The Crush ✅

Chapter Four

"Mummy!" Lara called from the kitchen where she was about to prepare dinner.

"What is it? Why are you shouting my name?" Her mum snapped back from the sitting room.

"Just wanted to let you know that this is the last batch of beef. We'd need to go to the market and restock tomorrow"

That got her mother's attention and she came into the kitchen looking worried.

"Last batch ke? How did it finish so soon?"

"Mummy, we've been managing it for two weeks now. It even lasted longer than I expected."

"So what are we going to do? You know exactly how your father is. He's going to blow my head off if I dare ask him for money and I don't have any more money."

"Mummy, he hasn't dropped money for food for the past two months. This quarantine period, he did not even acknowledge the fact that we have to eat. You drop all the money and you give him food, yet it's only complains and insults you get in return." Lara felt the familiar anger rising in her.
  
Talking about her father was a sore topic for her. Like most Nigerian fathers, she wasn't close to him and only spoke to him when she needed him to pay her school fees. That was the only thing he was doing for her anyways. He was never around and when he was, he made sure he made everyone in the house miserable by complaining and picking on everything.

It was a natural thing for them to all retreat to their rooms whenever he was around to avoid being his scapegoat. If he was too angry, he'd lash out and hit them.

Lara had began to develop hatred for him when he pushed a ten year old Tito and her head hit the edge of the table. He had stormed out right after that not even caring about his bleeding daughter. She and her mum had taken Tito to the hospital and had her stitched up. She remembered her mummy crying and lamenting for the next two days on what kind of man she married.
  
The hatred only intensified when her mum confided in her a year ago that he had hit her twice before she gave birth to Lara.

"He apologized both times and I thought he had changed." Her mum had said.

But what Lara didn't understand was why her mum still choose to stay after everything he had done to her and her kids.

"Where will I go to at my age? Who will pay your fees and sponsor your education? I'm staying and suffering here so that you can graduate and do well for yourselves." This was always her mother's reply whenever she asked and she had long stop asking, making up her mind to make something meaningful out of her life and liberate her mom.

"I'd ask and try to see if I can get some money from him. I just hope he's in a calm mood." Her mum replied her warily. She stepped out of the kitchen leaving Lara to her thoughts and anger.

*                  *                     *                    *
Inside view of Lara's family😔
Don't forget to vote & comment guys 💕