UDEME
©Kikelomo Fadugbagbe
Episode 8
Caroline woke Jesse in the middle of the night.
“I have something important I want to discuss with you”
“Oh please, can it wait till morning?” Jesse grumbled
“No, it can’t, is about your daughter”
“What about her?”
“I suggest we take her to a boarding secondary school”
“No!, I won’t! she’s still very young”
She laughed, “If you want peace to reign in this house, you must take her to a boarding school, what’s her business in this house? She can’t do any house chores, she can’t even wash her uniforms”
“What happened to the watching machine?” Jesse asked yawning
“So that will also watch the dishes, she can’t do anything, allow me to train her, you said no, when I was at her age I’m already pounding yam for my grandparents”
“If you think the work is getting too much, you can get the service of a house help, I will pay”
“She must leave this house, one more thing, you have to be careful around that her class teacher turned lesson teacher. I see the way she use to look at you, that ugly, dirty thing”
“Caroline stop! That person you call dirty is the only good thing that has happened to my daughter apart from me. If you say anything again you will see the other side of me” he went back to sleep while Caroline grumbled till morning.
Jesse discussed the issue with her daughter as he drove her to school.
“My baby, after your common entrance exam, would you like me to enroll you in a boarding secondary school, is very nice you will like the adventure”
“Daddy if your new baby doesn’t want me around her, I can start living with my class teacher.”
Jesse packed the car, “I won’t lie to you it was her idea. I’m buying the idea so peace can reign.”
“I understand” tears rose to her eyes, “I will happily stay with Miss Mercy, even if I will be considering a boarding school not now. Miss Mercy, she’s like a mother to me, she is gentle, loving, and still single”
“Udeme I know you want me to be with her, but it can’t work, I can’t stoop so low to a primary school teacher, how much is she earning”
“Really, but my mother was just an ordinary village girl”
“Udeme that was then, look at me now, I need a sophisticated lady.”
Udeme opened the car and ran inside the school compound. Jesse drove off after some minutes of deep thinking.
Udeme’s friends walked up to her during their break time.
“Udeme you look sad,” Ella said
“Dad has concluded in taking me to a boarding secondary school, his new wife is doing all things possible to separate us.”
“He’s not yet his wife” Rejoice cut in
“Hmmm, My Dad cannot get over her she’s too controlling”
“Udeme, I and Rejoice will convince our parents so we can attend the same secondary school with you, you will never be alone trust me they hug her.”
“No need for that, I told him I will be staying with teacher Mercy instead”
“Did he accept?” Ella asked
“He will. Girls, something else is bothering me, my mum has been appearing to me in my dreams. She won’t say anything all she does is cry, this dream has been repeating itself and is getting too much”
“Maybe you are thinking too much about her, please stop thinking and focus more on your studies, Udeme you have an Essay competition coming soon, we are rooting for you, and you must win”
“I won’t let you down, but there’s something we are not talking about”
“What?”
“How to stop the female circumcision going on in my mother’s village”
“Any idea?”
“Yes, I’m working on something”
They stared at each other in silence till the break time was over.
To be continued..
