?" "Mum, it's a Sam. He is the Class rep and I am the assistant. He behaves matured, he is handsome, he doesn't do bad things, he only goes on his way and even for me, he plays hard to get" she said and I really could not help myself as I let out a serious sigh. But she didn't look at me. "It has been like that for long until yesterday when we were in the Biology lab when he walked over to me and dropped a note in my hand and ran away." She continued with satisfaction on her face. "A note?" "Yes mum, a note. I have kept it safe in my wardrobe. It says 'I like your kind of girl and I won't mind if you don't, to be your boyfriend' and mum, I walked out of the lab into the restroom to read over and over again! I could tell nobody. I was so excited" she said, sighed and stood up from my laps to the window side. What should I do? What kind of a thing is this? What sort of a Sam has gotten the premature heart of my kid? What do these kids understand oh Lord! These were the questions that ran through my head as I looked at her. If I beat her now, of what use would that be? If I go to their school tomorrow to report Sam to the school authority, of what use is that? Lord, please teach me the right step to take! I prayed as I looked up at the ceiling as if my life depended on it. "Daughter, tell Sam that you are inviting him for dinner in your house on Saturday" I said and her eyes widened as she ran to me. "Mum! For real?" she asked, smiling widely. My heart broke but I smiled and nodded in the affirmative. "Yes for real. Let's meet him and see if it's a devil's proposal" I said. I didn't know where that idea dropped from but it dropped anyway. She stopped in her tracks, her smile fading away. "A devil's proposal?" she asked and I nodded. "Yes dearie. On many occasions, the devil proposes to us daily. We either say yes or no to the proposal. This is a proposal from someone, not necessarily Sam but when he comes, by the look on his face, his word to you and all, I will know if it's a devil's proposal or just a juvenile stuff" I said and with her mouth suspended, still looking at me, I knew she wanted more. "See, the devil can tell you 'hiss at your mum'. It's just a proposal, you either say yes or no" I explained further and she nodded, closing her mouth. "I understand! Like when Dad would come
Chapter 1 Hot Coffee.
đŒEPISODE 1đŒ
.
THE BENSON'S RESIDENCE
The coffee machine beeped to a halt and I moved over to the cabinet top to switch it off.
Zoe loved hot coffee whenever she came back from school no matter the hot weather and I always gave it to her- the apple of my eye!
Humming Joshua Bamiloye's 'there are forces against my soul' song, I went into the store, picked up 5 pieces of big yellow plantain and came back into the kitchen.
'I am gonna make my baby fresh sweet chips. My little baby' I said aloud, smiling happily.
If you asked me what gave me joy to still remain in my unfortunate marriage to Zack, then, I would say it was my only child, Zoe! I loved and adored her!
As I started turning the almost brown chips in the frying pan, I heard the honks of Zoe's school bus.
"My baby is here" I said aloud, moved to the window, drew the curtain and then I saw her as she stepped into the compound, looking as cute as always.
I quickly drained the first round of the chips and then introduced the other set into the hot, boiling oil.
"Hello mum, I am home" I heard her voice as she scampered into her room.
"Welcome my baby girl. How was school today?" I asked with a raised voice
"Cool" came her short response. She must be very tired!
"Make sure you pray o" I shouted again
"Ok mum" she replied softly.
Few minutes later, she came into the kitchen in a beautiful white camisole and a short blue corduroy skirt and my eyes widened as I saw her.
"Zoe! Why would you wear something clean when you have not even had your bath, huh!" I exclaimed.
She looked at me briefly, sauntered to the coffee machine, poured out some and sipped it without looking at me.
My ten year old Zoe would always behave like an adult!
But something is not right as whenever she looked at me briefly, she had something bothering her but I had told her severally that this could be very disrespectful.
"Zoe, isn't it you I am talking to?" I asked her loudly and she looked up at me and smiled briefly.
"Your respect thing again shae? Ok mum, good afternoon. Howdy?" she said and looked into my face with a 'Isn't that enough' look on her face. I saw the dark circles under her eyes and I gasped.
"Are you okay?" I asked and she looked away quickly.
"Is there something you are keeping away from me?" I asked but she did not reply and instead downed another cup of coffee. I looked on, amazed.
"Mum, it seems the plantain chips are burning" she said and I turned quickly to the gas cooker, turned the knob and quickly used the colander to bring out the chips.
I served the chips inside a small salad bowl and Zoe came around to get it from me.
"Thank you mummy. You know I really do love you" she said as she walked out of the kitchen. I followed her intently
"And I love you so well too baby but you know my heart aches when you keep a secret no matter how little from me."
"Mummy, you too like gist!" she said, giving me a half smile. I smiled too but it was short-lived.
"Is Mandy fighting you again?" I asked and she shook her head in the negative.
"Ok, but she called you a proud girl again?"
"No mum, you know I already told you that I don't give a damn what anybody calls me. I already told Mandy that if she calls herself my best friend and still tells me I am proud, it would all be over. I don't condone that indiscipline and she has actually complied" she talked on, her gist mode activated. I smiled appreciating the fact that she talked like an adult.
"But don't do things that would make her..." I was saying when she cut me short.
"Say I am proud shae? What have I been doing? Mum, see o, 'Give me your assignment to dub' and I said 'I can't give you'. 'Follow me to watch the drama' and I say 'I am not going'. 'Ok, come to my house on Saturday' she said again 'No I can't come, that's the day I read'. The conclusion was then 'Zoe, you are proud!' Judge those instances well mum, do they signify pride?" she asked, really gesticulating.
"No dear. I appreciate the fact that at your age, you are able to say your mind without anyone affecting your decision. That is good. Clap for yourself" I said and she gave me a funny look and then chuckled.
"Mum, who does that? Clap for myself at my age and marital status? No mum. I have outgrown that" she said as she chewed her chips. I tickled her and she started laughing vehemently
"That's what your age mates still do so. You are still a kid my dear. Don't say because you are in Jss2 at ten, you are a grown girl o." I said and she laughed.
"Mum, don't say that jhur. I am a big girl o" she said again, winking at me.
God, can you just help me to train my own daughter well? I prayed silently. I dreaded the thought that I had failed as a mother.
"Zoe, can I ask you a question?" I asked and she nodded in the affirmative.
She dropped the salad dish on the glassy center table, sat close to me and placed her head on my laps. I rubbed her chin.
"Ask mum" she said
"Are you proud to be my daughter? If you are asked to choose another mother tomorrow..." I was saying when she cut me short, sitting up with such alacrity that almost scared me.
"Mum, I will choose you!" she said, nodding continuously. I looked on at her with my mouth suspended
"Mum, there are lots of things many of my friends can't tell their own mother because it is either they beat them blue black or they take them to church for deliverance but for you, I can tell you anything. I can run towards you with poop smeared all over my body but you would still hug me and tell me with love 'Daughter, you smell'. That kind of mother is rare. Mum, it would be you and you again a million years to come" she said and I was so pleased. I pulled her close to me and pecked her cheeks.
"I love you my daughter. Thank you for the encouragement" I said and she smiled
"Mum, never for once should you doubt your quality of good motherhood. You are good inside out" she said again as if to say she was the mother and I was the child! Zoe won't kill me with laughter!
"Ok ma" I responded and she smiled and placed her head on my laps again. I picked up the remote control and started flipping through the different channels
"Mum, there is something I want to ask you" she said and sat up again. I reduced the volume of the television to the barest minimum and she held my hands.
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