CHAPTER TWELVE

Tola held her mother's hand while they both stared at havilah high school's notice board. She made it! She passed both the common entrance and interview. She had now been offered admission on merit on the first list. She was very happy and so was her mother…she thought.

Her mother let her hand go and they both walked toward the car which had its door opened for them by the driver. The drive was quite a long one; her new school was really far from home. On entering the house, Tola made for the stairs heading to her room; she would not like to miss the chicken squad marathon on Disney junior that afternoon.

"Tola" her mother called, interrupting her thoughts

"yes mum" she replied

Her mother sat down on the sofa and patted down the empty spot with her hand beckoning on her daughter to join her on the sofa which Tola obliged.

"Tola, I know you and I are not close, but I am still your mother, I gave birth to you, and I love you from the bottom of my heart" Tola looked at her mother, what suddenly brought this up?

"I know mum" Tola replied

"look… dear" she sighed

"I am so sorry about Mr. Uche; so sorry that I did not believe you and everything you said.. that I almost allowed him to…" her mother sobbed, she could not finish her words

Tola reached out to hold her mother's hands. She really meant what she said and was sincerely sorry. She had never seen this side of her mother before; it made her excited and happy. She loved and admired it.

"Mum, it is okay.. it is fine. It is that wicked man that deceived you and made you believe in his stupid lies so that he could achieve his evil deeds. It is not your fault"

"How, wouldn't it be my fault? My daughter and only child being assaulted: have I not failed as a mother?" she asked solemnly.

Tola felt very bad and really did not like to see her mother cry. It had been months since her mother discovered that man's treachery and licentious behavior. She had been devastated, petrified and furious all at the same time. It was a very sad happening, but she made the high school's merit list; she had passed the common entrance.

"Mum, it's okay…Dad will never know as I promise not to tell him" Tola said as her mum lifted up her head to look at her daughter.

"Look at the bright side, I passed the examinations and I have made it to secondary school" Tola smiled and hoped she was doing a good job in cheering her mother up.

Shirley smiled back at her daughter; she was suddenly changing the subject. Was Tola forgiving her?

"Do you forgive me?" she asked

"Yes mum, I do" Tola replied as she nodded

"Okay, then this happening will be our one little secret" she said

"So, we would need to discuss your new school and all the requirements for your attendance" she sighed as she continued.

"Wait mum, is the school a boarding school?"

"of course, dear, it is both day and boarding but I planned on you being a day student or would you rather be a boarding student?"

Tola shivered, "no, I do not want to be bullied or know how to be on my own"

Her mother laughed "thank God you know that, but you do know that bullies are everywhere, right? You just have to be smart and careful at all times. The driver can take you and bring you back home from school every day by God's grace"

"Where you a boarding student mum?"

"Yes, I was"

"How was it like?"

"Well, I was so tiny just as you and in my own school, parents were not allowed to carry anything on our behalf. So, I began carrying all my things down to the hostel. My mum had warned me to be careful of where I kept these belongings of mine while I came down to carry more but I did not listen. I had just carried my mattress and two pillows in, and I ran down to get my bucket, but when I returned; I found out that my two pillows had grown legs and had walked away from where I dropped them" Tola laughed at her mother's story. They really walked away indeed.

"Since I am not a boarding student, I will not be needing all those things"

"No, you wouldn't" Shirley smiled

"Boarding school is not bad you know. It actually makes you smarter and wiser in some respects"

Tola frowned at this statement. She was not going to like boarding school no matter what her mother said. "So, which one is better, boarding or day?"

Shirley noticed her daughter frowning at her, and she laughed, "they are both school, but we can say that boarding school is not for the faint of heart"

Tola laughed "I think I will be needing a new school bag"

"Do not worry, we will go to the market tomorrow and get all the things you'll need. Come, let us write a shopping list.