Chapter Thirty-Four

In the small but cosy kitchen of the Onuohas, Dera entered with a book and settled on a low stool while Beatrice drained the rice at the sink. She then checked on the cooking meat and proceeded to blend tomatoes in the mortar. The delicious aroma of rice and stew filled the air, as Beatrice prepared dinner.

'How's your school garden?' Beatrice enquired, glancing at her daughter as she pulled down the cooking meat and returned the rice to the stove.

'It's going well,' Dera replied, stealing a quick look at her mother. 'The principal mentioned three days ago that our school will sponsor some students for a mathematics competition. The top students from each class will be selected to participate. After the final screening, the three best students will represent the school in the upcoming competition in Lagos State.'

'That's wonderful!' Beatrice exclaimed, her face lighting up with pride. 'Were you chosen to participate?'

'It hasn't started yet. I'm hoping I'll be selected,' Dera replied, her voice tinged with a hint of anticipation.

'I believe in you, my dear. Just keep doing your best,' Beatrice encouraged, a smile spreading across her face. 'But remember, your WASSCE exams are also approaching, so make sure to balance your time wisely.'

Dera nodded, understanding the importance of focusing on her studies as well. She knew she had to give her all to both the competition and her exams.

As they chatted, Andrew walked in, dressed in a black blazer, and joined them in the kitchen.

'Goodwall just sent me some notifications,' Andrew announced, holding up his phone. 'I think they might be about the winners for the challenges.'

Dera's eyes widened with excitement, and Beatrice's curiosity grew as they eagerly waited for Andrew to open the notifications.

'Go ahead, open them!' Dera urged, unable to contain her anticipation.

'Let me open it,' Andrew said, clicking on the Goodwall app. Beatrice quickly checked on the rice simmering on the gas stove before returning to join Andrew and Dera, anticipation gleaming in her eyes.

'Did she win?' Emeka asked gently upon his return from the shop. As soon as Andrew informed him about the notifications, he closed up the shop and rushed home.

Andrew tapped on the first notification, and the four of them huddled closer, their attention focused on the screen, eager to discover the news that awaited them.

As the first notification loaded, Dera's heart started racing with anticipation. She prayed that she would win, even just one challenge.

Andrew glanced at the three of them and then turned to Dera, asking, 'Are you ready to see the winners?'

'Yes,' all three of them responded in unison.

'Apart from the #TakeMyHand challenge, Dera won in the other challenges,' Andrew happily announced

Overwhelmed with excitement, Dera hugged her mother and father, exclaiming, 'I won!'

'Hey, I can see that. I'm not blind, okay?' Emeka's face beamed with a smile.

Andrew looked at Dera. 'What about my hug?'

Tears welled up in Dera's eyes as she tightly embraced her brother. 'Thank you, Andrew,' she whispered.

'Hey, you haven't received the money yet,' Andrew teased, pinching her cheek. 'Jeff Barcelona sent you messages about your winnings and how to claim them.'

'Who's Jeff Barcelona?' Dera asked curiously.

'He's one of Goodwall's Community Managers. If you have any questions about Goodwall, Jeff Barcelona is the person you should reach out to. He will provide you with the right answers and guidance,' Andrew explained, opening the inbox and proceeding to read the messages aloud.

'Can I record the thank-you videos now?' Dera didn't want to waste any time.

'Are you ready?' Andrew asked.

Dera nodded eagerly. 'I'm ready. I've already read through the instructions.' She took a deep breath.

Andrew recorded Dera's thank-you videos and posted them on Goodwall. Then, they gathered around the kitchen table for dinner, with everyone happily savouring their meal. It was a moment of joy, but the true sense of fulfillment would come when Dera received the American dollars from the bank, enabling her to pay her school fees and register for her WASSCE exam.