Water Under the Bridge

Chapter 21

8th February, 2023.
Lagos, Nigeria.

"So that's really it?" I asked again and he nodded. I was talking to Keziah during the last period which was free for us both, about my mum's outburst during Benji's birthday dinner on Saturday. I already asked my mum about it and she told me the same thing Keziah was telling me.

"Yes, she just thought I was someone else."

"Hm. Okay."

"I want to take you somewhere after school if you don't mind," he said suddenly and I looked at him curiously.

"Where?"

"You'll see," he shrugged and I rolled my eyes.

"Well, I have to tell my mum first," I said, making a move to pull out my phone from my blazer pocket.

"I already asked for her permission on Thursday. There's no need for that."

"Okay then."

<><><><><><>
"A cemetery?" I looked at Keziah who just smiled at me and led me through the gates.

The graveyard was both peaceful and hauntingly beautiful. It was a vast, grassy field, dotted with headstones of all shapes and sizes. The air was still and quiet, except for the sound of birdsong and the rustling of leaves in the wind. Some headstones were covered in moss and ivy, giving the graveyard a slightly wild and untamed feel. There was a sense of history in the graveyard, a sense of time passing and memories being made. And yet, there was also a sense of peace and acceptance, as if the place had become a final resting place for so many.

Keziah led me to a particular headstone. The stone stood tall and imposing, a silent sentinel guarding the eternal rest of the one who lies beneath. As the sun set, the stone cast a long shadow across the grass.

There was a black and white photo of a beautiful lady on the headstone, a little faded with age, but her face was clear and recognizable. She was smiling, her eyes shining with joy. The inscription on the headstone was simple and elegant, a testament to the life that was lived.

Shalewa Adams
Born April 23, 1998
Died December 21, 2006
A loving mother, wife, and friend
Rest in peace.

"December 21st. That's a day after I was born. Truly life isn't fair. Rejoicing a child's birth one day, mourning a mother the next," I said sorrowfully as I stared at the headstone.

"She died when I was about to turn ten months old. I lived with my dad and my nanny after her death. I always looked up to my dad and thought he was the best person in the universe till my nanny told me the truth about him when I was ten and I've always blamed him for her death since then," Keziah explained as he sat on the grass. I copied his actions to listen to him.

"My dad had a mistress who got pregnant for him when my mum was heavily pregnant. When my mum found out, she became very angry and swore to deal with the woman for seducing her husband. When she got to her house, it was a different scene she met. My dad had scammed the lady and collected her company from her. My mum sympathised with her and went home sadly," he paused and took a deep breath.

"My mum confronted him when she got home and he apologized profusely saying he'll not repeat it. The love my mum had for my dad covered his sins and she forgave him but told him to take responsibility for the woman's child."

"On the day of the woman's delivery, my mum over heard my dad on a phone call. He was instructing someone to kill both mother and child  with a lethal injection and blame it on birth complications. The next day, she left right for the hospital in a haste so she could tell someone about the wicked plan but she never made it to the hospital. She lost control of the steering wheel somehow and her car was thrown off a bridge," he sighed.

"I never got the chance to meet her. My nanny was the only woman in my life who performed motherly duties but my dad chased her away when I was eleven claiming that I was becoming too soft for a man. He wants me to take over his company when I'm done with college but I can't take over something that doesn't belong to this family in the first place. I wish things weren't this way, Arielle."

By the time Keziah had finished his story, I was sobbing quietly. Keziah looked at me and gave me a white handkerchief which I took gratefully.

"I'm sorry. I don't even know why I'm crying," I chuckled lamely and he smiled at me.

"It's okay," he pulled out a single rose from his pocket and placed it on her tomb as her grave before standing.

"It's about to rain, let's go home now."

As we walked out of the cemetery my emotions were complex and bittersweet. There was a sense of sadness, as I reflected on how Keziah would possibly feel about the loss of his mother and the transience of life. But there was also a sense of comfort, as I knew that he somehow felt connected to his mother who had passed on.

‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹
Hey besties!!
It's been a long time since my last update and I'm really sorry. I've just had a lot on my plate. Please tell me how you liked this chapter in the comments.

Do not forget to show that little star some love please.

I love you besties! You're chosen by God. There's amazing plans for your life.

See you next chapter!
Muahh