The Lost Duty: Episode three

Lonesome and gruesome, the days would had been if the rule of not using a mobile phone was practicable at home, but that was only applicable at The Vale College. Christine had helped Jamal had a wonderful holiday, and a day wouldn't pass without the two talking over the telephone. The intimacy had grown stronger, so also the trust and confidence. Consequently, Jamal cared not about the wrongs at home again. And once again, though the wrongs were still very much feasible but his home seemed to him, a purgatory, or rather someplace far away from the usual inferno. 

Jamal had found a reason to live a happy life again. He had forgotten the trauma and thraldom of his broken home and had rather clung to the accolades and unprecedented ecstasies from Christine which had hastened his resuscitation.    

   "Do you know I live in two worlds?" Jamal began when Christine sat with him at the verandah of the dorm during the siesta. They were supposed to be taking the nap alongside other students, but somewhat had been privileged because of their influence and brilliancy.   

    "what two worlds?" Christine pestered staring into Jamal's eyes, widely opened but concealing what was about to be revealed.   

     "I had pretended to be sleeping on the couch apparently three years ago when I heard mum and one of my aunt chatted in the sitting room. I had hope, wish and prayed it was a dream, but I woke up that day to it as my greatest nightmare resulting in continuous perspiration and unending emotional distress. My heart palpitated each time I wanted to talk it with him. Then one day, I summoned the courage to walk up to him and question his decision. 

He was busy with the ironing, preparing for the week ahead for the sudden boom in the oil sector had earned him a post at the African Petroleum Plc depot at Apapa, Lagos, and this had improved his standard of living exponentially. Some things were paradoxical about him, like the perception that money instilled in him, and his sudden but subtle change when his income increased.     

      'why would you want to do that?' I asked him waiting for a reply, but he stopped short his ironing and gazed at me knowing fully well his response would stimulate the fluids in the tear gland and my rage would go beyond his countless imaginations.     

      'has your mum sent you to me?' He replied patting my back and using his thumb to wipe away the prelude of the tears that steadily rolled down my cheeks. 'you are too young to understand this' he furthered giving series of examples just to gain my support for his course. He ended on a final note 'do not worry, this will not change our relationship, I'll always love and cater for you, your mum and your siblings.' 

His words might be sincere, but that day, that moment, my instincts said my world had been changed forever, and indeed it had changed. Shortly afterwards, I found myself entrapped in two worlds, that of my parents with the widened individual differences and that of mine amid their differences, struggled to break free from their world of thraldom." 

He was done talking but Christine's glare portraying a pitiful gaze was still fixed directly onto him, she had gone deep into subconsciousness. While she listened from that state, she had thought of telling Jamal her ordeal, something that kept her awake all nights, to open up to him so he could probably love her more, but she wouldn't at the moment. She had to secure the relationship. Telling him now might, no, it will surely end their relationship. 

    "Christine!" Jamal whispered into her ears. 

    "Thank you"    

   "For what?" Christine objected     "For the care, love and everything!"