Casandra

Chapter one

   Cassandra John-Peters stood in front of her mother's grave with tears, holding her ten year old son, Dan. She bent down to wipe his tears. "It's okay, my dear. Everything will be alright."
   "Momma, Grand-momma is dead. Just like that. She promised to buy me a big toy car. I won't stop crying until I see her."
   She pulled him close to her in a hug. "It's okay. I'll buy you the car."
   "No momma. I want it from granny."
   "Dan, my sweet lovely Dan. It's alright. You won't see Grand-momma any more. She's gone to heaven. Be happy for her. She's gone to a beautiful garden, full of beautiful flowers,beautiful houses and beautiful things!" I smiled. "Be happy for her. She won't like it the way you're crying. She's in heaven or do you want her to be in hell?"
   He jerked away angrily and stressed at his mother, Wide eyed."God forbid. She won't go to hell!"
   "Then smile and be happy for her."
   "Okay momma. I'll smile, but please stop crying also" He wiped her tears with his little hands. She held his hands and kissed his palms. He smiled and hugged her. "I love you momma."
   She smiled and held him close to her heart. "I love you too." She pulled away to look at him. "If you still want to go to Jos, I think we should get going."
   "Yeah momma. I want to go to Jos and see the beautiful house Grand-momma built for us. Where did she get the money to build it?"
   "I don't know but I think she had a secret savings she never told us about. You know what? There are big schools in Jos. Even bigger than the ones we have here in Sokoto. Will you like to see them and be a student in one of the schools?"
   He looked away with sadness. "No momma, I have friends here iny school. I don't have any friends there. I'll miss my friends. I want to stay with them."
   She thought of how to convince him and an idea popped up suddenly. "Let me tell you something. Grand-momma told me that wherever you go, whomever you meet, they will be good to you and make you their friends. Only if you how them respect." I pointed out with a smile. "They will like you and offer to buy you many things! They won't disappoint you for once!" She cradled his face in her palms. "Do your friends here disappoints you sometimes?"
   He nodded. "I once told them to come over but they didn't come after promising me."
   "Then, we should go to Jos. No one will disappoint you there."
   "Momma, are you pulling my legs?"
   "Why will I? You know I love you and wouldn't want to tell you lies. You're who I live for." She tickled him.
   He giggled and stopped. "Don't do that momma. It makes me giggle and only girls giggle."
   "I don't care. I just want your happiness and that's all." She picked him up and went to the bus stop to get their ticket. She'd already told all her friends goodbye. She'll really miss them but who can stop her from starting a new life for her son, The life she'd ever promised to give her son,her only surviving family, no single soul can stop her.
   They got their seats and went to the driver to give him their Luggage. They entered and the bus started moving. She turned and looked through the window and saw Lona, Dan's best friend. She waved at her. She turned to Daniel and saw him waving at her with tears in his eyes. How much she loved him! He made her remember his father. She'd never forget him. He still remain special to her. She'd never stop loving him even if she knew he didn't love her. All she wanted now was to give her little Dan the life he deserves.
   Hours later, they arrived at Jos. Everywhere was dark. Dan was still sleeping on her lap. She ruffled his dark long hair. So much like his father's, she thought. His hair grow old too fast. She couldn't keep cutting his hair every five days and so, she decided to leave it like his father's which made him look more like him. How much she missed him.
   As soon as the bus stopped, little Dan looked up at his mother tiredly. "Have we arrived?"
   "Yes, I we've arrived. Look out of the window and see."
   He raised his head up to the window and exclaimed. "Wow! Everywhere is bright like the daylight! Look at the board momma!" He pointed.
   "shhhh! Don't shout and disturb others. Read out what's written on it."
   Welcome to Jos. Home of peace and tourism."
   "That's my boy!"
   "They're written with thousands of birds!" he exclaimed with a bright smile.
   "No little Dan. They're not birds but white Crystal lights in form of birds."
   Mmmm! Let's get out." He moved towards the exit but his mother is pulled him back.
   "Not yet. Let other people go out first! When it's our turn, we'll go out."
   He moved his body restlessly and impatiently. "I need to explore this place. This place is very cold."
   She shook her head. "Not this night. One of this days, I'll bring you to this park. We need to go home coz there's cold."
   "Yes but I was to see every corner now." He argued.
   "No, you won't and you haven't seen anything yet." she pointed out to a corner. "Look"
   He turned to see little children playing in a garden close to the bus stop. "Are these people real or cartoon? That place looks more like a place out of a cartoon"
   "They're neither cartoon nor a place out of a cartoon."
   "Seriously?" he asked.
   "Yes. Now let's go out." she held his hand and they both claimed down the bus. A man wearing a Mickey Mouse costume was waiting for them with a smile.
   "Welcome to Jos. Explore the beautiful world."
   "Thank you." They both said while she dragged the drooling Dan away to get their luggage.
   "What's that Mickey Mouse?" he asked.
   "No. It's just a costume." she handed him his school bag.
  
