Bought #complete (Sequel to Sold)

Chapter Twenty Three

One thing I do, forgetting the past, I press...

Andrew walked cautiously up Sisi's front stairs and pressed the door bell. After the third ring, the door flew open.

“Hey, handsome” She smiled at him, luggage in hand.

He wasn't in a happy mood, she was leaving and he knew he might never see her again. But hadn't God's purpose been fulfilled? She had finally turned to Christ. He might be losing her but he had really gained her.

She stepped forward and touched his face. “I don't need all this sadness. Jean cried all evening yesterday. I could use a smile”

“I'll take your luggage” He reached for it and she pulled him into her embrace. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close. He was in love with her. Still, he knew very well that he was losing her and was powerless to stop it. “May God go with you” He whispered.

“He will” He heard her say, her words coming out in broken sobs. “Andrew” She tightened her hold on him. “I can't explain to you what you have done for me. I will never forget you”

He loosened her hold on him and stared at the beautiful woman that stood before him. Beautiful in so many ways; healed, restored, happy. Her eyes no longer held so much sadness, her smile was genuine and her burden was lightened. He wanted so much to ask her to stay but he couldn't. He knew the right thing to do and he knew that some times, the right things hurt.

He nodded his head and reached for her luggage and turned towards the car. 

“Wait!” He turned around and saw her holding up his journal. “You should have this back. It was the best thing anyone ever gave to me but it's yours. It's your life's journey put in a book and you should keep it” He nodded his head and took it from her. Turning around to walk out the door, he prayed earnestly for the courage to let her go.

****

Sisi disembarked from the taxi and stepped into the streets of a very familiar neighborhood in Lagos; she had grown up here. Fond memories of her childhood flooded her as she looked at the house she had lived in. She had been running for so many years from these memories but she had been wrong. She needed to face this giant, not run away from it. 

“Help me father” She whispered under her breath as she walked up to the house. Her knees felt weak all of a sudden as she reached the front door. She held up her fist and made to knock on the door but paused. She couldn't, she couldn't face these people after so many years, she just couldn't. But she had to. She took a deep breath and pounded on the door. After a few seconds, it cracked open and her mother's aged face appeared.

“Omo mi” She gasped as she saw Sisi. “You came back!” Tears filled her eyes.

“Yes” Sisi swallowed as her mother pushed the door wide open. She hesitated for a few seconds before walking inside. She stepped into a very familiar living room. Everything remained the same; the red couch, tiny television, brown rug.

“Sit down” Her mother said happily.

“Where is Papa?” She shook her head, rejecting the offer. She didn't come here to stay.

“He is inside. I'll call him for you”

She stood alone in the living room for a few seconds and glanced around. She didn't know how to feel or what to think, it had been seventeen years since she saw her father, since he sent her away. She shook her head as she felt a familiar demon coming over her. 

Her mother made her way to the living room, sadness in her eyes. “He is busy” She said but Sisi knew he didn't want to see her; he hated her, always had and probably always will.

She pushed past her mother and walked into his bedroom. He would see her whether he wanted to or not and he would listen to what she had to say. She pushed open the door and stepped in to see him seated on the bed. Once he recognized her, he glared at her.

“How dare you come back here?” He growled. “You shameless child who killed her husband and brought so much shame to this family. Do you know that because of you, I can't walk freely on the streets, I have lost all my business partners, everything! The world looks at me as a child seller because of you and the media! I spent three months in jail! I have always known you were useless”

His words felt like stones being thrown at her and it took everything in her not to fall and let them crush her. He had no right to accuse her, he was everything the media accused him of and more. He was a wicked, greedy man. 

“How dare you?” She opened her mouth to speak but shut it again. She couldn't give in to the anger but this pain was consuming her again and she had to let it out. “Papa, you have despised me all my life and all my life I have blamed myself for it. I wasn't good enough, I was too noisy, too stubborn, too difficult. But now, I see things clearly. This hate, it has nothing to do with me. You do not hate me for your hatred is from somewhere deep within you; it is in you and for you.”

“Shut up!” He rose up on shaky legs.

“No” She shook her head, refusing to let him manipulate and control her; he had done so for too many years. “I refuse to let you control me, I refuse to be your victim. I refuse it!” Tears filled her eyes and she stomped her foot. “And I forgive you” She stated simply.

“Who are you to forgive me?!” He yelled as she made to walk away. She stopped in her tracks, tears falling down her face.

“I'm Crystal, the child you rejected, the child who has learned to accept herself” She hadn't acknowledged that name in years. She had thrown it away and had accepted what every other person called her. She had accepted what life gave to her. But as she turned from her father that evening and made her way out the door, she left Sisi behind and took on Crystal, deciding that she would be the one to determine who she would be.

“Crystal!” Her mother grabbed her wrist as she busted out of the bedroom door.

“Why did you give me away?” The words flowed out her lips.

“Greed”

That simple word, spoken by her mother, broke her down and she wept. She might have told herself that their decision to give her away was not her fault but hearing her mother say the word out loud, brought freedom to her. She could finally be free of this burden.

“Thank you” She turned to face her mother. “Mama, thank you” The two women wrapped each other in an embrace that brought healing to a broken relationship.