CONCEIVED IN DARKNESS

CHAPTER 10

It wasn't until her dad left her room that she felt a little peace. a reassuring confidence that everything was going to get better.

The following day was a Friday and Mrs. Moses was sent a mail not to come to work which also included that she needed to get herself together for the subsequent weeks as there would be no more excuses or allowances. Mr. Moses on the other hand left for work work leaving only her and Adanna in the house.

Adanna did her chores and read her bible as usual. That had been her routine for a while now, after which she went out to buy Senegal bread from an eatery down the road almost at the U turn leading to their street and made scrambled eggs when she got back home for breakfast.

Shortly after eating, her mum came out of her room. She greeted her "Good morning mum, trust you slept well."

Her mother ignored her.

Adanna had prayed for her mum this morning. She usually does but sometimes she just felt her prayers played in thin air or didn't reach the heavens. She was sure her mum's attitude to her was getting worse by the day. She would never had expected such turn from her not while she was a kid growing up. Her mother loved her despite her wrong doings or not. She was sure she still did but was blinded by hurt and false accusations. Please open her eyes Lord to forgive me and let us move on as a family. She prayed silently and further probed her mother.

"what would you have for breakfast mami? I bought Senegal bread."

"And no doubt its poisoned" her mum finally spoke up as she looked down on her.

Her heart beat faster as anger roused in her. Not wanting it to overtake her, she briskly walked out of the house to cool down. Her mother had always been the one to them to control their anger. "Never let it get the best of you." She had once said during their evening devotions as a family. Now they barely had any and no one questioned why. She had been the prayer machine in the house, the typical 'proverbs 31' woman but now she saw different. Her mind raced back and basked in the memories they once had as a complete happy family. She remembered telling her mum about an incident in school and she vowed never to forgive the perpetrator. Her mother's reply had been "I raised you better than that Adanna. Forgive her and forget it so that God might forgive you too. Never hold grudges, its simply a waste of time." Now she wondered where all those her messages were, couldn't they just show up like a movie to her and play to remind her? Couldn't they just serve as her wake up call?

Just as she strolled round the compound, thinking and breathing in the hotness of the morning, an image brought her back to the present. She spotted a young, tall, handsome guy next door. He was tending to their rose garden.

She had always wanted to go to their neighbor's rose garden since they moved in, but her parents and them have barely talked. Maybe one or twice after they moved in and that was all, so it would have been oddly strange to go and see the garden. It was a beauty, a center of attraction for everyone around. How it grew in this part of the country was a surprise to everyone but Mr. Wheat-baker. He had his ways and he wasn't willing to share it with anyone.

Well this guy in the garden, she had never seen before.

She stopped and stood staring in admiration not sure whether it was the rose garden or the guy that pinned her attention but either one was a good enough reason. He noticed her, wove and started to come towards her. She flushed in response as she quickly adjusted the purple kaftan she wore.

She didn't know him but she deduced she was about to find out.

"Hi, my name is Derek" He mentioned calmly as he got to where she stood and stretched his hand to shake Adanna not before he dusted them on his electric blue shorts.