Sore Humiliation
1141 Words
"Mariah... Hey, honey, are you there?" I heard my uncle's voice in my head, then I blinked and noticed it was my fears speaking to me and my imaginations adopted bad thoughts.
"Uncle Sam." I replied coldly.
"My God! What were you thinking? You scared the sh*t out of me. I was asking if you care for any snack or whatever from the grocery store so I could get it for you. We are almost home."
"No. I won't be needing anything." I said quietly and threw my slightly round face with pointy chin out of the window. He said nothing else but I was sure he used his initiatives to get me the things I needed without waiting for me to list them out. When we arrived, he helped me open the side of my door and ensured I was properly stable in the walking aid before unpacking the stuffs he purchased.
"Come on, let's go in. Take it slow, you know you haven't gotten used to it yet." He said like I was a child learning how to walk. I hated that I have to use crutches and I hoped to see no one at all until I fully recover. I wasn't even planning on leaving his house which was indeed a beautiful story building. Anyone could tell he is rich. No, I mean, super rich!
"Welcome Dad."
Great! Just what I was being careful of. My Uncle Sam has a daughter who is about my age and I did not know until this very moment.
"Thank you, Darlene. Please help me take these provisions upstairs to the room by your right." Uncle Sam requested, and when she came over to meet him, he introduced, "Darlene, meet your cousin sister Mariah. Mariah this is Darlene."
Oh my bad! I was thinking he mentioned darling a minute earlier, not knowing it was actually her name. Darlene huh? Definitely not what I was thinking.
"Hi, Darlene." I simply grinned and wiggled my right fingers at her as a courtesy. She never said a word to me, but smile as if she was forced to do it.
"Dad, what happened to her legs? I thought you told me it was something casual. Was it this bad?" She asked in a way that made me feel she cares about me until she gave me the shocker of my life.
"I never wanted you to bother about it or request to pay her a visit. Remember it was an accident she was involved in and I lost a whole family. I'm glad she is alive. We discovered her knees were fractured when she woke up from coma."
"Hmmm! Such a tragedy. But then, I wasn't going to pay her a visit if I was told. Besides, if I did, she wouldn't know because she was lifeless after all."
"That's enough, Darlene!" Uncle Sam scolded her in a way that made me appreciate him for shutting the silly girl up. Damn her words were really annoying I felt like hitting her with one of my crutches.
"What?! Dad." She asked feeling embarrassed and after she must have blinked at me, she rolled her eyes off me and took the provisions.
"When you're done, I need you to help her climb up the stairs and show her the room. I am off to take a shower. I have a meeting at my workplace now." Uncle instructed her whilst she was on her way up, then he turned to me putting on a gentle smile, "this is your home now. You're equally my daughter. Please tolerate Darlene. She is funny sometimes but I believe there's some good in her. I'll be back before you know it okay." He finished, played with my cheek before leaving.
"Why are you still standing there? Don't tell me you are waiting for me to carry you upstairs." Darlene muttered and scoffed at me.
"No I wasn't." I replied immediately, hoping she would stop talking to me already.
"Good! Then I suggest you start limping or hopping now because it's a long way up." She gave a mocking remark before leaving with the remaining bags. I immediately wished she was a little younger than I am, so I could beat the hell out of her.
Uncle Sam took like forever to return and though I felt more comfortable with him around, nothing could equate the presence of my mom and dad. Somehow I was glad I never had to meet with Darlene before now. She wouldn't even let me take a glass of water without staring at me like I was a thief or something.
"Hello ladies. I need you both at the dining table." Uncle Sam said after he must have finished preparing supper without Darlene lending him a hand. She was so quick to get there and grab a seat. After eating, she was equally in a hurry to leave but, "please, Darlene, I have something important to discuss with the two of you" uncle Sam demanded.
"Okay? You have to make it quick because I have some school works to finish up." She said and slouched.
"Okay fine. Mariah will be going with you to school by Monday next week"
No way! My eyes dilated with a frown on my face, then I said, "I have no desire to be in school anymore." I refused.
"Quit saying nonsense, Mariah. It is my decision and that is final. You have to go to school and I am paying the bills."
"It's not nonsense uncle Sam. I lost interest." I said again.
"She wants to be totally useless, why force her against her will?" Darlene's words pissed me off instantly, I slammed the table with my fork held tight to my grip.
"Okay, fine, I am going to school! Gosh, I can't stand this anymore!" I think I lost it back there before I left the table but that was certainly what uncle Sam wanted, he wanted me to agree with him. Before I left, he said nothing else. To me, his daughter is a complete nuisance.
In five days time, I was in school, a different school with new faces staring at me as I hobbled with my crutches along the passageway to my classroom. Suddenly, someone overtook me and kicked the walking aid on my right arm, I fell on the floor instantly because the one on my left isn't enough to keep me upstanding — my knees were that bad.
Then I noticed it wasn't an accident but something intentional and they were more than I expected; they started laughing at me energetically. My first day at school, I haven't even entered class yet and this sore humiliation? I struggled to rise up on my own but I noticed it was impossible. Someone has to help me up.
- Writer
