Empire High School - Season 1 - Episode 44

4 years ago

Empire High School - Season 1 - Episode 44

I looked
up and Kate’s hand was rested on my right
fist.
“is there something wrong? Or talking
about your parent’s isn’t something I
should have mentioned?”
I exhaled roughly and relaxed under her
touch.

“And it’s okay if you don’t want to talk
about it” she shook her head
“Forget it” she withdrew her hand
The spot she touched became naked, I
wanted the touch again. And without
holding back I swallowed hard and I heard
myself say to Kate
“My mom died when I was 15”
She met my gaze again
“I’m..I’m sorry i shouldn’t have said
anything about that -”
I shook my head and I began
“My dad caused her death”
“How?”

“He wasn’t home when she collapsed. Dad
was never home to spend time with us”
“You were alone with her the day she
collapsed?” Kate asked
“Yeah.. At the store”
“The store?” She mumbled
“Yes, the store belongs to my mom. But
Aunty Joke took over after her death”
I explained to her

“Actually my dad was having an affair with
another woman before my mom’s death. I
heard them fighting behind closed door,
but dad denied it” I paused to look at Kate.
She was listening.

“He later admitted it to her the day mom
was tired to prepare dinner. He yelled at
her for not cooking for him and he said
that it was one of the reasons why he
didn’t want to come home”
I stopped

And continued after a long momentary
pause

“I was sad that day. My mom was too tired
to cook after we got back from the store.
My dad didn’t call to let us know he was
coming home, We only met him at home.

My mom and I had agreed that we would
eat fried yam and egg which we bought on
our way home. And on finding dad at
home, mom explained to him and offered
her own portion of the yam and egg but he
refused it. I should have suspected my
mom had cancer back then but it didn’t
occur to me. Though I used to tell her to
visit the hospital anytime she wasn’t
feeling well and she would say okay”
I told Kate how my dad neglected us when
my mom was hospitalized.

“One month after my dad married my
Stepmom, I figured that she was the same
woman my dad was seeing before my
mom’s death” I stopprd
She was the one who destroyed our happy
home!
Mom quarreled with dad because of her! He
never cared about his family because of
Lola!

And now she wants me to be free with
her?!
“So you think your mom wouldn’t have
died back then if your dad was home”
I nodded
“He would have found out early if he was
home”
“Do you know it’s a different case if your
mom had informed him that she was ill?”
Kate asked
I thought
“He wouldn’t have cared if she’d told him
about her sickness” I replied
“Are you saying..your dad didn’t love your
mom? And he didn’t care about you”
“I don’t know..” I said sincerely
“My dad was a good man.. But I guess he
changed when he started seeing my
Stepmom”
I said to Kate
She held me again

“Your mom’s death caused the unhappy
expression right?” Kate asked
“She was my bestfriend and I didn’t expect
her to leave soon” I said in A low tone
“You can’t keep blaming your dad forever”
she persuaded

“And have you spoken to him about it?”
“Yeah I confronted him when he brought
my Stepmom home. He apologized and
begged me to accept her” I said
I recalled the day my dad brought Miss Lola
home. She was younger than my mom but
about the same age with Aunty Joke or
even younger. And she said that she was
going to be my new mother and take care
of me like her own.
“And you haven’t accepted her?” Kay asked
“I can’t let another woman take the place
of my mother” I said honestly

Then we lapsed into silence. Kate lifted her
glass to her luod. She stared at me through
the rim. And I wondered what was running
through her mind.

What would she call someone like me?
Someone who finds it hard to forgive and
forget?