SCARS TO HEAL

EPISODE 21

SCARS TO HEAL

SOLELY WRITTEN BY EWATOMI ABIODUN

EPISODE 21

My parents called my uncle that night after they got back home. They thanked him and his wife for everything they have done for us before I was given the phone to talk with them and I could detect some sad tone in their voice, especially my mum. I guess she wasn't happy letting go of her only son.  My mum's voice cracks due to tears as she spoke to me. She made me understand they weren't happy leaving me with her uncle and his wife but they had no choice. She told me they took this decision because of my own good so I can be given a proper education and well fed since they failed as a parent to do that for me.  She advised me to always obey my uncle and his wife and never pass my boundaries. In her words " Adunola, don't hesitate to call me if my brother's wife mistreated you. Just one phone call and I am coming to pick you up, I don't care if I had to work day and night to give you the best".  My dad spoke with me after and told me not to disappoint them. He made me know I was their only hope of breaking the chain of poverty.

My mom cried as she prayed for me that night.  She asked for God's protection over me. I guess it was motherly instinct telling her something was going to go wrong in the long run. Even though I was just ten years old, I was highly intelligent and understand every piece of advice given to me.

Due to what my parents already told me, I thought I was going to sleep on the couch in the living room while my uncle and his wife sleep in their room but I was wrong when they told me I will be sleeping with them till my room was ready. You need to see how shocked I was when they made that statement. I have read stories of how rich people treated their maids or people living with them and I am so surprised they said that. When we got to their room, I quickly head straight for the floor thinking I am not worthy to sleep on the bed with them because I have never slept on one before. My parents could only afford a mat that we sleep on.  I was surprised when my uncle's wife picked me up and lay me on the bed. God bless that woman. I slept like a baby between my uncle and his wife that night.

True to my uncle's and his wife's words, they treated me so well like a lost prince who just came back home. They took me shopping and discard all the tattered clothes my parents brought for me.  It was like I was given a makeover because you would never believe I was once in a state of poverty. I looked like those rich kids. I was well fed and was given anything I asked for. My uncle's wife treated me like I was her son and she didn't have to tell me before I started addressing them as mum and dad.  It got to a stage I started wishing my uncle and his wife were my parents because if they could treat me like this without being their son, then imagine if I was their son. I didn't miss my parents one bit because of the treatment I was getting.

My uncle wife's called her interior decor and within two days, my room was ready because I have been sleeping in their bedroom all this while.

I was surprised when I was shown to my room. It looked like a palace because of how beautiful it was. I got scared of sleeping alone and you can guess right, my uncle and his wife slept with me in my room till I get accustomed to it. I had a whole room to myself and you need to see how happy I was when I realized I had a whole bed to myself. I couldn't sleep that night as I keep jumping on my bouncing bed.

After a week, I was enrolled in a big private school. The head teacher gave me a test to write to see my academic capability in the principal office.  I was given a primary two work to do and they were surprised when I got everything.

" I told you he's very intelligent," My uncle's wife said with a proud smile.

" Test him with a basic 6 mathematics textbook to work out," The principal said with curiosity.