One cannot forget some parts of their past because even if you try to forget, it is what defines who you are and how you faced those gore parts of your pasts shows how strong of a human you are, will be, and can be if you never surrender.
I am Jasmine Pepple, and this is my story of love and redemption.
Many individuals assume I have the perfect life because of my smooth chocolate skin and my rich dad. Well, let's say my life is not at all perfect. It's more like 'the more you look, the less you see' kind of life.
I lost my mommy when I was ten years old, that's like four years ago. She was my world, my rock, my shield, and my everything, that is after God for sure.
I was a cheerful kid with loving parents, one could say I was living the fairytale kind of life. That all changed one day when I returned home from school, my mom was not home and it was odd because in my whole ten years she welcomed me home from school and occasionally her and dad.
It was unusual for my mom to not be home because she is a celebrity chef and she did most of her work and all her shows in our home kitchen.
I shrugged off something bad and went to see if Mara was around. After spending some time with Mara, I retired for my room.
I was working out some homework when I heard the doorbell of the front door. I heard the opening and closing, so I just guessed that maybe my parents were back from wherever they went to. There was a knock on my door and I replied with a 'come in'.
They both came into my room. My mom looked paler than normal and her eyes were puffy, like she had been crying for a long time.
My dad was a mess of his own. In my entire life, I had never seen my parents this distraught. So, I was feeling anxious that something was off with their appearances.
My mom broke the tension as she asked about my day at school and if I had eaten. I told her everything that happened at school as per usual while my dad just stood beside her with a hand on her shoulder.
She looked tensed for a while, but then continued.
"I have something important to tell you, Jas", she said in her sweet soothing voice that day.
"I want you to promise that you will look after your dad and be a good girl as always". As she said these words my world came shattering in front of my own eyes because she was talking about the future without herself in it.
"I went to the hospital today for a check-up as usual but as you noticed it took more time than my previous check-ups, well the doctor confirmed I had Leukemia and they diagnosed it late so it's in the worst stage and he is not sure if I would make it till the end of three months,", she said as she sobbed quietly trying her best to comfort me that was already a crying mess.
My dad was trying so hard to keep up the facade of being strong for the both of us, but it's never bad to be weak once in a while.
Those were some of the last memories with mom because she did not meet the end of three months. She died the next month in the hospital after an attack and we did immediately the funeral.
Life moved on. Dad got more engrossed in work. That was his way of dealing with mom's death. I just got more involved in school work and got out of everything that triggered my memories with mom.
My dad hired a chef to do the cooking because he understood that mom and I had so many memories of baking and cooking together there.
I was grateful that he was thoughtful towards me, but we were not close as we were before mom left us.
I tried very hard to fulfill my promise to my mom by looking after dad. Some nights I would stay up late so I could always make sure he came home safe and sound.
As slowly as the days went by, I was slowly drifting apart from my dad. Even if he gave me everything materialistic, there was no longer happiness and joy in our home.
Our home just turned into a building people live in the very day mom got admitted into the hospital and there was no hope of her coming back alive.
Dad was no longer happy, you could see it from his movements. He moved like a zombie. I tried so hard to stay strong for both of us.
The church and cemetery became my home. I would stay long hours in church trying to ask God why He took away my mom when I needed her the most.
Sometimes I would try to forget and console myself with the fact that my mom is in a better place.
