MABEL'S DILEMMA - Part One

 It was getting dark and Mabel was exhausted. She fumbled with her bag in search of her inhaler. She needed to be sure it was intact. As she lifted her head smiling as her hand hit the silver plaited life saver, she met a stare so daring. _Why do I feel like this is familiar,_ Mabel thought and looked away.

She had had a long day already and she didn't need any further troubles in her life. At least not at this time of the evening when all she fantasised about was her cozy bedroom and how she could get all the sleep and rest possible.

As she waved to stop a cab, she felt unease as the masculine image walked closer to her. She adjusted her eyeglasses so she could see clearly.
Why in the world was she shaking and why did someone she never knew have such strong effect on her entire being? He was probably going to hurt her so she moved to the part of the road where the street light shone brighter. At least there were other people there just in case he tried anything funny.

Mabel pretended not to have noticed his movement. The cab drivers seemed to have made an agreement to ruin her search for one. Mtcheeeeww! She hissed.

"Hi, Mabel Akpan. You have turned out even prettier than I ever imagined" The husky voice sounded familiar

Mabel looked back in shock. This guy knows her? Only one person sounded that way. As she turned, she came face to face with a smiling dude.

How could she ever forget those eyes that reminded her of teenage fantasies and dreams? Painful still, they reminded her of betrayal and broken trust.

..........................

(Flashback)

'Don't tell me you are not prepared for school yet', Ben said looking shocked as he watched me washing clothes that morning at about 8am.

He knew the obvious reason and just shook his head as he dropped his bag off on a nearby stool and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. He bent over and without asking, joined me in washing the many clothes that Mama Boy had asked me to wash as early as 7am when I was almost done with preparing for school.

Ben was such a lively companion. We talked about school and friends and the future. In no time, we were done with washing.

This was the kind of friendship I had with Ben. He was my best friend and I could not imagine life without him, even though not in the sense of a romantic relationship. He was the only one who saw beyond my situation at the time.

Let me tell you a little about Ben. He is tall, lanky and slightly light in complexion. He always walked about like he would fly, little wonder I always running after him even when took mild steps. He was the only child of his parents - Mr and Mrs Chikamso. The dad was the chief executive of Kamso Technologies, a huge conglomerate. His mum was a professor at the Teaching hospital.

Ben knew nothing less than wealth except for my impoverished state. Now don't get me wrong. I come from a little above average family. My dad worked at a bank as a senior staff. He was doing well until there was a fraud incidence that got him off the track. Whether he was guilty or not, we wouldn't know until later. When he married my mum at quite a young age of 25, he was desperate to have a son because he was the only son of his parents. However, mum did not have me until 10 years after their marriage after which she couldn't conceive.

Dad was happy about my birthday but disappointed somewhat because I crushed his expectations. I enjoyed his care and love until his family interference which later caused the neglect of mum. Mum had complications while having me and she only lived managing to live with the pain. However the pain she felt was nothing compared to the constant emotional and psychological abuse from her husband's family.
I knew at age 10, dad's elder sister had visited and made trouble with mum. In the heat of their arguments, mum slapped aunt Ugonna. Aunt Ugonna retaliated by using a nearby piece of furniture against mums head. Mum stumbled and fell, her body shaking terribly. Aunt Ugonna screamed and cried out for help until Mama Bola, our neighbor in the other flat came rushing.

I stood there confused and afraid. Mum recovered but she was no longer the same again. Her mental health had been tampered and she could hardly recognise anyone, including me.

Dad's family suggested he took another woman as wife, especially as mum could no longer have another child, talk more of a son. Moreover, she was ill now and he needed companion. All reasons seemed great to dad who had always been desperate for a male child to succeed him.

When Miss Eunice was brought into our home, dad was so excited and there was no way to access my father. She always stood in the way. After about 10 months, she was delivered of a baby boy. Thus she earned the name, Mama Boy.