Looking Back

Part 1, Overseas

"Shhhhh" hushed my dear Mama impatiently as she rocked the baby to sleep. Tyler would keep all of us up at night due to his unusual sleep schedule, which was still quite usual for a baby. I drowsily climbed off my mattress and took the crying baby from my Mama's tired arms. Right away Tyler quietened and nodded off to sleep. Ever since I dropped out of school, I have had more time at home, learning skills to become a housewife. Which included putting Tyler to sleep. As I put him back into his rickety crib, I glazed over my shoulder to notice my mother had left me to go to sleep. After all, she had to show me skills all morning then bring my siblings from school in the afternoon, then go to work as a waitress in a nearby coffee shop, and would always be exhausted by the time she came home.

I walked back to me and my siblings' room and lay back down on my mattress. As I jumped back onto my mattress, a cloud of dirt arose from it, reminding me to put wet cloths up to catch the dirt tomorrow. I fell asleep after staring at the spider webs on the ceiling for a few minutes.

I woke up to my siblings all moving about and getting ready for school. I helped my younger siblings get ready and gave them breakfast, as it was my job as the eldest child in the house (My older brother had left a few months ago to work as a mechanic in a far away village, so he could only visit a few times a year). After my siblings ate, my parents sat me down at the table, my Mama with a guilty expression, and my Papa with a serious one.

After a few moments of silence, my Mama started, "Christy, you know how your older brother left a few months to work? Well, your Papa and I have decided to send you away to work for a rich man."

"His name is Mr. Williams. I met him a few days ago-" my Papa confessed. - "And he is a lovely man that is looking for a young girl to work for him overseas."

My parents went on and on but I couldn't understand as all I could hear was my father repeating "Overseas" over and over again. My eyes started tearing up at the thought of leaving my family. Who would calm baby Tyler if he kept crying calling for me? Who would give my siblings breakfast in the mornings? Who would pick my siblings up when my father was at work and my mother was sick and had to stay in bed? Who would... My train of thought was soon interrupted by ma Papa calling out.

"Christiana! Are you even listening!?"

My mind was filled with images of my siblings getting injured with no one there to take care of them.

"My dear!" Exclaimed my Mama, "Come here let Mama dry your tears for you." I hadn't even noticed the tears crawling down my face. As I was calmed by my Mama's warm embrace, my Papa continued.

"You shall pack your bags today before your siblings return from school. You shall not say a word to your siblings. I do not want this house turning into a loud mess. We have prepared your Sunday dress for you to wear."