Valiant

At least we pray

The sky had never been brighter. The clouds smiled in the sky. The trees moved in sync with rythms of the wind. Her hair danced with them too. She put her head out the window, admiring her neighborhood again. She had missed this view so much.

When Cornwell's grey Toyota Camry swerved into her compound, the only thing that only thing that was as wide as her smile was her reflection in the side mirror. She could no longer sit still. The moment the car came to a stop, she literally jumped out.

__flash back__

"Hello guys"

"Mr Cornwell" Pharaoh stood up to acknowledge his presence. He was now in his home in the village. He was sitting on the floor, opposite his father.
At the centre was a wooden rifle whose parts were dismembered, and they were obviously trying to out it back together.

Nicholas got up as well "Hello, my friend. Come in" he stretched for handshake and Cornwell took his hands.

"So, how'd it go"

"Hahaha... Oboy, they wanted his head oo.. Did you know this boy was a fighter? If not for God on my side, the people he injured recovered speedily. I just narrated Damaris story in the course of trying to free him, and they forgot about him sef"

The two men laughed together. Pharaoh even joined him.

"They only told me to bring my son for counseling. The chief told him to control himself when provoked and that was it. What can I say, in strength, he takes from his old man" Nicholas laughed heartily again. "Everyone began to sympathize with me and the women even started an uproar that they had always known Sandra was a witch. Hey.. Dianne and I couldn't laugh anymore"

Cornwell stayed to have dinner with them. Diane had prepared quite a delicious beans porridge and hibiscus tea (zobo)
Nicholas told them about the heart warming drama that played out when the children were leaving Jaguar's humble home. They gave him a big and what seemed like an everlasting bear hug. And they promised to pay him visits as often as possible. Jaguar was almost in tears. He was really going to miss them. He went in and brought a old dusty rough leather bag of carton color and gave it to Pharaoh.
When Pharaoh reached home, hammered a nail into the wall of their room and hung it there.

Damaris couldn't and so didn't stay in Stanley's house. She went to her grandmother's house and stayed there with her cousins and the the remaining servants. Everyday, she and Pharaoh would meet and go the the stream. The environment always replayed the memories of that day in her mind and somehow, she found peace. She knew all wasn't completely over. She wasn't with her parents.

Whenever she grew silent like that, Pharaoh would go closer to her on the log and place a hand around her shoulders. She would lean on him, and they would both admire the glowing sunset. But most often, they played in the sand and in the water.
One evening, Pharaoh dived into the water and and came back with the most beautiful pearl Damaris had ever seen.

"I had seen it once, when I was swimming. I didn't know what to do with it so I didn't touch it. But everyday, I went to check on it, to make sure it was still there. Now, I guess, this is perfect." He smiled

She returned the smile and even added a hug as she took the Pearl.
At least, his presence was one thing to be grateful for.
The day Cornwell paid her a visit. She was so happy, just to see him. It was like he signified her real parents and her home in the city. She served him herself. And finally he told her that he was there to take her home.

__present day__

"Mummy...!" She ran straight into the open arms of her mother. Betty almost fell with her. They laughed.

"I missed you so so much. In fact I missed you so much that I can't even tell you just how much I missed you" she tightened the hug.

"Haha.. sweetheart. I missed you too." She hugged her daughter back.

Damaris let go and just looked into her mother's eyes. She could see hurt and no strength. She had lost so much weight and looked to tired. Even much older that Damaris knew she was. The two ladies didn't feel the need to wipe their tears, they just let it flow and hugged again.

"Now this hardly seems fair." They heard Austin's voice from behind them. Damaris left her mom and ran to her dad who picked her up and turned with her. "My beautiful angel" was all he said.

Now everything was alright. She prayed to God that night and thanked Him that all was now a thing of the past.
Everything was back to normal, though not quite. She prayed for Diane and Nicholas, for Jaguar, for Cornwell, for her parents and for Pharaoh.
She slept that night and it was like the Angles of heaven came to be with her.
No more struggles, no more pain, no more tension, no more drama..

At least we pray.