Wendy

Chapter 5: Dear Mother

"So you're just going to sit there and say nothing?" Her mother's voice sounded curt, as if she wanted to quickly get over this and leave. Margret didn't need to look in her direction to know that she was frowning heavily.

"When would you have told me? After you bury her?" Margret still did not speak, she didn't even know how to frame a reply. Her mind was too tired.

She heard her mother stand and begin to pace, the sound of her stiletto on the floor was seriously grating on Margret's nerves.

"I had an impression in my spirit; I sensed this would happen." Margret cringed. She wanted to tell her mother to stop talking. She felt like dying inside and all her mother could say was having an impression in her spirit?!

"Do you want to know how I found out?" Margret glanced at her mother but refused to reply.

"Answer me, young woman!" her mother barked as she matched angrily to her bedside.

Margret still did not reply, it was as if her tongue was cut off.

"A cleaner in this hospital. That's how I found out. What if she didn't attend my church, how would I have found out?"

Margret fully regarded her mother for the first time. Her hands were on her hips and she looked very angry. Even though her mother's name was Peace, there was nothing peaceful about her. For a petite woman, her mother had an intimidating personality. She seemed to thoroughly enjoy putting people down and grinding in her superiority on those she perceived to be weak. But now, Margret was tired. She was sick of the manipulative relationship she had with her mother.

"Is that the same cleaner you send to spy on me? Did you think I wouldn't know? How many cleaners linger in front of a staff's office for close to thirty minutes cleaning God knows what? How many more did you assign? Did you drag my colleagues into this?" Margret's voice sounded strange in her own ears.

She watched her mum place a hand on her chest, her expression a mixture of surprise and anger.

"I would not have you speak to me in such manner! You have made me go through enough already. I am an elder in church for God sake. I lead people. My life has to be an example. Why shouldn't I know if my thirty-five year old daughter is behaving properly?"

"I'm glad you added the age, because I was beginning to think you forget that I'm an adult.

"It's your life that has to be an example not mine. Didn't I leave your church, what? Over five years ago? I am so tired. Please, let me grieve in peace" Margret's headache was getting worse by the minute but she knew her mother would not stop talking.

"You have no idea the shame I went through when you made that mistake-"

"Stop it. Stop it," Margret cut it, raising her hands to cover her ears. Her mother's words were tearing at her very soul.

"She wasn't a mistake, Wendy was never a mistake. I hate it when you say that. I'll make that mistake over and over again if I'm given a chance. I was very intentional about her. I and Wendy's father had an agreement." Now Margret was shaking, it always ended like this whenever she and her mum tried to have a decent conversation concerning Wendy.

She watched as her mother threw back her head and laughed in derision; Margret couldn't help but believe her mother was enjoying this.

"I would have called you stupid if not for the Lord. Isn't it obvious to you by now? God is not happy with you. Or you think everything was going well because he had forgotten your sins?"