Fatherless
Episode Three
After a few mournful minutes, Mom asked me to come with her, saying, “Let’s go.”
That’s when I truly knew that Dad wasn’t coming back. I took a step, then another one, but I just felt weak and fell.
The people who had come to pay their respects to their father just close to dad’s stone rushed to help me up.
They asked my mom, “What happened?” but she couldn’t speak, she just stammered again.
They quickly carried me into the car and offered to take us home.
I opened my eyes in the car, unable to say a word. Tears streamed down my face, and Mom used her hands to wipe them away.
It felt like a part of me had gone beyond my reach.
When we reached our house, which wasn’t far from the cemetery, Mom asked them to drop us off outside.
She held me gently, waving at the people and thanking them.
She opened the gate, and I went straight to my room without turning back or saying anything to her.
I didn’t even come downstairs for dinner, and she understood that I wouldn’t eat.
The atmosphere was so tense, and I knew the whole world was as sad as I was.
To top it all off, it started raining heavily that night, a perfect night for Dad to tell me bedtime stories, hold me in his lap, and sing those lovely songs until I fell asleep.
Then he would cover me with a blanket, and when thunder strūck, I would hold on to him and never let go.
He used to say, “Be a man, Nathan. I might not be with you forever.”
It seemed like he knew he would eventually leave someday.
Lost in thoughts about my father, I eventually fell asleep.
He came to me in the dream, it felt like I was in school at that moment and was having a nap.
He held me by the hands and took me outside to the school’s playground, where we both sat.
He looked at my uniform, which was very clean, then he said, ‘I can see that you are now a big boy just like you said.
I’m impressed that you are neat and you don’t play the way you used to.
I wouldn’t want you stressing your mother in any way. I haven’t left you.
I’m still with you. When you need me, just close your eyes and you will find me.
Stop crying, you are hurting me. Take care of your mother.”
I didn’t see myself crying in the dream; instead, I was smiling and told him, “Let me stay with you, please.”
As I held onto his hands, not letting go.
‘Your mother needs you,”he said, loosening himself from my grip.
As I tried holding him again, he was gone. I woke up and realized it was just a dream.
At that moment, fear gripped me, and I felt like everything in the house was moving, but I covered myself with the blanket and forced myself to sleep.
Early in the morning, I woke up to mom sitting at the edge of my bed with my favorite meal, Potjiekos.
The smell of the food woke me up, and I felt like dad came in the physical to give me the food.
When I opened my eyes, I felt a bit disappointed when I saw mom.
I knew she was trying her best to make me happy.
The headache I had the previous day was completely gone. I could recall that dad touched my head.
He took the headache away. I ate the food, which didn’t in any way taste like dad’s cooking.
I still didn’t know dad’s special ingredients.
I will ask about his special ingredient the next time I see him in my dream. I murmured to myself.
I finished eating the food, and she was impressed. “Thank you, Mom,” I said.
I didn’t want to reject the food because I was told not to stress her, and she was already suffēring.
She took the plate to the kitchen while I went to the shower to take my bath.
When I was done, I dressed up to look neat. This was just to impress Dad.
I had to follow his orders, even when he was no longer there.
Mom was shocked that I was weak the previous day, and it hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since I was back on my feet, smiling like nothing happened.
I didn’t want to tell her about the dream because I felt it would make her feel bad.
She had already cried, and it gave her an eye bag.
In the afternoon, Mom called me to sit down because she had something to tell me.
“What is it, Mom?” I asked curiously. “Nathan, I’m withdrawing you from your school,” she said.
“What?” I exclaimed, completely shocked.
“I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to afford your fees anymore.
You’ll just have to attend any public school close to the house.
After all, all schools are the same,” she said, bowing her head without even looking at my face.
“It’s fine, Mom,” I accepted, although I didn’t see that coming.
I still had to please her. I went into my room, shut the door, and carried my dad’s portrait.
“I wish you were here,” I muttered, būrying my head in my pillow.
Thessycute Ekene
