Prologue
“Sweetheart, are you there?” The middle aged woman asked, walking towards her daughter’s room. She knocked on the door softly; she pushed it back gently and entered the small room her daughter occupied since childhood. Her eyes flickered to the darkened walls of the room, the paint had peeled off years ago leaving faint strip and blackened spots on the wall. She sighed and sat down gently on the worn out mattress her daughter laid on. “Please talk to me, you do understand that it was for your own good?”
“The only thing I understand is that you are selfish “She replied rudely. “Why don’t you want me to be happy?” Tears trickled down her cheeks.
“Mercy…… I want the best for you. Your happiness matters to me, you are all I have. Peter is….”
“He loves me! yes Mama! Someone else apart from you loves me!” She sat up angrily, “My father didn’t want me! I am a burden to everyone else except peter. He loves me, he makes me feel beautiful! He doesn’t mind that my legs are useless! He doesn’t mind that I am a poor crippled girl! ”
“My baby, I want you to be happy. But I also want you to be an educated and independent woman. I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I made, getting pregnant at a tender age and ruining my future. I love you Mercy. You are my best friend, my confidant and you are the only family I have.”
“You have just said it yourself that I was a mistake. It was my fault you ruined your future and your family turned you out.” She said.
“I don’t regret having you. You are the best thing to ever happen to me. This peter boy will only break your young heart. I have seen him in the company of other girls. I have heard terrible things about him which I have kept away from you”. She stood up, opened her purse and brought out some money. “I have to leave now, if I don’t get there on time Mrs. Toyin, my boss, will deduct from my salary and it is nothing to begin with. Give this money to your tutor when she comes. She will buy your WAEC form and help you do the necessary things.”
” Thank you ” Mercy murmured.
” We will talk when I get back. Please don’t starve yourself, your food is on the table in the living room.”
Ada walked out of her daughter’s room with a heavy heart. She was gradually losing her child and she hoped she would be able to get her darling child back. She had conceived when she was seventeen years old for a guy who was much older than her. Her parents had chased her out without a second thought. She moved in with John who was loving and kind to her until she delivered their daughter. He had taken a long look at the frail and pale baby with tiny legs. The legs were shorter and slimmer than normal. He had gone to look for money to settle the hospital bills and that was the last time Ada saw him. She and the child lived on the meager money sympathizers and kind neighbors gave her until it ran out. She had taken to doing domestic works for people to survive. She and Mercy were always together, she never for once let the child out of her sight. When Mercy came of schooling age, Ada would strap her on her back to and fro from school every day. Until one day, luck shined on her. The elderly father of one of the women she did menial jobs for died, leaving behind his new shinning wheelchair. After his funeral, she asked her boss if she could take the wheelchair and to her surprise she said yes.
Mercy thought about how she had met him. She had been waiting for her Mama in front of their church after the close of service. He walked to her, gave her a warm smile and called her by her name.
“Hello Mercy, you look exceptionally beautiful today” he said.
” Thank you” She replied shyly.” You know my name?” she said in wonder, even more surprised that such a handsome guy was stopping to say hello to her.
“You have a lovely smile.” he said
” My birthday is today.” She blurted out.
” Wow! happy birthday! make a wish” he said. ” Pretend that I am Santa”
She laughed.” I don’t know what to wish for”
‘’ Do you love white chocolates? you could wish for those”
” How about if I wish for a birthday cake? I have never had one. Do you think God will provide it?”
” Yea” he said with a straight face. “I hope you get your wish, Mercy. I have to go now”
” It was nice talking to you …..bye” She said.
That afternoon, a cake was delivered to them and the sender was anonymous. She had known he had played Santa but she didn’t tell her Mama who was initially scared to accept the gift. It was the first secret she had kept from her Mama and it was the beginning of many hidden secrets.
