Jackie

Moments later.

"Take Dad."

" What is this Jack? "

"Some herbs for you." I held him up in my hands while he drank from the bowl of boiled herbs.

"A nurse, Lily, was taking care of Dad, but she has stopped coming to do so," June said to me.

" And why is that so??" I asked.

"There was no money. We had not paid her even till this very moment," June said, and I was so sad about that.

"I never knew that," I muttered.

"You were not interested," June said softly. "You never wanted to hear about Dad. I had promised Dad that I would work and come back for him, but I took too long. I, too, was not aware that Nurse Lily had left."

" She will come back."

"And how do you mean that?" June asked.

"I would pay her the money that we owe and call her back to treat Daddy."

June's mouth was wide open.

"Child you say.....you say you would pay...." My father stammered.

" Yes father, you are my responsibility now. I am so sad and deeply sorry for walking out of your life Dad. It was so foolish for me to blame you for Mom's death, but I was just too engrossed in my grief that I needed someone to blame, so I could heal. I made a big mistake, one that my mother would not be proud of. I should never have walked away from your life!"

I let out a small cry.

"I was so blind father, that I could not see you were suffering too." I sobbed. "You lost both women in your life. The woman you loved most, and I could not see that you were also suffering....." I sobbed some more.

June kept staring at me, unable to talk. It seemed like a million thoughts were on her mind.

"Jill is right. I have to put myself together and get a better job." I looked towards June with teary eyes while I still held my father in my arms. " Sis, I do not have much now but my savings can handle daddy's health for now..... I have plans for the three of us and I want you to trust me June, and you too Dad."

I said and they both nodded to me in agreement.

**********

June and I went back home. We had just concluded this draining yet mind-opening visit to our father. Jill was still at my apartment. She stayed back and waited till we got home.

Jill was about to leave now, and I could only have this one last conversation with her.

"Jill." She looked back at me and slammed her book shut!

"Hmm, what are you reading?" I pulled her hands away to read the title of her Novel.

"Hmm Debbie Macomba...your new favorite, right?" I asked.

" I have many favorites Jack, but this author and Nora Roberts are my favorites."

" Well, good for you. We don't all have the time, you know, to soak up these books." I said, taking my seat beside her.

" It is you, Jack that has not created time for any fun thing in your life," Jill replied.

I stared at Jill and smiled.

"Teach me how you do it, Jill. You are so strong. How come, after everything that has happened, you still look this happy?" I asked.

" I do not know Jack... I guess you just have to... pretend if you must."

"No way Jill, surely that can't be your secret!" I chuckled.

Jill just laughed. She has this unusually calm demeanor.

"How is father?" Jill asked out of nowhere.

" Father is ......not so good, Jill."

"I understand Jack."

"I do not think so, Jill."

" Do you have a plan?" Asked Jill.

" Sure I do. I do have a plan." I said, rubbing my palms together.

"And what is it?"

"I and June would move to our father's house... His house is bigger and it is his. We only have to refurbish the whole building....."

" Really Jack?"

" Yes, Jill. His house is really big...Jill, you know that was the same house where I was born..."

" Oh my.....how is that even possible?? I thought you said he moved out."

" I thought so too, Jill. I could not remember that home-silly me! It's been so long, so, so long Jill, that I could not even remember my own home. A home where I was born, where I and June, my only sister were born, where we all lived all our lives."

"Jackie, that home holds a lot of memories for you and I think you forgot about it because of the trauma...."

" Yes, Jill. I think you are right. Yes ......"

" How about June? Is she happy about your plans of moving to your father's house?"

"Yes, Jill. She's so happy. She has always wanted us all to move in and live together as a family, and it is high time I do that."

" And I am so happy for both of you, it is settled then."

" June has improved well. She has been taking her therapy classes so seriously and has been putting her mind more into getting a job."

There was a brief silence for a moment.

"Mr Maxwell called me," Jill finally said. " He wants us back at Skin by Nature."

"Did you tell him that it would not be possible?" I asked bluntly and we both laughed.

"Well, I told him that I would tell you about it."

" Now you have to tell him our response is no!"

" I already did, Jack! It is just a pain. The poor man tried his best to convince me. He even offered to transfer us to the production site or even hire corps so we could be comfortable with Ella!"

