Chapter 2 Maddison run into her old friend (chapter two)

Chapter Two

I do not understand how my parents live so comfortably in mediocrity. Mum is content with the peanut she makes from her little provision store. My dad seems to be comfortable with his job as a civil servant that can barely pay our loan bills. Sometimes, the government delayed his salary, and the family suffered dearly for it.

I cannot count how times I had been sent home from school over a delay in the payment of school fees, so it wasn't much of a surprise to see my younger sister and brother walk in by 10:00 a.m on a school day. Martha was in tears but I already knew her answer, but I asked anyway.

"Michael, Why are you both home at this time? And why is Martha crying?"

"The school sent us home because our school fees haven't been paid," he replied.

"Sisters, they asked us not to come back," Martha said as tears kept flowing down her face because we own every term. They embarrassed us in front of the class." I pulled her close and hugged her.

"Please, stop crying. Don't worry, when dad comes back, we will sort it out."

I felt very bad because I knew he must have been for them. I endured the same humiliation as a student, and in most moments, I cried myself to sleep for many nights.

I had to figure out a way to make my younger ones happy. Out of the $500, Andrea gave me to pick a cab on Saturday, I had already spent $100 on a pair of sandals, and $100 on matching panties and bra. None of my worn shoes match the dresses Andrea gave me, and I was ashamed to ask her for sandals after she had given me money, dresses, and a lent wig. I needed decent lingerie just in case something happened to Mr. Xander.

I figured that the best thing to do for my siblings is to buy ice cream and donuts. That would make them feel better. I thought that the fast food place was just around the filling station, about 10 minutes away. If I spend $100 out of the $300 remaining will be left with $200 which will not be enough for a cab to Macdonald's.

I knew Andrea wouldn't be happy with me squeezing into a shared taxi to see Mr. Xander but at that point, I didn't think I had a choice. It was my duty to make my younger brother and sister happy. My heart was so sad and my head was filled with thoughts of making it in life, earning good money, taking good care of them, and being a good role model to them.

"Michael! Martha! go and take your bath. Put on something nice we are going to eat right away,"

"Sister with which of the money?" Martha asked.

"Don't ask questions, just do as I say.

They put on the best they had, which were their " Christmas clothes" as California would say, and their mood lightened up a bit. We joined a taxi to the eatery and when we arrived, the waitress pointed to the corner so we could sit. "What would you like me to do?" She asked.

Two donuts and a mini bowl of vanilla ice cream please, " I answered.

"Sister, please I want chocolate ice cream, I don't like vanilla," Michael said.

"Ok, chocolate it is then," I said, turning to the waitress.

"What about your ma, what would you like to have?" She asked, looking directly at me.

"Nothing, I'm OK. Please, what is the total cost?"$200," she said. I was taken aback.

"Ah, for two donuts, and one bowl of ice cream? How come?"

"Our Price was recently reviewed ma,

This was way above my budget. If I had come alone, I would have picked up my purse and left quietly, but took a taking look at the eager faces in front of me. I knew there was nothing I could do but succumb.

"Okey reserves have them please," I said.

I was upset at myself for spending what I bargained for, but I wanted to do anything possible to make the Twins happy. The snacks arrived and their faces brightened up. I was happy that I made a difference, albeit in a small way. They ate slowly and chatted about their classmates. They were very concerned about whether anyone would still want to be their frifrienden they got back to school, and I thought that was so sad.

"Listen, real friends would change because of mere school fees. Anyone who stopped being your friend because you were sent home over school fees was not truly your friend in the first place. You understand?" They nodded their heads in agreement.

"It's getting late, finished up, let's go home".

"Ok sister," Martha said.

Mum and dad were already home when we returned.

" Where are you people coming from?" they asked in unison.

My siblings turned to me, not sure what answer to give.

I quickly replied that they were sent home because they hadn't paid their school fees, they were even asked not to come back because it happened every term. Martha came back home crying so I decided we should go out for fresh air to cheer them up."

On a good day, my parents would have probed further, wanting to know where exactly we went, but the news about the school fee was too disheartening, which prompted them not to push further with more questions. They looked at each other in disappointment, then my dad his throat.

"We will figure out a way for both of you to return to school next week, Ok?" My father said,

The Twins nodded, while I looked irritated. The same old line I had heard every time I was sent home over school fees, we will figure out a way. It usually means I will spend a week out of school, then return to at least two weeks of struggling to catch up and begging my classmates for their notebooks so I could stay up late copying the notes from the classes I missed. Tears stung my eyes at the memory.

Dad was a man of few words. To many, it was an admirable quality but to me, it was the opposite, because it went hand to hand with his laidback attitude to life which my very soul despised. Why couldn't he just make an effort to get more out of life than to be stuck on a spot?

"Maddison, please, you will coach your younger ones in the meantime, So they don't stay idle. By God's grace, they will be in school next week," my mother said.

"Ok Mummy, I will, "I agreed without hesitation. I would possibly do anything to help my siblings.

"I bought a form for you, "she said, handing me a brown envelope.

I looked at her smiling face as I took the envelope, trying to imagine what she was so pleased about. I took out the form and it was an application form for a tailoring course.

Mentally, my eyes rolled into the back of my head, but I plastered a fake smile on my face. I didn't want to burst her bubble at that moment since there were more pressing issues at hand. I remained calm.

"Thank you, mummy," I said and walked away to my room.

I could think of nothing but Saturday.