Chapter 3 Nicole my love

It's Friday and the time is 6 in the morning. Nicole had told my mom the last time we face-timed that she'd want me to come to Houston to get her. I said my morning prayers and finished off with a sign of the cross. I left my bed actively, went straight to my wardrobe to select my wear for today. I have always loved casuals, I feel very comfy in them. I picked a pair of black pants, a black t-shirt, ash-colored Calvin Klein panties, and a bra and placed them gently on my bed. I moved close to my shoe rack and made a selection. Guess what I picked? A black and white comfy slipper. "All set," I said to myself

I quickly dashed into my bathroom to shower, it took me five minutes to wash up, usually, it's more than five minutes but because Nicole had communicated to me through text last night that she'd be ready by 6 pm, I had to hurry up. Duration from Texas to Houston was about 497KM, which means I'd get there in the next 11 or 12 hours if there's no traffic mess. I would have driven my father's car but he wouldn't let me. Richard had taught me to drive when I turned eighteen, I damaged the side mirror before I was able to learn.

I took the risk of gravity run from my bathroom to my door to make sure my door was locked. I moved to my table and grabbed my lotion, gently massaged it on my body. I wore my bra and panties, slipped on my pair of jeans and t-shirt. I looked closely into the mirror as I noticed tiny acne on my skin, it's almost time for rubbish(menstruation)as I call it. I grabbed my Nivea face toner and applied it, I dabbed my face a little to make sure it's evenly dispersed. I brushed my long hair and put it in a ponytail, I reached out for my neck chain and fixed it on my neck. "Perfect," I said smiling I grabbed my clutch which I hung on the wall and quickly slipped into my comfy slipper.

I left my room to my parent's room so I'd tell them I was ready to leave. I heard my mom sobbing as I approached the door. The energy and the good feeling I had for the day have all gone off, I became weak. I hate it when my mom is in pain. I knocked on the door a hard way and the door was opened by my father. "What're you doing here?" he asked "Where's my mom?" "Why do you emanate so much joy in hurting your wife?" "Why are you this mean?" "Are you really her husband?" "Did you ever love her?" my eyes grew misty as I ask I pushed the door wide open as I barged in to pull my mom out of the room. We left for my room, I gave her a tight hug and told her everything will be fine. I persuaded her to stop crying and she did. I told her that I'd see her once I come back from Houston. She knew Nichole had grown tired of my Aunt and her family that was why she wanted to be home.

*** I arrived in Houston at exactly 6 pm and I tracked down my Aunt's place with the help of my sister. I have never been to her house because I never liked her, she was always in support of my father and his ill-treatment towards my mom. I knocked on the door like a civil person would do and stood to get answered. The door opened and it was my seventeen year old sister, she gave me a tight hug, pecked, and whispered "I missed you" to my ear. "I missed you too Cole," I said smiling hard "I'm all set, I told them to send my luggage home" I nodded and gestured my face toward the entrance to indicate my inquisitiveness on the availability of my Aunt. "No one's home" she assured me. She dashed into the house, grabbed her bag and we left. We boarded a taxi to a nearby hotel where we spent the night and left for Texas the next morning.

The journey was a long one, Nicole told me stories of how my Aunt had deprived her of happiness just because she's staying with her. I clenched my fist at the knowledge of it, I wish I was there. My dad's folks are the worst people I've ever met, I really wish he was never my dad. We ate chocolates and chatted about so many things, and of course, Jerome.