RIA Episode 31 by Ademide

RIA Episode 31 by Ademide

THEME: MELISSA

°°° AMBER FOUNDATION °°°

RIA POV

“Is that child okay?”

I asked Jenna. The lady assigned to help the kids try their dresses on.

I pointed to a 6 years old girl who sat alone with her legs curled beneath her. She had been like that since we came in.

“Her name Melissa. she’s always like that..Alone”

Melissa is not happy like the rest of the kids.

“Please can i know her history”

I asked Jenna. I know every child in Amber Foundation has a history.

“She lost her parents in a fire accident when she was 4. None of her family member was ready to take her in when she regained consciousness after one month. So Her uncle left her at the hospital”

“How did she end up here?”

“A nurse came here and explained her case to Mrs Charity. So they brought her in here. I feel pity for her cause she doesn’t remember anything about her parents. And she still get traumatized anytime she sees fire..that why we don’t bring her close to it. Like the kitchen”

“So she prefer to stay alone?”

“Yes..Melissa is finding it hard to accept this place”

I looked at the beautiful girl.

She reminded me of my younger self when I was still trying to accept the fact that I was blind.

That I couldn’t see like everyone else. I was alone!

I had just one friend while I was growing up.. Before Lucas took me away.

His name was Ethan. Actually,I won’t consider him as just a friend. Ethan was like a big brother to me. He was 4years older than i was. I used to help him mend his dress back then while he helped me to school whenever he was less busy at work.

“even madam Charity had tried to help her relate with the other kids. But it seems Melissa wants to be all by herself” Jenna said

“Teacher Jenna Can I try my dress now?”

We both looked down at the little girl who held her dress to her chest.

“Yes..Sophie” Jenna replied

I moved away from them and went to where Melissa sat quietly.

I knew Melissa needed someone to talk to..not just anyone.

But someone who is like her..one who has felt the loss of a parent and a loved one. Practically anyone with the saddest past will relate with Melissa.

“Hi” I greeted in a low tone

Melissa looked at me

“I’m -“

She stood up and walked away.

Melissa went to the far end of the room and curled herself up under a large table. That weird!

Why was she doing that?

Sitting up in an uncomfortable way.

I’m not going to give up. She she has to tell me what’s wrong!

I made my way to the table,crouched down and sat under it. It was big enough to accommodate me. So I sat with my legs crossed.

She stared at me in disbelief

“Hi I’m Ria Robert” I introduced

She didn’t respond

“And it nice to meet you Melissa”

“Go away..I don’t want to talk to you”

She said in a low tone

I stared back at her.

“I’ll just tell you a story of a girl…” I swallowed hard

“A blind girl. Do you know what it means to be blind?”

I paused and waited for Melissa.

Seconds clicked by, and she shook her head slowly.

“When you can’t see. And everything is dark. Lola was a blind girl and she wished that she could see like the other kids. She wanted friends but no one wants to be friends with a blind girl. Everyone saw her as a burden to her parents because she was disabled. And she had to depend on her parents to help her do things. Lola had a very hard time accepting her blind state..but in the end she accepted who she was and learned to do things normal people could do. She made up her mind that she won’t be a burden to her parents or anyone. She promised herself that she would become someone anyone could reckon with and also be great in life. She started learning how to sew and mend torn dresses”

I stopped and studied Melissa expression.

She was interested in my story!

“Lola could have gotten a surgery done but her parents couldn’t afford the bills. Do you want to know what happened to Lola?”

Melissa a short nod.

“An unexpected incident took Lola parents Away. They died when she was about 16. And then she was alone..all by herself – in the hands of a wicked man who wanted Lola for himself. But at the point of giving up on herself,her dreams and Everything..An Angel was sent to Rescue Lola from that wicked man. She moved away from her hometown with her Angel and they settled down in another city where she started working as a seamstress.. remember she learnt how to sew” I stopped again and was about to continue when Melissa asked

“Can Lola see now?.. I mean did..she get to see like other people?”

“Yes Melissa. Another Angel was sent to help Lola. He paid for her surgery Bills and also helped established her sewing business. Now Lola is doing fine”

Then I noticed the tears that strayed down Melissa’s cheeks

“This was your story right?”

She said in a low tone

And I found myself nodding. I couldn’t deny cause it was my story in a reformed way. I didn’t know how she figured that the story was about me..probably because I’m a seamstress like imaginary Lola. But, I must say that Melissa is a smart girl.

I moved closer to her and wiped her tears with my fingertips

“That was sad..” She muttered and i nodded again

“I heard him -” she bit her lower lip

“He said I was bad luck” she whispered

“Who told you that?”

“Uncle Finn. I heard him telling his wife when I regained consciousness at hospital. I couldn’t Make out what he said until I realized that I don’t remember anything about my parents. I only know the fact that they both died in a fire. uncle Finn didn’t take me in because he said I was a bad luck” Melissa placed her palms on her face

“I was the reason for my parents death. He told his wife that I caused that fire at our home.. Taking me in might bring them problems”

And that was it!

Melissa doesn’t want to relate with anyone because she thinks she’s a bad luck.

Uncle Finn should be blamed here. How on earth could he refer to a little child as a bad luck?

