"Papa! I'm home!" Lea yelled with the basket of grains and legumes and veggies in her hand.
Landi stood by the door of his room with a smile widely spread on his face.
Lea went into the arms of her father as they both hugged each other with smiles of joy, like as if they haven't seen each other for a very long time.
"How was it?" Landi asked when Lea withdrew.
"Look what I got" Lea said in a very childish manner.
Landi's eyes grew wide at the sight of the veggies and legumes in the basket because it was full to the brim.
"Where did you get these from?" Landi asked with a smile of surprise.
"I and Lamina went to... "
"Lamina?" Landi asked.
Lea thought for a second that was she just said was a silly mistake of hers. But Landi like Lamina, so she didn't see anything wrong in telling him who she went out with. Besides, he helped her to gather what they will eat for an additional week, apart from the supplies they have presently.
"Yes... Yes Lamina" Lea said and Landi shook his head.
"I told you that I don't want to see you with those boys of Maneth, Lea" Landi said.
"I know Papa, but you know about Lamina and how long we have been friends... "
"I don't care how long you've known him, Lea. All what I want you to do is to adhead to the command. You shouldn't be with all those boys of Maneth... " Landi said and Lea dreaded the next statement.
"Including, Lamina"
Just those two words brought a pang of anger upon Lea. She felt like just falling on the ground and melt back into the sand of the earth or into the water inside the earth.
Lamina is her friend. If she starts avoiding him whenever she goes to market, what will he start thinking?
Lea said nothing more, but left to her small carved room in anger.
Anger that her dad still didn't get the way she do her things. Anger that freedom to relate with some people of Maneth was not visible or within sight. Anger that her dad had rejected the friendship she had for as long as she remembers...
And anger that her Dad said Lamina's presence should be absent in her life.
It was an all of a sudden move that her father just took and it surprised her to the detriment of her soul, spirit and body.
She scattered the legumes and veggies all over the place where the old one were and went straight to her small carved out room.
"When? When? When will I ever be free to relate with people I chose to relate with?" she asked her self calmly but with anger as she stared out of the window, watching as the sun set slowly.
She wished her mother's presence was there. She also wondered how her mother was like, was she the good type of mum that never touches but scold the child whenever he or she did something? Or was she the beating one? It was unknown
She pounced on the clean but old looking foam that she usually sleeps on and breathed in deeply, a soft tear escaping her eyes as she laid down. She wanted to know how it felt like in the warm arms of a mother. But who would take the risk of having a lady come into their house to spend the night
It is obvious that no one would.
She closed her eyes and sighed out in pain of what her mother left her to pass through. Her dad is a great dad but with all the circumstances she faced when she newly entered the adolescent stage, plus no mother in her life... In turns out, that maybe she might not even get out of her father's house.
Even if she hated to admit it, she just had to and accept that all her hardwork and sufferings for she and her dad was for her own family in the future, whether she liked it or not.
She turned to face the hanging picture of her dad and her mum when they were newly married and smiled.
Crossing her fingertips along the frame, she smiled and sniffed in her blocked nose so as to clear it and to breathe in and out freely.
She felt happy with herself because she knew that even her mother, maybe, would have had the same hardworking spirit as her.
Lea turned up and continued to think continuously.
Lamina. Her dad said he didn't want anyone, that is a boy, to be in a relationship with her, she thought.
But what is the reason for his sudden disapproval for she being friends with Lamina. It seemed suspicious, because they have been friends for a very long time and, yeah, they can separate but it will be a bit hard.
Why? Because of the bond they have built in between themselves. It now looks like her dad don't want them to relate with one another. No offence but, that's the truth.
Landi on the other hand, sat on the couch in the dining area where is close to the kitchen, with his hand, gently massaging his forehead in thoughts.
Of course, Lea is a grown girl but she have the same type of stubbornness of her mother. And in the inheritance that Lea got from her mum, Landi dreaded this one the most.
He sighed as he stared out through the window in full hope that Lea will get why he is trying to protect her. Because it seems like now, she don't understand a thing.
Landi whispered a little prayer for his daughter, because he really wants to go back to where he came from to meet his wife but he can't leave his daughter because of what she might face or she might be facing right now.
He let a smile break on his lips at a sight of a little lightening. The heavens have heard his prayers.
And so, he whispered his wife's name.
"Sarine"