1

Mommy, do you think my dad would come for my wedding because

every bride walks down the aisle with their dad’ I asked

‘Of course yes, he would be there baby’ she answered me ‘why did

you ask’

‘I have never seen him before and he hasn’t contribute to my life’ I

relied with sadness in my bitter heart

‘Awl, my baby Juliet, he would be there for you, Okay?’

‘Okay’ I smiled

I was so happy with her replies, joy filled my heart. But I never knew

she was the one that wouldn’t be there. A year or two years later she

got seriously ill, I couldn’t see her, but she came back home feeling

much better. Then one after noon I was with her playing and praying

to see money in her purse so that I could buy some speedy biscuit

‘Mommy’ I said ‘God is calling you’

‘What did you say?’ she was anxious

‘I said God is calling you’ I replied smiling

‘Keep quiet and don’t say that’ she shunned me

‘Ok ma’

Few days later she was rushed back to the hospital when I was in

school. I came back from school and asked the dry cleaner where she

was but she didn’t reply me at all. The main gates opened as my granny and auntie kemi drove in. oh my I ran to the car but I didn’t

see my mom.

‘Auntie Kemi, where is my mom?’ I desperately asked her

‘come with me’ she held my hand tight and took me to her room and

placed me on her lap ‘she isn’t feeling good for now so she is in the

hospital but she would be home soon’

‘Would she get better?’

‘Why won’t she, she would’

‘Aren’t you a doctor too, you could treat her, right?’

‘Ha-ha, I’m still a student doctor and I don’t specialize in the type of

sickness she has’

‘Okay, fine but I want to see her now’

‘No you can’t’

‘Why?’ I got pissed ‘isn’t she my mom?’

‘Yes, she is your mom’ she smirked ‘you know what I want to rest, it

has been a long day for me, okay?’

‘Okay.’

Later that night, I became scared, anxious and anxiety filled my heart.

I began to cry, went to my granny, sat next to her and asked her about

my mom.

‘She would be fine and back home soon, my dear’ she pat my back

and replied me warmly.

‘I’m scared’

‘Why?’

‘I want to see my momma’

‘Hmm’ putting me away ‘you need to sleep now, if you can’t go to

the room, sleep on the couch next to me. You’d have to stay with me

in my room, okay?’

Okay granny, but I still want to see my momma’ I said laying my

head down in tears ‘Goodnight’.

The next day, I woke in her room. I got up kind of late because I had

to go to school, no one I repeat no one woke me. I came out and two

of our maids were crying mentioning my mom’s name I asked what

happened no one gave me a reply I got confused and went to auntie

kemi’s room.

‘Good morning, auntie kemi’ finding my way to climb her bed to just

find out she too was soaked in tears ‘What is happening, why is

everyone crying, please tell me’ I said kneeling on her bed, facing

down.

‘Come here’ stretching her hands towards me wide open. It was weird

though, it’s not like she isn’t nice and cuddly but that didn’t seem

right for that moment. I crawled up to her and she gave me a terribly

big hug but I also felt the warmth.

‘I’m going to be late for school, I need to prepare’ I said so that the

sympathetic hug could end because I was already losing my breath.

‘No school for you today Juliet’

‘What?’

‘Yes, any problem with that?’

‘Not at all, it’s the best of news I’ve heard never heard’ was happy

‘bye’ I took off

Later that morning, elderly people, my aunties and neighbor came

over to the house. I came out side cause I got tired of all the people

telling me to take heart, it’s really is pissing. I saw my mom’s picture

at the veranda with a book placed in front of it, it looked like a

register or a sign in and sign of employees at an organization.

I went back in and sat in the sitting room next to my grand-uncle (I

really don’t know how to refer to grandparent’s uncle or auntie.

it felt strange cause the place were filled with older people and I was

really uncomfortable so I sat very, very quietly.

My granny immediate brother Kenny, came to me and was like ‘Stay

here, don’t move, and stay put’ I got confused

‘Ahh-ahn, what have I done to deserve this’ my granny wailed like

never before, I’ve never seen in that state before ‘Olasirin, kilode, o ti

tun fi mi si le?’ (Meaning; Olasirin, why, why do you have to leave

me?) She kept on repeating the same statement.

I ran towards her direction but I was called back, I didn’t listen I went

on.

‘Why are you crying’ touching her face ‘why is everyone crying?’

‘Your mother, my daughter is DEAD!’ she cried out so loud. I left her

alone and sat somewhere no one was

Later in the afternoon the car was waiting downstairs for me

‘Juliet’ my hairdresser shouted ‘go into the car and see your mother’

‘Ok.’ I went in, the driver was set and I saw my mother sitting

helplessly on the chair next to me. I asked to see a lively woman but

all I saw was a lifeless woman.

‘Mommy, talk to me please, open your eyes’ holding her hand I felt

sand and sand falling from her body. ‘Mommy why is there sand on

your body?’ still no response from her

‘Can you just stop that, and be quiet please’ the driver said to me

trying to keep me quiet so that he could concentrate on the road. We

quietly drove down to the cemetery. As we got there, there were many

grave yards, it was a night mere for me, and I was so scared. I came

out of the car so as they brought my mommy out and the casket we

bought on our way down.

I watched from afar, they bathed my mom, wore her a very pretty nice

gown and placed her in the casket. During the bath was when Jessica

arrived from school but she went back because she was a border, she

was stupidly crying like she never wanted that to happen. In my mind

I’ve always thought that she never wanted her alive because she so

hated my mom, yeah she enjoyed her time more than I did but she

gave her hard time to control her nasty and nauseating behavior.it was

so hard for me to cry cause it was so hard for me to differentiate my

feelings.

One of my aunties gave me the phone to tell my dad what was going

on

‘Hello dad, my mommy is dead’ I told him

‘Good for her’ he replied happily

I got angry and I cut the call off. Giving my auntie the phone back I

told her what he said and she gave me a big hug.

We drove home later that evening, with fear in my heart I was so

scared. I slept in auntie kemi’s room then had a dream, I knew she

appeared to me but I couldn’t say anything about it.