VILE

Chapter 10: The Past

Grace had been living with Ayo and his children for a couple of months now. She moved into the one room apartment a week after having her daughter, Folakemi.

When she got pregnant, her parents rejected her and sent her out of their house. She had been staying with a friend till she was due to give birth. After her delivery, she told Ayo she had to move in with him. Afterall, she had had his child. He reluctantly agreed, and so she moved in.

For Tomike, Grace was a plague. It was bad enough she had to deal with her abusive step father, and now his unbearable baby mama. Just when she thought nothing more could go wrong, she was proven wrong once again.

Despite Grace's despicable attitude towards her, she was glad her step father now had something to distract him from her. Ever since that terrible night, he had abused her over and over again. At first he stopped, perhaps out of guilt or the fear of his deed being found out, but after months of nothing happening he started again.

Each time Tomike tried to come back home as late as possible so she wouldn't be home alone with him, but it seemed he always found a way to get rid of his sons. She dreaded her life. Every minute she spent alone with him was a nightmare she wished would end. But she had nowhere to run.

He'd tell her she was lucky he was the one. Tell her it could have been some other man who was a stranger. But she was lucky it was him who she already knew. "What are you using to repay me sef, for all the things way I don do for you since your mama die. See this one as my payment." Then he'd laugh. She hated his laughter, he mocked her, made her feel like she was nothing.

But ever since Grace's arrival, he bearly spared her a glance,and she liked it that way. They'd only speak when she was giving him a report of her sales.

When Folakemi was ten months old, Grace took in again. She would throw up all day and couldn't keep anything down. She had terrible mood swings and was very sensitive. Ayo got pissed off easily by her and soon his attention was back on Tomike.

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Tomike watched as Folakemi ran around the compound, chasing her naked sister. She was such a happy child. She couldn't help but love her despite her disdain for the girl's parents. Her hair was full and wrapped into two buns, as black as charcoal. Her eyes golden brown and her skin reminded her of honey. She wondered to herself how two monsters could birth such a beautiful thing.

Folukemi on the other hand looked like her father. She had his black eyes, his dark skin, and not much hair on her head. She watched them as they played. They were young and free, without problems or troubles.

She worried for their future. Was their father going to hurt them like he hurt her? Were they doomed to a life that was identical to her present reality. She hoped not, but she didn't plan to stick around long enough to find out.

Tomike was already fourteen and planned day and night her escape from the hell hole she was in. She was no longer going of tolerate the abuse she faced in this horrid house. She was saving money. She'd pack her bags early one morning and be off. She wasn't sure where she'd run to but she would disappear and never return.

Her step brothers had done something similar. She, her step father and his wife had woken up one morning to realise they were gone. Seemed to Tomike they couldn't take their father using them as money making machines anymore, so they bounced.

They still heard from them though, they hadn't completely disappeared, but they no longer lived under the dictates of their father. They had set themselves free, and Tomike wanted to do same.

She stood up, dusted her skirt and stepped out of the compound. She wanted to take a stroll. Anything to avoid her step father. Just then she heard someone call out her name.

"Tomike!"

She turned around. It was an elderly woman, perhaps in her early fifties. She wore a beautiful floral bubu, it looked expensive. Her face looked familiar but she couldn't really tell where she knew her from.

As soon as the woman was in close proximity to Tomike, she threw her hands around her and embraced her in a hug. She smelt nice, like some exotic flower. Tomike could tell it was an expensive perfume because it was nothing like the cheap ones Grace used.

There was something about the hug that reminded her of her mother. It was warm and felt like home. No one had hugged her like that in a long time.

As the woman pulled away, she looked at Tomike, searching her face and body as though aiming to find something.

"You are so grown, look at you. Your mother would have been so proud" her eye seemed to be filled with tears that were threatening to escape.

In all this, Tomike just looked. She didn't understand what was going on. The lady seemed to have noticed.

"Don't you remember me? It's me, Mummy Kennedy. Your mother's friend. I used to sell corn by the road that time"

A switch went on in Tomike's brain. She remembered her now. But she looked so different. She had put on some weight and her complexion looked a lot lighter.

Tomike remembered she had moved out after her first son returned from Malaysia. The rumour then was that he was into drugs, others said he sold his kidney. Whatever the case, he moved his mother and siblings out of the wretched neighbourhood and into a better life.

Tomike went on her knees to properly greet her.

"No, no, no, no. Please no need for that. You are my baby, no need to kneel." She brought Tomike back to her feet. "We have a whole lot to discuss"

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Thank you for reading!
This chapter is a little longer than usual, but I couldn't help it.😊
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Xoxo 💕💕
Val.