I looked over the valley and the little hill right above the little mountain in the graveyard and I could barely see where the car pack was, how could so many people know my mother yet no one helped when we needed them?
Why did they suddenly show up at our doorsteps crying their eyes out, with fancy handkerchiefs drying their mascaras?
Why did these men pull me to the side to give me pecs and long hugs, pressing their huge bodies against mine and giving me cheques of huge amounts?
Why did 'Big Uncle Henry' out of the blue like me and insist I come live with him in Las Vegas when all Mama did while she was alive struggled to move me to the city?
"Stop!." I cried out when I could no longer take the confusion and pain.
Pairs of eyes all turn to stare at me in the cheap black lace dress that Mama had bought for me as my seventeenth birthday gift last December.
My cheeks gained colour as soon as I felt the anxiety rush, I took a deep breath and then turned my line of sight to see my uncle.
"Can I have the microphone?." I asked politely and watched as his eyebrows twitched in disgust.
Yes, that was what I expected when they heard the news of my mother's death, I expected she had been put in a plastic bag and I would be asked to dig a shallow grave for her.
"Here you go, little angel." I gave him a toothless smile before reaching out for the microphone which he held on to tightly.
I tried pulling for a few seconds before I forcefully stepped on his toes.
"Oops, sorry Uncle."Â
I walked gently trying not to lose my balance while walking towards the stage where I saw the only man who tried to help my mother and me.
"Thank you everyone for coming." I started with a little greeting.
"As we all know, my mama and I were very poor. We had barely eaten for days and we walked for miles to get things done but today I got offered three cars, a cheque worth twenty thousand dollars from my Big Uncle Henry." I paused when I saw the shock on everyone's faces.
"I also got a cheque of twenty million. I never knew I could ever get money from my relatives, in fact, I didn't know my mom knew anyone."
"Uncle Henry, sorry Big Uncle Henry, as much as I would have loved to come live with you and Aunt Cherry, your wife, I would rather die with my mother."
"And you!!." I pointed into the crowd. "Yes, you!!." I screamed when he tapped his chest with his mouth filled with cake.
By the way, where did they get a cake at a funeral?
"You said you are a Doctor right?."
"Yes, I am, in fact, I am the best in the state." He answered, I watched his shoulder raise an inch higher and a smirk hooked up his lips.
"Oh great!!, so where were you when my mama was diagnosed of cancer?." I asked.
There was a sudden upraw in the crowd that frightened me but I had one more thing to say, something I wish my mama knew, something very interesting and important.
"Big Uncle Henry, Mr. Anderson and That weird guy that said he is my uncle…" I stuttered when I realised I had forgotten his name.
"Thank you for forcefully welcoming me into womanhood, Big Uncle Henry at age ten, that weird guy at age 12 and you Mr. Anderson on the night of my seventeenth birthday, I still have the bloody sweatpants to prove it."Â
That was it, I felt an ache in my chest as I spoke about such a thing in front of hundreds of people but yet for some reason, I felt good and alive for the first time in years. But that wasn't because of the feeling they said came with talking about a r@pe express but the hope that I could get justice.
I took off my heels and ran towards the BMW Big Uncle Henry had just handed me the keys to, I quickly unlocked it and slid my body into the driver's seat.
I locked the door while staring at the commotion I had successfully steered up, I inserted the car key into the ignition, and I twisted it gently nervously.
I had driven a car before but never such an expensive car, I was acquainted with Mr. Rusty's old SUV and how long it took for the engine to start up.
"Get the hell out of that car!!." Big Uncle Henry screamed at me.
"Let the little girl go, you worthless thing!!." An elderly woman scolded him from behind.
As much as I wanted to watch them all sink their claws into his skin I could not take chances.
^^^^^
I had been driving for hours and I could feel my eyes growing weaker by the second.Â
I stared at my phone screen display and saw it was past 11 p.m., it was time for bed.
I looked over at the passenger seat where my bag sat scattered with the few cheques visible on the edge of the chair.
I stretched my arm trying to get my phone that was ringing.
"Jenny?." I asked myself when I saw the caller ID.
I felt a flash of light and within seconds I heard the screeching sound of a car tire, my eyes moved quickly unseeing a truck heading my way.
My heart jumped out into my arms in fear of death on the highway, I tried as quickly as possible, trying to man over the vehicle out of the truck's way.