“Honey are you still sad over what happened this morning?” He kissed her on both cheeks before sitting on the dirty worn out mattress. His eyes wandered to the money beside the cripple and he thought of how to collect it from her. He had been watching the house, waiting patiently for the old hag to leave. He was growing impatient, thinking she would never leave. He wondered why he had decided to make her one of his conquest when he could go for a better girl. Maybe it was her naivety or innocence that drew him to her, he couldn’t tell.
“Yes,” She hugged him closer, sobbing softly.
“She no longer loves you, that is why she takes her anger out on me. I only came to check up on you but she drove me away.”
“Why? Why doesn’t she want me anymore?” She cried.
” It will be alright. Remember you have me now,”
he lowered her to the bed, kissing her neck. He gently reassured her that he wouldn’t hurt her. He reminded her of the splendid life they would both live when he made it big. He said he loved her and she was the best thing to ever happen to him. He wasted no time plunging into her moist virginal core.He held her when she cried out, either in pain or pleasure he couldn’t say but he doesn’t care either. Afterwards, he held her in arm contemplating on how to relieve her of the money which was now scattered on the bare floor of the room.
” I love you too Peter”.
He caressed her softly “Sweetheart, I hate to be away from you for just a second but I have to leave. I don’t want your mother to meet me here.”
” Take me with you” She said earnestly.”
He wasn’t prepared for her response and he found himself short of words. He thought of what to tell her, he said the only thing that came to his mind.” Now that you’ve said it, I think we should leave this Town. I have some substantial amount stashed away to last us for a while. We will get a cozy little house and a young puppy to keep you company while I go in search of our daily bread”.
The sixteen years old lit up happily. It was like a dream coming true for her, a home with her darling Peter and a young puppy to keep her company. She loved puppies and she had always yearned for one but her Mama had refused to get her one.
“When do we leave?” She asked.
” Tomorrow. We will go to Lagos, we will leave this little Town with no electricity. We would make our way in the world, you and I. When we have enough money you can decide if you want to send for your mother. That is, if you can forgive her for wanting to be rid of you.” he said.
She flung herself into his arms.” Oh Peter! You are so kind! Yes I will send for her when we have our own house.”
” Good. My love, I have to get our tickets today. I will come for you tomorrow. Will you…..will you lend me some money to get the bus tickets.” He asked, acting uncomfortably.
“You can take the money on the floor. It is my exam fee but since we are moving away I don’t have to write the exams anymore.”
His fingers gathered the five hundred naira notes quickly while his black heart jumped up with glee.
“You should clean yourself up before your mother gets back.” He said, indicating the drops of blood trickling down her frail thighs. “Is there anything you want me to do for you?”
“Yes please. Move my chair closer”
He grabbed the wheelchair by the corner of the room and drew it closer to her. He kissed her for the last time, with the promise to come for her the next day when her mother had left home for work. He walked out of the little room contentedly. He had taken her virginity and his pocket was heavy. For him, the chase and the game were over.
The Next Day
When Ada came home from work she met her daughter by the window of her room. She knew must happened without being told. The dried tears on her cheeks and the new red frock she wore. That night, Ada dipped her hands into her saving box, she had been religiously saving towards her daughter’s tuition. She prepared Mercy’s favorite meal of pounded yam but the young girl did not eat even a morsel. Every day, she sat by the window looking out for her lover. But Peter never returned.
Unable to take it anymore, Ada decided to do something about her daughter’s predicament. “Mercy” She said softly, “Please get up and eat your food. You have grown so lean, your collar bones are sticking out.” I promise to go in search of him, if it would make you feel better. ”
Mercy couldn’t believe she had heard her mother right. She had been so worried about Peter, it was unlike him not to pay her a visit in a day. She was also certain something terrible must have happened to him. All the while she sat by her window, she silently prayed to God to keep him safe and to bring him back to her safely.
“Thank you Mama” She said.
Ada placed a bowl of steaming hot beans in front of her, she watched her scooped some into her mouth chewing it slowly. ” Do you want bread or garri?”
“No.” She replied.
