Dad: Get back here now! Abdulhakeem!
Abdulhakeem: Dad, leave me alone! I can’t take this anymore. I want to leave this house, I’m tired of this. My mates are out there living their bachelor lives, hustling and chasing their goals. All I asked for was to go abroad and study law, but you won’t let me. Not because you don’t have the money, but because you’re selfish, Dad. Very selfish.
Dad: You’re talking back at me? (he angrily walks up to him and slaps him twice) I am your father! Don’t you ever in your life talk to me that way.
Mum: (quickly walks up to him) Honey, please, that’s enough! You don’t have to hit him like that. Take it easy on him, at least he’s speaking his mind. That’s a relief to me.
Dad: Did you hear how he spoke to me? He called me selfish. I go out there every day to put food on the table, and now that I’m home to rest, you won’t even let me rest. I swear in the name of God, I’ll break his bones.
Abdulhakeem: (angrily standing, his face burning with rage)
Mum: (moves closer to her son) Okomi! Apologize to your dad. What you said was harsh. He’s really trying for all of us. Say sorry.
Abdulhakeem: All I know is, I’m leaving this house. I’m tired. My mates are hustling, everyone sees me as a lazy guy with no ambition. Our neighbors call me “my father’s boy.” You never gave me the chance to explore my life on my own. Soon I’ll have a family—will I still be my father’s errand boy then? I’m a man, Mum. I’m not a child anymore. This is unfair.
Dad: You think life is easy out there, you ungrateful fool? Have you ever lacked anything in this house? Is that why you’re ungrateful? If outside is calling you, then get the hell out of my sight. Having you as my only son doesn’t mean I’ll tolerate your stupidity. This is your choice—leave or stay—but if you live under my roof, you must obey my rules.
Abdulhakeem: (raises his eyes angrily) I regret calling you my father. (he storms out)
Dad: (shocked) Get back here! (panting heavily) In fact, I regret calling you my son, you son of a—
Mum: (holds him back) Stop, please! Why are you like this? Whether you like it or not, he is your son—your only son! Is this how you guide him?
Dad: Oh, so now you’re supporting him? Do I mean anything to you at all?
Mum: Please, honey. You need to take things easy with him. He’s a man just like you, and life is uneasy for him right now. As his father, you need to guide him.
Dad: And how am I supposed to guide that fool when he talks to me like that? How is life uneasy for him? Tell me! I feed him, I clothe him, I provide shelter—so how is life hard for him? His mates are praying for parents like us. Yet he disrespects me. If he brings out the monster in me, I swear I might lay a curse on him.
Mum: Please, Okomi! Don’t do that. Don’t ruin his life with a curse. He’s your blood. Your blood runs through his veins. Have mercy. I know you’re angry, but please, have mercy. I’ll talk to him.
Dad: You better talk some sense into him, or I’ll make life hell for him.
(They are still talking when Abdulhakeem angrily opens his room door, dragging his luggage out of the house.)
Mum: (shocked, quickly stopping him) Ahhhh! Abdulhakeem, Okomi, please don’t do this. You have nowhere to go. Settle this, apologize to your father, please.
Dad: Leave him. Let him go. I bet he’ll come back on his knees begging for mercy. I give him 24 hours.
Abdulhakeem: Mum, leave me alone! Let me go, I’m serious.
Dad: Let him go!
Twins: (entering the living room) Egbon, please don’t go.
Abdulhakeem: With or without you, life goes on. Mum, leave me.
Dad: (pulls his wife’s hand off the luggage) Let him go!
Mum: (falls to her knees, crying) Please, don’t go! Please, Okomi, don’t leave for my sake.
Abdulhakeem: (closes his eyes, torn by her tears)
Mum: Please, have mercy on me. You’re the only one I have. Please don’t go. I promise to talk to your father. Please, Akeem, listen to me.
Abdulhakeem: (lifts his mother up and embraces her) It’s okay, Mum. I’ll stay—but on one condition.
Mum: Please, don’t give us conditions. Just don’t leave your home.
Dad: (angrily storms into his room, slamming the door)
Abdulhakeem: (drops his luggage, heads back into his room, and slams the door)
Mum: (she sadly sit on the couch while the rest of her children console her)
*************
3 weeks later
My bruises are healing and am getting back to my normal state of health, back to my chores without pain and I try my possible best to avoid seeing my own blood again but despite my effort to avoid the anger, they still find all means to make sure I receive the pain every single day, did I mention am a full time slave education is not involve… my mates are about to write their WAEC exam but I have accept my fate… but I keep praying and hoping my life will change for good one day.
