Chapter 20: A Mother's Confession

The Gathering of Families

The sun set, throwing everything into a warm golden hue: the palatial and comfortable home that Elsie now could share with her children and David. An expectant silence drew thick as Elsie prepared for perhaps the most momentous conversation she'd ever have to have in her life. The burden of a woman aching through her past mistakes did really need to be borne out. She had carried it for so many years, but now, she felt, it was time to set it straight.

She called her children into the living room-Emmanuel, who had traveled all the way from Onitsha to attend; Ada, now a bright, curious graduate of the university, and Emenike, who had grown into a thoughtful young man, and managing David's businesses while David sat quietly in the corner, giving silent support.

"The children," Elsie began, her voice trembling slightly, "there's something you need to know. Something I've meant to tell you a long time ago."

The house immediately fell into the sort of silence where it was easy to hear words. Emmanuel shared a lingering stare with Ada, and his face turned serious. Emenike, used to being carefree and relaxed, even started sitting up straighter as the tension here ramped up.

Elsie's Confession

Elsie took a deep breath, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. "When your father was alive," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "I made mistakes. Terrible mistakes. I let greed and ambition cloud my judgment, and I trusted the wrong people. Leo Udeh, and his gang of criminals-they used me, manipulated me, and in the end, they played a role in your father's downfall."

Tears streamed down her face as she continued. "I didn't know how deep their betrayal went until it was too late. By the time I realized what was happening, your father was gone, and we had lost everything. I spend every day since then trying to make amends, trying to rebuild our lives. But I know that nothing I do could ever erase the pain I caused."

"My children," she said, with heavy eyes. "I'm really sorry," she said, breaking when the words came. "I have failed you; I have failed your father. And I have spent my entire life trying to make it better. But now, I just want you to know the truth. I want you to forgive me, please."

The Children's Reaction

That room had been silent for a long moment as children absorbed the words of their mother. "Mama," said Emmanuel, the first to break the silence, his voice steady yet thick with emotion. "I've always known you carried a heavy burden. But I never knew it was this heavy."

Tears filled Ada's eyes as she was about to deliver her message. "How could you keep this from us, Mama? All these years we thought... we thought it was just bad luck. We didn't know it was because of... because of...No wonder the community had been mocking us. What a shame!" Her words started breaking as she sobbed for air. Emenike, normally quiet, had his turn to speak now and was shocking. "You let that man tear our family down, Mama. He killed our father! So, it was your unfaithfulness that brought this evil upon us. No wonder! Why after such a long time… why are you telling us now? How could you trust those devils? How could you allow this to happen?"

Elsie's heart was torn to shreds after Emenike's tirade, but she felt the children had grounds. "I was naive," she said, regret lacing her words again. "I thought they were really wanting to help out. I thought they cared. But I was wrong-and I have spent every day since then making up for that mistake."

Pleading for Forgiveness

There was tension in that room, the air thick with all those things that could not be said. Elsie looked to her children, her heart breaking open at the pain and confusion written on their faces. "I know I can't change the past," she spoke, shaking. "But I have spent my life trying to better the future for you. I have worked hard and sacrificed everything to give you the life you deserve. And I need you to know that I love you more than anything in this world."

She reached out toward them, hands trembling. She said, "Please," in almost a whisper, her voice broke, "forgive me. I know I don't deserve it, but I need you to forgive me."

In silence, the children were once again playing their sights in raw emotion. Emmanuel would make the first move, stood up and approached his mother. He knelt before her, taking her hands into his. "Mama," he said, his voice full of love and understanding. "You have spent your life protecting us, providing for us, and loving us. You have made mistakes. But you have also done everything in your power to make things right. I forgive you."

Ada looked at Emenike sadly and then stood to join Emmanuel. She threw her arms around their mother. "I forgive you, too, Mama," she said, her voice shaking. "I'm still hurt, but I know you've always done your best for us." Emenike hesitated for a moment before standing up and joining his siblings. "I'm still angry," he said quietly but sincerely. "But I love you, Mama. And I know you always try to do what's best for us."

Elsie's heart swelled with emotion as she pulled her children into a tight embrace. The weight of her guilt and sorrow began to lift, replaced by a sense of peace and closure. And while the journey ahead would remain tough, she also knew that she did her best to ensure that things were put right.

The Future

The family was seated together, cocooned within the warmth of their love and their forgiveness. Elsie felt a lot of gratitude-the gratitude of confronting her past, of making amends, and of seeking forgiveness. Now she was ready to face the future, whatever it brought, with her children beside her. Elsie would keep moving for her children, for herself, and for the love she found, and she would not stop until she had achieved her dreams.