“Alright,” Ada said tiredly, after being satisfied that the food won’t go uneaten ,she stood up.” I will go check on Peter”
” I am afraid something terrible happened to him. Please Mama, he is an orphan. He has no family to worry about him” She said naively.
Ada bit her tongue to refrain from replying. She wondered if she had done the right thing in letting her daughter always control her with her teary eyes and sad face. She had over pampered and spoiled her only child. She had also shut her from the world; no wonder the poor girl was so naive and weak. She wished right there and then, that she could undo the hand of time. She would have raised her daughter to be in control of her emotions and to be independent. Peter’s mother was a kept woman with no shame. His drunken father provides amusement for both children and adults every evening.
“Eat your food. I will go check up on him” She said, before walking out of the room into the living room which was almost bare save for two old worn out sofas. The Sofas came off the backyard of one of her bosses. The living room was illuminated by a candle light placed in a plate on a wooden stool. She pushed open the door and walked into the chilly night.
“How may I help you?” The fat woman asked impatiently, her customer was already lying on the bed Unclad and she wasn’t going to tolerate any sort of intrusion.
“Good evening Ma” Ada said, “Please I seek Peter, is he at home?”.
” No” She snapped, slamming the door in her face.
Ada was momentarily stunned by the other woman’s actions. She wrapped her arms around her form to ward off the chill creeping down her spine. She wanted her daughter to be happy and for that she was ready to bear anything. She was almost out of the compound when she saw two love birds coming from afar. She felt something snap in her, she marched towards them angrily and halted in front of them.
“Is anything the matter?” the girl asked.
“Woman, why are you blocking our path?” Peter asked.
Ada took a deep breath and clenched her fingers.” Please can I see you in private?”
” Do I know you?” He asked, pretending not to know who she was.
“I am Mercy’s mother”.
“Mercy?” he said.” Who is she? I don’t know you woman and I don’t know any mercy”.
They made to side step her and she grabbed Peter’s hand. “Do you think you can mess with my child and go Scott free?’’.
He yanked his hand away.” How long will you keep begging me to marry your lame child?”
Ada’ s hand shot up to hit him but she jerked her hand down again. ” Stay away from us. I don’t want to ever see you near my doorsteps again.” She walked away angrily.
She saw the smoke before she got to her house.
Ma…..ma” Mercy called softly, opening her eyes.
” Mercy!” Ada cried, holding her hand.” Thank God you are awake!”
“Ma……ma…..water” She said weakly.
“Water? Let me quickly fetch some for you at the reception. There is a water dispenser there.” She hurried out of the room. She ran into the reception room, picked up a disposable cup and poured some water into it. She stood up and made to go back in the direction she came from. She was so happy that her daughter was alive, she didn’t watch where she was going. She bumped into someone and the water upturned on the person.
” I am so sorry ma,” Ada said, ” I didn’t watch where I was going”.
The elegantly dressed woman looked at her from head to toe, seething with anger.” Are you blind? Does poverty mean that you shouldn’t have sense?” She said angrily, advancing on her.”
I am sorry ma. Please forgive….” She trailed of as the other woman landed her a thunderous slap which left her dazed.
“You are stupid woman! do you know how much this blouse is worth? the price will feed you and your entire family for a year!”
Michael, a young doctor who had witnessed the whole thing walked up to them.” Ma’am, she didn’t intentionally pour the water on you. You shouldn’t have hit her.” he said.
“What is your name? I will see to it that you lose your job since you have clearly forgotten your job description. Here you are, acting like superman to the rescue when you should be busy with patients! Please don’t forget to prescribe the use of glasses for her since she’s obviously myopic.” She said, before cat-walking away.
The young doctor turned to Ada.” Are you alright ma?”
” Yes thank you” She said, retrieving the cup from the floor.” You shouldn’t have interfered. She looks like an important person, I would hate for you to lose your job.”
