Chasing Greatness :A Journey Of Hope

chapter 4: miracle

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It was a peaceful Sunday, and my mom was at home, resting and waiting for my dad to return from work.

Her calm was interrupted by a call from my dad's friend. The news wasn’t good—my dad had been arrested. A client accused him of not digging a proper borehole. But according to my mom, it wasn’t my dad’s fault. The ground itself wasn’t suitable for a borehole, but the client had insisted.

After some time, my dad was released. It seemed like the arrest was just a way to intimidate him. To make matters worse, the client refused to pay him for his work. That period was especially tough for us as a family.

But just when things seemed hopeless, news came that changed everything.

My dad’s sister in Italy was making plans to bring him there—not through Libya, but by plane. When my dad heard this, he was overjoyed. Finally, it seemed like poverty was about to end for us. My mom shared in his happiness but also felt the weight of sadness. She knew she would miss him terribly.

As preparations were underway for his journey, life threw another surprise our way—my mom discovered she was pregnant again, for the fourth time.
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My mom’s pregnancy brought her more worry than joy. She wasn’t in the right state of mind. With my dad traveling to Italy, this time possibly for years, she knew taking care of four children on her own wouldn’t be easy.

But my mom was strong. She decided to stay strong for us. She didn’t let her sadness show—she wanted my dad’s journey to be successful.

Meanwhile, my dad was overjoyed about traveling by plane. To him, the news of my mom’s pregnancy felt like a good omen, a sign of good luck.

The day my dad left was a sad one for us. I can’t fully remember it, but I know my mom cried all through the night. She cried as if she feared she might lose my dad forever.

I should mention something important: my dad had lost his mother when my brother was just 3 months old. My grandma had been the best mother-in-law anyone could ask for. She loved my mom dearly and always stood by her, even when things were rough. Her death was a devastating blow to the family. With her gone, my dad and his siblings were left as orphans.

For my mom, losing her mother-in-law meant losing someone who truly understood and supported her. My grandma had been one of the few people who could handle my dad and keep him in check.

Now, with my dad gone, my mom was left mostly on her own. The only person who seemed to stand by her was my dad’s sister—the one she was close to. But little did my mom know, that same sister, who appeared to be her ally, was also a snake waiting to strike.
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My aunt was a single mom with two children, each from a different father. Life hadn’t been kind to her. The first man cheated on her, leaving her heartbroken. The second one? He hid the fact that he was already married. Funny, isn’t it? She had gone through so much pain that she decided never to marry or have more children.

Then she met a man everyone called "Bros." He was married, and his wife knew about my aunt, but there was little she could do. You see, my aunt was the one supporting them financially. Bros was broke, lazy, and clung to my aunt like glue. Unfortunately, he was also a bad influence. He introduced my aunt to all kinds of native doctors and dubious practices, leading her down a darker path.

Here’s the thing about my aunt—she had a kind heart and loved doing good. But at the same time, she harbored jealousy in her heart. And we all know what jealousy can do—it destroys.

She didn’t hate my mom. No, it wasn’t hatred. It was envy. She was jealous of the thought that my mom would soon start enjoying my dad’s wealth. After all, my dad had gone to a "white man’s land" to seek a better life. The idea of my mom living comfortably while she struggled was too much for her to handle.

So, my aunt started planting seeds of doubt in my dad’s mind. She would call him and tell him all kinds of evil things about my mom. Little by little, her words started to poison my dad’s thoughts.

And that was the beginning of my mom’s suffering.