Chapter 5

Nana started going to school on time, everything was going so well for her. She made friends and she became very popular at school because of her charismatic ways.

Teachers and fellow students loved Nana, the people she passed on her way to and from school loved her. She always greeted whoever she met on the street and waved to those who are far away from the street.

Nana joined the netball team, debating team, school choir, and church choir. She kept herself very busy. If she was not in the class studying, she was either at the choir or at the netball ground. She was a talented young lady. She did everything with passion. She was good in class and in all her extra murals.

At the end of the first term, Nana received awards from school as the top debater and the best netballer for term 1. As if that was not enough, Nana was the top student for the whole of Form 1. She came back from school very happy.

Nana told Linda her achievements and Linda was so happy for her and congratulated her. Linda gave Nana a few coins to thank her for the hard work. Stepmother was not home by the time Nana came back with all her awards from school, she went to pick up Nana's siblings from the boarding school.

Nana's father came back from work a bit early than usual. He sat in the lounge; Nana greeted him and provided some juice for him while Linda was busy fixing evening tea for him. Nana went to her room and brought her school report and her awards for the father to see.

Oh God, father couldn't believe what he was reading, his daughter topped the class and with distinctions. He jumped up and down; he hugged Nana and congratulated her.

Father opened his wallet and gave some money to Nana. Nana knelt down and thanked her father for the money. When he saw the awards; he shed some tears. He said "Nana, you made me so proud today." Nana felt so proud too when he heard such beautiful words from her father.

Nana and her father's moments of joy were interrupted by her siblings. They ran into the lounge to hug their father. He hugged them back and welcomed them back from school. He asked for their school reports, and they told him that mummy has them. Their mummy was still in the garage with Linda unpacking the children's suitcases.

Ever since the incident where stepmother slapped Nana, they both stopped to talk to each other. Nana tried over and over again to greet her stepmother in the mornings and afternoons but stepmother refused to answer her. She did it for a while until her father told her to stop wasting her time.

Stepmother came in and gave the reports to father. Father read the reports and thanked the children and hugged them again. He promised to reward them soon. He then told them how Nana performed exceptionally well in her school and he showed them Nana’s report and the awards. Nana's siblings were happy for her, they congratulated her, and it was all smiles and hugs in the lounge. Stepmother said nothing to Nana, she remained silent. After a while, she called Linda to serve dinner.

Apart from stepmother, everyone at the dining table was so jolly. The children were telling stories about their schools. Nana was telling them about her school and what she is involved in. Her siblings were also sharing with her what they get up to at their school. Father kept on smiling and laughing at the children's tales.

Father has never seen his children getting along as they were at that moment. He prayed and wished that this happiness continues. After dinner, they watched some TV for a while and then left for bed.

The first-term holiday was spent in happiness, Nana and her siblings were happy. They were playing together and doing everything together. Stepmother was extremely angry with Nana, she hated Nana. She was boiling inside every time she saw Nana happy.

Nana’s father was also happy because his children were together as one. After work, he will come home and take some evening walks with his children. The holiday went well for the children until school started again. Nana and her siblings went back to their respective schools. Nana continued with her studies and her extra murals. She was excelling in everything at school.

One weekend when stepmother was away from home, Nana told her father that she wants to fix her relationship with her stepmother. She told the father that she is feeling very hurt because stepmother does not talk to her. She said she wants everyone in the family to be happy. Her father was very happy with this; he said he will arrange the meeting so that they sort this issue.

That evening when stepmother came back and after she had settled down from where she was, Nana's father called his wife and his daughter for the meeting in the lounge.

Father: Mama Altie, (that's how father calls stepmother) Nana told me to organize this meeting so that she says what is bothering her. Nana my child, what's on your mind?

Nana: Thank you father. Greetings mother, thank you for being here. My issue is that I want you to respond to me when I greet you or whenever I talk to you. Mother, I'm sorry if I offended you in any way, I do apologize, that. All I want for us is to get along and to be happy together.

Father: Good Nana, thank you for opening up how you feel. What do you have to say Mama Altie?

Stepmother/Mama Altie: Wow. I cannot believe that I'm being told what to do in my own house by a stranger.

Father: Who is a stranger here?

Stepmother: This girl who dared to tell me her feelings as if I care! This is my house and I can talk to whoever I want to talk to.

Father: Nana is not a stranger in this house, she is our daughter.

Stepmother: Our daughter? She is not my daughter; I know who my children are.

Father: You just said that this is your house but how much did you contribute to build this house or to maintain it? It is our house and Nana is our child.

Stepmother stood up and left to her bedroom. Nana stayed in her seat amazed at what has just taken place. She finally stood up and left the lounge. She went to Linda's room and told her what has happened. She was crying and didn't know what to do. Linda calmed her down and told her to just focus on her studies, she told her to forget whatever her stepmother has said.

Nana and Linda prepared dinner together. They served the dinner; Linda invited stepmother from her room to come for dinner, meanwhile, Nana and father started eating.

Stepmother came in and said to Father that if Nana is going to sit at the same table with her, then she will rather not eat. Nana excused herself from the table before father said anything; she grabbed her plate and went to eat from the kitchen with Linda.

Stepmother and father ate their dinner in silence. After dinner, the father went straight to his bedroom. He was angry with his wife. From that day on, the house was never the same, only stepmother was eating his meals at the dining table. Father will serve his meals and go sit in the lounge and eat from there.

The mood was somber in the house. Nana was also very silent; she could only go inside the house to greet her father in the evenings. She felt responsible for whatever was happening in the family.

Days passed by and then Nana's father started coming back home late. Nana could only see his father on weekends because he came back from work late in the evenings when Nana was already asleep.

Nana buried herself in her books, which were the only thing she had control of. On weekends when her father was at home, Nana could not enjoy a few minutes with him because stepmother was always arguing and abusing him. He would stay angry the whole day and sometimes he will drive off just to stay away from his wife.

Nana told Linda that she has ruined her family's happiness that she feels like going back to her mother in the village. Linda told her that she should not feel responsible for what is going on. She said, “Nana, I have been with this family for over 10 years, I know them well. Mother and father used to fight a lot after Donny, her second child was born."

“They were so unhappy and that's why they decided to sleep in different rooms. Why do you think your father's sister doesn't visit him often? She believes that your stepmother is responsible for his unhappiness; she said that one or two of stepmother’s kids are not fathered by your father. That mother cheated on father with his best friend; Uncle Jonny and that’s why they sleep in different rooms."

“Please calm down, you are not responsible for their issues, they had them before you even got here. In fact, your father is a very unhappy man; you are the only one who brought some joy to him, that’s why he refused to let you go live with your aunt. His children are so disrespectful towards him and every time he tried to punish them, stepmother intervened, so he decided to give up on them. They only behave well now since they see you respecting father."