TEARS FOR A LIFETIME (EPISODE 3) : A LOVE STORY FROM HELL
They lived in a big house with 5 rooms. I was in a room with Kemi. Uncle Jide had his room and Aunty Toyosi had hers with 3 empty rooms that we kept clean. Aunty Toyosi let us know that we had to do all the house chores except the cooking. Uncle Jide was always away on business trips and Aunty Toyosi had a boutique that kept her busy. I did everything else at the house by myself because Kemi was only 2 and she couldn’t do most things (though not for lack of trying) and that was how life went on for the next three years. I had learnt to go to Uncle Jide for anything and I lived in fear of Aunty Toyosi. Uncle Jide and Aunty Toyosi were a young couple; maybe even younger than my parents. But they didn’t have any children and there was never any talk about children. So I assumed that they couldn’t have children.
When I was 11; I was at home on a Saturday afternoon, I went to the bathroom and saw some blood. Aunty Toyosi was home but I was too scared to tell her. I waited until Uncle Jide got home at 9pm and I went to tell him. He went immediately to get sanitary pads and he showed me how to use them and he explained everything about the period. I complained that other girls in my class hadn’t begun and he said that some girls developed earlier than other girls. I didn’t look my age. I was taller than most of my classmates, my teachers said I looked 16 and it made me very conscious. Uncle Jide also got me my first training bra and taught me all I needed to know about puberty. That was how close we were. I could tell him anything and he never judged me.
The day I turned 13 – 4th June, 2004; I’d never forget that Friday. Uncle Jide wasn’t around so I wasn’t expecting even a ‘happy birthday’ except from my baby- Kemi. We were just about to leave school when Kemi pointed out Uncle Jide’s car to me. I was about to tell her Uncle Jide wasn’t around when he opened the door and motioned to us. He said ‘Happy Birthday, Riri’ and I greeted him. Just as I opened the door to the passenger side, I saw a large teddy bear, clothes and other gifts on the seat. I looked at him and there was a big smile on his face so I knew they were mine. I hugged him. He made me so happy!
He said that we would drop Kemi off and he would take me out for my birthday. I begged to have Kemi come with us but he said that she was too young and I was a ‘big girl’ as I just turned 13. We dropped an unhappy Kemi off with promises of takeaway. Uncle Jide had me change to one of the dresses and shoes he bought for me and we were on our way. I didn’t look my age. I was taller than most of my classmates, my teachers said I looked 16 and it made me very conscious. Uncle Jide took me to a restaurant and we ate dinner. He sat across from me and he kept telling me how beautiful I looked.
Just after dinner before we left the restaurant, I said ‘Uncle Jide, thank you very much for today. God bless you for everything you’ve done for me and for Kemi’. He said, ‘Riri, stop calling me Uncle Jide when it’s just me and you. Just call me Jide. It makes me feel old and I’m just 30.’ ‘Uncle Jide?’ ‘Yes. Are you not a big girl now? Are you not my baby?’ Then, he started leaning forward. ‘Uncle Jide?’ He kissed me and I didn’t stop him.
He said ‘Riri…I’m not your uncle. I’m not related to you. Your Aunty is your dad’s cousin. Now that you’re 13, I can tell you that I love you and I want to take care of you and be there for you if you let me. I know you don’t know what to say now so I’ll let you think about it. I leave tonight. I only came around to celebrate my baby’s birthday’. I didn’t know what to say. ‘Uncle Jide…’. He said ‘Think about it, Riri’ as he drove out of the restaurant.
Click here to read the next episode •••>> "http://lovedoctorkollar.blogspot.com.ng/2017/01/tears-for-lifetime-episode-4-my-mistake.html"
They lived in a big house with 5 rooms. I was in a room with Kemi. Uncle Jide had his room and Aunty Toyosi had hers with 3 empty rooms that we kept clean. Aunty Toyosi let us know that we had to do all the house chores except the cooking. Uncle Jide was always away on business trips and Aunty Toyosi had a boutique that kept her busy. I did everything else at the house by myself because Kemi was only 2 and she couldn’t do most things (though not for lack of trying) and that was how life went on for the next three years. I had learnt to go to Uncle Jide for anything and I lived in fear of Aunty Toyosi. Uncle Jide and Aunty Toyosi were a young couple; maybe even younger than my parents. But they didn’t have any children and there was never any talk about children. So I assumed that they couldn’t have children.
When I was 11; I was at home on a Saturday afternoon, I went to the bathroom and saw some blood. Aunty Toyosi was home but I was too scared to tell her. I waited until Uncle Jide got home at 9pm and I went to tell him. He went immediately to get sanitary pads and he showed me how to use them and he explained everything about the period. I complained that other girls in my class hadn’t begun and he said that some girls developed earlier than other girls. I didn’t look my age. I was taller than most of my classmates, my teachers said I looked 16 and it made me very conscious. Uncle Jide also got me my first training bra and taught me all I needed to know about puberty. That was how close we were. I could tell him anything and he never judged me.
The day I turned 13 – 4th June, 2004; I’d never forget that Friday. Uncle Jide wasn’t around so I wasn’t expecting even a ‘happy birthday’ except from my baby- Kemi. We were just about to leave school when Kemi pointed out Uncle Jide’s car to me. I was about to tell her Uncle Jide wasn’t around when he opened the door and motioned to us. He said ‘Happy Birthday, Riri’ and I greeted him. Just as I opened the door to the passenger side, I saw a large teddy bear, clothes and other gifts on the seat. I looked at him and there was a big smile on his face so I knew they were mine. I hugged him. He made me so happy!
He said that we would drop Kemi off and he would take me out for my birthday. I begged to have Kemi come with us but he said that she was too young and I was a ‘big girl’ as I just turned 13. We dropped an unhappy Kemi off with promises of takeaway. Uncle Jide had me change to one of the dresses and shoes he bought for me and we were on our way. I didn’t look my age. I was taller than most of my classmates, my teachers said I looked 16 and it made me very conscious. Uncle Jide took me to a restaurant and we ate dinner. He sat across from me and he kept telling me how beautiful I looked.
Just after dinner before we left the restaurant, I said ‘Uncle Jide, thank you very much for today. God bless you for everything you’ve done for me and for Kemi’. He said, ‘Riri, stop calling me Uncle Jide when it’s just me and you. Just call me Jide. It makes me feel old and I’m just 30.’ ‘Uncle Jide?’ ‘Yes. Are you not a big girl now? Are you not my baby?’ Then, he started leaning forward. ‘Uncle Jide?’ He kissed me and I didn’t stop him.
He said ‘Riri…I’m not your uncle. I’m not related to you. Your Aunty is your dad’s cousin. Now that you’re 13, I can tell you that I love you and I want to take care of you and be there for you if you let me. I know you don’t know what to say now so I’ll let you think about it. I leave tonight. I only came around to celebrate my baby’s birthday’. I didn’t know what to say. ‘Uncle Jide…’. He said ‘Think about it, Riri’ as he drove out of the restaurant.
Click here to read the next episode •••>> "http://lovedoctorkollar.blogspot.com.ng/2017/01/tears-for-lifetime-episode-4-my-mistake.html"
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