Two Worlds Collided (On Going)

chapter 5; not so balanced

Jite;

Mum's situation was getting worse and it was getting difficult to keep up with everything all by myself.

Martha had been driven out of school because her fees had not yet been paid, Osas had his external exams coming up so he had to quit his job for the time being in order to focus on his exams and Michael, well there was not much he could bring to the table due to his age and size.

And last but not the least, our house bills i.e water and electricity,bills were due. It was only a matter of time before they would start taking violent actions to get their money from us.

I was tired. For a moment I didn't want to be Jite the first son of the Odedi family or Jite the elder brother of three. I wanted to be me without any responsible holding me down. For once I wanted to take a decision without thinking 'if I spend this money how would it affect my siblings?' or something of that nature. I wanted to do things my agemates were doing.

But I knew it wasn't possible. I wanted to up and leave but as much as I wanted to, I couldn't let my siblings face what I was facing. The little they tasted everyday while on the streets were enough. As I was deep in my thoughts, I didn't hear my room door open or see my mum walk in till I saw someone was sitting opposite me on the white plastic chair, studying me like I was a specimen.

"Thank you son.  For everything you're doing for me" my mum said wheezing from the cough.

"It's no problem mum, I actually got money to get your next medications I noticed that your cough came ba-"

"Don't" I was caught off from what I was saying by my mum's silent voice if not for our close proximity I would not have heard it

"What?" I asked trying not to sound worried

"Don't spend the money on the drugs".

"Why, are you having side effects?, The doctor did not tell me there would be"

"Jite" my mum called out quietly it hurt. Never had I heard her sound so broken. Normally my name was called with love, anger any emotion really and all those times I heard it, it was strong but now....

"I can't do this anymore, I can't let you keep on wasting your time looking for money for my medications when you know that there is no cure" she said between breaths like she was running a marathon.

"But if we treat the symptoms that arise the doctor said you would be able to live long"

"I know that" she said looking more defeated than ever "but I cannot let you do that, there are a lot of things that you would be able to do with that money Jite, are you going to keep on working on the streets to keep me alive?"

I couldn't believe this, I didn't want to believe it. My mum who was my world had already given up on life. What happened to all those speech she gave about 'where there is life there is hope. What happened to a new day brings new opportunities and other things she used to say.

"What of Martha?" I said trying to keep back the tears. She couldn't do this.  She could not let my little sister grow up without a mother.

"Do you really want her to grow up without the only parent left in her life?"

"She is not going to be alone. She has three big brothers that would go to the ends of the world to keep her safe"

After a long time I opened my mouth again and this time I didn't bother to hide the emotion from my voice.

"If I was the one or it was one of my siblings with this disease would you fold your hands and watch us die because there was no cure or would you strive everyday to get the drugs even if it's to keep us for a while longer"

She didn't do or say anythingt but to stand up and leave

"Are you doing this for us? Or is this a way to escape your problems" I needed to know I needed answers, answers to which she never gave because before I knew it she left the room.

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I couldn't help it so I did what I usually did. I went out for some fresh air. But apparently it was not just my spot it was someone else's to.

"What are you doing up this late at night" I said mildly surprised that he was still up.

"Same as you, I just had to clear my head" my brother said looking up at the night sky as I joined him.

"I miss us as a family" he said after a moment of silence. I knew what he meant. He missed when dad was around, when mum worked less and had time for us, when we were still normal kids.

"She still loves him you know" Osas spoke again "each time we talk it's about how much she misses him. Like he did not just up and leave us. It's sad". I knew mum and Osas were very close, it always was they seemed to act like sibling and not mother and son.

"Do you think she would accept him if he came back tonight" I asked already knowing the answer.

"If mum could do what she did to get married to dad she would fucking accept him now with her hands wide open" he said with a scoff.

"What did she do" I asked trying to hide my amusement.

"Mum never told you the story?" He asked looking at me like I had grown a second head.

"Well not every one is a mommy's boy to know such things" I said successfully lifting the mood around us.

Then he told me the story, the most disappointing story I had ever heard in my life.

Apparently my mum was from the southern part of the country, Benin, Edo state. and was a princess she fell in love with a shoe maker and went to her father for his blessings. When he refused and looked for a better and more suited  partner for her she got angry and eloped with dad. They came to Lagos and settled. Soon after her father found her and told her to come home which she refused when her father threatened to cut her of from the family if she continued with dad she still agreed to stay with him. Mum and dad lived happily ever after, well until dad lost his job after which you know the rest.

I was stunned. I couldn't believe it.

"I would've been a prince" I whispered knowing he could still hear me.

"No you fool, you would not have been born" he said chuckling.

"Really and how are you sure" I said humoring him.
"Because if mum had agreed to stay in the palace she won't have married dad there have been no us. Maybe it would have been a random Mike in your place" he answered thoughtfully.

There was a long pause before I found my voice again.

"Mum was stupid" it was not what I intended to say but it was already out.

"It was love" he said not looking at me

Well that love really, got us some place. I thought sarcastically.

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Hey guys I guess this is the end of their past the next chapter is going to be on how they meet and stuff like that.

Have a lovely weekend..... Till next time 😌😌