My mum met my dad in high school, we were told that the were inseparable. My dad was a year older than my mum. Their relationship continued till they got admitted to different universities.
The tie became severed because of the distance. They moved on with their relationships with other people.
When they graduated, they returned to Bridgeport where they stayed with their families for awhile. Their love was rekindled because coincidentally, their different relationships failed.
Mum got into a tailoring school and dad got a job in a construction company, he was a civil engineer. Mum said that they got married when I was a year old. She got pregnant for me and moved in with dad who got an apartment for them when she got pregnant.
They got the support of both families who liked how they loved themselves. Whenever I listened to mum's tales of a blissful five years of marriage, I wonder what changed afterwards that made them become sworn enemies.
I grew up to see them fight. Dad would hit mum and mum will curse out her breath as she sobs.
Before some of their fight began, I would hear mum yelling and cursing, then a loud sound of a hard slap follows. On of those traumatizing moments for us, dad had shot a gun in the air.
This alerted our neighbours who called the police. I took my siblings who were 4 and 6years old and ran to Ma Christy's place. She was mum's bosson friend who lived down the street. I was 8 but I was already saddled with the responsibility of caring for my siblings.
Dad took to drinking and mum got herself a boyfriend whom she goes out with at night, mostly when dad was drunk. Sometimes, she returned the next morning, on such days, I took care of my siblings and prepared them and myself for school.
Things were going south in the family but somehow I managed to hold brief for my parents. It was when I was an adult that I understood how much adult roles my parents made me play as young as I was then
Dad left home and never returned till his death. Rumour had it that he had another family else where. We also heard that he lived with his sister in Sirr. He cut off communication with mum and she never bothered to look for him or report his absence to his family. She moved on like nothing happened. I feared getting involved with a man who would treat me like dad treated mum and I never wanted to be like mum.
The coldness from mum made me wonder if they were really the highschool lovers everyone knew them as. He had visited me school twice with snacks, he stopped coming probably because I insisted he comes back home if he wants me to keep accepting the snacks he got for us.
Mum was doing well as a tailor but not well enough to pay all our bills. At some point, we couldn't renew our rent, Uncle Bob, mum's brother helped us offset the bills. He took us in when mum's fashion house got burnt down and she couldn't fend for us at that time. One of the things I enjoyed at Uncle Bob's was his fiance's visit.
Aunt Brook is really kind, we had a lot of girls' time together and she would tell me things about boys and their trick. After they got married and moved to Bellington, I missed her really much. I visited occasionally when she had her first son.
The rent was due and Uncle Bob decided to let us stay with him in his house. He had bought the house and was about to leave Bridgeport to Bellington.
He came home from time to time. We were having dinner one night when mum's phone rang. It was the police, dad's lifeless body was found on the walkway. It was alleged that he had slumped. Mum cried like never before. We all cried.
I loved dad but I do not have a story of a good relationship with him. We did nothing together and he wasn't there for any of us.
For days, mum refused to eat adequately. I wondered why dad's demise would hit her that much because I didn't see any affection between them, she lost so much weight and hardly slept well.
Dad's family members blamed mum for his death. They believed he took to drinking because the marriage was burdensome for him and he wouldn't have died if they hadn't separated.
Uncle Bob disagreed with them and blamed them for not interfering when he was assaulting mum and reminded them that he abandoned his family and left nothing for his children.
After dad's funeral, mum took us and we moved to Linca. She explained that she needed a fresh start
I returned to Bridgeport when I got admitted to the University of Bridgeport, Uncle Bob sponsors my education.
"Yours is such a thought provoking story " Sly said. He demanded to know what was up with my siblings and I told him they still lived in Linca with mum. He promised to pay my family a visit when he returns to the city. It was indeed a beautiful night. Sly kissed my forehead and asked me to date him. He promised to treat me right. I was already in love with him so the answer was yes.
We left the restaurant hand in hand, as we got to the car, he did his gentlemanly duties and I got into the car. He came in and we kissed passionately.
We drove home excitedly as we chatted and joked about things. Sly is really fun to be with. He brings up intelligent discussions and it takes smartness to understand his joke. He said he enjoyed my company a lot because I caught his jokes effortlessly.
I realized the night was far gone when I alighted from his car and walked into the house.