The Present

Lila sat in the small but cozy living room, braiding her eight-year-old son Victory’s hair. The house was quiet for once, as the younger children, Ayo and Prince, were playing outside.

Victory, ever curious, turned to her with wide, questioning eyes.“Mama,” he started, a slight hesitation in his voice. “How come we don’t see your family? Why don’t they visit us?” His question hung in the air, a tender innocence underlined by the faint edge of hurt.

Victory’s gaze searched hers, trying to understand something he could sense but not yet fully grasp.Lila took a deep breath. She had always known this question would come, but she hadn’t expected it so soon. In Victory’s eyes, she saw the same curiosity, the same fire, that she had once had.

She felt a pang of sadness but knew it was time to share some of the truth with him.“Well, Victory,” she began gently, “it’s not that they didn’t care about us… but they didn’t accept our choices. They didn’t like that I chose your father.

We were seen as… different.”Victory’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Why? Because Papa wasn’t from a rich family?”Lila nodded, smiling softly.

“Yes. You see, in those days, my family wanted me to marry someone with wealth and status. But your father, Noah, he wasn’t rich in money, but he was rich in kindness, in love, and in strength.”

She paused, recalling the countless times Noah had been her rock when her own family had turned their backs. “To them, those things weren’t enough.

So when I chose him, they… distanced themselves from us.”Victory’s eyes filled with sadness as he thought about the weight his mother had carried.

“But that’s not fair, Mama. You did what you felt was right.”Lila smiled and pulled him close. “Yes, and I would do it all over again if it meant having you, Ayo, and Prince in my life. You all are my treasures, my victory.” She stroked his cheek.

“Sometimes, standing up for what you believe in means letting go of others’ approval.”Just then, the front door swung open, and Ayo and Prince stumbled in, their cheeks streaked with fresh tears.

Lila immediately tensed, her protective instincts kicking in. She set Victory down and hurried to them.“What happened?” she asked, gathering them in her arms. “Why are you both crying?”Between sniffles, Ayo managed to speak. “Mama… the neighbor… she said we’re too poor to play with her children.”Prince, the younger of the two, nodded, burying his face in his mother’s shoulder. “She… she told us to go away because we’re dirty and poor,” he mumbled, his voice trembling with hurt.Lila’s heart broke, but she stayed strong for them, gently wiping away their tears and holding them close. “Listen to me, both of you,” she whispered, her voice filled with warmth and strength.

“What she said doesn’t define you. You’re smart, kind, and worthy of love. Never let anyone make you feel less because of what we don’t have.”As she consoled them, Victory watched, an emotion he couldn’t quite name rising within him. He felt anger at the unfairness, but also a strange warmth as he saw his mother standing tall for his siblings.

His heart swelled with pride, and his eyes seemed to glow with a newfound understanding. He clenched his small fists, a fierce determination filling him.“That’s not right, Mama,” Victory finally said, his voice steady.

“One day, we’ll show them. We’ll show them what true strength is.”Lila looked over at him, seeing the glint in his eyes, and her own heart filled with pride. She saw in him a reflection of the resilience that had kept her going, that had allowed her to make difficult choices and stand firm in her love for her family.

Victory’s words carried a promise, a vision she had held close to her heart since the day she chose Noah and started their family.“Yes, my love,” she whispered. “One day, you’ll show them what true strength looks like.”Victory nodded, his gaze fierce, already feeling a sense of purpose that his mother’s story had ignited within him.

He knew then that, though their family had faced rejection and hardship, they were bound by something far greater than wealth or status. And together, they would rise above the challenges ahead, hand in hand.