IT IS PART OF THE GIFT
CHAPTER 4
Peter: Oh, Miss thank you very much!
Miss Carol: You’re welcome sir. It is my pleasure. We thank God that she is improving.
Koly: [Quickly lifts his plate of food to Miss Carol]
Take. Miss Carol: Oh, Koly, thank you.
Peter: I thought you didn’t want to give her your food. You have seen what she gave to Sabena and you are quickly surrendering your food.
Miss Carol: [Protests and cuddles Koly]. No. I do not see it that way. I think that he is only showing appreciation for what I gave to his sister and that touches my heart so much. Thank you very much Koly.
Koly nods emphatically as Uncle Eko and his wife generally called Mrs, with their five year old grandson called Chuka come in. ~
Uncle Eko: Who is at home!
Peter: [Recognizing his voice]. We are home Uncle, please come on in.
Uncle Eko walks in with his wife and grandson.
Miss Carol: [Genufecting: to Uncle Eko and Mrs] Good afternoon, Sir. Good afternoon, Ma.
Sabena: [To both Uncle Eko and Mrs] Good afternoon!
Uncle Eko: Ah, our Miss, how are you?
Mrs.: How are you, Miss?
Miss Carol: [Smiling] I am very well. Thank you. Uncle Eko: [Observes]. You came to see one of you children, Miss. [To Sabena] Sabena, how are you doing? Miss Carol: Yes sir, l came to see Sabena.
Sabena: Fine. [Merrily] I WIII go to school tomorrow [Greets] Chuka!
Chuka: [Shyly] Sabena.
Uncle Eko: Good girl.
Mrs.: [Cups Sabena’s cheeks with both hands, looking into her eyes]. My daughter, you are much better now I can see. I know it when a sick child recovers….my years of experience in raising
Children. Look at her eyes. They are already looking strong. Angela: [Points at the table]. See all that Sabena’s Aunty gave to her.
Mrs.: Oh thank you Miss. Thank you very much. Uncle Eko: [To Miss Carol]. Thank you very much. May God bless you my daughter.
Miss Carol: [Smiles shyly] Oh, it is my pleasure. Sabena is my special pupil and friend. [To Angela] I should be going now. I came straight from school. Uncle Eko: Are we driving you away?
Miss Carol: [Defending, with a smile] Oh no sir; I’ve been a little while. Uncle Eko: Okay my dear, goodbye.
Mrs.: Goodbye Miss.
Peter: Okay; thank you very much Miss and goodbye.
Angela: Thank you Miss.
Sabena: Aunty, goodbye. Anma bye. I shall come to school tomorrow. ‘
Miss Carol: Goodbye. See you at school tomorrow, Sabena. [Exits, with Anma]
Mrs.: [Observes] Miss loves Sabena very much. Peter: Yes, very much. She is a good person. Angela: She is so caring. That is the way she is to all of her pupils. [Pauses] But her love for Sabena is special. And Sabena loves her very much too. . .some kind of kindred spirits.
Uncle Eko: The reason is not far fetched. She is very intelligent and smart. She is a special girl. [Rhetorically] Who does not know or love her in this village? We came to see how she is doing.
Peter: Thank you very much. You can see that she is
already getting much better. Mrs.: Yes, she is already up and about. She has bounced back to her normal self….the vivacious lady. That is what I call her.
Peter: [Announces]. Please we have seets.
Uncle Eko: No, thanks. We were coming from the Postal Agency. l was informed that I had a registered parcel and we went and received it. On our way we decided to come in and see her before going home. (Referring to Chuka) The parcel came from his mother.
Angela:Well,thanks forcoming.
Mrs.: Sabbie. Sabena: Ma.
Mrs.: [As they begin to walk out]. Don’t be sick again my daughter.
Sabena: [Nods] Yes Ma.
Peter: Goodbye and thanks for coming.
Angela: Goodbye.
Next day at Sabena’s home:
Sabena gets ready to resume school after days of illness. Her mother prepares her for school. She receives a cheerful welcome by her school mates.
Sabena: [Sits up from her bed] Mother, I am going to school today.
Angela: Sabbie, go to sleep until morning. It is not time yet. Go to sleep; when it is morning you will go to schooL
Laterin the morning:
Peter: [Comes where Angela is bathing Sabena] How is she? How was last night? Did she sleep well?
Angela: Good morning. She slept very well. She only woke up by 2.00 am and called me, saying, “i _ am going to school today”.
Peter: What? At two i know she can’t wait to return
to school.
Sabena: Good morning father.
Peter: Good morning my daughter. You woke by two to go to school?
Sabena: l was talking with Aunty Carol and then after that I was playing with Anma and Doni. Chuka is not in our school but he came to our school and he was
wearing our uniform. We also played with him.
Peter: In your dream. You were dreaming and. when you woke up, the first thing on your mind was school. Don’t worry you will be off to school in a moment and you will talk with your Aunty and play with your school mates.
Sabena: [Hopping several times merrily] Yes! Yes! Yes!
Angela: Sabena! Stop that! You are splashing water all overme!
Sabena: Sorry.
Peter: Where is Koly?
Angela: He is still sleeping.
Peter: Still sleeping? Will he not go to school today? Let me go and wake him.
Angela: Leave him. I will go and wake him myself and get him ready for school. I don’t want him to wake up now and not allow me to finish what I am doing before he begins to disturb me with his little troubles: we will first tight over his bath, then food
To be continued
