The life I wished for

Rose moved to the Benue state after her little stunt with Christopher Allen. The son of the renowned Mr. Allen in Nigeria. It's been four years after she took his money and left Lagos only to discover she was pregnant a few weeks later.

She didn't want to abort so, she had the child and justified her action as taking money for the upkeep of his child.

~ROSE~

"Mom!!!",

That's my princess and I dare not answer her, "what is is my love?" I ask My three years old daughter.

"I don't want to go to school today!" She said giving me a very sad look.

"Why honey? What happened?" I ask while moving my chair close to her.

"The kids at school call me fatherless every time." She complnejj 4,ained.

95y. .4y.7 Mo ii

"Don't let them get to you my love, you are not fatherless... I have told you a lot of times that your dad traveled... You have a father! Ok?" I said to her. I wonder how parents train their kids these days. How can such little kids always y

themselves like that?

"How old am I mum?" Princess asked me.

I was confused as to why she would ask me such a question. "Why are you asking me that?"

"In case you don't know, am three years old mum! I want to see my dad!" She answered and whined.

I have been dreading this moment ever since I found out I was pregnant four years ago. I didn't know what to say to her. How do I tell my daughter that her dad doesn't even know she exists? I can't even bring myself to go back to Lagos.

"Look at me my princess," I said and carried her on my lap "Your dad is very a very busy person. He travels a lot and he will come to see you soon. Don't let your classmates tell you that you don't have a father ok?" I tried to convince her.

"But mum, why hasn't he come to see me even once? Better still, show me a picture of him. Chidi told me to bring a picture if I want them to believe that I have a father!" She said to me.

Seeing her like this breaks my heart a lot "why don't we talk about this when you get back from school? I need to go to the shop and you need to get to school early." I said to her.

She nods her head and goes inside her room to pick her school bag. She came back out after a few minutes and we left the house. I drove her to school and it was obvious from the frown on her face that she wasn't happy. I tried to cheer her up but she didn't give me her usual happy vibe.

We got to her school which is a private school very close to my shop. I run a grocery store and it's doing better than I expect. "Baby, won't you smile for mummy?" I try to coax her when she was about to leave the car without hugging me.

"I love you, mum..." She said and opened the car and walked into her school without even looking back. How did she grow up so fast?

I drove off after she has gone into the building and headed to my store. I have sales girls and branches around but, I don't like staying home all day.

I got into the store and Ada who happens to be the most sensible among all of my workers in this branch came up to me to take my bag.

"Good morning ma," she greeted me with a smile.

"Good morning Ada, how are you?" I replied as we walked towards office.