Written by Dorcas
Eighteen years old Estella; stood In front of her parents grave, reminiscing on lovely memories from years she was younger. Estella had been the only child her parents birthed.
She sobbed as she remembered how elated she had always been in anticipating dad’s return from work or travel. That overwhelming excitement that emerges from within her whenever she saw her mum and dad.
Estella ecstatically jumped off the school bus and ran into the embrace of her beloved parents; whose arms were lovingly stretched out. She cried out in cheer excitement.
“Mummy! Daddy!!”
Daddy carried her and placed her on his shoulders, walking into the house with mummy by his side. Mummy had prepared lunch, but from the expression on Estella’s face, one could tell that she dreaded “beans.”
Mummy definitely knew how well to cajole her daughter. She dipped her hands into her shirt pocket and brought out some candies. Immediately Estella sighted this, the excitement that grew more in her was unhidden as she tried yanking it off her mom’s hands, but her mum slightly pushed her hands back, signaling to her little Estella and pointing to the beans; deliciously placed in front of her.
Mummy: Eat your meal first and the candy is all yours. (Mummy teased). Estella slightly twitched her lips as she munched down the food.
Every night, before sleep steals her away, mummy and daddy never forgot to snuggle her into their arms, filling her cheeks with kisses of love; which made her giggle or chuckle as a reciprocation to their overwhelming affection.
Not a school day passed without five years old Estella telling Mom of everything that transpired in school. She never for once; denied her mother of the details.
How she always waited for the jingle of the closing bell, so she could rush back to the embrace of her loving parents.
At age six, little Estella did the house chores with so much joy and love, running errands for Mama without murmuring or complaining.
Streams of tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked on at their graves with pains and regrets, if she could turn back the hands of time, she might prolly get one last chance to tell them how much she cares.
Ten years old Estella was already a big girl. Twelve years old Estella became an adolescent. Mama taught her how to clean herself up when stained, how to properly place her sanitary pad and so much more.
She grew and kept growing.
Sixteen years old Estella had a developed body, started making more friends, and worst; started craving for her space.
The changes were glaring.
- Her once loving mother, became a nagging woman.
- Her super, duper cool father, became a parcel filled with boredom.
- The presence of her parents which her younger self had enthusiastically craved for, became a sordid irritation.
Mum: (yells) Estella!!! I sent you to get me fish from Mummy Dora’s shop, since morning and you’re still lying down there.
Estella: (grumbles) Oooh!! Arrggh, you’ve started oh, someone can’t have peace in this house again.
She fell on her kneels, as her mind wandered to the very last moment she had with her caring and loving parents.
Dad: Estella, I called you and your mother here, to talk to you. Why are you treating us this way? Did your mom and I do something wrong?
Estella: (bellows) Just let me be please!, You’re going to the mall right?, Go already! And stop bugging my life.
(She could remember mummy’s teary eyes, the hurt, the pains…) “Why was she behaving this way to her parents?” She had questioned herself… “But they can be so unbearable at times.” She had hastily defended herself.
She hadn’t said a word of apology to them that morning, even when she had felt the nudge to, she stiffed her tongue and kept growling more hurtful words to her parents.
They had gone to the mall that day, but unfortunately; they never returned.
Estella finally found her words, she screamed out loud:
I‘m sorry Mum!!!?, I’m sorry Dad!!!. Oh!, I should have said sorry! My conscience would have been happier; knowing that you both died with the thought that i love you. I should have apologized! Oh no!, Why didn’t I?. I should have told you how much I love you!!
No! No!! Noooooooooo!!!!!!.
She screamed, hitting the sand so hard with her hands.
A saying:
We don’t really know the value of what we have until we loose it.
To our parents, loved ones, friends and families, and sometimes; even to strangers, let’s make them feel loved.
To birth and nurture a child till the stage when the child can stand on his/her own, isn’t child’s play.
So let’s make peace with everyone, because we know not what tomorrow holds in store for us.