My Wicked Step Mother
Episode 10
Dad stood watching Sandra and mum,his gaze went to me on the floor and confusion was written all over his face. Some days ago, he had walked into his wedding pictures shattered on the floor, now he was welcomed with a fight.
Sandra quickly let go of grandma and grandma began hurling insults on Sandra. It was really heated, everything seemed so wrong. I looked at my dad’s face, tiredness and confusion were boldly written on it.
“Can you all stop this!” dad said with his voice sounding so thunderous. Mr John came in and he quickly went to take dad’s briefcase. My dad looked at him with a fierce eyes and immediately, he retreated.
My dad walked towards Sandra aggressively ,grabbed her hand and they both walked upstairs. Teddy was already seated, it was obvious he was no longer any attack.
Grandma looked at Teddy on the couch, “If not for the love I have towards children, I should hàte you but no…I won’t. Tell your mother to change from her bad ways,” grandma àngrily said and walked away.
I watched as she climbed up the stairs and was no longer in sight. I looked at Teddy on the couch, our eyes met. He almost dîed and I never wanted him to follow us into the kitchen.
I got to my feet and l made to leave as well, “hey… wait. You know I almost dîed because of your busy body. You caused all that just happened. I don’t even want to have anything to do with you and your grandma anymore,” Teddy spat out voraciously.
He got up from the couch and started to walk away. ” Can you see you are not in your right senses. I did absolutely nothing. Your sick body only reacted to the smoke.”
l could see shock on Teddy’s face. “Did you just call me sick?” Teddy asked with a teary voice. I felt really bad for saying such a word. I could see how pained he was.
He immediately dabbed his faced with his palm, it was obvious he wanted to cry. ” Hey…I didn’t mean…” I couldn’t complete my statement before he yelled at me.
“Thanks for calling me sick,” Teddy said and he immediately walked away.
We all sat at the dinning, there was total silence as each of us ate our food in peace. Dad gave a loud cough and he broke the silence.
“I’ve made arrangements and Joy’s mum will be buried in the next two days. I should have told you about this earlier but as you all know, there hasn’t been peace in this house.”
Dad said as he carried his cup and gulped down the juice from it. “I don’t want a crowdy burial, just a quiet one and we would all be done with this.”
Waking up to the beautiful light that shun through my window. I yawned lazily and the memories of what happened the previous evening came into my mind.
“Today is going to be a different day. No troubles, no quarrels, just go to school and then tomorrow will specially be for mum’s burial,” I said to myself as I got out of bed.
I undressed and went into the bathroom for a clean up. As usual, I spent a considerable amount of time in there. I was still under the shower when a loud sound came from my room.
“Jeez…I didn’t lock my door,” I said as l quickly turned off the water. I wrapped my towel and I got out of the bathroom. Teddy was seated on my bed and l felt like giving him a hot slap.
I hated the way he would come into my room without knocking and without my permission.
“Good morning princess,” Teddy said smiling at me.
I noticed something different about him. But I just couldn’t figure it out. “Can’t you knock before coming in? And besides, what are you doing here?” I asked as he made to stand up.
“You really hurt me sis, you shouldn’t have called me sick. Like, it isn’t my fault that I’m asthmatic. I didn’t create myself this way. I…I….was deeply…hurt sis,” he said as he bursted out crying.
I was totally surprised at his actions. ” I’m really sorry for making you feel bad. I promise,I won’t say that again,” I said as I went hugging him.
It felt good, for the first time, we didn’t show hàtred towards one another. “We’ll be late for school,” I said as I quickly disengaged myself from him.
He smiled and he went for the door. I quickly went to my wardrobe and got my uniform. I had overslept and time was really not on my side. I grabbed my bag that was on the study table and went jumping out of my room.
I felt this inner peace in me, it was different. Dad was in the sitting room as well as grandma and Sandra, it seemed like they were in a heated argument again.
it was odd that dad was still in the house, he should have left for work. I could see from the window that his car had been parked awkwardly. It seemed like he came back home from the office, but for what?
“I just said my money is missing, who else is living in this house with us?” dad yelled aloud. This is not funny, is there a thief in this house that I don’t know about?
Dad said as he started pacing round the sitting room. He immediately rushed upstairs and went into Teddy’s room. Teddy was coming out of his room at that time.
He went walking down the stairs and dad spent some minutes in his room and came out. He was really sweating and then he went straight into my room.
He came out looking frustrated. He came downstairs and grandma started clapping her bands, “I’m sure it is this boy that took your money, has this ever happened in this house before? You have just started,” Grandma said as she went sitting on the couch.
Sandra stood looking at what was happening. Dad walked towards Teddy and grabbed his school bag. Dad emptied everything on the floor and he found nothing.
“Do you think my son is a thief?” Sandra yelled at the top of her voice. She immediately moved towards me, grabbed my bag and emptied it as well.
My books went falling to the floor and a bale of USD notes went falling to the floor as well. My dad made a sound, he was totally shocked . I bent done to the floor, and l picked it up, it was the missing money.
Sandra bursted out laughing, “you see that your daughter is a thîef. You only thought bàd of my son and not your own daughter.”
I looked at grandma with tears already in my eyes, she was shocked as well. “Joy!” my dad said with so much disappointment and he went walking towards me.
I was already shaking all over. I didn’t know what to say or to do. He took the money from my hand and he landed a hot slap on my face. I went falling to the floor as I screamed at the top of my voice.
Grandma quickly jumped up from the couch and went shielding me. Dad was already loosing his belt and grandma dragged my up from the ground.
“Let me teach this girl a lesson,” dad said as he held his belt in his hands. Grandma didn’t move an inch, she guarded me safely at her back and l continued crying bitterly.
Dad got his briefcase and he threw in the money, got his car keys and he angrily left the house. “Wow, so you are even a thîef, nice one,” Sandra said as she went for the door.
“Teddy, pick up your books and let’s go to your school,” Sandra said as she kept shaking her head.
Grandma looked at me and she went hugging me. I didn’t stop crying. I bent down to pick my books as well and Teddy came crawling towards me. He hugged me tightly and I wept the more.
He rubbed my back with his hands and then he suddenly whispered into my ears, ” you are the thîef and I’m the sick one. I’m better than you. You’ll regret ever making fun of my health condition.”
I suddenly went quiet, I was totally shocked. He looked at me in the eyes and he got to his feet. He waved at me and he went out of the house with his mom.
Now it made sense, he didn’t come into my room to make friends with me, he came to frame me up with dad’s stolen money.
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