Just as was the expectation of many, Mr. John did not reveal his true colour until after few months after Jade moved in with them. He started by being normally caring towards her, and later graduated to being extremely caring. He would buy her things and ask her if she had eaten, and all sorts. He would ask who did what to her in school, and if she needed anything. Jade did not attach so much importance to it as she simply assumed that Mr. John was acting like an angel that he was supposed to be, and also, considering the fact that the couples didn't have a child. As far as she was concerned, Mr. John was a God-sent angel. She was put in one of the schools in the neighbourhood, and in no time, Jade's dreams and aspirations got rekindled, especially the dream of she being a graduate and throwing her graduation cap up in the sky. She got the idea from a movie she watched, where the main character, a girl like her, went against all odds to graduate as the best student in her university. Tears unconsciously dropped from her eyes when she was watching the movie, especially the part where the main character was framed, and was on the verge of being expelled. By a little twist of event, she got vindicated and ended up graduating. The movie ended where the girl threw her graduation cap up in the sky, admist many other caps. Jade slowly wiped her tears as she vowed to do everything she could to graduate and throw her own cap up in the sky too. "I will throw it very high" She told herself, as she imagined herself doing it. The day Mr. John brought out his true colour was the day Jade went to help him clean up his room. They lived in a two-room flat. Jade had a room to herself, while Mr. and Mrs. John had one to themselves too. Mrs. John was out of town for few days, and what Jade observed was that two hands grabbed her thirteen years old body from behind. She jerked up. "It is me." Mr. John said, as if trying to assure her that there was no need to panic. "Good morning... afternoon sir." She struggled to say. The two hands were wrapped round her waist, and they seemed to be determined not to let go. Those hands threw her on the bed. Those hands tore her young clothes. The same clothes Mr. John bought for her. Those hands aided the body to defy Jade's young and innocent body admist tears and resistance. Mr. John was filled with repentance after his devilish act. He promised and said alot as Jade cried her eyes out. She could not make out anything from what Mr. John said, except for his promise never to repeat such again. Jade seemed satisfied with the promise. Her young mind was foolish enough to believe him. But, he didn't keep to his words. He did the same thing the week after, and the week after and the week after, till Jade never cried again anytime he did it. She couldn't tell Madam or anyone else because that might be the end of her stay with them, and she had no place to go.
Two years down the line, and Jade was used to Mr. John's act. She would always pray that "madam" stays at home, because once Madam is out of the house, her clothes must drop off her body against her wish. Jade's second year with The Johns marked her 15th year, and it also marked The Johns 5th year of being childless. They tried all they could, but, nothing. All the doctors they went to, confirmed they were fine. One evening, Jade was watching the news in the parlor when the newscaster talked about the rise of the Dollar as against the Naira. Jade didn't really like such analytic news. She picked the remote, and tuned to another station. "5 Notorious armed robbers arrested during a bank robbery" The voice said as the faces of the armed robbers were shown. Jade jeered up the chair when she saw the face of her youngest brother on the television, then her elder brother, and then her eldest brother. She was shocked and short of words. Her three brothers were among the robbers showed on the television screen. "No. It can't be." She said to herself. She had not heard from them for a very long time. Only her eldest brother came visiting about two weeks after she got to Mr. John's house, and since then, she didn't hear from any of them again. "No! No!! No!!! " She kept saying as she ran to Mr. John's room. As she entered the room unannounced, the scene she saw was far beyond her understanding. Mr. John had a red cloth tied round his waist, and a small calabash in his hands. He was kneeling at one part of the bed while his wife slept lifelessly on the bed. Mr. John was moving the calabash round his wife's tommy. He was caught unaware by Jade, but eventually composed himself. Jade was shocked to see what Mr. John was doing. The door knob was still held tight by her left hand, and she couldn't move an inch out of the room as a result of the shock. So many thoughts ran through her mind. "Come here" Mr. John called her.
© 2016. Austus Ofmat Nwanne
There is this thing about children who lack parental care and attention, they end up being the ones who trouble the society. Jade's brother eventually turned out to be armed robbers, and that could have been averted. If only they had a responsible father, and now, our young Jade is being sexually abused. What is Mr. John doing to his wife? What would he do to Jade who walked in unannounced. The story continues tomorrow.
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OFMAT AUSTUS NWANNE
Inspirational Speaker/Media Consultant,
Swift24 Multimedia Services.
+2348072970850
Mrtackle2009@gmail.com
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