Sheila was totally pumped as her dad came to pick her from school, she couldn’t wait to use the new gift her 'special' friend had given her. It was a pen, but it was different. The body was encompassed with some sort of see through glass. JERUSALEM was written boldly on it, but that wasn’t all. When you put the tip down on any surface, snow like things swirled inside the see through glass, and multi coloured lights twinkled from its interior.
Her 'special' friend had told her that his dad had gotten it as a souvenir from his pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and when his dad had given it to him, he just knew he had to give her.
Maybe those words weren’t so eloquently put, but for a ten year old girl, it was the sweetest thing anyone had ever told her. She was almost bursting with excitement on the drive home as she thought of all the beautiful things she could draw and write with this new pen of hers.
Night came and she was still writing, more thrilled by the lights gleaming from the pen than whatever she was writing down. Her mum came into the room, scowling. Sheila had barely eaten anything since she got back and her maternal instincts had kicked in. However her scowl turned into a deeper frown when she saw what Sheila was holding.
”why Sheila, that’s a really beautiful pen you’ve got there!” she exclaimed.
Sheila startled by this sudden intrusion hesitated before muttering in the affirmative. ”Yes, it is.”
Sheila was already uncomfortable. As a daughter from a true African home, she knew that it was a taboo to her parents for their child to ever accept anything from anyone without permission, and if she absolutely had to, must not fail to bring it to her them for approval and prayers before she was allowed to own it.
So she promptly blurted out ”Joseph gave me.” Joseph, her 'special' friend’s family was a friend to her own family, and his dad was also a pastor like her own dad, in the same Church, so she was sure that her mother wouldn’t have any objection.
Her mother responded calmly ”but he has siblings, why couldn’t he give it to them instead. Besides this is the third very expensive item he’s given you, I’m sure he has other friends so why you?”
Sheila didn’t have an answer to that and she was right not to. Why should there be a reason behind kindness. He obviously felt she was a good person so why should his goodness be questioned. So she remained quiet and waited for the other shoe to drop.
”Do you like him?”
This abrupt change in the direction of the questions was alarming. She gazed up at her mother, who was all smiles and innocence. Her mum sensing her hesitance promptly reassured, ”I promise I wouldn’t tell anybody. You’re my daughter and we should never keep things from each other. I’m your best friend and would never judge you.”
Sheila’s fears were allayed. She proceeded to say shyly, “I think so. He gives me a lot of things and he’s very nice to me. I think I like him.”
Her mum, with a smile still plastered on her face said ”It’s okay. Go to bed now and don’t stay up, Okay?” Then she left. Sheila smiled to herself, happy that the conversation had gone rather smoothly and soon after, slept.
Five thirty am and the whole family was gathered in the living room. After the worship and prayer session, the morning prayer activity came to a close. As Sheila started to leave, her dad thundered that she should wait back. Confused, Sheila waited. Then it began........
”So you’ve turned into a harlot….”
“what do you know about liking someone…”
“So that’s what I’m sending you to school for??!!!....”
“You are a disgrace…”
Sheila couldn’t stop the silent fears from running down her face. She looked at her mum who glared at her in disgust, doing the usual African parent exclamation for when something is exceedingly terrible by imitating spitting on the floor. Oh how stupid she had been. Why did she let her guard down? Why did she ever think her parents could be like those parents she saw in Hollywood movies that stood by and supported their children in everything? The torrent of tears flowed harder.
As she was leaving for school, after being instructed to return all the things she had been given to whoever gave her, she thought to herself. It wasn’t the just the fact that she would face the shame of returning the items to her special friend, or even the fact that she would never be able to face him again, but the fact that her trust in her parents was utterly destroyed. She made a silent vow to herself. They would never know anything personal about her life from that moment onwards. Not now or ever.
She said it.
She stuck by it.
And she was relieved.
I hope you all had a wonderful read. Thanks for sticking to the end.
Love,
Jhymi🖤
