"It's okay Darren, the sun is setting and we have to get home before dark," Felicia screamed as she couldn't figure out where Darren was on the farmland.
She waited for his response but Darren didn't reply. Felicia checked the barn but Darren wasn't there and it made her scared.
Darren! Darren!! Felicia screamed as she staggered around the farm looking for Darren.
"No! No!! No!!! This can't be happening," Felicia stuttered as the recent news about a boy who went missing in a nearby community while returning from a farm struck her mind.
Darren!! She screamed louder and eventually burst into tears.
Felicia rushed passed a giant tree on the farm and noticed a waging tail behind the tree. She tiptoed in the direction and could hear Darren trying to prevent Thor from barking.
Shush! Shush!! Felicia heard Darren clearly and she felt relieved.
She moved closer and Darren knew his hideout had been found immediately the dried twigs announced Felicia's presence.
"What's this Darren?" Felicia asked immediately after Darren stepped out from his hiding with Thor.
"I was just playing with Thor and decided to play hide and seek with you. I didn't mean to scare you," Darren stuttered.
"We can play games but it's dangerous here and I wasn't aware you were playing a game," Felicia replied and made a hand gesture for Darren to come to her.
He dragged himself to Felicia and Thor didn't stop jumping around excitedly.
"It's getting late, we have to go now. You have delayed us well enough," Felicia said and they left immediately.
As they walked through the path back to the village, Felicia told Darren a story and he was always excited to hear them when returning from the farm.
"I feel very tired today and you scared me. Please don't do that to me again," Felicia told Darren immediately after they got home.
Darren offered to make dinner even though he was just 12 years of age and Felicia agreed. She stood by the kitchen door and watched Darren move from one end of the kitchen to another.
"Aunt Felicia, this will be the best soup you have had in a long time. It's special," Darren stuttered.
"Thanks Darren, I can perceive the aroma of your soup already. I bet it would be delicious," Felicia replied.
Darren is always full of energy and with Thor around, there is no dull moment for him. Felicia got Thor when Darren was 6 years old, little Darren found it difficult to blend in with his peers in the village and it made him very lonely.
Felicia always tried her best but she can't always be there to keep Darren active because she needed to work on the farm. Darren and Thor became best buddy's ever since then and Felicia was happy to have found the perfect companion for Darren. Darren grew happily, he was smart, and intelligent kid. Felicia taught him how to do things that are very important for his survival and wellbeing even as kid.
Years passed and Felicia was happy to see how Darren had grown in the last 6 years.
They were returning from the farm one evening when Felicia noticed how excited Darren was. He kept pushing the wheelbarrow sideways and Thor was hopping back and forth while they journeyed home.
"Is there more to tomorrow other than your birthday?" Felicia asked Darren.
"No, it's just my birthday. I will be 18 and that makes my new age special," He replied.
"I felt the same way too a day before my birthday," Felicia replied.
"How was it? You never mentioned that to me before," Darren stuttered.
"There was nothing special about it," Felicia replied.
"Okay, it's just a normal day. I believe you and Thor will make my day special as usual," Darren replied.
"Sure we will. Do you have a wish?" Felicia asked.
"Yes, I do. I just wish to know my parents but that can't be possible since they died before I could recognise them," Darren replied and his response broke Felicia's heart.
She was mute for the rest of the trip as her heart got filled with sadness. They arrived home and Darren volunteered to make dinner out of excitement.
Felicia couldn't get rid of the sad feeling and she just stayed in her room while Darren was busy in the kitchen with Thor.
"Did you notice Aunt's mood on our way back?" Darren said to Thor and wished the dog could respond to him.
Darren finished cooking and took Aunt Felicia's meal to her but he was shocked to see her wallowing in tears.
He quickly put the food aside and knelt by Aunt Felicia's side.
"What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?" He asked Aunt Felicia as he tried helping her up from the ground.
"I just want to be alone, Darren. I am alright," She replied.
"You are not alright," Darren replied and every attempt to make Aunt Felicia speak about what was wrong with her was futile. He eventually gave up and just sat beside her with Thor who clearly understood that Aunt Felicia and Darren weren't happy.
Darren fell asleep while comforting Aunt Felicia and at daybreak, he met Aunt Felicia still sitting in the same spot.
"What's going on?" Darren stuttered.
"I am sorry, Darren. Please find a place in your heart to forgive me," Aunt Felicia replied.
"You didn't offend me and I am the one who should be happy that you took care of me all these years," Darren replied.
"I offended you a lot and I doubt if God will ever forgive me," She replied and Darren readjusted on the mat he sat on.
He looked confused and wondered what Aunt Felicia could be apologizing for.
"What did you do?" He muttered.
"I am your mother not your aunt," Aunt Felicia replied and broke into tears again.
"Mother? You said my parents are dead," Darren replied.
"No, they are not and I don't deserve to be called a mother," She replied.
"I am lost," Darren stuttered and stood from the mat.
"I had my first sex on my eighteenth birthday and you are the beauty of the terrible mistake I made that night," Aunt Felicia replied.
I snuck out of the house to meet my boyfriend after celebrating with my family. We decided to celebrate specially and the privacy we had led to intimacy.
Exactly two months later, I started showing pregnancy symptoms and my mom confirmed that I was pregnant when my monthly period stopped coming. Immediately my boyfriend heard the news, he left the village and my life became miserable.
I became a laughingstock in the village and brought shame to my family. My parents were mad at me and I left home to end the shame.
I wandered from village to village hoping to find a place to settle but couldn't until I got here. I found this village and settled because there were missionaries from overseas who could help me with child delivery.
Aunt Felicia paused and wiped her tears. Darren was crying bitterly and he found it hard to believe the whole story.
A few days after having you, I tried disposing you in the bush because I saw you as bitterness. I was heading home from the forest where I dumped you when I saw a snake and I became scared that it might hurt you so I rushed back to get you.
I decided to keep you and as months passed, you didn't grow like other kids so I took you to the foreign missionary and they said you have Down syndrome. They said it had no cure and I just have to take care of you very well.
The missionaries left and I tried disposing of you again but I couldn't. As I watched you grow, the hate I had for you faded and love filled my heart.
When you started speaking, I made sure you didn't call me mom because I don't deserve to be called one after everything I did to you.
Darren couldn't stop crying as he heard the story, he moved closer to Aunt Felicia and just hugged her.
They were silent for minutes and Aunt Felicia broke the silence.
"It's okay if you don't forgive me, I deserve the torture. I deserve everything," She stuttered.
"No, you don't. You are my mother and deserve to be happy," Darren replied.
It was an emotional moment for them and they comforted each other.
"I have another wish," Darren said to Aunt Felicia.
"What's it? I am ready to grant any wish for you," She replied.
"Can I call you mom?" Darren stuttered.
"Yes, you can. You have made me a proud mother," Felicia replied and they wept while holding each other hands.