Porcupine

One

Dad finally left for Australia and mom was surprisingly ecstatic. Her face lightening up more than I've ever seen. The house seemed a lot welcoming and conducive fore, since it would be a long time before the fights come on again.

Mum held what I could describe as a mini party, many of her 'assumed' friends in wild attendance. One thing was certain to mum, it feels very wonderful having your friends around, without a six foot gorilla screaming and hitting you all round for having friends.

Mum was in bondage. I know.

Sadly, her guests gossiped her. They were all backbiter and mum knew this too, but the thought of not having anyone to call a friend haunts her.

They believed mom was excited only for the expected financial status she would acquire soon, plus her new freedom!
They went on to call her names, they said my mom was wayward.

Mom never cared. She has learnt to live for herself, and maybe for me too. No one knew the truth except for mom and I of course. I was very young, I was just six.

My dad wasn't my favourite person, neither is their marriage my ideal standard. Dad to me was weird, in a kind of bad way. I never dream of mentioning his name to my friends, no matter how much good they painted theirs. To me, my dad wasn't my superhero, he was just another casual dad walking the streets of Enugu.

Lately dad and mom haven't had a great marriage. Dad had began abusing her physically, mentally and denying her emotional love. He turned into a chronic and unrepentant cheat. I know you would wonder how I got to know, let's say I've heard mum severally praying in tears for him. Day and night, I've found mum on her knees, the only prayer point I've always heard is "God change my husband". Sadly, it wasn't for financial growth, it was for him to change his cheating ways!

Daily, mom would use her designers sunglasses to hide the deep and glaring bruises on her face. She avoided social gatherings and did away with friends dad never liked, and that meant all of them. The only one she kept very close was one whom he approved of, Aunt Nkay.

Aunt Nkay was a married woman with two lovely kids. She was dark complexioned, beautiful and an extreme introvert, a reason dad chose her over others. Dad believed mom's other friends were carefree, too jovial and lacked the qualities to be associated with. Aunt Nkay became mom's only friend, and best friend.

When mom's ordeal with dad began, she opened up to her only friend. Aunt Nkay became her support, her rock and a new shoulder to cry on. This beautiful relationship influenced us their children, and gradually we became closest family friends.