Stay Away From Dirt
1568 Words
I watched as the door creaked open, my mother groan jolted me out of my thoughts as I rushed to where she laid in the only bed in our apartment.
Mr. Manuel, Fiona's father was already there attending to her. I knelt at her bed, taking her hands in mine, I turned to Mr. Manuel.
“What's wrong with her?” I asked him, getting fearful on seeing my mother's pale face.
“She is getting worse, Donato. She needs the hospital urgently ”
My fists tighten in her arms as I try to force back the tears in my eyes. Now wasn't the time for tears, I needed to be strong for my mom.
“But I don't have money to support her hospital expenses. I don't even have insurance" I told Mr. Manuel. He ignored me as he kept attending to my mother. Checking her eyeball and heartbeat. And also taking her pulse.
“She has had five fainting spells before you arrive. I'll suggest you speak to your boss, who knows he might be able to cover her expenses” He said with a shrug as he patted me lightly on the shoulder before walking out of the door.
Fiona hugged me from the back, her head buried on my shoulder as she sobbed.
“I'm so scared, Donato. What if she dies?”
“Shush! Nobody is dying. Mom is the strongest woman I've ever known. I'm sure she will pull out of this” I told her, pulling her away from my shoulder as I turned to drag her out of the room. The rise and fall of mom's chest tells me she was sleeping soundly.
I pulled Fiona out of the room and closed the door while we stood outside as I pulled her into my embrace and tried to comfort her.
Mom had been so kind to her and everyone over the years. She was the sweetest person I've always known. Being a mother to everyone who needed her help, that is why I couldn't fault Fiona for crying. And also there was the fact that she was a girl, girls tend to cry more easily than boys.
“What will you do now?” She asked, wiping her eyes clean with the hem of her gown.
“I'll talk to Mr. Antony. I'm sure he might be able to help" I said though I wasn't really convinced. Mr. Antony was the heartless man ever lived. He doesn't care about the welfare of the servant. So, I was a bit skeptical of meeting him about my mother's health.
“I'm going to speak to my mom. I'm sure she might be able to help, too” She said and turned towards the mansion. I stood gazing at her as she walked with her shoulder slumped.
A dejected feeling washed over me. I turned to go back inside but stopped as soon as I saw Mr. Antony's car coming through the gate.
“It's better I see him now?” I called and went in, to bathe in order to make myself presentable.
I had just finished putting on one of the new dresses Amy had gifted me, when I heard my mom's frail voice calling me from the other side of the room where she was asleep.
I rushed to her side and held her hands“ Yes mom. I'm here. Don't worry nothing will happen to you”
I told her patting her hands gently. She tried to stand but I pushed her back since she was too weak.
“Don’t worry mom”
She raised her hands gently to my face“ Don. My sweet Don. I'm so sorry” She said, admit coughing fits as she patted my cheeks gently.
“No, mom. Don't say that. You are the best mother in the world. I could never trade you with another ” I whispered to her as I held her hands close watching as her eyes fluttered close as she went to sleep.
My heart hardened. I'll do anything to make my mother whole again. I want to see her back on her feet, beaming at me as she tends to the garden.
She was an epitome of beauty. It pains me to see what remained of what had always been her youthful exuberance.
Her long vibrant hair was now cut, her head now bald as she tied a scarf around it. Mr. Manuel had suggested in her third month when she had lost a lot of hair. We had cut it with a scissor and blade since we couldn't afford the barbing salon.
I stood up and pecked her lightly on the cheek before walking out of the door.
***
I paused, fidgeting at the mansion's door scared of what awaited me on that end.
This was the second time I would be going into the place on my own accord. The first had been to plead with Mr. Antony not to send us out so that I could work in the garden in place of my mother.
And now, I was also going to plead another case in support of my mother.
I pushed the door open and strolled inside but stopped as soon as I saw Ma'am Loretta rushing towards me.
“Donato, come. leave at once, Mr. Antony is in a foul mood” She told me dragging me towards the door.
I pulled my hands out of her hands and stood put“ I can't. I need to talk to him. Mom is very sick” My voice quivers at the last sentence as I struggle to beat back tears.
Her face pulled in a sad mood as she shook her head, before sighing heavily“ I'm so sorry about your mom. Fiona told me everything. Here” She pulled an envelope from her apron and handed it to me.
“I know it isn't enough but use this to get your mom the treatment she deserve”
I tried to push it back to her, even though I needed money urgently, I couldn't possibly collect it from her. She had her own responsibility, Fiona needed her plus her father was bedridden just like my mom. And everyone knows Antony doesn't pay the worker much.
“I insist. Everyone contributed a few. I'm sorry it might be small” She said and patted me on the shoulder.
“What are you doing in my house, Dirt?” A voice thundered as I turned to take in the man who was walking down the stairs, his eyes blazing in anger.
I went on my knees, tears spilling down my face“ Please save my mother. She needs your help” My voice quivered as it hit me.
My mother might no longer be with me.
“And why should I spend my hard earned income on you dirt, when I could employ another” He questioned in a loud voice which could have shaken down the building if it wasn't built well.
“My mom____”
I paused as soon as I saw her gliding down the stairs like the princess she was, her mother was up on her heel. My face flamed in shame. I was kneeling to plead with her father while the girl I had a crush on stood watching. What more could poverty do? I hated being poor with everything I have.
“Dad, please” Amy said to her father as she came to stand beside him, reaching out to hold his hands. I could glimpse the tears in her eyes.
“I'll do anything. I'll be a good girl. I'll listen to you, please save Don's mother” She pleaded, trying to go down on her knees. But her father pulled her up.
“No, Amy, darling. A princess place is on the top and never on the floor that's for the like of him”
He dumped his daughter in his wife's arms and came towards me.
He stopped in front of me, and turned to his daughter“ Dirt like him are meant to be trample on,” Emphasising on his words, he raised his leg and stamped on my feet causing me to cry out loud.
“Dad!!” Amy screamed as she struggled against her mother trying to come to me but her mother held her tightly.
“Please, don't hurt him, please. He's my friend”
But that seems to infuriate her father the more as he hurts me more and more.
He stopped after sometime, and stepped away from me while I inspected the pink bruise on my finger which was from his Louis Vuitton shoe.
“Here's my decision. From this minute onwards, this dirt and his mother should be evacuated from my compound. I don't want to see them anywhere near my vicinity ” He said as I felt arms around me.
I looked at Amy who shook her head at the injustice of her father. Lara stood with her arms folded across her chest, a smirk on her face.
She came towards me and spat on my face“ Good riddance” She told me before walking up the stairs, probably back to Amy's room.
Thirty minutes later, mom and I was bundled out of the Tony's mansion, left forsaken on the street like a piece of discarded furniture
- Writer
