Chapter 4 Fourth Chapter

I could feel the shame creep up my neck as I made my way out of the office. All changed and

back into my outfit, I pull my bag closer to my body.

My first of work!

My first day!

I don't bother stopping a cab, deciding to walk. Better this way. Now I can think of what else I

can do. I have to find another job. Everything depended on it.

The pain still weighed down heavily on my shoulders as I made my way to my home. A two

room apartment that is close to falling apart due to the wood bugs and the rain that keeps

entering through the small creaks on the roof.

I could smell herbal tea brewing from the kitchen and it was my only sign of knowing he was home.

My stepfather.

The one mother had to marry because he promised to make everything easy for her.

The one she married for our sake.

He turned out to be very much useless.

I tighten my jaw, trying to make my way back out the door when I hear his voice, still slurry

from the drinking he had possibly done.

"And where the hell do you think you are going?" He says, coming out of the kitchen. His

appearance is tattered as it always looked after a morning drink.

"Why have I not been seeing you around the house all these times?" He asked.

I look at him and almost feel pity for our family. When Mother had brought him in and declared

him my new father, I had been repulsed, tried to talk her out of it even but it all seemed to go

down the drain.

She said it would help the family.

It was not until he started smoking and bringing women into our own home that she realized

what a terrible mistake she made.

He never liked me.

"I have work and I have to get there now, I only came to check if my mum was back home." I

say to him, my reply stiff, trying to get out of this mess while I still can.

He glares at me, staring down at my body.

"Come in and sit for a while, have some tea to drink," he says.

I sign in exasperation. There was no escaping this time.

"Let me change first," I say, walking into the room I share with my sister and ripping off the

clothes that had caused me to be called a thief.

By the time I was changed back outside, my mum was already back, eyes sunken with big eye

bags and slouched shoulders as she lay on the couch.

Her eyes gain a bit of glow when she sees me, a kind of surprise in her eyes.

"You're back early? Everything good happened today at work? You are not supposed to be back

this early." She says as she gestures for me to sit beside her.

"Everything went well. There wasn't much work today so they let me leave." I give her my best

smile, but wanting her to know of the situation.

"Oh, that's good then." She says patting my cheek before resting her back on the chair and

shutting her eyes. It's not until she hears my stepfather's movement that her eyes snap open.

"Jordan, you took the money I placed underneath the counter. Please give it back, it's my

savings." my mother says wearily.

I turn to look at the man who claims to be my stepfather, enjoying the benefits but not taking the

responsibility.

"And so what if it's your money? You can always make more, you barely take care of me in this

house and complain about every single cent," he says, his voice growing louder now.

This causes me to snap.

"Give back the money you took, Jordan. You should be ashamed of yourself. What use are you

to us in this house?" I don't care that I'm crossing my boundary and I ignore my mother tugging

at my clothes. "Everything we make now is going into my sister's treatment and you know that.

Please, respect yourself and do the needful."

"You're talking about Judith? She's deadbeat. Why do you keep spending money on someone

condemned to die? " He said.

I move so fast, that I do not comprehend my thoughts until I am standing in front of him,

eyes blazing with anger.

"I dare you to repeat what you just said. You are the one who is a liability around here. Life

would be better if you got out!" I yell at him.

It was a wrong move.

His eyes swell with anger and in the next second, he is throwing me around the room.

"Jordan! Stop hurting her!" My mother yells, moving towards where I lay to pick me up but he

is faster. He yanks me up by my hair, eyes still daring me to talk.

"What did you say to me? You and your pathetic mother are lucky to even have me in your lives.

I protect this family! All you have to do is put food on the table but you act like it's such a big

deal" he says each word louder than the one before.

He shoves me out of his and walks out of the house. But I am not about to let him go scot-free

after what he said to my mother. I follow him.

"Why are you so selfish?" I cry at him, not caring if I am beginning to draw attention to myself

or not. I am way past caring. "That woman in there has done everything for you. Everything! All

you do is sit, sleep, eat! Yet you claim to do more."

"Get back inside, you stupid child. What could you possibly know." He says as he keeps on

walking but I am not ready to let him go yet.

"True, I can not possibly know anything but what do know is that you are a leech! Sucking the

little income we make, draining it. You selfish, irresponsible old man. I never liked you from the

start but I was right not to. Wonder why mom is attached to you. You're so useless you can't even

provide for yours-" The slap throws me to the ground.

For a moment, all I see is black till he rounds up on me again dragging my hair.

"You stupid child," a wicked scowl on his face. "You dare talk to me like that?" Slap! "What are

you and your mom doing to me that's even that special?" Another slap! "I'll show you how to

talk to elders." The third slap did not land on my face.

I manage to look up with my one swollen eye to see someone holding his hand. And if my eyes

weren't close to being bloodshot they'd have widened.

It was Mr David.