Walks of life

Episode 3 Great Chance.

Joel's POV

I was still seated in the living room with our lil sister Lin. Just lost in my little space thinking about what Annah had said earlier regarding the issue of me dropping out of school to give the chance to our young sis Lin to complete her O-level before I complete my A-level.

Mom was already in the kitchen cooking dinner and Lin and I were just seated and not saying a word to each other.

I was about to ask her what she thought Annah had in plan but she was the first to break the silence.

Hey Jo, what do you think Annah has in plan, Lin asks me while moving from where she was seated before to sit across me so we are facing each other.

As in where to get the school fees from,she adds on.

She isn't working and mom's job isn't paying her enough already. Do you think she might be counting on uncle Tom, if thats her plan then we're done because mom said we shouldn't tell him about anything concerning any issues about money no matter what.

Jo, Am talking to you ; Lin exclaims

Yeah yeah am hearing you loud and clear Missy

I tell her making the one Missy sound so dramatic. That's what I was thinking about too.

OK boss then why weren't you answering me it's like am talking to me, I and myself alone here.

She fold her hand on her chest and making a pouty face.

Look Lin, Am also just here wondering what she has in plan I don't know exactly what she has in mind.

But I had told you and mom to tell her about your decision of dropping out but you two said it was better to keep it to ourselves, Lin reminds me.

I know but it was just not to make her worry, you know she takes all the responsibility as the father in this family. We at least wanted to take that burden off of her. It wasn't intentional to hurt her or make her feel like she has been left out.

But I think we just made matters worse because now I don't even know what she is thinking.

Lin looks at me with sad eyes and gives me a small smile. At least you should talk to her first and make her understand your point though I also think there has to be another way to deal with this than you dropping out. It's just months away and your done. I know we will figure out something, Lin tells me and gets up to leave.

Let me go see what mom is making am already feeling hungry, she walks to the kitchen living me in my pool of thoughts. I swear I might as well drown in them because they are in plenty.

Being alone I started to remember all the things that have happened in the past in our lives. The only person we have always been with is our momand then uncle Tom who came to our lives as our savior. No father,no other relatives especially from our father's side.

We met some of our mother's family members but no one helps us in anything. They don't even pay us visits and even us we never go to anybody's home.

We only have us and at least we also count on uncle Tom. He is our mother's childhood friend and his the owner of this home where we stay.

It's a mini flat house, well furnished, 6 bedrooms self contained with each having the bathroom and toilet with in the room. Two of the bedrooms being master bedrooms with a balcony each . A big kitchen, a big dining room a bid sitting room and a mini library across the a small study room for Uncle Tom,a garage that fits in two cars and a shade on the right side of the main double glass door entrance. 1 bathroom and toilet combined outside the house reserved for the security officer and the gateman.

This house has a swimming pool and a big compound well decorated with different colors of flowers and fruits trees. The compound has a sloppy area where the fruits trees where planted right above the inside of bricks fence that sorounds the whole property.

I remember very well the day when our mom came home with the good news that we had got a very nice home we were going to be living at,

We were all confused because we had just been evicted from the rental apartment we were living in due to failure to pay off the big debt we had Our stuff we had with us were thrown by the landlord's son right after the death of his father. He didn't even warn us or give us any notice that he wanted us out of the home. Mom tried to tell him about her agreement with his father but he didn't want to hear any of it.

He had always been like this to us,so rude, arrogant and so disrespectful to us especially our mom and my siblings. He didn't like the idea that his father let us stay in the house after our father abandoned us and mom had no money or a job to keep paying for the rent. It always hurt me, and I had always promised myself that I would do what ever I could to get my family out of this misery. I was young, no job and just a student. I had no money or anything but I was ambitious and I knew one day we will leave all this behind but I didn't know how or when. We had always hold on to prayers and hope.

And in that very moment of distress and no other place to go, mom decided to go to her family to ask for help. She had distanced herself and us from them because they had chased her from their home and her mother who is our grandmother said she disowned her.

Mom did not tell us about everything that happened but we heard about it from the relatives who we met only once on a our mother's family reunion and that's the first time we saw them till now we don't see none of them.

Lin's voice brings me back to earth when I hear her say dinner is ready, she makes the table. I get up and help her as mom brings in the dishes of food.

Lin can you please go get your sister, mom asks and Lin goes up stairs to call Annah.

Hope she comes, she went straight to her room after telling her about our plan,mom adds on

You know Jo I didn't intend to hurt her if I did and I didn't force you to take that decision either. I was just supporting you according to the plan.

What are we having mom, Annah asks as she pulls out a chair to sit.

Rice, meat sauce and vegetables please. Mom replys

Okay, someone lead us in the prayer and we eat before the food gets cold mom says and we all hold our hand and Lin offers to lead us in the prayer.

We say the daily prayer and everyone starts to eat.