....
"What do you want ??", i asked immediately i opened the door without looking up
"Are you Miss Ella Samson ??", the guy who is dressed as a delivery guy asked starring at me and i rolled my eyes knowing that he was inspecting my outer look or probably being disturbed by my body odour .
Yea, i can't even remember the last time i showered ever since my dad's burial, life didn't seem purposeful anymore.
"Who's asking ??", i demanded irritated
"Ehm ..., I've got a package for her", he replied and i eyed him suspiciously wondering who would send me a package
"Am Ella, give it here", i answered snatching the package and signing book and pen from his grasp and signing.
I signed, handed it over to him and slammed the door in his face. I dropped the package on the floor and slumped unto the coach but then i noticed a familiar stamp on the paper taped on the body of the box. I can swear I've seen it before but just can't recall where, i got up and picked up the box to actually find out what it was my dad's family's company stamp.
I unwrapped the package and there was a letter and a black box. I opened the letter and it read;
Isabella if you are reading this then am either dead or about to, am sorry i couldn't be there for you and neither could your mum she honestly did endure a lot of things from me and there's honestly more to the story but am way too ashamed to say them, by now or a few days after my property will be released by the government cause the case against me has been settled, i have left everything in you and your mother's name as your guardian and dear i want you to go stay at her place, i know it's hard for you but this is my dying wish, for you to love your mum as its suppose to and be happy, she's the only family you have left and when you do finally find out what actually transpired between me and your mum please promise not to ever hate me, I do regret everything i did honey.
Your ticket to New York has been booked and your mum has been informed of your arrival, if or when i eventually die, my ashes should be spread in the sea at my hometown in Dallas, your mum lives there in the house where we met. She's a fantastic woman and you guys are a lot alike it's a shame i only realized her worth after she left me. Please love her and at least treat her better than i did.
Love you Ella
From Dad.
I looked at letter and then a tear dropped on it, as i immediately wiped my face and held the letter tightly in my hands, i can't believe this, what's dad even talking about, i thought as i opened the black box and saw a picture in a beautiful frame of my once complete family.
I rubbed the screen with my palm, as i recalled when this picture was taken, it was my 9 years old birthday, that was the very last time we were happy as a family, i turned the picture around and saw a paper tapped on the back the writing was that of my mum, it read "Happy birthday Isa"
I dropped the frame on the couch and picked up the pen that was left in the box.
After looking at it for while, i dropped it on the table and ran a hand through my hair. Why would dad do this ?, sending me to that witch's net and fucking made it his dying wish.
I picked up the letter, looking at it as i got up and taking small strides as i ruminated on what to do.
"I can't do this, there's no way am doing this. Never.", i said to no one in particular
"Ella, I've got some food for ...",
"Maggie, can you believe this", i called out rushing to her holding the letter
"What's that ??", she asked dropping the bags of groceries on the counter in the kitchen and she collected the letter from me and read through it's content
"This is great news", she stated happily
"Excuse me !!, how's that anything but good news ??"
"Well ... at least you get to settle things with your mum", she said walking over to the couch
"Oh c'mon Maggie, you more than anyone know how much i despise that bitch of ..."
"Do you mean your mother Ella ??"
"Obviously"
"Then show some respect will you ?, and grow up".
"Grow up, i should grow up says the person who hates her dad more than anything", i fired back
"That's a completely different situation and you know it", she answered pointing a finger at me
"How Maggie, cause all i see is you drawing parallel lines between the two situations", i accused her further
"Did you even read this letter at all ??", she asked me looking doubtful
"Yes and how has that got to do with anything ??", i asked taking a sit on the couch opposite her
"You've changed so much, in this past few months Ella", she said calmly
"Can we end this discussion ?, please Maggie", i demanded feeling my anger slowly subside
"Fine, but what are you going to do about your dad's wish ?",she said reminding me
I gulped "I have no idea, i can't choose to not fulfill his wishes and i can't choose to fulfill it either"
"Then why don't you just do it, i mean your dad made it pretty clear that he put the property in you and your mum's name meaning she's your guardian and you can't access the property without her consent"
"So what do you suggest i do ?", I questioned pushing a strand of my hair behind my ear
"Go live with your mum"
"You say that like it's so easy"
"Oh c'mon, just pack your things and move in with her", she said getting up and headed to the counter
"I can barely stand her sight and you're telling me to live with her", i stated following right behind her
"She's still your mother and how hard could it be, you just have to live with her. Ella do it if not for me but for your dad and regardless of that he said he wants his ashes spread in his hometown by you and your mum"She defended arranging the grocery in its place
"Your right Maggie, but ..."
