Shades

Chapter 2

Mia took a cab home to freshen up and get a new change of clothes for mum. The car was still at the hospital so she made a mental note to get one of the staff to go for it. The gate was closed when she arrived home indicating that her dad was back. She quickly paid the driver and made her way into the house. She was never one to beat about the bush so she dug straight into the matter as soon as she saw him.

“What did you do to mum? Do you know I came to meet her unconscious and it’s so obvious you got drank again and beat her up.”

Mr. Cochraine didn’t even look at his daughter’s face and continued to focus on the late night news showing on the TV. The thing was, he already felt bad for beating Daniela up and he didn’t need some little girl making him feel even worse.

They used to be such a happy family till he had to go fuck things up by mingling with friends who had sons and felt so very proud of them. It felt like he was missing out in life.

He had always wanted lots of children especially of the male species but Daniela his poor Dani had an accident in the fourth month of her second pregnancy losing the child and the ability to have more children.

He went into a deep depression and took to drinking and whenever he had a drink and his wife came close he just felt this unexplainable anger and he always took it out on her.

He loved Dani, he really did and when he was sober he always tried to make it up to her.

This time though he knew he had gone too far, she could have died and the thought alone just terrified him.

“Say something Dad! I’ve had it with you honestly and the fact that the police don’t want to do a thing about it doesn’t mean I’m going to sit back and watch you kill my mum.

I’m going to protect her from you even if that’s the last thing I do.

With that, Mia strutted up the stairs and into her room and fell on the bed before she let the tears out. Her daddy wasn’t always like this, she could remember some times when they were a very happy, loving family.

It didn’t matter anymore mulling over the past, it seemed her mother was her only family now, she was going to look out for her even if it meant running away with her against her will.

Before she left the hospital, she tried convincing her mum to take the matter to DOVSU but she would have none of it.

The woman had a very stubborn streak and when she made up her mind about something, it was usually very difficult to get her to change her mind. Mia got up, had a shower and got back into bed where sleep finally took over.

Mia woke up the next day feeling refreshed. She had to make some light soup and get the change of clothes for her mum; she was quite sure Doctor Appiah would discharge her today. As Mia prepared the soup, she wondered on how stereotypical people were against half castes.

People took a look at her and concluded that she had never worked in her entire life but not in her mum’s house. Dani won’t sit back and watch her only child become a spoilt brat. Mia smiled, reminiscing about the past. 

She remembered that her dad was actually her favorite when she was younger. He always came to the rescue when mum was being too much.
It was surprising how her mother though British could so expertly whip up Ghanaian dishes like a pro chef and she made sure to pass down the skill to her daughter.
Her dad was nowhere to be found when she woke up; she was sure he had left to work and he was going to come back home stinking drunk again looking for another victim to vent his anger on but this time he was going to be disappointed. She would do whatever it takes to make sure her mom was safe.

She quickly took her bath and packed the things she had set aside to send to the hospital and locked up. 
Baba the driver was going to take her to the hospital; he felt so bad for her ordeal the day before and wished he hadn’t left yesterday but it was in the past now and Mia didn’t blame him. It was their only day off in a long while and she wouldn’t have allowed him to stay.