Chapter 19~ Merry Christmas and a happy new year

Isere didn't win yesterday's 'Mr and Mrs Bible challenge' yesterday and her mother was really furious with her.

She had only made it to the second stage but was taken out before the final stage. The question that took Isere out were one of the topics her mother had taught her but because she was too busy thinking of Kelvin, she had not listened.

Her mother had used her native dialet to tell her, that when they got home, she'd be dealt with. She was angry at her mother, what was the big deal if she didn't win? People were taken out too, she thought.

"So, you were not reading your Bible while in the university abi Isere?!" Her mother raised her voice making Isere flinch.

"Isere what were you thinking of while I was teaching yesterday?! Answer me!"

Isere didn't say anything, she just looked at the cane her mother held in her right hand. "The question you failed was the one I had taken my time to tell you that day and what did you do?! Oisanobua rejemime!"

(Lord have mercy on you)

"Jumoke your age mate that cannot compete with you before won, she defeated you, one of the reason I wanted you to school closer!"

Isere mother kept stomping one of her feet on the floor.

"Give me your hands, it's like you want me to withdraw you from that school so you can start again abi?" Her mother asked demanding for her hands.

Isere began to cry, "ineme goghua!" Isere begged. (Please mummy!)

"Shut up! Give me your hands!" Her mother yelled. "You will spend your Christmas reading as usual. No food for your this night. The Bible said it; spell the rod and spoil the child, so I won't spare you because I am training you." Her mother said ushering her to stretch her hand.

Isere had cried all through Christmas Eve, when she had refused to give her hand to her mother, her mother had used the cane to wipe her body leaving long marks on her body. Her light complexion showed red marks instead.

She was locked in her room and asked to read her Bible, she was glad she was locked in because instead of reading, she cried and attended to herself. She hated home and wanted to go away.

Isere woke up on the floor of her room, she was still having an headache and felt slight pain from her skin. She had not eaten night food because she was deprived from it. She wondered if they were really her parents. How could they have done this to her, her father said nothing as he walked off leaving her mother to descend on her.

The door of her room opened, standing by the door was her mother with a tray on her hand. "Eat this food and take the medicine, when you are done come downstairs," her mother told her.

She suddenly felt disgusted by her mother presence, how she wish she could be disowned and left alone!

"Thank you ma," she told her as she grabbed the tray from her hand.

After Isere was done eating, she walked downstairs to see her father and mother talking to each other on the living room as usual. They were a really boring couple.

She never saw them tease each other or cuddle with each other, she never saw them hug neither do they kiss, neither has she seen them fight, they lacked everything any good couple had.

"Good morning sir, Good morning ma," she greeted the both of them with her knees on the floor.

"Good morning," her father replied while her mother said nothing. She dare not say Merry Christmas to them or else she'd be called a child of the world.

Christmas was forbidden and new year was worse, they only ate food and so their normal routine. Everyday was the same and never had a difference.

"How was school?" Her father began after she sat down.

"School was fine sir," she told him.

"Hope you are doing well, because if you grades does not satisfy my money, you won't like it," her father told her as he increases the volume of the television, listening to what they were saying on the news.

Isere wanted to leave but she dared not, they always forced her to watch news and religious programme. She stared at the television, she wanted to sleep but she dared not. So she thought of what would actually make her forget her pain.

She began to reminisce those good moments with Kelvin, his laughs and how they flirted back and forth. involuntarily, a smile crept unto her face when she remembered the kiss he gave her close to her lips.

"Why are you smiling, are you seeing angel Michael?" Her mother voice boomed making her flinch, bringing her back from her reverie.

"Can't you see I am listening to something, do you voice have to be always loud?" Isere father asked Isere mother.

"I'm sorry, just that she is smiling with no reason," her mother tried to explain to her father.

Isere father looked at Isere and then at his wife, "she's smiling because the Lord has told her to," he spoke leaving her mother speechless.

"Isere, once the time is 2 o'clock, go and prepare egusi soup with the turkey in the freezer, you hear me?" Her mother told her.

"Yes ma," Isere retorted. She was really drained and really tired.

Isere couldn't wait for on the 4th of January to resume and escape this suffering already. She wanted to feel love and be wrapped in the arms of a loving person.

She was tired already and when she goes back to school, she promised to explore more. She wasn't going to let the chance pass by.