   As soon as Cassandra located the town her mother had written in the letter, they went in a taxi to the house. She described the house to the driver. On getting there, he dropped them with assurance that they're there. She paid and thanked him. She looked around but all she saw was a wild garden which was neatly taken care of. She flashed her touch light ahead and then she saw a house inside the garden which was quite far from where they were. To be well assured she was there, she looked at the map her mother had drawn out but it was correct.
   Little Dan tucked at her shirt sleepily. "Momma, aren't we there? My eyes are heavy."
   She picked him up and shifted him to her back. "This will help your heavy eyes for now." She picked up her bags and walked through the path that leads to the house. There was a parted way between the garden which led to the big house.
   Few minutes later, she got to the front of the house with her mouth wide open in surprise. She couldn't believe what she was seeing before her. It was stunning and beautiful! Her mother HD built this big house for them secretly. Not until her last hours of death had she told her about it, handling her a letter.
   She pulled out the keys from her pocket and inserted it. She turned it gently and it turned. It turned! She couldn't believe it. She opened the door. She had expected it to turn out to be the wrong house but it was actually the house.
   She found the switch and turned it on to see a more stunning image before her. The house was too beautiful to be true. She stepped into the house to see the wonderful interior design and the beautiful couches and sofa which was of a very good quality and soft. She looked forward to see the dinning room which was beautiful as well. The chairs and tables were eloquently designed. She thought she was in one of the movies she always watch. She pinched herself hard to confirm if she was dreaming or not. "ouch!"
   She remembered her son was still on her back. She dropped the bags down. She went round, touching the chairs, television which was wide and new. Everything was still new. She couldn't imagine how surprised little Dan will be when he sees all these. She walked to the door in the dinning room and opened it to reveal a very spacious kitchen. The kitchen was eloquent. Everything looked new and shinning. Her mother must have bought everything from the best company, she thought.
   She went out towards the stairs. She climbed up and went to check all the rooms. She opened the first room to reveal a neat and big bed. She opened the wardrobe to see bed sheets, blankets and duvet. She felt it. Mmmm! Very soft, she thought. She picked one of the bed sheet and spread it on the bed. After makes NG the bed, she dropped Dan on it gently. He stirred and went back to sleep. She walked to the bathroom and opened the door. It was all white and shinning. It had a full length mirror. She went to check the other rooms, it all looked like the first one except the last one which was the master bedroom. It was very big and beautiful. She decided to make this Dan's room because he deserves it. She picked him from the first room and lie him down on the king size bed. She gave him a kiss on his cheeks. "G'night love" she said and exited the room after turning off the light.
   She walked to the first room and took her bath, changed into her nightie and jumped on the soft bed tiredly. She tried to sleep but couldn't. She started crying. How she wished her daughter had survived, she could've been with them. She also missed her mother.
   She could still remember everything that had happened to her ten years ago.

  *             *             *
She was in labour and the only person she could think of calling was Daniel's mother. She'd taken her to the hospital although she never missed the terrifying look they always give her because they never liked her or wanted her for their son. Daniel who didn't know all this was happening was in school far from home.
   Throughout her pregnancy,she wasn't allowed to see Daniel nor was he allowed to see her. They never hid the fact that they disliked her, only that they didn't show it too much whenever Dan is around.
   Until one faithful day when her water had broke. She was all alone and had no idea who to call. She called his mother because she was the only one she'd thought of calling at that time. She remembered how scared his mum was when she came to take her to the hospital. She was helped with the process of pushing and all. She tried although she was very weak. She gave birth to a baby girl and a boy but immediately she gave birth to the girl, she was taken. She was too weak to ask where they were taking her child to.
   After all the pushing, she fell onto an exhausting sleep. After she'd woken up, she was told that her daughter had died. She cried endlessly until another news center to her that her mother was involved in an accident. She'd left Kaduna to Sokoto either surviving child to take care of her mother without seeing Daniel. And since then, she'd stayed with her mother until two months ago when her mother died.
   Her mother had taken care of little Dan while she'd continued her education and finished successfully. Now, her mother was gone for good.
   *             *             *
Hot tears rolled down her eyes. She said a silent prayer before falling into a deep sleep.

   Cassandra blinked upon hearing a shout which had woken her up. She climbed down the bed and ran to Dan's room. She saw him on the floor, his eyes filled with fright. She rushed towards him.
   He looked up at his mother, holding her tight. "Momma, momma," he relaxed after seeing her.
   "It's okay. I'm here with you. My dear it's okay." she soothed him.
   "I thought I was all alone. Momma, where are we?" He looked around without releasing her. He held her tight.
   "We're in Jos. You slept off yesterday. This is our home. The home Grand-momma built for us." she bummed.
   He released his hold on her while registering what she just said. "Very big and beautiful!" he smiled up at his mother.
   "Yes, very big and beautiful. Now, you know where you are." he jumped up. "This is your room." she said with a smile.
   "Yeeeh!" he jumped up and down happily. "I have a big room!" He looked out the window. "It's morning. Yeeeh! I wish I could bring my friends here to see this big room and those beautiful flowers! Lona's gonna love the flowers! I wish she came with us." He ran out of the room.
   "Be careful and don't leave the compound!" she said after him but he was already gone.

Author's note - hey readers, I am publishing this story on a special day. please vote and comment. I'm not a professional and so if anything's wrong with this chappie, Pls tell me by commenting. More chapters are on the way. Love Yah. 😃