Phoenix: The Rebirth

Know You

The sky was getting clearer at every passing minute. Surprisingly, Jeremy had left and had forgotten to wake his little princess up. Although she was grown up, he still loved waking her up from her sleep. He loved it when she beheld his sight first. It was super cool and amazing for him. He had wanted to deliver some art pieces for a merchant who had wanted to purchase. It meant business and of course, much money. He could not stay to wake Davina up neither could he miss the massive contract he had just received.

Realizing his little angel could still be asleep as he knew her mother would not awaken her, he decided to return home. Anything for his princess. He walked back up briskly, as fast as he could with the money he had received from the merchant who came to purchase the artworks. With excitement written all over his face, he smiled. He was going to get his queen and princess anything they wanted.

The smile on his face however disappeared into thin air as he stood in shock. Jeremy wondered if anything was wrong as the door was opened. Wide-open. Clouded with suspicions, he walked in gently and quietly to find his wife and daughter. Hearing conversations coming from the kitchen, he realized it was just Sara and Davina in the kitchen. Anger flooded him but almost immediately, the anger transformed into excitement. He walked into the kitchen but Davina and her mother were so engrossed in their hugs that they didn’t realize when he entered.

“You can't possess what is mine” He spoke quickly. He smiled as his wife and daughter separated themselves quickly in shock.

“Jeremy, you left this house today, no?” Sara questioned as she was shocked at seeing him. Usually, he would only return in the evening hence seeing him at that moment even when they least expected was capable of throwing them into a state of mental imbalance.

“Yes I did but I am back now!” He smiled.

“Good morning Father” Davina greeted, bowing slightly.

“Good morning Davina” He greeted back. “I came back because of you, how did you wake up?” He asked with a hint of surprise in his tone.

“Well, father” She giggled. “I did. I woke up on my own” She smiled.

“You seriously? You did? That’s great” He smiled. Davina giggled again. Sara watched the duo and with a smile plastered on her face, she turned to concentrate on her cooking.

“By the way, you are very late. You should be on your way to Xander's place. You know he abhors lateness” He reminded her.

“Well father, I have changed my mind.”

“Change your mind? About what?” He asked as he took some quantity of water to consume.

“Well… I am sorry, I no longer want to learn sword fighting. I would go to the market with my mother and I will also learn how to cook. Also, I am now good at it, the only one I still cannot defeat is Xander's father” She explained.

Jeremy stared at her for a while, he did not expect it. Sara's eyes brightened with excitement and joy. She was super excited and hoped Jeremy was going to say yes.

“Did you think this through?” Jeremy asked Davina, looking at her with no facial expression. His face was blank.

“Yes, Father. Nathan is not making life easy for me as a learner neither is he taking things on me”

“You know I can talk to his father'

“Not at all, father. Let him be. I have made up my mind” Her facial expression was of a serious one.

“It's fine then. If that’s what you want, then it is done” He smiled at her.

“Thank you father” Davina embraced her father tightly. Joy and excitement dominated Sara's heart. She could not have asked for anything else.

“But remember” He released her grip from his slowly. She looked at him in surprise.

“Challenges are meant to be faced. You don’t run away from challenges but instead, you should see them as an opportunity. “ He smiled at her before walking to the living room. He was waiting for his breakfast as he left very early so he could not eat before leaving. Davina stood on the spot. She didn’t know what to do as she was confused. Sara's face transformed in anger. She knew her daughter too well and she knew for a fact that Davina was on the verge of changing her mind.

“Davina, can you help me set the table?” Sara called to Davina. She knew Davina could have a change of mind hence she tried to distract her from thinking.

“Yes, mother” Davina answered gently and did as instructed.

“As a lady, if you know how to cook, you would be able to attract any man” Sara smiled and whispered into Davina's ear “Just like I did to your father”. Davina let out loud laughter and so did Sara.

“But I do not want to get married. I do not want to leave you and father alone. Ever” She pouted her lips and crossed her arms.

“No my daughter. You have to leave us someday. You have to start your own family” Her mother explained.

“You and Father are my family” She argued.

“Of course, you and I are your Father’s family, you need to start up your own family by becoming another man's family and bearing children for him”

“But why do we have to get married? Why do I have to leave you? Why do I have to start a new family? Why do I need a husband when I have you and father?” She questioned, “Why do we who belongs to the feminine gender are the one who leaves our family to form another man's family?”

“Well my child” Sara bent. “Years ago, I thought like you. I wondered why we have to leave our family to create a new family. I was annoyed at the fact that we could not make decisions but will be subjected to a man for the rest of our lives. I had thought deep and hard to provide an answer to the question that keeps lingering in my mind. The question of us not being able to be the head and do as we wish, we….”