He shrugged. “You are the woman in ward 5 right? ”
“Yes. My daughter is awake now and she wanted some water. I will get her another one. Thank you ”
When the young doctor signed out of duty he remembered to go see the woman in ward five. The young girl was asleep but the mother was still awake, watching her child like a mother hawk. He was sure she hadn’t had a wink of sleep herself. He was sure she hadn’t eaten all day too and he cursed himself for being so thoughtless. He could have grabbed some lunch for her when he went for his. His eyes darted to his wrist watch, the time was 11 pm.
“Good evening, Doctor”
“Good evening, Ma. How is your daughter now?”
” She’s getting better. She was able to take some pap earlier” She replied.
” How about you Ma?, you need to rest”
” Thank you. I am fine”
” You should sleep, you look so tired. You can sleep for few hours, I will sit by your child”
” No thank you, you are very kind sir.”
” I insist Ma” he said.
Ada got up wearily and headed to the vacant bed in the room. No sooner had her body touched it, she had drifted off to sleep. Michael, took the chair she had vacated and watched over the sleeping child and mother.
Ada stepped down from the car, she watched as Michael lifted Mercy into his arms. If she lived to be a hundred years old she would be forever grateful to this benevolent young man. He was like a God sent to them. He had settled the hospital bills since she had lost all her savings and belongings in the fire. He brought sumptuous meals for them, during their stay at the hospital. He has had Ada treated and he insisted she took some tetanus injections. When they were discharged, she was sad and uncertain where they would go next. Michael had known without being told that they had nowhere to go, without a second thought he had begged a colleague to cover for him and he drove them to his house.
Ada followed him to the room at the back of the house. He apologized profusely for how small the room was but she assured him it was fine. Ada was so touched by his kindness and she went on her knees to show her appreciation. He looked embarrassed and asked her to stand up.
“It is nothing really.” He said, placing Mercy on the bed.
” Thank you. This place is okay for us.” She said gratefully. She accepted the key from him. The room had a bed big enough to sleep two people, there was a little table and an old stove in the corner of the room. There was also some dusty pots and plates.
” Those things belonged to my former house boy. He got a better offer somewhere and he left them behind. He opened a tiny door to reveal a bathroom and a toilet.” This is the bathroom, I have to go now. See you in the evening”.
“Thank you, ” She said. ”
He walked out of the room and she sank on the bed beside her daughter. Mercy had been so quiet since she woke up, reverting back to her old self. She accepted her meals and closed her eyes afterwards.
“Mercy” She said softly, ” the doctor is such a nice person”, wishing she had the ability to read mind. She wished she could read what was going through her daughter’s mind.
“Yes he is” She replied quietly.
“You have always had your own room and privacy and this might not be conducive for now. But it is the best we have so we have to make the most of it. What matters most is having a roof over our head”
” Alright Mama”
” I also need to get you a new chair, so you won’t be confined to one spot” She said, grimacing, as spittle flew out of her mouth as result of the gap in her upper gum.
“Mama….did you see Peter that night?” Mercy asked suddenly, interrupting Ada’ s thoughts. She was certain it was all her fault. If she hadn’t been acting like a baby, her Mama wouldn’t have gone in search of peter and the fire wouldn’t have happened. It was all because of her that they had lost their only home, their belongings and her mother’s savings. The worse part of it was that Peter hadn’t even cared enough to come see her at the hospital.
Ada took a minute or two before replying. She didn’t know if it was a good idea to tell the girl her darling Peter had only lied to her or if she should lie that she didn’t see him. It still hurt her that her little girl had the misfortune to fall for such a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
“Yes. I saw him. He refused to come with me”
“I am sorry Mama. You were right,” She said surprising her mother. She wouldn’t cry, no she wouldn’t cry in front of her mother. She did not want her to worry or fret unnecessarily over her. She would work towards becoming the independent woman her mother had always wanted her to be. She would study hard and make her exams. Then, she realized with a start that she had foolishly given the money meant for the exam to Peter.
