STRUGGLING STARS
© Kikelomo Fadugbagbe
EPISODE 3
“Did you just say that I’m hurting you” she fell to the ground and started crying, Gladys moved closer to her “Madam we are sorry”
“Mum what happened to you, That was not you, I can see through you I know you’re troubled, or are you tired of me? Moreover, you should be at work”
“Don’t worry I’m fine, you guys should excuse me” she stood up and ran to her room”
“Aunty Gladys I’m sorry about everything. Thanks for not leaving”
Gladys smiled but she was deeply hurt inside.
“Please check on my mum, I think she needs help”
Gladys joined Mrs. Davidson she busted into tears seeing her. “Gladys I’m dying” she gave her a result,
“No! Jesus! cancer of the lungs.
How come?”
“Gladys I have few months to live,” she cried profusely “who will take care of my son, who will care for Imma”
“You are not dying ma, I rebuke this report in the mighty name of Jesus” she panicked
“Please don’t tell Imma. I will be fine, tell me about those people” she exhaled
“Imma friend and her mother?”
“Yes, when and where did they meet, when did he start making friends?”
“He met her at a conference today”
“Today? Imma have been leaving this compound, why will you allow that”
“Madam I’m sorry but I think it’s high time we start taking him out, especially you. Let people know him as your son should in case anything happens he can easily get helped.”
“Hmm that’s true, now that I have a short time to live, I will see to that, thank you”
Gladys returned to Imma’s room, he had already printed the picture he took with Professor Sophia, so she helped him paste it on the wall.
“How is my mum?”
“She’s fine, you need to eat now, Is my closing hour”
“I don’t have an appetite, I don’t know how Rebecca and her Mum would be feeling, I want you to talk to my mum, so they can live with us.”
“That is not possible, we can’t reach them except they come here again.”
“They will come, I strongly believe that”
“I like your faith, so you should rest, she cleaned his body, fed him, and placed him carefully on the bed. See you tomorrow.” She left while he began to ponder on what was said at the conference.
Gladys woke him up the following morning, “Thank God you came early, help me check on my mum. She refused to check on me since yesterday night”
“Is ok,” she came back minutes later, “Mummy is preparing for work she promise to check up on you before she leaves.”
His mum walked in, “Good morning son”
“Mum I missed you”
“I missed you too, I was ashamed of myself that is why I didn’t check on you, I’m so sorry”
“Is fine Mummy”
“Is that not Sophia Ime,” she was surprised at the picture on the wall “My God look at my son and a star.” She exclaimed.
“Maybe your son is a star too” He teased
“Was she at the conference?”
“Yes” Gladys replied her
“Mum I want to go back to school” Imma cuts in
“I wasn’t expecting that Imma, they are going to bully you, you know that”
“They won’t do that forever Mum”
She agreed after much pressure
and enrolled him in Junior secondary school. The school principal invited her days after the enrollment.
“Madam are you sure your son is supposed to be in JSS3?”
“Yes principal that was the class he was when I redraw him from school, I want him to repeat the class so he can remember some things”
“But he is doing better than some of our SS3 students I will advise we take him to SS3 so he can write waec and start preparing for Higher Institution.
“Thank you principal you can promote him then if you think that’s the best”
“Imma you will be writing senior waec, how come you are so brilliant?”
“I’ve been doing online lectures. I’ve been studying Economics, Government, and the likes.”
“That is serious, what course would you like to study at University”
“Peace Conflict and Resolution”
“Wow, that is wonderful. I will be traveling soon, I’ve been posted to a bank in Zaria.
“What! that is not good news mummy.” He exclaimed
“I know, I promise to visit every weekend. Aunty Gladys will be here with you.”
After much persuasion Imma agreed. Mrs. Davidson called Gladys to inform her, “I will have to stay away from Imma so that when I die he won’t feel it too much.” She whispered
“Madam I understand you, but I’m planning to settle down too”
“You didn’t tell me”
“My man just proposed last night, he’s going to meet my parent this weekend”
“Imma can’t lose the both of us at the same time, please after your marriage I don’t mind if you and your husband can move in here with him.”
“I will have to tell my man and hear what he will say. Let me call him now.” She called, telling him to come to her workplace, and her fiance showed up some hours later.
“Welcome my brother, I’m Mrs. Davidson”
“I’m Simon Jeffrey” They shook hands.
“And over there is my son, Imma” he pointed at him
“My woman has told me so much about him” Simon confessed
“That’s good,” she told him her plans and why she wanted them to stay with her son.
“That is not an issue ma, it will only cost you big cash and properties, you know your son has disabilities and he’s going to be a liability to myself and my wife so I need to be sure of the compensation before I agree”
“Mr. Simon” Imma called as all attention was drifted to him.
“Beyond the boy on the wheel, beyond the imbecile and the liability that I am, beyond my scars what else can you see?”
To be continued.
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