“Is no one joining me for breakfast?” Jeremy questioned as he consumed his meal in the dining room.

“We will join you in a moment!” Sara screamed back. “Sit” She ordered Davina as she sat too.

"Davina, I had also wondered why I have to answer to a man, to cook for him. Just like you, I didn’t want to leave my mother cause I loved her so much. My father was long dead even before I was born so I knew nothing about him. I did not want to leave my family but do you know what I found out?” Sara questioned. Davina watched her with rapt attention.

“Mm-hmm,” Davina shook her head in negation.

“Well, at first I believed our creator was just being partial but I got to know that we females are blessed with the gift of fullness and expansion. We were created to cause growth and expansion wherever we go. We were created to add and multiply a family, a lineage, a generation.” She smiled as she put back a strand of Davina's tresses falling out.

“Just like you did to father” Davina smiled “You made him a father”

“Of course” Sara blushed. “He also made me a mother. We both made each other parents” She blushed again.

“Mother, did you just blush?” Davina asked covering her mouth and smiling.

“Of course not” Sara tried to cover up. She looked away shyly.

“Of course you did! I saw it” Davina covered her mouth in excitement and jumped off the chair she had sat on.

“No, I didn’t “ Sara lied again.

“You can keep denying it but I know you did. I saw it “ Davina smiled teasing her mother and hugging her.

“Mother, tell me about my birth. How did motherhood feel like? How did you feel when you were having me? What were father’s reactions? Tell me everything about it” Davina requested.

“Of course I will, later. For now, we need to go otherwise we would be late to the market” Sara stood up quickly.

“No mother, please I would like to hear it now, Please” Davina pleaded. Sara looked at her and shook her head. Davina will trouble her till she revealed what the young girl wants to know. Sometimes, she wonders about her daughter.

“Fine, sit” She ordered. Davina jumped up in the excitement and had her sit quickly before her mother would change her mind.

“When I got to know I had conceived, I was very joyous and so was your father. He was excited and every day he would check my belly size and sometimes, talk to you” She smiled.

“Talk to me? Well, I have never heard him talk” Davina looked at mother cunningly.

“I still cannot imagine why a lot of people do that. Children do not listen and I still cannot place my head around the reasons why people act like that though. Back to the topic that led to a digression, we were talking about. Your father was happy and so was I but for reasons I still don’t know, your father insisted we move from our initial home.. I wanted to have you there but your father refused. He wanted me to birth you here but unexpectedly…… Oh goodness, the weather is getting cloudy, I believe it is about to rain “

“Go. Close all windows and ensure the door is locked. I believe your father must have gone now so check to make sure the door is locked. “ Sara ordered.

“Yes, mother” Davina ran excitedly to the rooms. She could not wait to hear the story of her birth.

“I am back!” She announced happily. “You can carry on,” She adjusted the chair on which she sat.

“It would be the best option if we can move to the living room” She smiled as she stood up, gently grazing her fingers over her face. She led the way while Davina followed gently behind her.

“So I had no choice but to follow your father” She continued as they settled in the living room. Suddenly, there was a heavy downpour from heaven. Davina curled as she sat behind her mother, placing her head on her mother’s lap.

“So…”

" On her journey over here, I met a seer" Sara placed her hand in Davina's head.

"A seer?" Davina raised her head up quickly.

"Yes, a seer" Sara nodded.

"I consulted him and he told me a lot about you"

"Me?"

"Of course, you. He told me you are a blessed child. He spoke a lot about you. "

"What did he say about me?" Davina frowned.

"I will tell you later" She caressed Davina's hair

"So what happened next?"

"We left and we were on her way when you decided to come. The doctor had told me you would arrive in few days but you decided to arrive in that day itself" Sara gently pushed Davina's head. Davina giggled excitedly.

"How does it feel when a woman wants to have a child?"

"The most painful situation ever. You feel like nature's calling, you need to go to the restroom yet you feel like a thousand souls are clutching and holding on tight to the inner you. You feel like all your internal organs are being pulled out as the baby is coming" Sara explained.

"That's scary. I do not want to have a child. I must have caused you a lot of pain"

"Maybe at first you feel pain but the joy that comes when you behold your child is unfathomable." Sara explained.

"Were there people in the forest? Who helped you to birth me?" She asked innocently but this question made Sara wander far away. Fear gripped her heart as the whole memory flushed into her head.

"Well....."

The loud knocking cut Sara short. She thought she was mistaken and was about to continue when they heard the knock again. It was louder. The knocks continued making fear grip Sara and Davina's hearts.

Sara gestured to Davina to be quiet. She was sure it wasn’t Jeremy as she knew he could not knock in that manner. Gathering all the strength she could, she opened the door.

“You? What on..” She trailed off.