Heartbroken But More Confident In Me

Chapter 2: Traveling

Temtem’s Mother P.O.V.

Hmmm, I don’t even know what to pack for this girl since she’s going back to school today ( Temtem is in higher institution). She’s not the type to demand for unnecessary things, whatever you give her, she would take. Her brother has been quite helpful in sponsoring her education, giving her allowance, but that shouldn’t stop me from giving her the little things I could provide. She’s too considerate, I always fear how that would affect her when she enters school at first, but so far, she has been doing well. Temtem is an intelligent girl, always thinking with her head, sometimes I feel like she overthinks a lot. There had been an issue in the past and the way she handled the situation was like a person who was expecting something like that to happen before it happened, when we asked her how she could predict the situation because of the way she handles it, she replied “I’ve thought in my head so many times what could go wrong, played different scenarios and how to counter it if any of them should happen in reality”. I was appalled, because why should a young girl in that situation could possibly be thinking to have such thoughts and know how to handle it incase the situation comes alive.

(The situation was when Temtem lost her dad)

Though this situation was not what we like to mention in this house, it was the saddest moment of our lives, several thoughts was going through my head that day, my children was still at school and my sister was the one who went to bring back the senior brother. The youngest sister(Temtem) was still in school as well, they went to different colleges. I told my sister to leave Temtem in school since she was still young and I don’t know how she was going to handle the situation then(that was what I thought),Temtem was 13 years old. Their father had been sick for more than a year plus, took him to different hospitals, different diagnoses as that time, there was a time we thought it was better but it later took a turn to be worst. After spending almost all our savings on him, the doctor told us to start treating him at home, he said there was nothing they could again to get him better and to place our hope on God. After all those treatments, we brought him home, then a particular day, he found strength to chat and talk very well, we thought “ohhh, he’s going to be better as from now onwards” not knowing he was just bidding us farewell, two days later, he died. All the commotions were going in and out of the house, all our efforts to save him proved abortive and we accepted our fate.

My son cried his eyes out that day, and I thought to myself that if he could be this devastated, how would the younger sister handled it. Finally when Temtem got back from school and she finally was able to get to where I and her brother was seated, what she said shocked to me, I couldn’t believe my ear, how could a Thirteen years old girl be able to make such statements in that situation. Temtem said, “ Mummy, why are you crying? You know what would happen when somebody got sick and there was no remedy at the hospital,immediately I left school, I felt chills all over my body and my intuition told me something was wrong, I got to our house and there was a huge crowd in and outside of the house, everyone was expressing their condolences to me, that was when I finally understand the feelings that I felt then, my Daddy is gone. What I expected you to do now is not to sit here and cry but how to further mine and my brother’s education”. I looked up to her bewildered and I noticed her brother was smiling, he said he knew she’s not going to be sobbing like them both. Her brother confirmed that what she said was valid, because the families are going to be after the properties, all these while we were alone in the room since they gave us chance to cry our heart out. Mickey(Temtem’s brother’s name) man up immediately and cleaned his face then went outside to check the situation.

Then I called my daughter and asked her what was she thinking to make her utter such words to us when we just lost her Dad. She said, she had long thought about it since the situation of her dad was not getting better, she knew something like that would happen sooner or later.That was when I realized the kind of daughter I have.

Although I was grateful that she was taking it well, later that evening, I saw my little girl where she was balling her eyes out, and I knew that even when she acted tough on the outside, she was a wreck like everyone else inside. I comforted her, also told her how incredibly proud I am to have such a bold and courageous daughter.

(Temtem in her room packing her necessities for school, she was very happy because she was also going for her Industrial Training when she gets to school.)

I can’t wait to be in school already, I’m sure my friends would have gotten to school by now, I don’t want to call them on the phone, that would give it away that I’m on my way to them. I’m sure nobody likes it when they bombarded them with calls, it’s enough my mum is going to call every ten minutes till I get to where I’m going, I don’t need my friends also doing the same. We will see ourselves at school. I’m going to miss them since everyone filled out different places for our IT programs. It’s still incredible since it’s just 12 weeks we would be interning for. I just hope they approve of where I’m going to. My mum is going to give me feedback about where I would be staying over there.

TEMTEMMMMMM…( her mother called her with a loud voice). She answered “ yes mummy”. I don’t think you are going to schools today again since you are taking forever to get ready, you have been preparing for the past four days, it’s only yourself you are catering for and you are still slow, I wonder what you would do when you get to your husband’s house, said her mother.

Temtem immediately rushed out with her bag fully dressed, and she refused to say a word to what her mother said. Her brother glared at her, then proceeded to put her luggages inside the car, she bid farewell to her mother and her brother drove her to the Bus Station, where he stood to watch her sister till they took off.