K•E•L•S•I::::

Few years back Dad lost his job as a banker, he was a honest man, the only honest man I have known all my life.

Colleagues at his work place tried to lure him into embezzling some of the company's fund which he vehemently refused, one of his reason was  because he was a Christian and sees that as a sin, and two because of the trust and love his wife and daughter had for him.

Dad was honest in everything he does, some of the workers framed him up, accused him of lavishing the company's money and although the manager had a record of his honestly did not arrest him, but told him to leave the company.

That was how he lost his job.

Dad was positive he would get another job soonest, seeing he has good grades and a very good working experience.

All hope to get another job became fruitless even as he tried harder, and things started getting worse gradually and the economy of the country too was not helping atall.

Dad couldn't keep up with taking care of the bills and he started entering into debts.

My mum was a strong woman whom I admire alot, she tried her best as a wife and mother to make sure we have something on the table as a family.

Never had she complained or disturb my dad for the upkeep of the family.

Mum was a Christian too.

We believe so much for a change, but it was taking long.

Years passed, and dad saw there was no hope anymore, no job, no food, no friends to help out and I was just done with my junior high school preparing to sit for my final exams into being a senior.

There was no money to register for the exam and the deadline was fast approaching.

I was very worried, dad too was. There was no hope of getting money anywhere, not when his brother who is the only relative and siblings he had in Lagos Nigeria after the death of their parents refused to help because he never supported him marrying my mother.

He had accused my mum of bewitching my dad to marry her, He called her all sort of names, even at that, my dad stood to his ground and married her even without the support of his only brother.

' This so called woman you call wife, will be the end of you, I never for once have a good feeling about her' dad's elder brother said one morning when he visited us.

"...send her away, I don't like her as my sister inlaw"

"I will never send my wife away, our marriage is for better for worse", dad replied, refusing the advice of his elder brother vehemently.

"Please leave my house, I don't want my wife to come back here and see us arguing about our marriage" dad said, opening the door for his elder brother to leave.

"Don't come to me for anything atall when it's too late. And as from today I have no hands in your marriage to that woman", my uncle said and walked away.

Dad was very sad, that was the only brother he has.

He had no one to run to for help, not his brother, not his friends who left him now that he needed them.

We started selling some of our properties and mum had to sell her clothing shop just to get money for me to be able to sit for my exam, despite the hunger at home, I never relent in studying.

Because I've always wanted to be a science student, a medical doctor.

I was 16 when I sat for my junior waec, Dad was there to help me out with difficult questions while mum was away to do menial jobs.

I was young, inexperienced I never knew sadness and depression were eating deeply into dad, he masked all the sadness and pains with fake smiles whenever mum and I are around.

The support, love and encouragement from me and my mum wasn't enough for dad, he died in his sleep, the D-Day to my exam.

*******

I left very early for the venue, dad was still sleeping as we thought, and mum saw me off.

When I was coming back in the afternoon after my first paper, I could hear cries of people from a far distance.

I was wondering what was going on, I double my step even though I was weak due to the fact that I didn't eat anything in the morning before leaving.

As I came nearer to the house, I saw mum crying hysterically, rolling on the floor,

"what's wrong"? I asked with a worried face, looking at no one in particular, my hear beat increased rapidly, beads of swear formed on my forehead, numerous thought filled my head.

"Mum, where is daddy?" I asked, this time shivers ran down my spine, a sick feeling of fear.

Her cries increased, I was speeches, it finally Dawn on me.

Dad was dead! He left without saying a word, he left my mother who had been there through thick and thin, he left his only beloved daughter who couldn't wait to see him and tell him how her day went, how the exam was.

I cried uncontrolably, I rolled on the floor screaming. Nobody could hold me, no one could console me. I had this mixed feeling, a feeling of fear, pain, anger, pity.

We mourned dad for some weeks, until gradually we started getting used to living without him.

One morning, a loud bang on the gate woke us up from sleep.