I LOVE YOU – episode 11

Only the early days of holidays were fun. The whole family welcomed me, I hardly did any chores. Mum was  always asking “ what would you eat?”

Mum noticed how I sometimes limped due to the pains in my leg. I told her I fell down on the hostel stair case while taking water up to my room.

“pele, shey o sa ti toju e dada?” she asked

The rate at which I cooked up lies, impromptu, amazed even me myself. I used to find it difficult to lie before, but that was a thing of the past now.

“ it’s true when they said, it’s sometimes good to lie than to tell the truth” I thought.

I didn’t join the local choir when I returned home. I just sat in the congregation during Sunday service and midweek services( which my dad forces me to go)

The zeal to worship God was no longer in me. I found spiritual things tiring that I could no longer do them. I don’t pray, sing nor study the bible.

In the second week of my arrival, I got thirsty, of alcohol of course. I decided to go the bar some few streets away. It was an evening, around 3pm. No one was at home. Customers were not much at the bar, the perfect time to drink without anyone noticing. I ordered a plate of pepper soup along side the drink.

I relaxed watching the TV, when suddenly I heard someone call my name, it sounded like my dad. He never passéd that route when coming from office with temi- my younger sister. But that day the route he passes was blocked due to an accident that had occurred and caused traffic jam, and he then used this route, and then stopped to get somethings in the nearby shore beside the bar – 3 storey (as he explained to mum later).

I couldn’t believe my ears, there was no lie to cook up, I was caught right in the act.
I came out of the bar looking like a sheep drenched in the late night rain. I looked down as if his eyes were at his feet.

Dad: Kelvin, what are you doing here?
Me: uhm! (I couldn’t say anything, stammering was it all)

Before I finished stammering, his left hand landed a slap on my face. While still rubbing my cheek to ease the tension caused by the thunder that fell on it, dad pulled me by the shirt into the car.

We got home, dad simply went into his room, temi was just staring at me, didn’t know how to comment to the whole thing.

I waited hours for dad’s call, but he didn’t. He simply acted like nothing was wrong. This gave me even more fear.

At ten o’clock, when we put off the generator , he called everyone to the sitting room.

Dad: Kelvin, explain where I found you to everyone
(I looked up, “so he hadn’t told mum” I thought, as I looked down again)
Me: 3 storey sir
Dad: doing what?
Me: ( I was silent)
Dad: didn’t you hear me?
Me: drinking…ing sir
Mum: what?!!!! ( she stormed over and gave me ‘abara’ on my back)

Mum started vituperating as she cried “you went to a bar? Are you crazy? Who taught you to drink? Is that what I told you to go do in school? After all have told you?! You are a disgrace……..” ( I cant even remember all the spiteful words she said, as regret overcame my hearing ability)

Temi was asked to take mum inside. Dad locked the door leading to the hall way, and then gave me a beating of a life time, I shouted that even neighbours asked “what happened “ the next day. He then advised me.

Everyone changed to me, even temi ( dad must have suggested it, as a way of punishing me).
Hadizat had called, and subscribed my phone for me, as mum wasn’t responding too.

This system had been a very effective way of punishing me.

It was the last Sunday service, I got to the church just before the end of workers meeting ( I was doing all I could to get on the good side of my dad)

During the sermon, I was touched.

I felt terrible for all I was doing. The pastor  made an altar call. I responded, was prayed for and counselled.

“I want to turn a new leaf” I told myself.
How  firm will this resolution of mine stand?