Campbell's Reality

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

By the time they were done with their meal, Campbell and the man were already familiar with each other. They talked until he got back home. Campbell's paid double for the ride in cash and that stopped the man

"Why are you giving me so much? The ride cost less than half of this" the man said
"I know and I'm aware but this has to be one of the best rides I've had since I was born, maybe. You deserve it for the company. Also, don't let stupid teenagers get to you. They don't know what it means to struggle for what you want, I do" he said
"I don't know what to say. Thank you so much" he said
"Don't mention it. I would give you a call when in ready to go back to school if you're around to pick me up and I might give you a call on some days. I move about a lot and I am not about to change that" Campbell said
"I would be expecting to hear from you soon. You should take care of yourself and get some rest. Also, thank you for the change and the meal. You made the job worth while today and the world would be a better place of everybody was just like you, jot looking down on others and being nice to everybody" he said
"That would have to be the best compliment I have gotten since I stopped being a toddler, thank you" Campbell said
"You are welcome, son. Take good care of yourself and my regards to your parents. They did a good job with you" he said

Campbell bade the man farewell and he drove off. That was one of the best rides of his life and he couldn't deny that. He turned and saw his father's house standing before him. He took a deep breath and walked into the house, opening the gate and letting himself in. He took a deep breath. It smelt exactly like home only that he could sense that something was wrong. He pulled out the handle of his bag and then headed in. He gave a gentle knock before opening the door. He found Claire in the living room and saw that their parents were not home. He looked around for Carla and saw that it was only Claire

"Ehn ehn. Omo mummy. You have grown so much. You are now a big boy. I wasn't expecting you to grow so fast" she said
"I can't stay a kid forever. How are things around here? Where is Carla?"
"She is back in school" she said
"Back in school? What happened the baby? Are you kidding me?" Campbell asked
"The baby? Campbell! Carla removed it. Mom told her to ahead and I took her to a doctor and they flushed the thing out" she said
"Did she tell you who the father of the baby was?" He asked her
"She didn't say anything about it even till this very moment" Claire said
"Does dad know?" He asked
"No. Mom decided not to tell him. She said it was best if he was kept in the dark about the whole matter"
"Why didn't anybody call me to tell me? Why the hell did I come home then?" He asked
"Carla said we should not tell you that you were already disappointed in her and she didn't want to make things worse so we decided not to tell you. Besides, mom already humiliated her so much that she lost weight in less than two weeks. She looks sick. When I came here, I had to take her to the hospital to make sure that there wasn't anything wrong with her apart from the baby issue" Claire said
"That's the power of what your mother can do. I do not understand mom. She was just eighteen when she had you. If mom didn't leave Carla on her own, none of this would have happened. It is her ignorance that caused all of this" Campbell said
"I understand that you love Carla but you can't blame Mom for any of this" his sister said
"You think? I blame her. I blame her a lot. Carla didn't even sleep with someone. She was raped and when she tried to tell mom, what did mom do? Brush her off the same way she used to brush us off when she was tired. This girl tried to talk to mom three times and she got the same response. When her mama no dey listen to her, naim she decide say make she lock up. So if I want to blame mom, I will blame her!" Campbell said as he got his box and dragged it to his room
"What do you mean by she was raped?" Claire asked, following him into his room
"See, abeg. I just want to sleep" he said to her
"Sleep? Are you kidding me?" She asked him
"I'm not. I want to sleep. I've had a long day and a long drive down here"
"You can't sleep. How can you say something like that and leave me hanging? How come she didn't tell me and she told you?" She asked
"How could she have told you? When mom told you she had gotten pregnant, what was your first reaction? What did you tell her? What did you say to her? All you and mom did was judge her, Claire. So tell me! How could she have opened up to any of you? You pushed her away and you may have lost her for good" he said

He pulled out his earphones and plugged it in, shutting the world out with this action. His sister sighed and left his room. He slowly drifted off to his dream and when he woke up, it was dark. He picked up his phone to check the time. It was past seven. His mom would be back by now. He walked to the living room and saw his dad instead