Chapter 6 – A NEW DAWN

It was the early hours of the day and Riona was still sleeping on her bed.

After a while, she slowly opens her eyes and she rubs her eyes with her hand. She got up from the bed and went into the bathroom to take her shower.

After her mum's death, Riona has not been to school for the new session and the session has been on for about three weeks already. The reason is because of her lack of emotional control since she lost her mum two months ago.

Riona has always wanted to be in art class, but after her mum's demise, she had changed her mind and decided to join science in senior high school so as to be able to read medicine.

She knows that if she is going to be accepted for the science classes she must have to work hard to be outstanding. This Riona is bent on achieving as she was not ready to take any chances. So she decided that no matter the condition of her emotional state, it was time she joined others in learning.

When she was done with bathing, she went to the wardrobe and put on her school wear. After that, she walks out of her room and heads for the kitchen so as to quickly fix some breakfast for her dad and herself.

When she got into the kitchen, she quickly made some pancakes and after she was done with preparing the pancakes, she went to set the table. She then took the food to the table and went to get her dad.

Riona knocks on her dad's door twice before she calls out.

"Daddy" Riona called.

"Rio is that you" Wright replied from inside.

"Yes dad" Riona answered.

Riona opened the door and walked in. She finds him lying down on the bed. Riona had woken him up from sleep and so his eyes were still heavy.

"Still sleeping, dad?" Riona said.

"Good morning Rio" Wright greeted.

"Good morning dad" Riona responded.

Wright took his phone and checked the time and it was 6:48 am. He looked at Rio and wondered why she was up so early and also dressed for school.

He got up from the bed as he tried to recall whether Riona had said anything about wanting to start school today, but he could not recall ever having such a conversation with her.

"Why are you up so early and why have you dressed for school already?" Wright asked.

"Dad, the school has been on for three weeks already. I need to join them and I don't intend to repeat classes" Riona replied.

"That is true Rio, but are you sure you are fully prepared to resume?" Wright asked.

"You see, I do want you to join your mates not just in school, but in every other sphere of life but I still want to make sure that you are ready for this" Wright explained.

"Trust me, dad, I am. I may not be fully over mum, but I know that she would not want me locked up in this house all day long and I believe that I am ready for study. Actually, I think that is the only thing that I am prepared for right now" Riona replied.

"I get you Rio, and I must say that you made the right decision," Wright said.

"I already made breakfast, dad, for the two of us. So you have to freshen up quickly and join me downstairs" Riona announced.

Wright was tired and was still feeling a bit sleepy. He was not prepared to get up this early today, but for Riona, he was prepared to go right out of his way. But even with his resolution to do everything for Riona, he was still struggling to drag his leg.

"Okay" Wright replied as he walked lazily to his bathroom.

"You have to be a fast dad, remember you are taking me to school," Riona said.

"Alright dear, I will be down in a jiffy" Wright responded.

"I don't want to be late on my first day," Riona said as she walked out of the room.

"I gave you my words" Wright replied.

..................................................

Wright climbs down the stairs at a quick pace. He does not want to keep Riona waiting for him longer than necessary. After Riona left his room, he had taken just ten minutes to get ready as he knows how important today is to Riona and he would not want to spoil it for her.

"I am ready Rio" He calls.

He walked up to the dining table and saw that Riona was sitting on it.

"Are you not ready yet?" He asked.

"I am dad" Riona replied.

"Okay let's leave already. Hope I did not keep you waiting longer than was necessary?" Wright asked.

"No dad, you were really fast" Riona responded.

He noticed that Riona was still seated at the dining table and was making no effort to get up for them to leave and he wondered why this was so.

"So, can we," He said, making some gestures with his hands as he pointed them to the door.

"We need to eat dad" Riona informed him.

Wright suddenly realized that there were two plates covered on the dining table. He had not taken notice of them when he first came. He thought Riona had taken breakfast while waiting for him.

"Really, you have not eaten yet?" Wright asked.

"Actually, I was waiting for you," Riona said.

"I did not even notice," Wright said.

He took a seat in front of his plate of food.

"Thanks for the meal, Rio. That is so thoughtful of you" Wright said.

"Okay dad, you can open now, let's start eating," Riona said.

They both opened their meal and started eating. When they were done eating, they got up and went out of the house.

Outside the house, Wright opened the door of the passenger's seat for Riona and she entered the car. He went and opened the driver's door, got into the car, ignited the engine, and started to drive.

"I am glad that you are going back to school again honey" Wright announced.

