'Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars'- Kahlil Gibran
Two Years Later,
It's been six years of numbness, pain and emptiness. Six years since I lost the most precious person to me.
The one person who meant the world to me.
The person who made home feel like home and not just some massive structure people live in.
The person who consumed my numb heart and mind since she left six years ago.
Finally, I was going to college. I graduated secondary school last month. Well, it was not a smooth ride because it was tough wandering in a crowded place when you are empty on the inside.
My dad had been supportive by providing everything materialistic that I needed for studies and a comfortable living. Mara was like a mother figure who always tried to comfort me, even when she knew that she could not console even after six years.
Even when I could not fulfill one of my mom's promise of been there for dad, I felt the need to fulfill her dream of me attending a prestigious college in the world. I had applied to Princeton University, New Jersey, in the United States Of America.
I had checked out other prestigious schools, but Princeton checked all the boxes on my criteria for a school.It was in an averagely quaint and small state with the perfect atmosphere for thinking and starting a fresh. My dad paid the fees after they sent my admission letter in the middle of last month.
I still had a week to stay in Nigeria before I left for the US. I had a little shopping left to do, visit the orphanage and the cemetery to say bye to mom. When I returned from my shopping and visitations my credit card and 4000 USD were on my desk for any monetary issues while I get to school.
They scheduled my flight for Sunday evening to FrankFurt, then a connecting flight to New Jersey. It's going to be a long trip so I will join the first service at church. I packed the last of my bags on Saturday evening and sent them downstairs for the trip the next day.
As planned, I attended the first service. I prayed to God, asking Him to give me a silver lining to my future and not a painful one like the last six years.
After the service, I had a brief chat with the pastor. I got home late in the afternoon after having a short walk in the park to clear my thoughts before my journey later in the evening. I was having lunch alone as usual on the dining table when Mara walked in with a plate of food, which I guess is hers.
"Hi Mara,", I said and continued eating my food as she sat down opposite me on the dining table.
"How are you today, my child,", she said in a soft voice. "Am doing well, Mara,", I replied and continued eating.
"You know, I watched you grow up so fast after your mom left us. It was painful to see a little girl's dream crash in minutes over the demise of one of the important figures in her life. I felt your pain my child and I still know you are hurting. You are one of the strongest people I know and I know that you make it out of this pain stronger,", she said with a small smile on her face. I gave her a smile and continued eating. After eating, I rounded the table and hugged Mara before she could move pass her chair.
Mara had already contacted a cab to come pick me for the airport. I am sitting in the lounge waiting for the cab while sipping from a glass of water.
Mara came out and joined in the lounge. We conversed a little before the cab arrived and Mara was crying and telling me how much she will miss me. I was going to miss her a lot, but I had to go.
"Please try to call once in a while, Jas", she shouted from the porch before I got into the cab and cried quietly to myself so I would not look weird crying aloud in a cab. Noone had called me Jas since my mom passed away.
I was going to miss Mara, the house, and my dad even with our bent relationship. I still believe because our relationship is not broken, just bent.
The cab arrived at the international wing of the airport an hour before check-in, so I still had enough time to clear my mind and clean my face before I scare away the attendants looking like a racoon.
The driver helped me with my bags and I paid him with a tip to it. I closed my eyes to say a brief prayer to God for a new beginning.
The check-in was okay, the attendant was nice and helped a lot in making sure all my bags had the delicate baggage tag before she sent it down.
She put a tag on my hand luggage for easy identification if misplaced during the cause of the connecting flights.
I was sitting in the VIP-lounge waiting for the announcement of boarding for the Lufthansa flight that will leave by 9:50pm.
An hour later.....
"Flight LH43307 for FrankFurt will begin boarding now".
"Der Flug LH43307 nach FrankFurt beginnt ab sofort", the professional female voice rang out through the lounge.
I picked up my laptop bag and hand baggage and left the lounge towards the Lufthansa boarding stand.
I gave the attendant my boarding pass. After screening it, she tore off a part. They led me through to the passageway to the plane.
Thirty minutes after everyone had boarded the flight, the flight attendants showed the safety precautions in English and German at the same time the screens were displaying the safety measures too.
After all the formalities and sit checks. The captain introduced himself and announced take-off.
The take-off was smooth and in less than twenty minutes we were comfortable flying in the air. After the serving of food and drinks, I fell asleep till the captain announced arrival and landing.
The pictures on the internet did not do justice to how massive and beautifully decorated the interior of the FrankFurt International airport was.
I stood fixated to a spot taking pictures of some pictures on the wall and other beautiful sculptures in the airport.
I got directions to get to the checking spot for arrivals. They did the check fast, and I was on my way to boarding the flight to Newark International Airport, New Jersey, US.
As usual thirty minutes after everyone had boarded, the flight attendants did the same routine from the last flight and the captain announced take-off. They served food and Drinks.
I watched some movies on the tv screen before I fell asleep.
"Welcome to Newark International Airport, New Jersey, US".
"Willkommen am Newark International Airport, New Jersey, USA", the voice of the captain welcoming us to New Jersey woke me from my sleep. When the plane landed, I took my hand baggage from the cabin compartment and left the plane into the airport.
After I took all my luggage from the luggage belt of our plane. I got a cab for the two-hour-long trip to where my new life begins.