"The answer is still no Jill. I cannot go back to Skin by Nature. I still remember the most painful word Mrs Ella said to me."

"And what is that?"

" She screamed at me, calling me a wannabe. That I always acted as people's mother. I was so hurt by her words, but I could not fight back.

Then I could not understand why that word stung so deeply, but in these past few days, I do understand now. I am a wannabe. I have mummy issues, I just miss my mom so much, and I pray I will heal."

Jill held my hands.

" You can be my mom Jack, and you also have June, so you are good to go."

" Thank you so much, Jill. You are a good friend. You're the best actually..." I gave her a hug.

" We actually have to start looking for a job."

" Yes, Jill we actually have to."

Just then, bunbun, June's rabbit walked up to us while we were still in a warm embrace. It hopped on my lap....

"Ahhh." Screamed Jill.

"Stop Jill, you are going to scare the little rabbit."

" Look, Jack, She loves me now....." Jill screamed excitedly.

" Yes, I can see Jill. What did you do?"

" Well, I fed her some sweet fruit while you and June were away, then bunbun grew to love me."

" Awnn that's so sweet."

I started smiling in pure joy. I watched as Jill played with little Bunbun. She kissed the little rabbit with so much love.



************

Mr. Mathew Roberts

"I must leave here. This is the last day I will spend in this camp." I thought to myself.

"Hey move." I heard a voice behind me. I looked back and saw him, Kole. " How dare he?" I thought. We were both prisoners here, yet he still tried to bully me.

"I said move!" He ordered again.

"What kind of human are you?" I asked in a deep, deadly tone.

" And what the hell do you mean?" Kole asked.

" How dare you ask me that kind of question." Kole was about to give me a nod on the head, but I dogged it, and that caused so much more fury for him.

I did not need this drama, at least not on this day. My goal for this day was to maintain a low profile till it was dark, so I could execute my escape plans.

This Kole guy was about to ruin everything for me. All my plans were soon evaporating away except I did something really fast about it.

"Please, I am sorry," I begged him, but he seemed not to be interested in my apologies. Truth be told, he got more angry.

Mr Kole was no big deal for me in an ordinary situation or ordinary setting. I could easily put him down in any fight, but I could sense the devil had set him up against me that very day, so I could fight him and then ruin my chances of escaping.

But I needed to escape, at least for my only child and daughter-Ella. I have missed her so much, and she meant everything to me.

"You dare beg me?" Mr Kole asked again. "You are a dead man." He spat out.

"Please, I want no trouble." I pleaded, moving away from him, but he launched forward and was about to hit my head with his hands. His hands were bound in chains just like the rest of us and the chains were very heavy. If one of us raises those hands and hits them on the head of another, that person instantly collapses!

"Hey you, what is going on there?" I gasped in relief as one of Huncho's men walked up to us. Huncho's men were called soldiers.

"On your knees." He ordered my attacker.

I could see Mr. Kole and the Man who came to my rescue struggle for a second when the Man brought out a long hunter's gun and threatened to fire Mr Kole.

Mr Kole retreated and then went down on his knees.

********

Later that evening,

We -the prisoners were clearing and packaging whatever was in a black waterproof bag.

This is what we do every evening and this is what I have been doing for over a year now, or even more- I had lost track of time.

We were all naked, not allowed to wear clothes, not allowed to speak, or even move our heads to the other person closest to us.

We were meant to keep calm and keep packaging into a black waterproof bag, a white substance that I know nothing about.

"Ahhhh...." Screamed one of us. "Please, Sir. Please, Sir." He cried harder.

"Shhh...." The man ordered. He was a soldier. He had whipped down one of us. " Keep quiet, okay. You do not want to attract our neighbors right?" He said, then he whipped him again and again and all we could hear was the poor man's muffled screams - he was not even allowed to scream.

We could hear all the poor man's muffled screams and a much loud whippings that were meted out to him, but nobody dared to look at him or even move our heads away from our work table.

Not long after, there was silence. " Was he dead?" I thought. I do not know, none of the slaves actually had an answer to that question.

We all just bowed our heads, focused on our work, our assigned duty acting oblivious of the environment around us and this is the world I have found myself in- Honcho's world.......