"I am too. And I would like to take the online classes so as to meet up with the rest" Riona said.

"That is great," Wright said.

Wright is so happy at the zeal Riona had started school with. He knows that if she keeps up at this pace, she would be up to date with her peers in no time.

"When would that be, can you start today?" Wright asked.

"Not today dad, I plan on doing that on weekends" Riona replied.

"Yeah, weekends would be just fine. In that way, it would not interfere with your regular weekdays learning" Wright concurred.

"The other day, you were saying that you want to do science, are you still going ahead with that?" Wright asked.

"Yes, dad that is what I have decided" Riona responded.

"Okay, you see I am not in any way trying to discourage you from this. But how would you do that considering the fact that you have never taken any science-related subjects in your junior high?" Wright asked.

"And that is why I intend to go the extra length to make up for them now. If I can pass my promotional exams, I doubt if anything would stop me from doing science in senior high school" Riona replied.

"I see," Wright said.

"Dad, I am putting in my very best for this, you've got to believe me," Riona said.

"I do believe you, Rio. I know you put in your best in whatever you set your mind to. I trust you on this one" Wright said.

"Thanks, dad" Riona smiled.

Wright gave Riona a high five, and they both hit their hands against each other.

"Go out there and make me proud Rio" Wright screamed.

Riona began to laugh at her dad's actions.

"Come to think of it, Rio. Why the sudden change of mind? I know you have never been a science freak?" Wright asked.

"I want to be a medical doctor dad" Riona replied.

"Yeah, that is what you said. But do you mind telling me the reason for that?" Wright asked.

"I only wanted to do art before, but now I want to do science. Yeah," Riona screamed.

"Yes, my daughter wants to do science yeah" Wright joined her.

"I don't have a reason dad, who even said that I need a reason for that. I want science, and I go for science" Riona said.

"You are right dear. We owe no one no f**king reasons" Wright replied.

He brought up his right hand to Riona and he said to her.

"Hi five girl"

In response to Wright's request, Riona raised her left hand and joined with her dad's.

"You know what," Wright said.

"What dad," Riona asked.

"I've got a surprise for you" Wright replied.

"What is the surprise dad, and where is it?" Riona asked.

Riona was so excited and could not wait to know what the surprise was about.

"What if I say I take the day off on Friday, and after school, we go and have fun at any place of your choice? We can even take a short vacation for the weekend if you want" Wright asked.

"That would be fantastic, dad" Riona shouts.

"With that, I can go through your online classes with you," Wright said.

"That is so thoughtful of you dad, sincerely I can't wait for this" Riona said.

"So what and where do you suggest?" Wright asked.

Riona carefully thought about her dad's offer for a while to know whether she would like a vacation or not. When she decided that it would be a vacation for her, she replied.

"Let's take a vacation to Vancouver this weekend daddy. That is where I want to go to" Riona said.

"And a vacation to Vancouver it is" Wright announced.

Riona was very excited when her dad accepted her request to visit Vancouver. And so right now, she cannot wait for the weekend to arrive.

"Thank you so much dad, I love you more than anything else in the world," Riona said.

"You are welcome honey and I love you even more" Wright responded.

Wright felt that music would be just right for the occasion and so he suggested "Okay, why don't we play something good, dear, something for our mood".

"Wow dad, that would be great. Just like the good old days" Riona replied.

"Yeah Rio, exactly like the good old days" Wright responded.

Wright was wondering what Riona meant by referring to the good old days. She sounded like she had been indoors or out of life for the past twenty years when it was barely two months that she had all these fun and activities. Riona's response made him think that his daughter is truly one of a kind.

"So what song are we going for dad?" Riona requested.

"I'd say we do 'School Life'. What do you think?" Wright suggested.

"Yeah, 'School Life' by Soumya Das would be just perfect for this moment" Riona screamed.

Wright screamed with Riona too, he is just so happy that his daughter is gradually returning to her old and cheerful self and he cannot wait to have her fully recovered from the loss of her mum, his wife, Evolette.

Wright turned on the Bluetooth of his phone and opened his boomplay app to search for the song. When he found it, he turned it on. He and Riona sang along with the song. Riona threw her hands in the air and shook her body to the beat of the song.

Riona had not been truthful with her dad when she told him that she does not have a reason for wanting to go for medicine even when her mind had been in art all along. The truth is that Riona does have a reason for wanting to become a medical doctor, and her reason is so as to be able to diagnose and understand the cause of her mum's death.