Too Late To Claim

Episode 9

After hours of sleepless night combined with tears,I came out the next morning only to behold the same woman standing outside, leaning on her car.

What exactly does she wants from me?
I coughed to make my presence known which made her turned to look at me and smiled.

“Good morning ma” I greeted her

“Morning Jessy” she smiled

I was astonished and I looked at her with wide opened eyes.

Nobody has ever called me “Jessy” not even the villagers except my mother whose soul will continue to rest in peace.

“Are you surprised?” She asked me still smiling

“Please ma,how did you know my name and what do you want from me again?” I asked her

“Jessy” she called “I made some research and was told alot of you and I must say is so unfortunate for a teenage like you to be going through a lot of challenges at such tender age”

I was still looking at her.
She is yet to answer my question but I kept quiet and listened as she spoke on.

“I must admit that I was very mad when you shouted at me yesterday” she continued “because none of my children will ever do that,but after I got to know what happened to you,I couldn’t help but cried too.I know nobody will understand what you are going through except yourself.And at such a young age,you ought to be in school as a young smart girl and also have a parental comfort but none of these are available,I am so sorry for the death of your father and recent lost of your mother dear”

I felt the wound of my heart reopened and I began to cry again, letting the tears flowed like a river.

She drew near me and hugged me tightly as she said some comforting words to help calm me down.

This was a woman I didn’t know from Adam.

A woman that I had almost put in trouble at the market yesterday.

A woman who offered to pay for my goods but I refused her money.

A woman that I shouted at and pursued her to go when she came to check on me yesterday.

A woman with a motherly heart and love.

A woman with a caring spirit and comforting soul.

Despite yesterday’s event,she still came here this early morning to show concern again.

I cried as I hugged her too holding her tightly to myself as if I want to enter through her, letting my unstoppable tears wet her clothes.

The sweet scented of her strawberry perfume filled my nostril.

As I held unto her,I began to feel the presence of my mother.

This was exactly the way mother hold me whenever I am crying and needs to be comforted.

After what seemed like hours,I gently released her from my embrace.

I saw her used a tissue paper to wipe her eyes which means she must have been crying too.

I don’t know her but I felt comfortable with her instantly and I also fell in love with her.

She smiled at me revealing her 32 set of sparking white and lovely teeth.

“I am sorry ma” I broke the silence.

“Is ok my dear,is ok” she responded and held my hands looking straightly into my eyes that I felt shy for a moment.

“Jessy, I may not know nor understand your entire story,
I may not totally understand how you feel sweetheart or what you are going through but when I knocked you down yesterday and helped you to stand up,I saw and felt something in your eyes and even right now that I am looking deeply into your eyes,i still see and feel the same thing.”

I looked at her wondering what she is talking about.

Could she be a soothsayer or what?

“Please what do you see ma” I asked out of curiosity.

“what I see,is a bright child with a bright future Jessy” she replied
I smiled a little as she continued.

“What I see is a fighter.

A girl that won’t allow circumstances of life to pull her down.

A girl who cries in the night and smiles in the day as if everything is perfectly fine.

A girl with an ambition to become someone better and live a fulfill life.

A girl who is really to keep her head high above the ocean of life,no matter what.

A smart,hardworking, beautiful and intelligent princess.

A bundle of divine blessings to her generations.
A girl with a difference.

A girl full of potentials and valid dreams.

A girl who will soar high above eagle’s limit and the sky cannot stop.”

then she paused and took a deep breath.
I sob quietly as i listened to her say all those words.

For the first time since Mother’s death, I felt relief and it was as if a heavy burden has been lifted off my shoulders.

My soul was lifted with joy and I smiled.

A genuine smile that was deep from my heart.

A smile that hasn’t been on my face for a very long time.

She looked at me and smiled too.

“Jessy” she called

“Yes ma” I replied quietly

“I don’t know how you will feel or what you will say but I am not going to leave you alone in this village”

“What do you mean ma,I don’t understand”

“You are coming with me to the city”

“Ma”

“Yes Jessy,is time to start a new life”