Life had a way of springing surprises on us when it was least expected. Just when Ada thought they were over the whole Peter drama, she found out her sixteen year old daughter was pregnant. Michael had offered her the job of being his house keeper, although the pay was low she had gratefully accepted. Her new job as the young doctor’s house keeper afforded her the opportunity to spend quality time with Mercy. They were able to rekindle their former bond and closeness. Mercy was even beginning to smile once again, when Michael came home in the evenings he wasn’t on shift, he would take the young girl through her studies.
Michael was like the brother Ada never had and to Mercy he was like the father she never knew. Although he was too young to have birthed a child her age, she continued to think of him as one. Because of him, she wanted to become a doctor too, she wanted to command awe and respect too but she soon laughed off the idea. Which patient will allow a disabled doctor treat them? which hospital would employ a doctor in a wheel chair? How would she cope with emergencies? she had thought. During one of those study time, she suddenly felt dizzy and almost fell off the sofa if not for Michael’s sturdy hands.
When the fainting spells started, Ada had been worried sick but Michael had assured her that it wasn’t something too serious. He had driven them to the hospital where it was confirmed that young lady was indeed pregnant. Ada was stunned when she was handed the result. She closed her eyes as hot tears welled up in them, it slithered down her cheeks and she quickly wiped them off with the back of her hand. She had handed the result wordlessly to Michael when he came to check up on them.Mercy on her part was afraid she had been diagnosed with a deadly disease. She wasn’t scared to die, she decided. Except for her mother, she had little else to live for. Peter had lied to her, he had given her hopes only to dash those hopes again.
“What does the result say? Am I dying?” she asked.
Her Mama sighed heavily. “No. You are going to have a baby”
” What is wrong with him?” Ada asked worriedly, she looked into the face of the handsome baby boy in her arms. The birth had been an easy one, barely an hour that Mercy was wheeled into the labor room, the nurses came out to congratulate her. Although she was initially saddened by the news of her daughter’s pregnancy and the girl had missed her exams, the birth of the little child wiped away the sorrows of the past. She was also saddened by the thought that her grandson would also grow up without a father. Peter had denied the paternity of the child and Michael had threatened to get the authorities involved. When Peter saw that Michael would make good on his threat, he had assembled his belongings and hightailed it out of the Town.
“Mama, what is wrong with him?” Mercy asked, she was indecisive if she loved her baby or not. He had opened a fresh wound in heart; one she had struggled to bury. She wished he didn’t look so much like Peter, she wished she could just love him instead of struggling to love him. She thought he clamped his mouth too greedily and too hard on her Tip. She hated breastfeeding him, she hated his incessant cries and she wished he didn’t demand to be fed all the time.
“You worry too much Auntie.” Michael replied.
They were the family he always longed for. He had been touched by the bond between Ada and her daughter. Both of his parents were alive and kicking but they weren’t cut out to be parents. Michael was conceived as a result of a condom accident. He was amazed at how emotionally strong the older woman was, sometimes he found himself thinking of her as his mother. She always had a warm meal waiting for him, she would fret over him on days he felt frustrated and she was always there to listen when he wanted to let something off his chest. They were his family, he decided. For the space of few months he had known them he had realized that; you don’t need to have the whole world to be happy.
“Alright,” Ada replied, still not convinced. She had seen the look on Michael’s face when the doctor who delivered her grandson drew him aside for a dialogue. She placed the sleeping child in the crib Michael had gifted him. She went out of the room.Michael walked out and met her waiting for him.
“Tell me the truth” She said.
“His legs are tiny, very slim. We can’t say for sure he won’t be able to walk but….”
” What do I do?” Ada asked.
” His diet should be very balanced and he should be given calcium medications. ” Michael said,” then we hope for the best.”
” He will walk” Ada stated.
