Caught In between

Chapter 24: Family

Levi wished he'd not come to his parent's house this afternoon. He now stood nervously in the middle of the living room with his hands in his pocket like a child about to be punished. After keeping his box at his house, he'd slept for about two hours then woke up and came here.
As he waited, he paced the room, once in a while, glancing at the couch from time to time, wondering whether he should sit or not.
"Levi, Levi," someone called his name from behind. He turned.
"They told me your were in the living room but I did not believe it," Ma Eli said, wiping her hands on her dress. He suspected she'd been in the kitchen. He observed her keenly without saying anything. Eventhough she was smiling at the moment, he could sense her nervousness.
"Please sit, my son," she said.
"No thank you," He replied stiffly, folding his arms.
"How have you been? Where have you been?" She fired one question after the other.
He just continued to give her s cold angry stare.
"Levi, Levi I'm still your mother," Ma Eli said sniffling. He wondered why she was crying.
"But you're not," he said coldly yet her the tears were affecting him.
"Levi, I may have gotten you the wrong way because of desperation but you're my son I suckled and I have never regretted having you," she cried.
"You don't regret anything?" He asked.
"I regret what I did to another mother but not about you. You're my blessing in spite of the wrong I did. If the woman...your biological mother comes to take you, I would fight her. You turned out to be an intelligent young man all on your own and I'm proud to have watched you grow.  Even if you never forgive me, you're my son and I'm proud of you,"Ma Eli cried.
Levi couldn't understand how his heart was softening. She was saying words he'd longed to hear all of his life and even though this was a difficult circumstance, her words felt right. They fell straight into a void of low self worth he'd carried all his life.

He returned home in the evening mentally and physically drained. After Ma Eli's outburst, he had sat down with her and just watched her cry. She served him food and he ate.

He couldn't bring himself to say he'd  forgiven her but he left with a different understanding of family dynamics. Some people would be born in a regular family, his would be because he was stolen and he had one child with his ex wife and another with his wife's sister. It was complicated but somehow, he had to make it work that was why he'd asked to speak to everyone at home. It was evening and he sat in the living room, tapping lightly on his knees as he waited for Marlise and Cherish and Ma Mado.
A few minutes later, they walked into  the living room. Marlise first with the baby on her waist, followed by Cherish twisting her lips so tight as if she smelled poop and Mado giving him look that said "what's this all about?"
They took their seat and watched him. His words stuck in his throat as he looked from one face to the other, three women he'd greatly hurt.
"I called you all because..." He began and swallowed several times. He lowered his eyes and when he looked up, Cherish's  eyes were boring holes into his. His heart banged against his ribcage so he looked away and focused on Marlise. He could not deal with the venom in Cherish's eyes.
Marlise was angry but she had softer eyes, easy to look at.
"I'm sorry, he said to her. I know my words alone are not enough to erase all what I've done but let this be the beginning of things,"  He said.
"Mama, I'm sorry for treating your daughters like nothing. I would not want a man to treat my daughter the way I've done. Please forgive me," he said, putting his hands together in a prayer form and kneeling in front of Mado. She just watched him for a few seconds then placed on his shoulders.
Stand up. See its not me you have to apologise to. Make it up to your wife," she said pointing to Cherish. Her eyes were red and a tear was running down one cheek.
"That's the woman you vowed to love. It should count for something. Not all marriages start as love at first sight. You can grow to love people," Ma Mado said.

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