Lydia's pain

Lydia's pain episode 9

... I ran far away from the orphanage, and I again started living in an uncompleted building but without a dime on me. I never regretted abandoning my baby at the hospital, in fact, it was like a relief.

I began to work in a local canteen down the road, helping them to wash dishes and also keeping the place clean. I was given breakfast, lunch, and dinner and after closing from there by 7 pm, they gave me #500 Naira each day.

The day the owner of the canteen found out that I was living in an uncompleted building was the day I started living in the canteen, she never allowed me to go back to the uncompleted building. She asked me to tell her about myself and when I told her a little about my story, she felt bad.
I gathered some money from the canteen and two years later, I stopped working there and I started selling fruits by the road.

At just 15, anyone who saw me would think maybe I was close to 30 cos I was looking way older than my age, but beautiful with fuller sensitive p@rts. Young guys, even men were coming for my hand in marriage but I refused, I just needed to be alone to be pampering myself.

I even later rented a one room apartment that the landlord was on my neck for an affair and when I refused, I was evicted from the house and I went to rent another after putting up with a female neighbor for a few days.

Roughly 15 years later, I was in my shade where I used to sell fruits when this expensive car parked before me that he wanted fruits. I quickly packaged the fruits he wanted in a polythene bag and just as I was about giving it to him, we both paused and started staring at each other.

"Lydia!" He called in exclamation.

Lo and behold, it was Joshua, my little brother.

He quickly came down and we both gave each other a very tight hug. Tears started dripping down from our eyes and he again stared into my eyes and gave me a hug.

"I have been searching for you. You have been through a lot, I can see it in your eyes" He said pointing at my eyes.

"You're right" I said with a nod.

I took him into my shade and we both sat on a bench.

"I love what I'm seeing, you're looking so good" I said with a smile as tears wouldn't just stop dripping.

"My dear, God came through for me. A year after Aunty took me with her, she traveled abroad and I was left with her friend. She later came back for me a few years later and we searched for you but couldn't find you cos, Dad's friend who took you to the village died and there was no one to ask about you, and Aunty didn't know where you were taken. All we knew was that you were taken to Nigeria. You know that we were very young when Dad was brought home for burial, so I couldn't find my way there too." He said.
"So, I came to Nigeria last year, refusing to go back to our base cos I was certain that we were going to meet somehow, got a job and I was transferred to this same state" He added.

We talked for a while and I learnt that my Aunty died leaving all she had for Joshua. When I told him all I had been through, his jaw dropped in awe that he couldn't close it for some minutes. He asked that we go to the orphanage in search of the child I had but I bluntly refused.

Right there, Joshua gave out all my fruits free of charge to passersby, and also took me with him to his place, that was how I stopped that business.

Well, Joshua later opened a mini supermarket for me, and just when I was so glad that my sufferings had ended, my past came visiting.

I was in my shop one day when a young girl walked in carrying a little bowl, begging for alms. She was looking so dirty with tattered clothes on, with dreaded hair.