MY NAME IS DERA
CHAPTER 3
Oh Dera ..What a nice name given to you by your parents one of the guys said..
How much for the oranges?
it’s 100 for one orange Dera answered with a sad face.
I will buy all your oranges if you would follow us to the house the other guy said with a smile.
I don't know you uncle and I cannot follow you Dera said shaking her head from left to right.
The guys looked back and saw some group of people passing by. They decided not to draw attention to themselves.
The older guy gave Dera a note of 1000 and she packaged the oranges for them. One of the guys made a sign to the other then said to Dera.
Let's escort you to your house he told Dera who was happy she had sold all her oranges. When they got few houses away from where Dera had indicated to them, they waved her goodbye and left checking if anyone had seen them.
Dera was happy she finished selling all her oranges. She suddenly became sad, it was late in the night and she was yet to eat. Her mother was really going to deal with her.
Speak of the devil. Tracy was sitting outside and waiting for Dera to come back. Dera sighted her mother and she doesn’t know if she should be happy or sad. Tears started flowing down her cheeks.
Why are you coming back by this time Tracy asked Dera taping her foot on the floor continuously..
Mummy....Market was bad no one wanted to buy the oranges. You said I should not come back if ….
Tracy wiped Dera with the cane she kept beside her not letting her finish her statement..
You liar...Everything you say is a lie…
You must tell me where you went to Tracy kept asking and flogging Dera who was shouting and crying.
Stop it....Stop it…
Do you want to kîll that girl? A woman shouted running towards Tracy. It was Mrs Obilor her neighbor.
Mrs Obilor never liked the way Tracy was treating Dera. She doubted that Dera was Tracy's real daughter because of the way she treated her like a serving girl. She didn't like to interfere in other people's matter. But the cries of Dera that particular night touched her.
Leave her alone Tracy....What is the matter with you?
It’s late already. All problems are not solved with a cane…
I'll get you... You think you can hide from me? Tracy asked Dera who was crying her eyes out at the back of Mrs Obilor who just saved her.
And you madam, don't come in here and lecture me on how I'll train my child. You better keep yourself out of my affairs please.
I'm not done with you Tracy said to Dera again and went inside with the cane she was holding.
Where are you coming from by this time Mrs Obilor asked Dera?No where , no where Dera said crying…
The more she tried to explain, the more she cried deeply.
Mrs Obilor consoled her and told her it was okay.
Few minutes after Dera had stopped the intensity of her tears, Mrs Obilor retired back to her house.
Tracy came out of the house and Dera tried running away. I'm not chasing you...Take this food and eat before they say I starved you to death Tracy said handing the food to the already shaky hands of Dera.
Thank you mummy Dera said collecting the plate of food.
I'm sure you know where you'll be spending the night Tracy said again pointing at the wooden storage and then went back inside the house shutting the door behind her.
Dera held the plate of food with one hand and tried wiping her tears with the second. But the tears just couldn't be controlled as the fell freely down her cheeks with mucus running down her nostrils.
Dera went into the wooden storage and closed the door. She has been hungry since the morning and she instantly lost appetite to eat. How can her mother be this cruel to her? What did she really do to deserve this from her mother?
Dera looked at the food , after a while she shifted it to a corner and lay on the old clothes she had spread out inside the storage. Rats kept running around which scared Dera coupled with the mosquitoes which didn't let her sleep.
It was as if it was going to rain and cold filled the storage.. Dera managed to put on another of her cloth but that didn't stop the cold. It started raining heavily and droplets from the harsh rain flew into the storage dropping on Dera.
It was morning already and Dera was shivering out of cold and was feeling feverish. Apart from what she's ate yesterday morning when her father was around. She hasn't eaten till that morning.
Ryan and Cynthia were taken to school by their mother who hasn't even come to check up on Dera. When she came back, she opened the storage and saw Dera shivering inside.
You think you can pretend?Will you stand up from there and go do your morning chores….
Mummy.....Mummy… Dera called out to Tracy and sitting up.
Mummy what did I do to you to deserve this?Mummy I am still your first daughter….
You are not my…..
Tracy decided to hold herself. If she tells Dera the truth, Kennedy will really be mad at her. He had warned her never to let Dera know she was picked by the road side.
She went closer to Dera and checked her temperature and she was really hot. She left the storage and came back with some drügs and a cup of water.
Take this before they say I don't take care of you like my daughter she said handing the drugs to Dera. Dera took the drûgs on an empty stomach and wanted to lie down because she was weak.
Madam go and sell those oranges this morning so you'll walk around and get better. Also you won't come back late at night again. The earlier the better. Tracy knew if her husband comes back as usual and finds out Dera went hawking or come back late at night because of she went hawking. It was really going to generate a very big problem for her.
Dera managed herself and got up. She put the oranges inside her tray and left with it.
Buy your oranges....Buy your oranges…. Dera was shouting and feeling dizzy.
How much? a voice asked from behind.Dera looked back and saw it was one of the guys who bought her oranges from her.
Uncle Good morning Dera greeted with a little smile..Good morning Dera…
You look tired…
Have you eaten this morning? He asked
Dera shook her head…
Follow me, let me give you what to eat and also I will buy all of your oranges he said with a smile.
Dera thought for a while. It was him and his friend that bought her oranges yesterday and even took her home. So she could trust him.
Dera accepted and followed the guy. He collected her tray of oranges and shared the oranges to those who cared to take. He entered a bike with Dera and they stopped at a location. He bought a plate of food for Dera.
Dera devoured the food like a hungry Lion not minding the fact that she was having a fever. Few minutes after Dera was done eating she fell asleep.
*********
The time was 10pm and yet Dera who left since the morning to go hawk oranges was not back to the house. Tracy’s heartbeat increased and she became restless.
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