Chapter 2 - The Gate

Mommy was awkwardly quiet through out the drive to school. She only spoke when she asked Daddy to stop at Mr Biggs Fast Food to buy some of the mouth watering Meat Pie they sold which she knew I was a huge fan of.

Daddy didn't say much too, he was normally the quiet one; he liked to choose his words carefully.

Me? I had been sobbing silently at the back seat. I wished Mommy sat with me behind so I could lean in and cry on her body. I also wished they would some how change their minds and turn back.

We got to the large gate which had above it the name of the prestigious school I would be attending,

"ROCK OF AGES ACADEMY"

My heart suddenly started skipping beats, it was pounding uncontrollably against my chest, my fingertips were cold. I mean, I was going to live here without my Parents. I was going to sleep at night and wake up in the morning without seeing my Mommy. I was going to live with complete strangers who would never love me like my Parents. There was this knot in my throat, I had to make sure I didn't cry, at least not at the Gate.

"Why would you say that I wouldn't be allowed to go into the hostel with my daughter to help arrange her things? For crying out loud, it's her first time in the boarding house. How do you expect her to know how to arrange her things?

If I had known this, nothing would have made me bring my girl to this school" My Mommy lashed out bitterly to a Lady in red.

"Ma'am please there would be Senior Girls there to guide her" The Lady in red said.

I wasn't quite sure who she was yet.

"Total Strangers!! How do you expect her to hand over her valued belongings to total strangers, people she doesn't know eh? What if they're thieves?"

My Dad was used to my mum and her drama, so he watched silently, holding back any word which tried to come out. All I could feel was fear and sadness.

"Nothing to worry about. They are trust worthy, They are our prefects. Everything is well organized here Ma'am." There was a brief pause and she continued,

"Please your daughter will have to take her things inside now, I have other students waiting to be attended to.

Thank you!"

The Lady in red said as she walked politely away from us.

" Ibu Onye-iberibe, You are Stupid" Mommy said under her breathe, she was clearly unsatisfied.

The Lady turned immediately to Mommy as her smile which had obviously been fake disappeared.

Was she Igbo?

******

Mommy pressed her lips to my hands then hugged me,

"May GOD ALMIGHTY be your Father and Mother my baby.

You will excel above your mates"

She was looking at me now, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.

"I love you so much.

In case of anything, call me and I'll change your school immediately okay?"

I nodded as she pushed me to my dad who enveloped me in a long hug.

"Junior Girl!

Boarding school is not a death sentence, it's for big and strong girls. You know you're stronger than you think, like your Daddy.

Eat properly and study hard. If you need more pocket money we will send"

I forced a smile. Asides the fact that he loved me so much, he saw boarding school as no big deal. He had told me that in his days he traveled alone by train all the way to the North where his school was situated.

"Remember to put your toiletries in one bag and make sure you use peg to peg your open detergent " Mommy said tenderly.

We had already been through all these like a hundred times. She had even told me how to arrange my locker while we were still at home. But trust her, she said it over again here. I knew all these but I was scared, I was scared that Mommy wasn't going to do it for me.

After some hours, my Dad insisted that Mommy let me go in so I could have enough time to organize my things, even though she wanted us to stay outside till it was time for all Parents to leave. I saw her frown seriously.

It was now the Moment I feared the most. I got to The Gate of the hostel and waved my Parents Goodbye.