Chapter two

Aunt Nene's POV

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I couldn't go another day in that house without knowing the whereabout of that sweet child.

I feel like a failure all over again and in a worst way ever!

Her disappearance has opened up old wounds and it's hurting so bad. After six years; I was finally able to breathe again. She was the only light in every darkness that surrounded me.

Her smiles were just like my daughter's. Those eyes of hers that screams of curiosity were just like that of my Hope.

The very first day the doctor told me about her; I knew that I wanted to see her and tends to all her needs and when I finally met her, she called me 'Aunt and right there and then, I felt whole again because my daughter has been returned back to me in another way but I lost her again when I went to her room that day and saw that it was empty.

She has ran away from home!

I failed her just like I had failed my child Hope when she needed me.

She left before I could retrieve my phone. Kate left without a single word just like my Hope did.

Oh God!

My heart fell over as I sat at the back of the taxi with tears threatening to fall but I couldn't let it. I have to stay strong for this.

I have to find her.

I arrived back at my old house that was located at the outskirt of Lagos metropolis. Everything was still very much the same as I had left it. The memories that was buried deep within the four corners of this walls was staring right at me in the face.

The familiar scent of Camfo was evident as always. Even the cracks in the walls was legendary with cobwebs networking everywhere not to mention the little ray of sunset peeping through the wooden window.

I sank down on the mattress thrown against the concrete floor as the tears I couldn't hold back anymore began to make their way down my cheeks like a waterfall.

I'm just a misfortunate being and will always be!

I could still hear my father's voice loud and clear as he yelled at me over and over again.

"You are a waste of my manhood! I should have known sending you to school was a big waste of my money and time... I should have given you away in marriage when I wanted to but your mother wouldn't let me. Now look at you! A worthless and disgraceful girl"

My father had spat on the ground beneath him as he continued to rain curses at me.

My father wasn't always this abusive towards me. On the contrary, he had high hopes for me as his youngest daughter and always took care of me. I was sent to school just like my brothers were even though it's was against his usual ways of getting his female children married at a early age.

My case was different and I was allowed to study for a while alongside my brothers but I failed him when I allowed myself be manipulated and used with the promise of love.

Bassey was the answer to my prayers and my road to freedom from my father's old age tradition of early marriage but I was wrong. He was nothing but sheep in wolf clothing who brought promises of a better future in a far away land where everyone can live out their dreams.

Lagos was Bassey's land of promise and I wanted to go there. My only escape from my father's ancient ways and also my chance to study further just like I have always wanted.

I wanted to prove to my father that a girl child can also make him proud if given the chance but I never got to prove any of it because I was deceived by Bassey after which he ran away.

I was sixteen and naive and really stupid and in my stupidity; I made the biggest mistake of my life when I let him used me after which he ran back to Lagos without me when he found out that I was pregnant and I was left to face my father's wrath.

.

.

.

I was sent away from home by my father at gun point. Even my dear mother couldn't save me with her tears and pleading.

So I ran far from home as fast as my legs could carry me. And after a month of roaming the village and sleeping in bushes; I was able to save money while working at a food vendor in the village bus park and saved enough to travel in the night bus to Lagos.

Lagos was just as beautiful as Bassey has told me with beautiful street light and huge overhead bridges. But I had no where to sleep or stay so I made my home under the bridge just like other homeless kids in the street and when the time came to have my child; they helped me and I gave birth to my baby girl.

Hope was a beautiful child with those eyes that shone like the morning stars. She attracted so many gift from passerby who saw her and in order to feed my child. I took up a job as a bread seller and was able to save enough money to rent a single room at the outskirt of Lagos.

I took up other jobs cleaning and washing other people's clothes for a pay and I was able to send her to school like  every children at her age.

Hope was so intelligent and sweet. Always has that cheerful smile on her beautiful face and was never affected by the things she didn't have.

She'd always tell me ' don't worry mama, I will grow up really fast and help you and you won't have to work so much anymore'  and she kept her promise and grew up so fast before my very eyes.

She was brilliant and hardworking and when the time came for her to take her WAEC examination; she was registered and one day I came home to find her dead on the floor clutching tightly on her stomach with pool of blood everywhere on the floor.

My daughter was dead!

I lost my child that day to the cold cruel hands of death.

I was too blind not to have realized it. She tried to tell me so many times but I was too busy trying to make her achieve what I couldn't get myself to the extend that; I couldn't see that my daughter has made the same mistake I did twenty years ago.

Hope has gotten herself pregnant!

And in her attempt to rid herself of the child. She had lost her life.

Hope was buried in a cemetery but my life was never the same again.

There was no life for me anymore. A life with no Hope in it was a life of misery and pain. It was just an empty dark life with every single day filled with regret and tears.

If only I was home that day early enough to stop her from taking those horrible pills that took her from me.

I can't go back in time and change all that had happened but I won't let Katherine suffer the same fate I did or even worst; like my daughter did.

I know she is out there somewhere with that boy and she needs me. God! I know that she does and I have to find her and soon.

Even though the doctor thinks he didn't chase her away. He sure as hell did when he threaten to abort her child just like my father had threaten to do worst to me many years ago but I won't allow her to suffer.

First thing tomorrow morning. I'm going out there to look for her. I have some of her pictures from her birthday party.

If anyone has seen her then they will have to tell me.

I will find you my dear!

A/N

That was a little nostalgic don't you think? Knowing Aunt Nene past story will help us understand some of her actions and her desperation to find Katherine and also why she has always loved her like her own daughter.

Please vote and comment guys...love you guys

Xoxo Agnesomalia