Thorns and Roses

Chapter 2

Esi was just moving into a more comfortable position when her hand hit something soft. Her eyes flared open. She blinked twice before remembering where she was. She sat up quickly and turned to look at the wall clock in Kojo's room. It read half past five. Esi groaned and stepped out of bed. She turned to stare at her son as he slept and began making up her mind on what to do. Esi decided to start from the kitchen.

'Put some water on fire, wake Jake up, wake Kojo up and help him take a shower...' she mumbled to herself as she headed for the kitchen.Upon entering the kitchen, she stood at the entrance and stared.

'Maybe oats won't be such a good idea. I could try...Eggs...Yes fried eggs.' Esi moved towards the fridge and stopped again.

'Aarrgghh..This is what happens to me when I don't sleep well.' She scratched her hair with both hands.

'Milo it is!' Letting go of the fridge handle, she walked to the end of the counter and picked up the kettle.

'I will have to heat yesterday's Jollof for Kojo. Luckily today is Friday so I can make some new stews.' Esi noted to herself as she filled the kettle and plugged it.

She walked back to her room and gently opened the door. She didn't want to wake Jake up just yet. She had almost succeeded entering the room without making a sound when her hand slipped making her bang the door involuntarily.

'Can't a man sleep peacefully in his own house!' Jake shouted, sitting up and glaring at Esi who cringed against the door

'I am sorry' she mouthed.

Jake ignored her and got out of bed.

'You want me to leave the house, I would.'  Jake replied and walked into the bathroom. Esi waited a while for her heart to stop pounding and let out a slow sigh of relief. She decided to change her plans and wake Kojo up so she could get him ready to move out with his dad.

—*—

'Don't eat on your school shirt Kojo, take your time.' Esi said sternly after watching her son eat his food sloppily.

Kojo pouted his lips in response and licked excess peanut butter from his fingers. Esi smiled and rolled her eyes.

'You told me not to roll my eyes at adults mum!' Kojo shouted.

'Since when did you become an adult...You are my son ...And I can roll my eyes all I want at you.' Esi answered, zipping up Kojo's lunch bag.

'Hurry up and wash your hands, you will be going with your dad.'

'I don't want to go with dad...' Kojo said sadly.

'Please honey, you have to...I woke up late...I can't take you to work or I would be super late.' Esi pleaded.

Kojo got out of his chair and walked to the sink. He stood on his toes and tried reaching for the tap to Esi's amusement. She had been watching him but stopped when she heard their bedroom door bang. She rushed to meet her husband in the hall, searching for his keys from the center table.

'Can you please drop Kojo off at school? I packaged some breakfast for you.'

'No.' Jake replied, scattering the books on the table in the process.

Esi froze in shock.

'Have you seen my car keys?' Jake asked.

'Why won't you take Kojo to school?' Esi replied in response.

'I am the man of this house, I don't think I need to be explaining my decisions to my wife.' Jake replied. Now he was lifting the pillows up still in search of his keys.

'I will be late if...' Esi began pleading.

'You should have woken up early! Help me find my damn keys and stop making noise!' Esi stared at him in silence as he continued ransacking the hall in search of his keys.

'Where are those keys?!' He shouted at no one in particular.

'Daddy?' Kojo called from the entrance of the hall.

'What is it boy?!' he barked at his son.

Kojo opened his right hand to show his father's car keys.

'I told you not to be paying with my stuff, didn't I warn...' Jake charged at his son.

Esi rushed and pulled him out of the doorway making Kojo drop the keys on the tiled floor. Jake picked up his key from the floor, glared at both of them and walked out of the hall.

Kojo began to sob;

'Dad is a monster!' he wailed.

'No honey, Daddy just doesn't like you playing with his stuff.' Esi replied and hugged her son. She shut her eyes tight to prevent the tears from falling.

'I wasn't playing with them. I picked them up from the floor.' Kojo continued wailing.

'Don't worry honey.' Esi patted her son on his back.

—*—

Esi allowed the water from the shower to wash her face and tears. She hugged her body tightly and stifled a cry. This wasn't what she bargained for when she agreed to marry Jake five years ago. Well... it actually wasn't an agreement, it had been more of a necessity. Jake was the pastor's son and she was the Deacon's daughter who doubled as the music director.

Both parents hadn't known the truth behind their children's rushed wedding till Esi's protruding belly three months after their vows revealed everything.
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