LOSS

CHAPTER 18

"You bastard son of a thousand fathers, the thunder that will fire you is coming from Nigeria. You're a bastard you hear me, a bastard. God punish you gold digging goat. Ewu that is what you are, all the money in this life won't still be enough to buy you sense. Shut up you rat. You think you're a man? You are a dog let me tell you. Calling you a man is an insult to men, calling you a dog is also an insult to dogs, Barry you are just a big fool, I regret the day I met you and I promise you I will make you rue the day you crossed my path" I screamed.

In that moment my greatest wish was to be able to put my hand in my phone and give him a dirty slap.

"You think you can do this to me and go scot-free? My God will deal with you. Barry in this life you will see pepper, your eyes will see your ears. You will cry thrice as much as I have, and for hurting my daughter Barry you will be miserable. For as long as you live Barry, you will never know peace" I was so hurt.

After saying my piece I hung up. Of course Barry didn't just keep quiet and allow me hurl insults at him, he was also insulting me and mocking me. I probably shouldn't have called him but I really needed to give him a piece of my mind. I ended the call and took a deep breath. I don't know if it's the alcohol or the call but I felt lighter.

"I knew I recognised you from somewhere" a voice disturbed my momentary peace.Honestly some people have the worse timing.

"Don't talk to me, I don't know you, you don't know me so stop lying." I called him out on his bullshit. I wasn't in the mood to be nice to anybody, not even my next door neighbour.

"I'm sure I do. Ice cream shop? I gave you my card?" He tried to remind me.

I just ignored him and went inside my house. I wasn't in the mood to have a conversation with anybody especially not a stranger claiming to know me.

I stumbled into my room and passed out on my bed. I hope tomorrow is better than today.

***********

It wasn't better at all. I had a bad headache and I couldn't open my eyes properly. I waited a bit for my eyes to adjust to the light and the ache in my head before I opened them fully.

My gaze landed on the clock, it was already nine am. I bolted from my bed and ran to Mariana's room. She had to go to school today and I overslept.
To my greatest surprise her room was empty.

"Mariana" I called as I went downstairs. She wasn't anywhere in sight, neither was she answering my call. The mess I made in the kitchen was still there and still no Mariana.

"Mariana" I kept calling as I searched the house. My heart was now in my stomach, I was about to start crying. I rushed outside to continue my search then I saw her.
She was dressed for school but her hair was not combed, neither was her uniform properly tucked in. It was obvious she dressed herself.

What I couldn't understand was why my daughter was talking to a stranger. I rushed to her pulled her to me. I was both relieved and angry at the same time.

She looked shocked but recovered quickly when she saw it was me. She was even smiling at me.

"Good morning neighbour" the man greeted.

"Why are you talking to my daughter?" Then I realized I was asking the wrong person. "Haven't I told you not to talk to strangers?" I asked Mariana sharply.

"It's totally my fault" the stranger interrupted.

"Please mind your business" I told him and dragged my daughter inside.

"I'm sorry mommy, I didn't mean to talk to him, It won't happen again" she begged.

She was smiling earlier, now she looked frightful. She didn't want me to punish her. After a week of seeing her closed off I didn't want her to go back to that, I wanted her to smile.

"Promise me you won't do it again" I asked her.

"I promise"

__________________________

"the thunder that will fire you..." : the lightning that will strike you.

Ewu: Goat

Pepper: Trouble

"...eyes will see your ears" : an idiom which basically means to experience something remarkably bad.