Chapter 2

Nana's stepbrothers Jelly, Donny, and Marcus and her step sister Altie welcomed her, so did the stepmother. Nana sensed that her arrival was not welcomed and she wondered why her father decided to bring her into such a house, she realized that her stay will not be easy as she hopped.

When dinner time came, all the children, stepmother, and Nana's father gathered around the table to have their meal. Nana's father invited her to join them at the dining table. The poor girl never sat on the dining or using folks and knives before.

It was quite an experience for Nana to sit and eat from a dining table but being a bright child, she managed to go through it. After dinner, all the children went to bed but Nana was told by her stepmother to wash the dishes. She did it with ease and afterward, she was shown where to sleep.

All the children had their bedrooms in the main house but Nana was given a room in the boy's quarters. Though Nana was not sleeping in the main house, she was happy with her new room; it was better than what she had at her mother's house.

It was a big room with a good bed and wired with electricity. It was bittersweet for Nana, she was happy that she has this new family and that she will be able to go to school yet she was sad that this family felt weird for her. They were not too friendly to her and they even mistook her for a maid. She unpacked her luggage, took a bath, and then slept.

Early in the morning, Nana's father knocked on her door. She opened the door, knelt down, and greeted her father.

Father was happy to see her and he asked her how she slept. She answered him and thanked him for bringing her to his home. He told her that he is rushing to work, that he will talk to her when he comes back. She bid him farewell and went back to her room. She bathed, brushed her teeth, and made her bed; she then came out of her room and looked around for a broom.

She swept the yard and the kitchen. Afterward, she sat on the veranda and waited for the rest of the family to wake up. While seated on a veranda, someone knocked at the gate. She didn't know what to do, she ran to the house calling for someone to open the gate. None of the family members woke up to help.

Nana went to the gate and she asked who was knocking. A lady answered that "I'm Linda the maid, sorry I didn't come back for a month but I had some family problems." Nana opened the gate and she introduced herself to Linda.

Linda was very happy to meet Nana; she saw her as beautiful and a friendly child. Linda went inside and started on her chores immediately. Since Nana's mother taught her well on how to do house chores, she joined Linda and they worked together. They prepared a delicious breakfast for everybody and put it on the dining table.

When everybody woke up, they were so happy to smell a delicious breakfast. They all came to the dining table and enjoyed the breakfast. Nana’s stepmother was happy to see Linda because she hated cooking and doing house chores; seeing Linda meant more free time for her to go meet with her friends. Nana came from outside to join them for breakfast. Her stepmother asked her to serve herself and then go eat from outside.

Nana served her breakfast and went into the kitchen where she ate her breakfast with Linda. The whole day Nana helped Linda with all household chores. They enjoyed each other’s company, Nana told stories about her life in the village, about her mother, siblings and about all her friends.

Later that day, Nana's father came back from work. Everyone greeted him including Linda. Nana's father was so happy to see Linda, he even hugged her. He said…

"Linda, I'm so glad that you came back to this house, I noticed it immediately when I stepped into the house. At least now I will have to enjoy some good food and a clean house." Stepmother looked like she didn't like father's comments but she just swallowed her pain.

After dinner, while everybody was still around the dining table, Nana's father said that Nana will be joining his other children’s school next term. Nana's stepmother stood up and she said, "No, no, and no, this village girl is not attending my children's school. If you want this child of yours to go to school, you will have to put her in a Day school. Only my children will be going to a Boarding school."

Nana just sat down quietly.

Nana's father became furious and he said that it is my money and it is my child, I can send her to any school I want. Nana's stepmother replied by saying "over my dead body" and she immediately stood up and left the table. Her children followed her.

Nana stayed at the dining table with her father. After a minute or two of silence, Nana stood up and moved close to her father, she knelt down and said "Father, I'm happy that you brought me here to live with you. Father, all I want is to go to school. It doesn't matter whether it’s a day or boarding school. Since my stepmother doesn't want me to go into a Boarding school, it’s okay with me to join a nearby Day school. I know how to wake up early and walk to school, I will be able to do it Father."

Nana's father looked surprised by his daughter's words. He seemed at a loss of what to say! Nana gave her father a hug and she said good night to him.