SWITCH

Chapter Seven: 'SCOFIELD'

Chapter song: UMAHLALELA BY SIMMY

It was only 3am in the morning when I heard my mom screaming for help. She came running upstairs to my room with Aisha who was only four, in her arms. She came in my room and locked the door just before my dad could get in. He was yelling at her and seemed very upset.

I sat up to see what was going on and I was hit with fear when i saw my mom's face covered in blood.
My dad started hitting the door shouting at my mom to open the door. Aisha began to cry, so did I.

Dad: open this fucking door!
Mom: leave us alone Scofield!
Me: Mummy(crying)
Mom: (hugging me) it's Okay baby its Okay, Mummy won't let anything happen to you
Dad: open the door!
Mom: No!

At that moment everything stopped. My dad stopped hitting the door, both me and Aisha were quiet. My mom and Aisha slept in my room that night and the following day everything went back to the normal routine of pretending like nothing happened. Even though I was only eight, I was unhappy with our lifestyle and I was afraid of how much of the pain my mom could take. Until one cold September morning when my mom decided she had enough of the drama.

Me: where we going mummy?
Mom: we. Are going to visit aunty Coco back home in South Africa and we are going to be sta-
Dad: to hell you are!
Aisha: Daddy( runs into Scofield's arms)
Mom: Aisha n'kolesi n'twele (come back here)
Dad: I don't know what that is but I don't think Aisha wants to go anywhere I also don't think Daniella wants to, right sweetie?
Me: I wanna see Coco
Mom: see she does want to leave and so do I(closing suitcase)
Dad: I believe me saying to hell created a clear picture. Your not going anywhere
Mom: watch me Scofield

My dad immediately changes his facial expression from the loving dad I knew to the devil himself. He put Aisha on the bed next to me and grabbed my mom by her hair and pulled her out of the room. My mom screamed and asked him to stop but that only made him grab her by the arms and begin to scream words in her face.

Dad: who do you think you are!
Me: Daddy stop it!
Aisha: (crying)
Mom: Scofield I am tired of all your bullshit! I want to be happy, i want t-
Dad: to take my kids away from me, to leave me alone.. Nobody is going anywhere!

My mom tried to get away from him but he grabbed her arms and pushed her towards the stairs almost pushing her down

Mom: let go of me!
Dad: you are the reason for all of this. This is all your fault!
Me: Daddy. No!
Aisha: Daddy!

Aisha's scream surprisingly made him turn to us and let go of my mom. My mom remained in the same position surprised at his change of mood. He walked towards us and then hugged us both.

Dad: daddy's sorry ok, mummy and daddy won't fight anymore okay.

We both hugged him back and then went back into my room.
A few hours went by and when it was 6pm my mom walked into the room. She continued to pack our clothes and by the look of her face she was hoping my dad wouldn't find her.

Aisha: Mummy, I don't like daddy anymore
Mom: aww my zikona(sunflower)...I know Daddy has not been acting like a good person but he still loves both of you okay
Me: and you? Does he still love you? I don't think he would be doing all that to yo-
Mom: Daniella! Do not speak like that, your father and I love each other very much we just have some problems we need to solt out. But for today we are going to your aunty Coco Okay(whispering the last sentence)
Me: okay(smiling)

Even though I knew that this was not going to end well I thought my dad would hurt my mom if he found out. We waited till 10pm to run away. My mom came into our room grabbed some of her stuff and handed me a bag with some of me and Aisha's stuff.