CAGED ✔

《 Chapter 24 》

I came out of my room already dressed in my uniform; ready for school only to find my mother sleeping by the side of my door. Her eyes were shut firmly and I stood staring at her. I never knew she spent the night at my door.

When the banging stopped last night, I thought she had retired to her room as grandma did. I was flummoxed to see her at my door.

I stooped low as I stared at her face. I could see tiny wrinkles underneath her eye. I looked nothing like my mother; I looked completely different from her. Grandma had said often that I looked like my father.

The housekeeper walked in right then to announce that breakfast was ready. My mother opened her eyes slowly and I got up immediately and walked to the dining to have my breakfast.

The housekeeper had placed a loaf of bread on the table with the tin of milk and Bournvita standing aloof like two tall trees. I took some butter and spread it on my bread.

I could see my mother from the corner of my eyes walking wearily to the dining. She rubbed her eyes sleepily as she stood opposite me.

"Good morning, Beatrice!"

"Good morning, ma," I responded without sparing her a look.

"You're already dressed for school? Your driver is not coming today."

"I'm going to school. I don't mind trekking."

"You're not going to trek, Beatrice. Your driver is not coming because I asked him not to. I want to speak with you, Beatrice. There's something I want to tell you and after that I want you to come with me to see your little siblings." She smiled at me.

I looked up from my food with my mouth agape; the slice of bread I was holding fell back to my plate.

"You want me to come along with you to your house?"

"Yes, Beatrice." She nodded at me in tears.

"What about your husband? He doesn't want - "

"He's out on a business trip. He won't be back till the following week so you don't have to worry." She said hurriedly.

I nodded slowly as I turned to my food. This had been my dream for so long. I had already lost hope after waiting for so long. I was glad it was finally coming true.

My mother walked into her room and came out after some time with a bag.
"I'll drop it in your room. These are all your clothes grandma seized."

I couldn't believe my ears. What was going on? This was too good to be true.

"Are you serious? She released them?"

"Yes, she did. There's a red dress in the bag that I would like you to wear but it's up to you to decide what you want." My mother responded as she walked into my room.

I watched her leave and I tittered. Was this a turnover in the house? Must there be a rebellion before revolution could take place?

I quickly ate my food and walked into my room to change into something else as my mother had said. Grandma had not come out of her room and I seriously didn't care. I didn't want to see her; If possible, ever!

I was surprised to see my scattered room arranged. Due to the constant ramming of my chair and table, my room was a mess. I had never had anyone clean my room before. I rubbed my eyes to convince myself that I was not dreaming. It felt like I was a different person in a different house and with different people.

I opened the bag which was on my bed. I picked the plain red gown my mum had recommended. It stopped right above my knee. It was shorter than the black gown Iyanu had given me but it was very beautiful.

I smiled as I admired myself in the mirror. The mirror in my room had served as a decoration - I rarely looked at myself in the mirror. What new thing was there to see? It was always the regular oversized ugly clothing.

I pulled the red dress off and tried the remaining dresses in the bag. They were all very beautiful but I liked the red one better. I couldn't place a finger as to why I liked it but all I knew was that I did like it better so I wore the red dress back.

There was a white sandal I had never seen inside the bag. I put it on; it was perfectly my size. If this was a dream, I never wanted to wake up from it.

My mother knocked on my door immediately I wore the sandals.
"Come in," I replied.

Her eyes shone immediately she saw me. It shone so much it became teary. She walked towards me slowly. My mum was such a cry baby. While I was a child, I wondered why she cried a lot.

"You look so beautiful, Beatrice. Very very beautiful. "

I smiled at her as I sat on my bed. She sat on the edge of the bed too but some distance away from me. I wished she sat closer. Was I too harsh on her the previous day?

"Beatrice!" My mother began. She took a deep breath. "I've been doing a lot of thinking ever since you poured your heart out yesterday. I knew you were going through a lot so I was not entirely surprised at your outburst.

Though I wasn't surprised, I was hurt. I felt the intensity of the pain I and your grandmother had put you through. I have no excuse and I accept it is my fault.

"For this, I wish to seek your forgiveness. I'm very sorry for not being there for you. I'm sorry for not giving you a perfect life; a perfect family. You're right, no one should grow up the way you did; not when their parents are alive. Please find a place in your heart to forgive me. . .and to forgive your grandmother too. She didn't mean to hurt you."

My head popped up immediately as I stared at her. Was she kidding me? Grandma didn't mean to hurt me?

"I've heard that a lot and I'm sick of hearing it." I retorted. Everything was going smoothly before she brought up grandma.

"Yeah, that's because you don't know your grandma gave birth out of wedlock too."

"What?" My mouth fell open.

"Yes. She gave birth out of wedlock too just like me, only that I gave birth much younger than her. John, who you see as your uncle is my halfbrother. When I got pregnant at seventeen, your grandma was very devastated. She locked herself in a room for many days without food or water. It took constant pleading from your grandpa to bring her out. She felt like a failure - like she had failed in her duties as a mother. She felt incapable of raising a girl child.

"After I gave birth, and she found out it was a girl and the girl would be left in her care, she vowed to train you well so you won't end up like either of us. But what she didn't know was she was being too extreme; too severe. I tried talking to her about this but she shut me down each time with a saying that she would never take advice from me. She accused me of trying to spoil you. She told me she was going to train you well; better than she had ever trained me.

"What your grandmother is trying to do is to prove to herself that she isn't a failure and is capable of raising a female child. She's trying to convince herself that's why I don't blame her. I won't say I regret getting pregnant, that way I wouldn't have had you; my beautiful daughter. I just wish I could give you a much better life."

I sat silently as I tried to process all that my ears had heard. So grandma gave birth out of wedlock! Grandma actually gave birth out of wedlock just like my mother? I couldn't believe my ears.

Grandma who was always painting herself as a saint; always accusing mother of giving birth at seventeen; always accusing people of being a negative influence. . .that the same grandma was guilty of all the crimes she had accused others of.

I felt like running into her room and screaming into her face: You're the worst person I have ever met. You are the one I should be staying away from and no one else.

I concluded that I would tell her that if she ever accuses anyone of influencing me negatively ever again. Since today was a great day, and mysteries were being unravelled, I could as much ask a question which I had always wanted to ask.

"Tell me about my father!"