"You have to start your college there but the following year"
"I don't wanna go to school or live with that lady",i whined
"Fine, I'll come along with you"
"What !!!!, how will you do that, i mean your whole life is in here, New York, your job, house, practically everything", i said feeling really loved by her gesture
"I know that, but i would have still moved there anyway, Kelvin and i planned to live there after marriage and besides i got a better job in your dad's company over there", she replied trying to hide the tears in her eyes
"Dad gave you a job ?"
"Yea and he had me also send an application in a university in his hometown so you can continue your studies", she explained as i stood starring at her in shock
When exactly did dad do all these ??
He could barely talk, so how did he do this ?
"You did all this without telling me Maggie", i demanded shocked
"I didn't, your dad did and one thing that is for sure is that he loves you and whatever it was he did, he is really sorry about it"
"He did nothing, he just feels guilty for letting me grow up without my mother", i defended
"Whatever, ehm Ella ...", she started itching the back of her neck
"Yea"
"When was the last time you ehm ... showered ??", she questioned and i felt embarrassed as i just realized that it's actually been a week i last showered or brushed my teeth
"Almost a week"
"Yea i noticed, someone can literally smell you from a mile away, please go shower, comb your hair and most importantly brush your teeth smells like, i rather not say", she pleaded pushing me towards my room and giving me pleading eye
"Fine !!!", i said slamming the door
"Good, ya young just 18, and you smell like a pig farm ..."
"I get your point already !!!!", i yelled and i heard her chuckle a little
I walked to the shower and took a long bathe and walked out feeling refreshed
...
"So have you decided ??"
"For fuck sake, can we suspend anything relating to this discussion please", i answered almost immediately, playing with my food angrily
"Why ??, so you just wanna ignore your dad's dying wish", she persisted
"I don't owe you an explanation and even if i do explain, you're never gonna understand"
"Wow really, why don't you try me then??", she said as i tucked a stray strand of hair blocking my view behind my ear and adjusted myself on the dinning stool i sat on
"Forget it"
"No, you can't just keep avoiding your mother like she's dead, you do know you're gonna see her one day at least if at all you want to get your dad properties back"
"I can work for my own money, and when someone acts like you're dead, you treat them like they've been buried", i defended
"Just like you did for your dad right and he died, due to how successful your hard work was right", she fired back adding the sarcasm
"Maggie !!!", i yelled pushing the food away from me and it fell off the table and make a loud noise as it landed on the floor and broke into a hundred pieces spilling it's contents in the process.
"If you're not tired off losing your loved ones Elle, i am OK ... Am tired of burying the people that are close to me and now the only one left is your mom, and i can assure you that a mother can be anything but can never be bad, she must be in more pain than you are right now, she lost her two sons whom she carried for 9 painful months and her only child hates her so much and you think you're in pain Isabella huh ??,why don't you see things from your dad point of view and stop acting like a kid", she half yelled at me and i wiped tears off my face which i didn't know was there.
"What do you fucking want me to do then, move in with her and act like she didn't kill ..."
"Correction Elle, no one killed anyone am i clear ?!, no one is to blame for what has happened OK, i agree you lost your brothers and dad but i lost someone too you know, my best friend, boyfriend and fiancee and do you see me blaming anyone and if at all am to do that then I'll blame you", she said and i was stunned
"Me !?"
"Yes you Elle, if not for your sake they wouldn't have got themselves involved in any bloody dealings that cost their lives "
"I..., am sorry, i didn't know you felt that way but i never ...",i said trying to apologize but i couldn't find the right words to say, she just accused me of killing my brothers
"Don't please, if at all you feel sorry then do what your dad said cause just as you don't know how you're to be blame so does your mum Elle, so grow up, you're too old to be acting like a stupid kid".
<<<< >>>>
After much thought i decided to do this not because of Maggie but because of my dad and his last wish and moreover because of my college.
"Are you there yet ??", Maggie asked over the phone as i walked out of the airport dragging my luggage along
"No, am just about to leave the airport", i said as i stopped to halt a taxi
"I could come get you if you want"
"No it's fine, I'll just show the address to the taxi driver. I'll phone you when i get there"
"No need, I'll be there to see you're mum and settle a few things relating to the company, i left a week earlier to get things done but am yet to get it done"
"Alright, i guess I'll see you later then", i said and hanged up, taking in a deep breath.
