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She hated her mother 
For what she put her through as a child.  
Her mother divorced her father and had her custody from that time.
She was barely three years old at the time
The mother married again. 
That same year she left her father. 
The step father is a man with a wife and four children. 
She lived in a rented apartment with her mother. 
After about five years and two children for the step father
The step father asked the mother to move into his matrimonial home with his first wife. 
The mother ran a restaurant.
She slept in the restaurant with the sales girl. 
The mother would not allow her live in the house because the step father does not want her.
Yet the mother refused to return her to her father. 
The mother had a third child with the step father. 
The three children attended good school 
While she went to a poor public school 
At a far place to the restaurant where she slept. 
She walked up to 50km every morning to get to the school
She also walked back in the afternoon.
At a point she did this daily endurance trek with bare feet
The rubber sandal she had 
Had cut beyond repair and the mother refused to buy her another one. 
She used a polythene bag for school bag. 
She had just one school uniform since she started school. 
The uniform is tattered and worn out. 
No one would believe it's the same mother that had her and her step siblings. 
The maid attempted to rape her one night. 
She resisted and fought her with all she can. 
Going to sleep was something of fear for her every night since the maid made that move.
She continued to fight and resist her until the maid stopped. 

The mother usually check on her older siblings
Who lived with their father
Her father always asked to see her
Since the divorce the father had not seen her

When she finished junior secondary school one 
Her mother suggested that she go for the long vacation at her father's place. 
She was indifferent as she is not close to the father. 
She barely know him. 
The father and her siblings welcome her warmly. 
She was treated like a rare treasure found after it's lost.
When it was time for her go back. 
She was very sad. 
The mother used the opportunity 
To do as the step father had always wanted
Return her to her father
She asked if she wanted to stay permanently. 
She said yes. 
The father too loved the idea.
The first thing the father did was to change her school. 
She left the sub standard school for a standard missionary secondary school.
She could not cope with the standard of the new school. 
She repeated the class. 
Her siblings trained her to be a lady. 
She can not even communicate in simple English. 
She learnt with love from her sisters. 
It took her years to tell how she was being treated when she was with the mother. 
She vowed never to forgive her.
The sisters told her not to hold grudge. 
Gradually, she learnt to forgive
As she listens to teachings on forgiveness and obedience to parents. 
She forgave her mother and let go of the hurt 
From what she had been through. 
Today she is happily married. 
She takes care of the mother like a child should.

Abike 2019