The outcast Chapter 2
"Tolaaaaa, this girl won't kill me ehn", Mama Tunde calls for Tola two hours after Tola had gone to do the work given to her. "She is always causing trouble and very restless,Tolaaaa",Mama Tunde says as she calls for Tola again. Tola, still in her school uniform, rushes out on the second call. "Mom, I am here, you called for me ", Tola says as she bows her head. "No, you will tell me I am blind ehn",Mama Tunde hisses as she is being annoyed. " Are you done with the work I assigned for you?", Mama Tunde says. "Ye... Ye .... Yes ma , Tola stutters. She is afraid of her mom. "Go and spread these clothes and continue your punishment under the sun", Mama Tunde says with disgust in her eyes for her only daughter. Her daughter had made her loose her position as the best wife of Chief Omotayo. Her co-wife also have boys and no girls. She didn't like that fact. She loathes her daughter. She wants her dead. Her husband stops showing her affection and focused on the other wife. "Omotola is the cause of Baba Tunde not being here, he only sends us money, Mama Tunde weeps bitterly . Little does she knows that she,Mama Tunde, would meet her loom, she would come to regret the fact that she didn't show love towards her only daughter. She had forgotten that as mother,you should be able to love your children regardless of their gender, all children are the same. "Tola has always been a disgrace to me,right from her birth",she says under her breath.
Tola finishes her chores and starts her punishment. Meanwhile, Mama Tunde had gone inside to have a nap. " God, please help me,I am tired of the way I am living", Tola weeps bitterly as she continues her punishment. Soon she starts to doze off, she goes to the veranda to lay down and sleep for a while. After two hours , Mama Tunde comes out,only to see that Tola is sleeping at the veranda. " Stupid girl, you are sleeping. " You are supposed to be sleeping", she says as she slaps Tola . Mama Chike, the tenant who stays at the boy's quarter just at the the back of the main building happens to be there at time Mama Tunde slaps Tola. Her hands at akimbo. It isn't the first time witnessing things like this."Everything Tola does, isn't so good to Mama Tunde", Mama Chike thinks inwardly. She fights the urge to intervene. The last time she tried intervening,Mama Tunde threatened to throw her out. Where would she go with two children and being a widow at that too? She can only pity the poor girl. Mama Chike, a lady of fair complexion, calm and doesn't seem to bother anybody. Her husband died of blood cancer. She was thirty years old then. Luckily,she is working but the salary is of meagre amount. She and her children could only manage in this "Nigerian economy". She walks briskly as she passes Mama Tunde's veranda , she doesn't want any of Mama Tunde's "Wahala".
"You this stupid girl, you are sleeping ehn, are you to sleep? What nonsense", Mama Tunde continues to rant. Tola stands with her head bent, she is in deep trouble."Mu....mummy ,I am sorry ",Tola says. "Sorry for yourself,Go and pick the beans that I measured in a bowl, find something doing ,my son's would soon be back", Mama Tunde says with no emotions on her face. She sits on the bench outside,the sun has subsided. Tola goes inside to start picking this beans. This is her battle,she has to fight it. Tears roll down her eyes as her stomach grumbles. She is hungry. Mama Tunde didn't give her food. It is said that not all mothers are called mom, to be called mom has to be that the mother had made so many sacrifices and makes her children happy all the time. Not all moms are like ,Tola mother isn't supposed to be called mom. Maybe motherly love isn't meant for her. But who doesn't need motherly love?
To be continued...