Things would have been different if Melissa didn’t hear her uncle refer to her as Bad Luck.

“Why didn’t you tell Madam Charity about it?”

“I didn’t.. Because she won’t understand. No matter how nice she is..she will never understand how I feel about being referred to as Bad Luck”

“You’re not a bad luck Melissa”

“You think so?”

“No one is a bad luck”

“It all my fault.. I killed my parents” Melissa blamed herself

“No..no Melissa. Look once in my life I blamed myself for my parents death too”

And part of me still blames myself.

That if only I wasn’t blind then my dad wouldn’t have thought of accepting his inheritance.

But what can I do?

The deed as already been done!

“But – I had to accept the fact that they were gone” I cupped her face

“Listen Melissa.. The ones we love are gone but they still remain in heart and memories. Look i never saw the faces of my parents but I have good memories of their words”

We are in the same boat. Melissa doesn’t remember her parents too!

“You have to do the same too. You don’t remember them though but you have this feelings that they were good to you” she nodded

“So then accept the fact that they are gone and stop seeing yourself as a bad luck” I wiped her tears again

“Look -” I pointed to the kids that were playing happily around Cassidy and Jenna

“Don’t you want to be happy like them?”she looked at them for a second

” I want to be happy”

“You know..they all have their stories too. No parents, no family – but they are still happy. Do you wanna know why?”

“Yes”

“It because they were able to accept what life has given to them. They call it – accepting fact. Cause Life is what we live,Love is what we have. And no one can make you happy until you’re ready to experience happiness. So just forget about Uncle Finn words and be the Melissa everyone wants to see. They all want you to be happy. Always happy”

Melissa stared back at the kids. And she shook her head slowly.

Then I pulled her in for a hug.

“Thank You Miss Ria”

She whispered

I comforted her with soothing words.

And i let her go after she cried and calmed

“Want to try your dress now?”

“Yes” she replied

This time there was a smile on her face.

I crawled out of the table and reached out to Melissa

She hesitated

“To be happy” I said to her

“Yes To be happy” she replied and she crawled out of the table.

We walked back to the rest.

“Cassidy where is Melissa’s dress?” I asked

Jenna and Mrs Russell focused on us.. Their gazes on our locked hands.

“She’s ready to try her dress”

I said

“And i want to perform too”

Melissa cuts in

And everywhere became silent. Like even the kids stopped playing when they heard her voice.

She glanced up at me with a look of disappointment.

Melissa was a bit embarrassed.

Then she fixed her gaze on the floor

“Oh yes! You can perform Melissa!” Mrs Russell exclaimed

“I’ll help you with the rhymes” Jenna added

Melissa’s face brightened

“I know the rhymes” Melissa said in her low tone

“You do?”

“And..everything we have to do” she completed in a clear tone

She must have seen and watched the other children practice. But she couldn’t join them because of that perspective of being a bad luck.

Melissa must have been scared that something would happened if she was part of them.

“Okay..then you can join them” Mrs Russell said

Cassidy passed Melissa’s dress which was the last pack in the bag. I helped her into the dress and she looked beautiful in it!

“Wow!” She exclaimed as she examined herself

“You like it?” Cassidy asked

“I love it!” She replied

Then Mrs Russell began to clapped and others joined in.

“Thank You Miss Ria” mrs Russell said as Jenna silenced the Kids while Cassidy helped Melissa put off the dress.

“So children what do you say to Granny Perla for paying for you dresses?”

“Thank You Granny!” They chorused

“And what about Miss Ria and Miss Cassidy?”

“We say Thank You!” They screamed

“And do you like to see them again?”

“Yes we will like to see you soon!”

They are really amazing and beautiful creatures. And I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of them.

“Now you all say”

“Bye..Miss Ria..Miss Cassidy” they waved at us

Three nannies came in and ushered them of the room.

I crouched down to Melissa’s size.

“Thank You Miss Ria” She Hugged me

“You’re welcome”

And i let her go

“When will you visit us again?”

“I will see you at the Grand finale of the event”

I will try to make it to the Event! I want to watch Melisa perform.

“Okay” she waved

“Bye” I waved

Jenna led her out of the room

“You will be a good mother” Mrs Perla complimented

“She’s good with children” Cassidy said

And how did Mrs Perla know?

It can’t be that my quick interaction with Melissa made her decide quickly – that I will be a good mother

“I think we’re ready to leave” Cassidy announced after packing the bags they won’t be needing at the foundation since each kid took their clothes in.

“I’ll take this to the car”

She exited the room.

“Thanks for today” I shook hands with Mrs Russell

“Anytime”

“So I’ll leave you both alone to talk” she walked out

“I wasn’t surprised with what you did with Melissa. Since you have adopted kids too. Ian told me about them”

“Yes ma’am” I rubbed my palms together

She was referring to Phoebe and Phoenix. I knew she said that because she knew something other than my interaction with Melissa.

“I’ll walk you to the car”

“Thanks ma’am”

We walked out of the room

“I should be the one thanking you Ria for making those pretty dresses. So thank You”

“You’re welcome Ma’am”

I entered the car

“Bye Granny!” Cassidy waved at her

“Take care Cassidy” she waved back.

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