REMEMBER ME?

I smiled at my baby as he fell asleep in my arms. It was one of the times i sang sweetly for him, in true happiness. For he first time in years, i finally understood the "after the rain comes sunshine" line. Life had wounded me, my naivety and kindness had deepened a scar that i thought had healed. I was lost in thought till i heard him sneeze. I smiled again and whispered "bless you" so he wouldn't wake up. I was 21, a successful actress with 6 month old baby.

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I became an orphan at age nine. My father died a month after my mother did and left only me in this world. We had a big beautiful house and life was fine. My father's properties were shared among his sibling immediately after his death, leaving nothing for me. My uncle who had six children took me in, and i automatically became a slave. I would wash everyone's clothes till my fingers went sore, go on errands to the market bringing back heavy load on my head. I ate not more than once a day, the remains of what was burnt of the pot. I cried inside, i had no one, even while i was surrounded by family. I was going to school but everything had changed. I couldn't concentrate, friends i had while my parents were alive began to mock me after their death. Why? My torn uniforms, wrecked shoes and inability to answer simple questions in class. Still i wore a smile whenever i could, i tried to be happy. life couldn't get any worse.
My eldest cousin got married and delivered and she needed help, so my uncle donated me to her. I lived with her and her husband while i was in junior secondary school. Life was a living hell. I remember one time when i came back from school super famished and decided to soak garri (cassava flakes) to drink. It was the first meal i'd eaten since the night before and it was almost 5pm. They never gave me a dime to take to school. My eldest cousin, Aunt Becca poured the whole thing on me.
"stupid girl! come on go and wash those jeans i soaked. idiot!" she ranted and left. I cried on the spot and began to lick myself dry. I was too hungry. I licked the garri off my clothes, cleaned my face and faced up.
"God, please help her love me.I don't know why she hates me so much." i cleaned my face and did as she said.
I continued like that till i got to ss3. I was very focused on my education so i got good grades, even though i attended a public school. After my waec examinations, a competition came up. It required me me to write an essay on my dreams and goals. The winning prize was a full paid scholarship to study in any university of my choice. I noticed my aunt wasn't quite pleased with my success. I heard her talking about stopping m secondary education and this ( the competition)was the only chance i had to further my education. I didn't tell her about it.

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One afternoon she went out and her husband brought in a woman. When she returned i narrated the whole thing to her. She didn't believe me and she threw me out of the house in anger. I begged her, but my plea fell on deaf ears. I roamed the streets, looking and begging for help. One night i was attacked, two men tried to rape me in an uncompleted building. But before they could do anything, another man, Frank, came and saved me from them. Seeing my condition, he took me to his house and helped me with food and shelter. I narrated my whole story to him and he felt pity for me. He decided to help me beg my aunt but she embarrassed me and chased us away.
After a while of living with frank, we became emotionally attached. He was three years my senior and worked as a cleaner. He had no parents, but managed to fend for himself. He cared for me, provided for me and i believed he loved me. I shred my dreams, my world and everything i had. I loved him deeply too because he became the only thing i had. Feelings grew and we ended up having sex. He took my virginity and i felt even more attached to him. We became too fond of each other and i began to feel happy, even with poverty and hunger. Some one actually loved me.
Months later, i noticed i became pregnant and i told him. He didn't seem budged but i knew he couldn't cater for all three of us. One morning, he left the room we lived in and never came back. I waited for days, hoping he'd come back. I would sit outside and anticipate his arrival and tell him how much i missed him and loved him, but i was disappointed. He never came back. I was stuck with a little being inside me.
I decided to ind something to do as hunger during pregnancy became unbearable. I became a beggar, going from house to house. I prayed, hoping for anything. Months later, I got a job as a maid. This was what life turned into for me. I left Frank's home, decided to forget everyone and everything and decided to move on.
I worked diligently and my boss liked the fact that with the pregnancy, i was positive. He asked me to tell me about my life and i did. I cried hard, remembering Frank and everything we had and how he left me. He felt so much sympathy for me and asked me what talents i had. I told him i wrote poems and songs and that i had acting skills. He told me to stop working as his maid. He took me to his producer and they decided to check out my acting.
Life changed for me. I began to work with scripts and other actors. My boss and his producer liked my skill and promoted me. I acted in a serie of movies, soap operas and In a year, i became a full blown actress, with my baby. I named him after his father, Frank. I longed to see him again but i wasn't sure i was ready to forgive.
Months later, i drove out to get baby milk, and i found Frank working at the counter at the same mall i had gone to purchase baby milk. He saw me, the baby and couldn't say a word. He looked at me in awe, wondering where all the change had come from. I looked at him, asking why he left me. I screamed an yelled and showed him his son. He tried talking to me but i simply over paid for the things i bought, tears falling, while my personal maid took the things from me. I walked to my car and i didn't look back. Not long after that, i saw the same woman who chased me out of her house, fighting for change with a bus conductor outside my house. of course i greeted her.
life! Today, i am a mother and i'm experiencing it's greatest joys. My past only made me stronger.