SERIES::THE MISSING KEY (EPISODE 10)

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“Who cares,” John
muttered
under his nose. But
it was loud
enough for dad to
hear.
“What did you say?”
dad asked
and instinctively
rushed towards
John. Before John
could turn
around and react,
dad’s right
hand had already
reached his
shoulders and forcefully turned him around. 

With John now
facing dad, dad gave
him a slap
on
his face. John
wasn’t expecting
it.
“Are you trying to
show me that
you are now a man?
Do you
want to challenge
me? Or have
you smoked
something?”
John stared at dad
for some
seconds, anger
building up
within him. “I have
always been
planning on leaving
this house
for
a long time. You
know what? My
mind had already
left this house
a long time ago. You
can have
you big fancy house
all to
yourself. I don’t
intend to stay
anyway.”
Dad stared at him,
he didn’t
expect this. “Fine,
then what
have you been doing
here all
along, did I chain you
here?”
“It’s not just about
building a
fancy house,John
said'.. I hope
you mean what you
are saying
when you say we
should leave,
because it
will even be a thing
of joy to
sleep on the street
than stay
here with parents
that doesnt
care. I wish this
door can be
opened soon so
that you can
have the house to
yourself. This
house is not even
qualified to be
called a home” Ada
chipped in
to dad’s
amazement.
“You are not even
qualified to be
called my daughter.
You have
decided to be a
disgrace to
yourself. I can’t
even look at
you. You should be
ashamed of
yourself but rather
you still
have the guts to
talk to me like
that. Is it me that
got
you into this
condition and
made you feel like
you don’t
have a home? I will
be glad to
have you take your
disgraceful
self out of here.”
Dad returned.
He had never
exchanged words
with his children
before. Its
always been him
talking
and everybody in
the house
listening. He never
thought that
they had grown big
enough to
voice out their
opinion. Where
these really his
kids? Looking at
them now they
were like strangers
to him.
“If I am pregnant or
if John is
smoking around, it
really should
be your fault. It
beats me that
you don’t even
blame
yourself for
anything! Oh I
forgot, you are the
perfect dad,
the manager of
Dew luck Nig.
Limited who always
gets it
right” Ada replied.
This was
really surprising. I
never
thought she had
such guts to
talk back to dad the
way she
was
doing now.
“Ada, your mouth is
surprisingly
too sharp for
someone who
acted in such a
disgraceful
manner. You are not
even
grateful
to your parents
who sacrifice
their all to make
sure you get
the best in life.
Instead you
stand here and talk
back to
your dad with such
effrontery.”
Mum injected.
“The best in life?
Did you say
the best in life?” I
can’t believe
you mum. You think
what your
children are having
here
is the best in life?”
Ada
returned, looking
around
disdainfully.
“A lot of your
mates will give
everything to be in
your shoes.
You are not grateful
to God for
what you have; no
wonder
you have no respect
for
yourself. Don’t you
see your
mates hawking on
the streets?
But you have the
opportunity of
finding yourself in
school;
instead you are
misusing it by
avoiding school and
sleeping
with men all over
town.” Mum
said.
“What do you know
about
school mum, what
do you even
know about me?”
Ada asked,
she shrugged
frustratingly and
walked
away from the
scene.
John left after her,
leaving mum
and dad standing
there with
their mouths wide
open.
Dad was both
unhappy and
angry, “Do you
know this is all
your fault?” he said
to mum,
“how can you look
at yourself
and
call yourself a good
mother?
You chose to
neglect the kids
under your care and
concentrate all your
efforts on
that
boutique of yours.
You don’t
know your duty as
a mother,
now look at the
result.”
“Oh please, enough
of your
ranting. Will you ever
stop? Mr.
Perfect. If I
concentrate my
effort on my
boutique where do
you put yours? Oh, I
remember
you always take
out time to be
with your children.”
Mum
replied and walked
into their
bedroom.
Dad followed her
behind.
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WATCH OUT FOR
EPISODE 11