MOM, IS THAT YOU?

Vanya was thinking of everything that happened. She smiled to herself as she remembered how she hugged Oliver unknowingly. She was happy that Oliver was making progress with his mom's case. She imagined Oliver happy, which made her happy.

Angela was still cleaning up Vanya's room, late at 19:00.

'Angela, why did you finish your work late today?' Vanya asks kindly.

'I was busy studying my bible; I forgot that I had unfinished cleaning to do.' Angela explains.

Vanya was curious. She wanted to know what was so interesting about the bible.

'Angela, can you read the bible to me, tomorrow?' Vanya makes a request.

'No problem, my lady.' Angela replies happily.

Vanya video calls her friends: Charlotte and Maryam.

'Hello, girls,' Vanya greets the sleepy girls.

'What's up?' Charlotte says casually.

'Hello, Vanya.' Maryam says with a sleepy eye.

'I was not feeling sleepy, so I decided to call you girls.' Vanya says.

Charlotte looks at her with a suspicious eye.

'That guy was making you sleepless, eh?' Charlotte teases.

'Which guy is that?' Vanya blushes a little.

'Girls, I've gotten a boy…friend!' Maryam chips in excitedly.

'Who's that?' The girls ask curiously.

'It's Abdul Kareem, the son of Muhammad Kareem, the owner of Silver line bank. I'm so happy that he asked me out.' Maryam blushes.

'Wow! Abdullah Kareem asked you out? Hmm… you were always secretly crushing on this guy since grade one,' Cherry jokes. Maryam smiles and shows the girls here new gown he bought for her.

'The dress is nice, but, are you getting married tomorrow? What's the rush?' Vanya asks humorously.

'Charlotte, you're not talking about yourself. Tell us something new,' Vanya requests. Charlotte's face deems a little.

'I'll be traveling to Paris for 5 months. My grandma is not feeling too well, so my family is going for a vacation to our home country, France.' Charlotte says sadly.

'We will miss you. When were you planning to tell us?' Maryam asks.

'I planned to tell you guys, real soon.' Charlotte confesses.

'Now, it's time for Cinderella to tell us about her prince Charming.' Charlotte says to Vanya.

'It's nothing much. I have feelings for him, but, I don't know if he feels the same.' Vanya confesses.

'Awwwwn,' the two girls exclaims.

'He must have feelings for you. Have you told him about how you feel?' Charlotte asks.

'No! I can't. He should be the guy here. He should tell me he likes me.' Vanya states proudly.

'Girls, it's getting late; see you in school tomorrow. Bye!' She bids the girls goodbye and ends the call.

Oliver dreamt that night: He saw Asantel Dion sitting and talking to him. She told him, she was sorry for ever leaving him behind. She said she had been regretting her actions for a long time. He wakes up to the reality; he wished the dream would never end, but anything that has a beginning has an end.

He saw his father pass his room late at night. What's Dad doing up this late? Oliver asks himself. He looked around but his dad was not in the sitting room, neither was he in his room. Oliver goes down to the basement, and there he saw his father. His father was wrapping the drugs with a nylon sack, and putting it in the water storage.

'Dad…?' Oliver startles his dad.

'Hello,… Hey, Oliver, why are you up late?' Mr. Myles asks.

'Dad, I saw you pass by my room, I wanted to check if it was really you. But, what are you doing here, at this time?' Oliver asks.

'It's just work. Work was really hectic, today. I'm doing… How is Charles? He's such a nice boy, huh?' Mr. Myles evades the question.

'Charles is okay and well. Dad, if you need me I will be in my room.' Oliver says, and walks back to his room.

'Phew…' Mr. Myles heaves a sigh of relieve and continued what he was doing.

In the morning, Oliver sat on his seat, in his class, reading his book, when two men walked to the teacher.

'Oliver, someone's looking for you.' The teacher says.

Oliver walks outside the classroom with the guys.

'Please, who are you?' Oliver asks one of the guys.

'Come with us.' The first man says.

'Pardon me, I don't know who you're, I won't follow you.' Oliver says firmly.

'We came to get you to Asantel Dion, she's waiting.' The second guy utters.

Oliver's face lit up, immediately. His heart jumped for joy.

