Chapter 8 THE MASK HE WEARS

As the evening inked into night, Sam had come back from his job gig and still met his uncle lying down on the couch clearly drunk and had passed out. He carried his sister to her room and set up her meal for the night. He then proceeded to meet his uncle in the living room who was still dead asleep, Sam was very sad to see his uncle like this who he had always thought was man enough to solve his own problem without wallowing in sadness like a weakling, as tears streamed down his uncle's eyes as his eyes were shut from the sleep.

Then Sam woke his uncle up and he immediately wiped his tears off as though he had been caught in an ungodly act. He then asked Sam, when did you enter I didn't even hear you guys enter, how was school and he couldn't even answer it all and said his uncle shouldn't worry about him that he should just focus on getting a sleep that they would talk later his uncle agreed and headed into his room.

Then, Sam was alone in the living room as he travelled in thought to what Mr. Reddington told him earlier in the day and how his uncle had begun to drink to stupor because of the pain he is currently going to. When Mr. Reddington told Sam regarding the fact that nobody cares about the pain of a man, he deals with his devil himself. Sam was exhausted from going about all day then remembered he had an assignment due for the next day, then he bolted to his room grabbing his textbooks to get the assignment done in time before the deadline set by his science teacher which is 8am in the morning the next day. He spent the whole of the night doing the assignment having little to no sleep the very next day but took comfort in knowing at least he has begun to earn as he spread the 100 dollars notes and he tucked it away in his piggy saving box.

The next day Sam was already up about since 4am giving account to the fact he had no sleep due to his assignment he had to do, he cleaned the house and prepped Anna up for school and decided by weekend he was going to get a nanny for Anna at all cost as it has begun to take a toll on him having to juggle it all. Sam checked up on his uncle and told him he had cooked a soup and it is in the kitchen that his uncle should try and eat because of the hangover he will vet from last night drinking spree. John nodded in agreement and called Sam that he has already started submitting his CV to companies that once he gets a job everything will be fine once again as he attempted to take out money from his pocket to give to Sam to school, Sam told his uncle not to worry that he still has enough cash with him. Then John told Sam to not hesitate to ask him for any help if he needs if he is out of cash then John bade them farewell as he goes back to his sleep.

In school, Sam was prepping for the science fair competition that is usually held once in a year in the country, where various students take part and the top 10 students with the highest mark are taken on an excursion to any company of their choice and get to spend a day there. Sam was ready to give it all it takes to enter the top 10 list as he has always wanted to visit NASA at the capital of the country to keep alive his dream to become an astronaut so the coming weeks will be one he has to be fully focused in his school or so he thought to himself. Mr. Thomas, Sam's science teacher called Sam to his office one day and told him to sit down. Sam you are one of our brightest students in this giving account to the fact you recently moved to this school, your grades has been very good but lately Sam I have noticed a pattern that seems like you are skipping some days in the week. So I called you to my office today to ask you about that, is everything alright at home or is there an issue that has prompted this recent behavior.

It's been weeks now since he got the job offer from Mr. Reddington and he had not noticed that his teachers are taking notes of his absence in school, Sam unsure of what to say told his teacher that his uncle is ill and unwell and at times he had to stay home and help him out. Mr. Thomas was shocked to hear the news and he knows that Sam has had it rough with both parents deceased and he had always had a soft spot for Sam. He then informed Sam hat the next few weeks are very germane for your dreams of becoming an astronaut. This profession you want to go for is one that is unorthodox and as such requires you to be at your very best. I will need you to concentrate more in school for the coming Science Fair Competition as students from around the country competes to make their way into the final top 10 of the list and also I heard there will be a special paid scholarship program for those that enter the top three for their college education bolstering your claim to become an astronaut even further so Sam I wish your uncle speedy recovery and I want your mind fully back in school now and do us proud there Sam. I actually have a fun fact for you Sam, did you know I also wanted to be an astronaut when I was younger but I wish I had a teacher like me then because I was discouraged and was told my dreams were too big and I should be realistic so I don't want you repeating the same mistakes I did. Sam was stunned to hear this but was further boosted him knowing someone also supported his dreams apart from him to become an astronaut. I won't let you down Mr. Thomas I promise.