Efua{light}

chapter 26

Selfless

                   Efua POV

I sat there watching Ese as she sobbed I wanted to comfort her but I couldn't. I heard her speaking to dad which pierced my heart deeply. I wanted to remain silent till I die. I wanted everyone to stay away from me but they just wouldn't!

Ese had tortured herself over and over again over the incident that happened. I have heard her blame herself over and over again. My sudden silence must have added to her pain, because she felt I was angry with her for not been there for me. How wrong she was.

Temmy was worried to death over my silence too. And spent almost all his time trying to make me see reasons why I should live again.

Madam had been here on several occasions to see me but I refused seeing her because the sight of her would only bring more awful memories I now struggle to forget.

As for Efeosa, l had refused seeing him since the incident of my defilement by his friend Lucas. It was as though he was the one who forced himself on me. I had equal anger for both of them

If only Efeosa had listened to me and keep his friends away from the house. If only he had treated me with a little respect. If only he had believed me when I told him l knew nothing about the letters.
If only he never made me a topic for discussion among his friends. If only he never presented me as a laughing stock or an entertainment toy for laughter among his friends.

All the pains, sufferings and continuous humiliation I had to endure in his hands both at home and at the office.

The pains I endured in the hands of madam. A woman I begged to give me a chance to live in her family.

Was it the constant name calling? Or was it the number of times I was starved? I don't even want to start counting the number of times I had to lay on hospital bed due to madam's constant abuse whenever dad was away on business trip. What about the day she poured me hot water. I spent three months in the hospital in pains and agony. I could neither sleep nor stay awake as the pain was unbearable.

How could I forget how Ese spat on me in front of her friends for mistakenly stepping on her at her birthday party. Once Efeosa had to burn my fingers with his cigarette lighter for removing his cigarette box from where he kept it while I was cleaning his room.

How they gang beat me  the day dad died.

And how they  finally threw me out of their house despite my plea.

I hadn't realized that I was crying until I felt the wetness of my tears on my chest. So I cleaned my cheeks with the back of my hands.

For six years I endured these inhuman behaviour from these people.

It will be unfair if I fail to mention the love and care I have also received from dad and Temmy. They were the reasons I pushed on. They gave me the reason to keep living and taught me how beautiful life could also be despite all its challenges.

How I miss you dad! You gave me the opportunity to know how it feels like to have a father. Even though you were not my biological father, you treated me right.

In all truth, I do not feel like forgiving your family. For they robbed me of my human dignity. They reduced me to nothingness and emptied me of me.

I know Ese is truly sorry for what she did to me likewise madam, but the fact remains that after an injury is healed, its scar remains as a reminder of its once existence, which each time it is seen, brings back a fresh memory of how that injury was sustained.

If l was to have my way, i would never had forgiven them but for your sake dad and for Ese's  sake I have to. Oh dad, this so difficult for me to do.

I know how much you love Efeosa despite his misconduct. If you were alive, you would have stopped at nothing just to make sure he was back to health. So I will do for Efeosa what you would have done for him if you were here.

As I sat there thinking about my life, and the way forward, the words of my mother in my dream reechoed in my heart:

"only you can save him now! Hurry, there is no time to think of the past, or even now! Hurry before it's too late. Save him..save him

I got dressed immediately and headed for the hospital. When I got there I went straight to Dr Richie's office.

"Good to see you Mrs. Efeosa Osaremen. Please do have your sit. I sat  on the chair opposite to hers and told her why I came.

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As I lay on the bed, my heart was clouded with thoughts. Did I do the right thing by donating my blood to Efeosa?

Was he going to make it?

I was so lost in my thought that I hadn't realized how tired I was. So in a matter of seconds I was fast asleep.

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