But today is a good day though, it’s Bolanle’s birthday, her parents celebrate their birthdays each year so I always take that day as my special day as well because I get to eat different varieties of food and snacks and guess what am the chef… I’m currently in the kitchen busy with the preparations while the rest are in the living room decorating.
Mrs. Shola: Mustakeemah!!! Are you done with the fried rice? My daughter will be back soon.
Mustakeemah: hmmm at least she didn’t call me a witch today… yes ma! Am frying the meat ball.
Mrs. Shola: good! Hurry up with the rest my daughter will be back from school, and I want everything to be in place before their arrival, so everything must be perfect I don’t want to see any mistakes or else! You know me now.
Mustakeemah: (she roll her eyes) yes ma.
Mrs. Shola: good! (she leave the kitchen and back to her room) honey where is the cake?
---
An hour later
Bolanle: (she enter the house with her siblings as their dad follow them in, but she knew there is a surprise birthday party for her, she doesn’t seems surprise with anything)
Everyone: (turn on the light and shout) happy birthday!!!
Bolanle: (she roll her eyes) yeeeehh! What a pleasant surprise… I wasn’t expecting this.. where is the cake? So I can cut and get out of here?
The guest: (confuse)
Mrs. Shola: (she gently move closer to Bolanle as she notice the guest murmuring) heeyy honey, even if you aren’t that surprise atleast don’t embarrass your family in front of the guest.. (she whisper)
Bolanle: (take a deep breath) ok mama, I got this! (fake cry) thank you so much mom and dad for always making my birthday a very memorable one.. this really means a lot!
Mr. Suraj: lets sing birthday song for her!! Happy birthday to you…
I stand by the door peeping as everyone sing joyfully for Bolanle even if she doesn’t seems to care, her parents waste money on every little thing… and I wasn’t allowed to join them in the living room, sometimes I wish to be in that position Bolanle is, sometimes I wish we can switch bodies for once so I can know how it feels like to have parents… feel the love of a mother, to feel the warm embrace of a father… I sadly move out of the house and open the gate trying to have some fresh air outside while everyone were busy jubilating on what is not new to the celebrant, I take a deep breath outside the gate and raise my head towards the sky and say…
Dear God! When will I find peace in my life? When will I feel what love is? When will I be happy again? When will I be free from my sorrow? So many questions keep rolling in my heart… I use my hands to wipe the sweat on my face and focus on the sky.. ya Allah I know you are up there but can you hear me?
*************
Abdulhakeem: (on a phone call) yeah guy am almost at the junctions please wait for me, relax wait now (he pause instantly as he sighted Mustakeemah at the gate staring at the sky) guy I will call you back? (he gently walk up to her and speak in a low tone) hey dear..
Mustakeemah: (startled) what!! Are you doing here? Please stay away from me I don’t want…
Abdulhakeem: (he cut in) no no!! am not here to add to your pains am just…. am just….. are you ok? Like I hope you are fine? i….i…. don’t know why am nervous right now but I hope you arnt hurt anywhere?
Mustakeemah: (confuse and uncomfortable)
Abdulhakeem: look am not here to add to your pains ok? And am sorry for what happened last time…. I tried to get in touch with you to apologize for the pain I caused you the other day which is why am here to say am sorry.
Mustakeemah: (she look down as she rub her hands around her arms) its ok… you were only trying to help me that day...
Abdulhakeem: (hear a sound of music coming from the house) are they home? They seems to be having a party.
Mustakeemah: you need go! Please I don’t want any troubles am just here to get some fresh air….
Abdulhakeem: (he take a step closer) I want to help you, I want you to be free from them… you deserve to be happy? Where are your parents?
Mustakeemah: (panting heavily) please you need to go.
Mrs. Shola: (searching for her) Mustakeemah!!! Where is this witch?
Mustakeemah: (she hear her voice) please you need to go now! Please (she push him away) please!!!
Abdulhakeem: (he nodded and walk fast) take care
Mustakeemah: (she wipe her face and open the gate) ma am here.
Mrs. Shola: what are you doing outside?
Mustakeemah: (scanning for a lie) uhmmm I was looking for cutlass to cut the meat but I cant find it so I came outside to check if I forgot it there.
Mrs. Shola: whatever! the guest need to be serve now, so come with me..
Mustakeemah: ok ma.