The news of her baby’s predicament brought Mercy so much sadness. Although she couldn’t say she loved the baby, she wished things could have been different for him. She imagined him been ridiculed by his playmates in school. Her baby would never walk, he won’t know how it feels like to run and feel the wind on his skin just like she hadn’t known too. She refused her meals once again, she refused to talk to anyone and she refused to even hold the little child in her arms or nurse him. Ada had her hands full with the child so she couldn’t monitor Mercy to know if she took her meals or not. She hoped that with time the young girl would snap out of it. Michael being a Doctor had assured her that what mercy was going through was known as “Post-Partum depression” and that she would snap out of it.
One morning, after bathing the baby, Ada went back into their room to wake her daughter. The young girl was so cold and her body was stiff. She had raised an alarm, fortunately Michael was at home and they both rushed her to the hospital although they knew deep in their heart that she was long gone. The doctors couldn't say what exactly had sent the young girl to her grave.
“Aunty Ada, the baby is awake and he is crying?” Michael said, walking out of his living room.
“I heard him” Ada replied, dunking the baby’s dirty clothes in a bucket of soapy water.
“Oh I see you are busy, I will go get him”.
“No, leave him. He’s been fed, he’s not hungry. He will stop crying”
Another day, Michael had witnessed the same scene again. Ada was sitting close by while the baby woke up from sleep and started crying at
the top of his lungs. Michael had stood watching both of them, baby Joy soon stopped crying after he must have guessed that crying wasn’t going to get him what he wanted. Ada picked him up when he stopped crying, kissing his cheeks lovingly. As the baby grew older, he realized that tears doesn’t solve a thing, so whenever he woke up, he would play in ways babies do, kicking his feet up in the air and suckling his knuckles until his grandma picks him up.
Epilogue
It took the boy a long time to walk and at two he still wasn’t walking. Although the doctors had reassured them that his legs were fine and he had also grown healthy. His legs which seemed so tiny at birth had gained some flesh too. Ada being a smart woman devised a means to get her grandson to walk.She examined the legs every evening, she also massages them lightly and thoroughly.
She would place the two year old on the floor and encourage him to walk. Holding both of his hands, she would say, ” Come on Joy, you can do it! walk for grandma! you can do it”
Each time little Joy would drop back on the floor, unable to take even a step but his loving grandma never gave up on him. She soon discovered that he was a little glutton and he loved his sweets. So she devised a new strategy to get him to walk. She started buying him treats and leaving it by the door. She would place him on their bed and encourage him to go pick up his treats.
The first day, the little boy cried while staring at the sweets by the door. The next day, the same thing happened and it went on like that for two weeks. The third week, his grandma was surprised to see him slowly lift up himself from the bed before he fell back again. She watched him with her heart in her throat, she almost leap up with joy when he took a step and then another.
She scooped him into her arms happily and gave him all the sweets. Meal times became a game of fun for both grandma and grandson. The first person to get to the plates of food usually placed by the door got the bigger portion. But of course, Ada always shared her portion with him afterwards.
There was a certain kind of joy in her heart whenever she sees the little child wobbling towards her. One day while she was doing their laundry outside, she was stunned when the child walked to her, albeit unsteadily. Tears of joy brimmed in her eyes and her heart was gladdened. She lifted him into her arms and hugged him to her bosoms. Ada’s determination had paid off.
Michael who had been watching them walked to them. The child stretched his arms towards him and he lifted him up into the air.
” Joy, I am proud of you” Michael said, ” You are old enough to be in school,” he added with laughter.
” S….cool!” Joy squealed, ” Mama, I will go to scool”
” Yes, you will my Joy.” She replied tearfully, ” And you won’t be strapped to the back or wheeled into the school. You will walk with both of your legs to class.”
All her life, Ada had known bitterness and sadness. She had cried herself to sleep many a night. She guessed she was one of those unfortunate people in the world with a bad case of ‘blue,’. But now, she had been given a second chance. Life had given her a second chance at motherhood again and she had also been gifted with someone who would stand by her in times of trouble and wipe away all her blues. Now she had someone who would make her proud and perhaps she just might live to see him become a man any mother would be proud of.
The End
