THE PINK CLOUDS

chapter 29

It has been five years since Richard left home. Things were working out for him so well in the poultry farm. The owner of the poultry farm trusted Richard so much that she put him to be in charge of supplying food. Somehow, she knew Richard was different from all the workers she had employed before. She had tested his honesty several times, but he proved to her that he was worth it.

But what confused her most about Richard was the fact that he doesn't get involved in any social activity. He spent most of his time in the poultry farm and only went out when the need to order food for the animals arose. And she had never seen him spending any of the money she had been paying him. He had only 3 pairs of oversized clothes that he didn't care much to iron. He had been advised several times to cut off his hair, but he never took that into account.

For all these years, Richard had never thought of going home until one morning. He had a terrible nightmare that his sister had died. He came very terrified because the dream felt so real. He sat on his bed and leaned his head against the wall. It was then that he started missing his family more than ever. He thought about his younger sister and imagined how she grew up. He compared her with Rebecca since they are almost of the same age.

In the morning, he decided to call his sister for the first time.
His sister: Hello who is this?
Richard became totally happy when he heard her voice.
His sister: Hello? Can you hear me?
Richard: hello big sis
His sister: Oh my God Richard! How could you be so cruel? How could you do this to us?"
His sister started crying through the and Richard quickly ended the call and turned off his phone. Tears started falling from his eyes. He began to wonder how disappointed she would be. Despite how she sacrificed her dream to make him a better person, he ended up making her effort go in pain.

He cried for hours before the thought of going to school again came. He thought maybe if he goes to school again, his sister would forgive him. For the first time he stood up and headed towards the house of the owner of the poultry. It was a white 2 storey building surrounded by a very tall fence. It had a black gate that was just opposite to the gates of the poultry farm.

He walked to the gate and knocked at it. The security guard was so surprised when he noticed that it was Richard.
"Why are you here today? Did something happen?" He asked.
"No, I just want to talk to madam," Richard replied.
"Okay, give me a minute, let me go and talk to her," said the guard.
"Okay, I will be waiting,"

About five minutes later, the security guard came back.
"She said you can go in, she is in the living room,"
"Thank you," Richard answered.
He walked towards the door of the living room and knocked at it.
"You can come in," came a voice.
He walked into the living room and suddenly appreciated it's beauty.
He found the woman sitting on a sofa beside her husband.

"Good morning ma'am" Richard greeted.
"Good morning, how are you?" She asked.
"I'm fine,"
"I heard you want to talk to me,"
"Oh, yes I do," Richard replied.
"What is it you want to talk about?" She asked.
"I want to start attending school," Richard announced.
"Really? That's really great. Which school do you want to go to?" She asked.
"The university," he responded.
"You don't mean the university my daughter is attending, right?" She asked confusingly.

"I absolutely mean the university she is attending," Richard responded.
Her daughter who was sitting opposite them on a sofa started laughing sarcastically at him.
"Stop that right away Mercy," her father shouted at her.
"And what course do you wish to study?" The woman asked.
"Computer engineering," Richard replied.
Again, mercy started laughing at him.
"If you laugh again, I will send you out of the living room," her father warned.

"Do you think you have the qualifications to study there? Not to even talk about the tuition fee," she asked.
"I do have the qualifications, and about the tuition fee, I think I can get a scholarship. Because I heard students who maintain a first class result are given a scholarship," Richard replied.
"Do you think you can get a first class result in my school and in the faculty of engineering?" Mercy asked sarcastically.
"I'm pretty sure I can," Richard smiled at her.
"I do like your confidence, young man," commended the woman's husband.
"Do you mean you are leaving your job?" The woman asked.
"Yes, but only if I'm able to get an admission," Richard responded.
"Alright, then I wish you good luck," she said.
"Thank you," Richard smiled.

Later in the night, he visited Mama Ruth's family. They were eating dinner when he arrived. He knocked at the door and was asked to come in.
"Richard, are you still alive? What's the last time you visited us?" Ruth asked. She grew up so fast that she was just a few inches below him.
"You are getting more talkative every single day," Richard replied as he walked to one of the sofas and sat beside her.

"Good evening ma'am," he greeted her mother.
"I won't answer your greetings, the last time you set foot here was two months ago," she replied.
"Sorry, I was caught at work," Richard replied.
"How have you been doing?" She asked.
"I'm okay," Richard replied.
"Could you go and get some food for Richard?" Ruth's mother instructed.
"Okay mum," she replied.

Ruth kept the plate she was holding and went to get Richard some food.
"I'm starting school again," Richard said.
"Really?" She asked surprisingly.
"Yes, I think it is not too late for me," Richard continued.
"I'm so happy to hear that," she smiled.
"I also called my sister today, I don't think she will ever forgive me,".

"Really? But this is the first time you call her in five years, of course she won't forgive you so easily," she replied.
"I know, I shouldn't have called her," Richard said.
"You know you are punishing yourself quite too far, let me talk to her on the phone," she requested.
"Actually, I didn't come with it," Richard said.
"You just don't want me to talk to her," she replied.

Some few minutes later, Ruth returned with the food and sat beside him. After he was done eating, he said his goodbyes and decided to return to the poultry farm. On his way, he stopped at a book store and bought some books. He started studying again that night.