Worthwhile

Chapter 1

"You're a good-for-nothing human! useless...hopeless...idiotic! Would... would you get out of my sight right this moment before I give you a permanent mark!" A woman could be seen yelling at a girl who looked to be about 13 years old
The girl, holding in her tears, turned and went out of the woman's presence.

Before all that ....

" I'll be the first to get to the house!" a little girl shouted as she ran- she stumbled but caught herself before making contact with the ground, she kept on running towards a building, a bungalow- not lavish, but it will do as a home.

" Ivy, that's cheating! You took off first!" said one of the other girls. Running after her

"No, it's not!"Ivy shouted to them as she continued running.

She got to the front door, breathless, when she heard her father’s voice and stopped

“Ivy, come and meet someone.”

Her friends, who also ran in after her, stopped at the sight of the unfamiliar woman sitting on their friend's sofa.

"Aunt Stella!" Ivy exclaimed. She ran across the room and threw herself into the woman’s arms.

A series of “Good evening, ma,” could be heard from her friends, before they slipped outside again with Mr Bennett’s gentle urging.

Aunt Stella cupped Ivy’s cheek with a smile. “My baby girl, how have you been?” she asked in their native tongue.

" I've been good, Aunt Stella, what did you get for me?

"Oh my dear, I got things for you.

The woman chuckled and reached into a polythene bag, pulling wrapped snacks and other goodies. Ivy’s eyes widened. She went to show her father the gifts

“Thank you, Aunty!” She did a little jump of joy.

One would think Aunt Stella was related to them, either by blood or marriage, but she wasn't. She was a relative of their neighbours' next house, whose youngest child happened to be her best playmate, but Ivy’s loveliness had made her loved in their home.

The little girl went back to Aunt Stella’s side, still smiling.

"Where are your siblings, though?" the woman asked as Ivy returned to her side.

" Timothy and Abby went to play football, Charles is in college now, and Gift went to get something in a stall nearby", replied the excited little girl.

She wondered if the city resembled the magazines she had once seen in school.

"Aunt Stella, I want to follow you back to the city", she declared.

"Ooh" both her dad and Aunt Stella said in unison

" Ivy, you can't just go to the city anytime you like" her father cautioned

Ivy’s smile fell as her father berated her. She hung her head down looking like a cat that got drenched.

"But I really want to stay with my aunt Stella" Ivy was about to cry

In this part of town, children, especially those from poor households, often go to stay with guardians who can offer them more opportunities. Some parents even saw it as a relief.

“Ivy, don’t disturb Aunt Stella. She just arrived,” her father warned gently.

Aunt Stella, who hadn't said anything yet, suddenly spoke. “If it’s really okay with you and your wife,” she said, “I wouldn’t mind taking Ivy with me. She's such a lovely girl.”

By now, Ivy was clutching her father’s trousers. She loved the woman sitting before them-her warmth, her stories of the city, her kindness.

The girl's dad hesitated. They struggled enough as it was. Would the girl have a better chance with someone from the city… someone who seemed to care about her?

"I'll inform her mother of this discussion once she gets back from the market and let you know," her father finally said.

The little girl's face lit up with joy as she did little excited jumps here and there.

"Can I have your number so I can call you to tell you our decision?"

Though the girl has won her friend's family's heart, they weren't close enough yet to be checking up on each other. Mr Bennett tapped the buttons on his old, cracked Nokia phone, squinting as the screen flickered as the woman called out her number

After the exchange, she stood up to take her leave, and little Ivy and her father saw her out as she left to go to her relatives' house next door.

Ivy so happily went out to continue playing with her friends as she kept smiling at what might have been a good outcome to Aunt Stella's visit.

Ivy didn’t know it yet, but the choice made in that living room would change everything.