I can't believe I'll come face to face with my mum, i was just 9 years when i last saw her and that was few months after my birthday which was me begging her not to leave.
"Aggrh ... i never imagined myself ever seeing her again ..... Taxi !!!!", i called extending my left hand out signalling it to stop which it did, i showed him the address on my phone and he nodded and came down and helped me load my luggage in the taxi and drove off.
...
I stood there just mooning at the door sign that read "Blessed are you for blessed is anyone who comes in peace", the words were ever so familiar to me and i didn't have to see her face to know this was her house, the sign which read the proverb that she always said, unfortunately she never lived up to it.
I took in deep breaths and raised my hand ready to ring the door bell when the door opened and a young man in his early 20's stepped out. His bright caramel skin made him shine as the sun's ray was positioned on him, damn he's so good looking
"Hi !!!",i heard his deep voice say and i snapped out of admiring him and got irritated, was he her boyfriend ??, she's shamelessly sleeping with young men when her husband just died, that sly bitch.
This might've been why she didn't attend the burial
"What are you doing here ??", i asked rudely
"..., am guessing you must be Isa then", he said ignoring me and extending a hand "hey, am Dante".
I looked at his hand then back at him "I didn't ask for your name DANTE, i asked what you were doing here, you should be ashamed of yourself sleeping with someone about your mom's age", i insulted yelling a bit and then the door opened revealing my mum
"Isa !!!", she called my name looking shocked and then she turned to the man who i just lambasted and i stood there eyeing him suspiciously.
"Am so sorry Dante, she's my daughter i just told you about Isabella, Isa meet Dante he's the son of the man who helped your dad get his property back by paying the lawsuit and buying major shares in the company", she said and i immediately felt really stupid, he looked at me and just smiled, sliding his hands into pockets of his blue tuxedo's pants
"I'll see you later Miss Manon... and you too ... Isabella", he said and chuckled a bit before leaving
How could i be so stupid, i spoke to him so rudely, what was i thinking.
"How could you talk to him like that ??, you really have ...", she started but i interrupted
"Changed right ??, why are you so surprised huh ??, it's all thanks to you Rose, that's what you get when you leave your child instead of grooming them", i spat at her face and i could see tears threatening to fall out
"Can i go in, or do you plan on keeping me here all day ??", i asked and she moved out of the way ushering me in
"Your room is upstairs, i had it cleaned before your arrival so you can just arrange your things and get settled", she said and i looked up at the stairs, her house really is very beautiful, her interior decorations are so good
"Which room upstairs ??"
"The room with your name tag ", she answered and i nodded and headed upstairs and saw my room, the second room on the left, i opened it and it was so beautiful and exact replica of my dream room i planned on designing when i was much younger, i saw Rapunzel's castle just beside my bed, on the lamb stool on the left and i walked towards it and then i noticed a clock on it, it was an alarm.
And i smiled feeling the tears clouding my eyesight, i looked up and i saw it painted like the sky with yellow plastic stars dangling down, everything is just like i had planned it with her, the teddy bears (Winnie the pool and mickey), i chuckled a bit as i felt a tear dropped from my eyes, the bed sheets where like the stars galaxy.
As a kid i had always loved the stars and i still do, i wanted to design my room just like the galaxy and my mum promised to do so for me but those dreams where cut short when she left dad.
Before i could stop myself i was already storming out of my room and heading downstairs
"Why did you that ??, do you think it's suddenly gonna make me love you or forgive you for everything you've done and start treating you like my mum, never. I hate you so much and nothing would ever make me love you", i lashed out at her as she just stared at me from the kitchen she stood setting the table
"... Go freshen up and serve your dinner, am going to work", she said ignoring my outburst and smiled at me as she walked upstairs
I so wasn't expecting her to be so calm about what i just said... i mean not even a single ounce pain on her expression, so i matter so little to her, i thought as i felt my heart shattering.
I walked up the stairs to arrange my belongings neatly in my wardrobe and i noticed that there was already clothes in the wardrobe that were my perfect size and were quite feminine unlike the clothes i had which were bought by dad and my brothers, i never really actually fancied shopping so i never thought of changing my wardrobe, i wore a baggy black tank top and blue crazy jeans with a black sneakers.
Yea, i know my dress sense is the worst but again not
a fan of fashion.