'Where's she, now?' Oliver asks in anticipation.

'Come with us, we'll show you.'

The two men took Oliver to a car, a Coupe. One of the guys opens the door for him and he goes in.

'Asantel Dion awaits you in her guesthouse.' The first man says, and they zoom off.

Asantel was waiting in her guest house. She sat on expensive looking furniture with a champagne flute, and crossed legs. She sat outside the guest house, in her porch.

The car arrive the guest house, and Oliver was quick to get off the car as soon as he saw Asantel Dion.

She signals him to come inside, and he hurriedly makes his way into the house.

'Hello, young man.' Asantel greets.

'Good morning, ma.'

'You might be wondering what you're doing here. I'm as confused as you are, even more confused. What's your name?' She asks.

'It's Oliver Sparrow, ma.' Oliver says.

Asantel lost balance for a few moments, on hearing the name. She regains her stamina. Her eyes were wide open, and surprise was written on her face.

'What did you say? Are you Oliver; my little baby, Oliver?' Asantel asks emotionally.

'Yes, ma'am, I'm Oliver Sparrow.' Oliver replies.

Tears rolled down her cheeks, as she hugs Oliver passionately.

'I'm sorry for everything. I shouldn't have left you behind. I regretted my actions too late. I already had another life. I'm truly sorry.' Asantel says apologetically.

Oliver could not speak; his eyes kept on producing tears of joy. He couldn't just believe this was really happening.

After the emotional outpour, Asantel sat down with Oliver. She was seeing her son for the first time as a teenager. She couldn't stop the tears.

'Why did you leave me?' Oliver asks.

'I was foolish; I was young; inexperienced. When I married Myles .M. Sparrow, I didn't know he had nothing to offer. I married for love, and that love died when I gave birth to you.' She breathes in, and continues: 'I saw you as a reminder of how my life was damaged. My friends insulted me; they said they expected a better life for me. The said my life was broken beyond repair, just because I gave birth to you. I hated ever giving birth to a baby. I thought babies brought joy, but to me it was like a mistake.

'One day, I was working in my office, when the famous actor, Caramel Dion, met me. He told me that I had a rare beauty, and he would like to audit me for a role in a movie he was making. After the audition, he fell in love with me, and I hid the fact that I was married, and a mom. It was another chance to give my life a meaning.

'I wrote your dad a letter after Caramel proposed to marry me. I told your dad that I was going to start my life all over again. I got married to a better husband, Caramel, and my life changed drastically.

'I realized that I had lived only a shadow of what my life has become. I gained wealth, influence and power. Some months later, I got pregnant for Caramel Dion. I made a new life, and I turned from Chantelle Sparrow into the powerful Asantel Dion.' Asantel narrates.

Oliver sat motionlessly. Tears streamed down his cheek as he stared at his mom.

'I only wished for the love of a mother. I wished that you would come back to me. The time became slower, the wait turned longer. I never thought I would ever tell you this, but, mom, I really love you, even though you left me in my infanthood.' Oliver says sadly.

After the heart-felt conversation, Oliver was happy and sad at the same time.

'Mom, will you come back to us?' Oliver asks Asantel. She became more distressed. Her eyes showed much sorrow, as she utters these words: 'I'm sorry, Oliver; I really can't give up everything, just to get back to you. I'm sorry; I've forgotten my past, and Myles .M. Sparrow is my past. I can't make a mistake, one, too many times. I'm truly sorry.'

Her heart was pulsating very fast. She couldn't do anything to aid her son, who was obviously dying from inside. Oliver's pain was filling his heart like an overflowing stream. He just stood in front of his mom, motionless.

'Mom, I thought everything would return to normal as soon as I found you.' Oliver says.

'Yes, it would. This is how it's meant to be.' Asantel states, trying hard to conceal the pain she felt. 'Oliver, I really want to have a happy family with you, but it's impossible.' She says. 'I'm remorseful, but you've to remain a secret. If everyone knows about you, my career will be ruined. I can't afford to lose all that I've worked for.' Asantel Dion says selfishly.

After the conversation, Asantel told her bodyguard to drop off Oliver in school. Oliver was saddened by what his mom said – He was heartbroken.