Chapter 6
1240 Words
Six years later,
North America, Canada, in Ontario province. Precious has been living with the Efiong family from the age of eleven, after the ran away from home.
She decided to call her father, from a pay phone near her work place. She is presently seventeen and works part time. she works in a diner to help with her school fees since her Forster parents, Mr Mike and Bella Efiong are having some financial problems, because of Mike's addiction to gambling.
Flash back
After staying in an uncompleted building for one week she was discovered by a kind hearted neighbor, Ms. Uduak.
Ms. Uduak, was a Calabar lady who lives in the next compound besides their house. She had always kicked against madames who maltreated their house help. In the case of Ann and Precious, she had always been surprised at the way Ann maltreated and beat up Precious, whom she believed was her daughter.
As time went on, she discovered that Precious was actually an adopted child. Even then, she wondered why a woman would be so cruel to the child whom everyone in the street, believed has brought her luck. Ms Uduak was one of those that believe that, it was the presence of Precious in Mark and Ann's home that attracted their own son after several years of marriage.
Ms. Uduak has confronted Ann on several occasions, When she brutally beats Precious for some flimsy excuses. There was a day Ms Uduak caught Ann chasing Precious with wooden stick for coming back late from school in her junior secondary school, class one.
"Come back her, you evil child" Ann yelled as she hit Precious when she caught up with her.
"Mom I am sorry, it's not my fault. some people came to our school to address us, the principal called for assembly..."
"I don't want to listen to you lies"
koi!
"You should have ignored the assembly and come home to you chores"
koi! was the sound as the wooden spoon descend on Precious' head.
"Madame, it's okay. That spoon might injure her" Ms Uduak yelled, running into the compound.
Ann ignored the lady and continued hitting the child who is now screaming for help.
"Mom I'm sorry, I won't come home late another day" Precious pleaded as she cried.
"Sorry for yourself. You are just ten years old and you move around with boys after school. You think I don't know that is why you are thirty minutes late from school.
kpam!
kpam!!
She was hitting her with both the spoon and her hands
"You can come to school to verify my story mom, please. Immediately the assembly dismissed, I ran back home, mom, please"
"That is not my concern. All I know is that your school is not far from school. So you must always get.. kpam... home Kpam... every day in Kpam... five minutes. You must Obey my rules and not that of your school..."
"Madame, that's enough" Ms Uduak shouted as she snatched the spoon from Ann.
Ms. Uduak had witnessed many more scenes like this in that family. That was what prompted her to take Precious in when she discovered that she has been staying in an uncompleted building.
Although she was aware that Precious has been declared a missing person, she didn't have the heart to send her back home.
Luckily, Ms. Uduak's elder sister, Bella, who lives in Canada with her husband, needed a live in house help from Nigeria. Initially they refused to accept Precious because she was too young but with much persuasion from Ms. Uduak, they agreed to help the little girl by taking her with them to Canada as their daughter.
Precious proved to be all the house help they needed. Even at that young age, she does all the house chores and cleaning perfectly. She also help care for their five years old daughter.
End of flash back
After closing for the night, Precious decided to use the public phone to call her father. He is the only person she missed after she left home six years ago. He is the only person that showed her kindness in that house, although he was never there to protect her from his wife.
she has been putting off the idea to make this call since last year, because she didn't want them to come and take her away from here but since she got her green card last year, I knew that they can't take her against her will. She is now a Canadian citizen.
The Efiongs have been kind to her. They are not financially stable but they care for her like their child. She saves the money she makes from the diner to be able to pay for her university education.
Checking her jean pocket, she was happy to find some changes which she needed to pay for the call.
She knew that it was already late, everywhere was dark except for the few street lights but she also no that if she doesn't make the call now, she might not find the courage to do it next time.
"Hello" she whispered as soon as the receiver was pick from the other end. There was silence for some time.
"Hello dad..." she spoke again
"Precious?" She heard a strange voice from the other end. She panicked and almost cut the line
"... Please don't cut the call. Just tell me where you are" the voice pleaded urgently
"Where I am is not necessary, please give the phone to my dad" she spoke softly
"let me introduce myself. I am barrister Ike. your dad's attorney. He handed over his phone to me last year before he died." he explained
"What... What happened to dad." she sobbed
"it's a long story. tell me where you are and I will come to you. there are many information I need to give to you from your dad" he said
"You can't come to me and I am not ready to come back to Nigeria since my father, who is the only person that cared for me is dead. What of my mom and my brother" she enquires
"Your mom was arrested for your missing but was released after two years of no evidence. She blamed your dad for her imprisonment so she refused to care for him while he was sick with kidney failure. he died willing most of his wealth to you dear" He revealed
"What? but I am just an adopted child. Why would he do that? What of his biological son, John?" She sounded stressed and confused
"That is part of the information I needed to update you with. Mark is actually your biological father..."
"What are you saying? My mom never let me forget that I was adopted?" she cut him off
"I have DNA test to prove it. You mom also found out about it when she returned from prison. Your ten years old brother John is exhibiting lots of criminal characters. that is why your dad made you the Chairman of his company, even though you were absent. I am also holding the position for you till you return dear"
"I need time to digest all these information. Please can I call you later, I am running out of card" she pleaded. She is overwhelmed by so much information
"Okay dear. take good care of yourself." He replied before the line went dead
- Writer