I got settled in and then pulled my shoes and placed them on the shoe rack and then pulled the last piece of object in my bag, our family portrait and placed it on the head of my bed bunk and smiled before heading into the bathroom.
I walked out with a towel wrapped around me and my hair in a wet bun. I walked to my wardrobe and selected a white bum short and baggy pink tank top and picked up the dryer and began drying my hair when my phone started ringing and i picked after seeing the caller ID Maggie
"Hey babe"
"Am outside"
"Ohk, I'll be down in a sec", i said and she hanged up.
I quickly dried my hair and packed it in a messy hair and rushed downstairs holding my phone, i got there and opened the front door for her and she walked in and i shut the door
"Is she in ??", she asked setting her bag on the side stool and hanging her coat before taking a sit
"Who's that ??", i asked genuinely confused
"Your mum of course"
"Oh... how am i suppose to know, she's my guardian and not the other way around", i answered walking over to the kitchen to serve my lunch
"Oh C'mon"
"What !, i just got here and i don't plan to keep a track on her whereabouts", i spoke as i dished myself some of the delicious looking pasta in the pot
"Are you interested ??", i asked raising my plate for her to see it's contents
"Yea, am starving, haven't had the chance to have my lunch yet"
"Why ??", i asked as i walked back to her holding both our plates, i handed hers over to her and placed my on the arm of the chair and walked back to the kitchen opening the fridge to get some juice
"Orange juice ??", i asked her
"Yea", she said and i took two cups and poured from the jar into them and walked to her handing hers to her and setting my on the center table
"I really had something important to discuss with your mom, are you sure she isn't in ??"
"Oh God Maggie, you have a cellphone, so why don't you just phone her", i said irritated by her persistent requests of my mum
"Geez relax, why are you getting all worked up suddenly ??", she asked taking a sip of her juice
"God, you're such a pest"
"Your favorite one baby girl", she said with a smirk tugging on her lips as she chewed her pasta
"You know i heard what you did right ??"
"What did i do ??", i asked confused and curious
"To Dante"
"You heard??"
"Not really, you where loud enough for everyone to hear baby girl and here, news flies just like the wind", she answered rolling her eyes
"Oh no, i feel terrible. I honestly didn't mean to, i actually thought he ...", i started but she cut me short
"Was banging your mum, geez Elle. Rose is just like a mother to him"
"How was i suppose to know that, when you see a young dashing man leave the house of a sly bitch like hers, you're bound to doubt the situation", i said taking the last spoon of my food
"Do you mean the same sly bitch who birth you ??", she asked acting uncertain
"Obviously who else"
"You do know what that makes you right ??"
"Fuck...merely giving birth to a child doesn't make one a mother, but nurturing them does", i fired back with a hint of anger
"Oh really Elle, Victoria nurtured you perfectly, but you've changed so much, you're not the same Elle i met years back"
"Oh please !!!, stop that crap. All of you keeping saying I've changed, do you expect me to hug her and tell her well done for abandoning us and cut all means of communication from us, if only she had returned when dad fell ill, i would have forgotten the fact she wasn't there for my childhood but no, what did she do when we requested for her help to get dad's property back ??"
...no reply
"She wasn't there, my brothers wouldn't have died, your fiancee wouldn't be 6ft beneath the ground now, so yes maybe i did change but you can't blame me you know, she's to blame ...everything is her fault", i said fidgeting with my fingers trying to calm my nerves
"Why do you always get so worked up about this issue ??"
"Why ?!!, because you always seem to take her side and i don't appreciate that, your my best friend, and not hers so why do you always choose her over me", i demanded still angry
"What !!, where's this coming from !!?. Am not taking anyone's side, i just can't see my bestie going through the lane of self destruction and act like i don't see what's happening, can't you see that holding on to all that happened harms you more than it harms her, you're still the one losing, you're losing your identity, your true self Elle and you're turning to a hateful, angry, selfish and a very rude person", she said rather calmly and lovingly
"Ouch", i said holding my chest
"Oh stop it, am being serious here"
"So was i, until you hurt my feelings", i said and she rolled her eyes
"Fine. Am sorry"
"It's okay, buh you try that apology over lunch, then I'll forgive you sincerely", i said and she chuckled
"Fine"
"Am sorry", i said taking her by surprise
"It's fine, that's why we're friends"
"I love you", i said and she smiled
"I love you too silly girl".