Derek hit the road with the Camry car that his father had bought a year ago. It was the strongest car he had and the best for the journey to Enugu where the orphanage was located.
The road to the orphanage was filled with potholes and rocky. The vehicle galloped, Jane hummed and Junior occasionally complained.
Derek drove carefully, treading through the pot holes on the previously tarred road.
The orphanage was at the outskirts of Enugu, a distance of about fifty kilometres. What was supposed to take less than three hours had taken four hours and they were yet to arrive.
Asides the occasional mummurs, the silence in the car was defeaning, for some reasons unknown to her, Derek had decided not to turn on the radio. The silence brought with it awkwardness, Jane fiddled with her fingers as she leaned into the seat.
The car bumped as it ran into another pothole, they shook. "Nigeria will be better, my children won't experience this." he whispered underneath his breath but loud enough for Jane to hear.
Derek drove nonetheless and sighed in relief the moment the gate of the orphanage came to view.
"And we're here," he announced as he matched the brakes.
They stepped out of the car and on to the arid expanse of land that led to the orphanage.
Jane stretched, sitting at a place for some hours made her ache. She looked around, it was her first time in Enugu state.
"Welcome to the coal city state." he announced proudly that Jane felt the urge to titter at the childish look on his face.
The path they led to the gate was a muddy one. Derek led the way and Jane carried Junior on her back as she walked carefully to avoid slipping.
"Have you been here before?" Jane asked.
Derek turned to glance at her. "Yes, this is the second time."
They arrived the gate and knocked, the gateman peeked through the gate, opened it.
He traipsed out.
Jane scanned him, he was donning a faded kaftan and flip flops and he had a huge grin.
"Oga, welcome oh." the gateman said jubilantly with an air of familiarity.
"Idris, Ina wuni." Derek smiled, greeting in the Hausa language.
Jane straightened, they knew each other.
"Lafia, Kalau." Idris replied, happiness etched to his tone.
Derek spoke in quiet tones as he conversed in Hausa language.
Idris nodded and walked inside the gate, he opened the main gate and gestured Derek to drive in.
Derek turned to Jane. "You'll have to go in Jane, he says I can drive in."
Jane gave a shrug of approval and stepped in with Junior while Derek walked back towards his car in order to drive in.
When he had driven in and locked the car, he led them towards the receptionist and they walked towards the orphanage building.
The orphanage building was quite small, it was a semi detached flat which had been converted to an orphanage. The founder was a lawyer who loved children and had decided to dedicate the rest of her life in caring for them.
When they walked into the reception, the receptionist gave them a heartwarming smile and directed them to the founder's office.
The reception was simple but classy,
Jane gawked discreetly, taking in every details-the brown tiled floor that stretched towards the founder's office, the cushion seats at the waiting area and the infographics and portraits on the white wall awed her.
YOU ARE READING
SILVER LININGS (Christian Romance)
Spiritual"Every cloud is silver lined." When Jane gets pregnant in high school, she becomes the black sheep in her family, all filial ties are cut and she has to drop out of school. Everybody believes she is a slut and worse, the person responsible for her p...
