CHAPTER 55: THE LOSS OF A FATHER
FLASHBACK:
Little Gideon woke up and made his way to the kitchen. At nine, he was used to making his own tea then he’ll proceed to grab biscuits from the drawer in the kitchen. It was a Saturday and Nanny Grace comes at noon every Saturday. So little Gideon will have his breakfast, rush to his room to play with his toys and keep waiting for his nanny to come soonest. Sometimes, his mother will show up in his room and help him with his homework and when he wanted to go and play with the other kids in the neighborhood, she’ll give him an hour or more. That Saturday morning was longer for Gideon. He kept waiting on the door bell to ring so he could run and open the door for his nanny and she seemed late. So, Gideon carried his school bag and went to his mother’s room since she didn’t come to check up on him. Maybe she forgot or was still asleep he thought. “Romero is that you? ‘ she asked after he banged on her door. “Yes Mommy. ” he replied. She opened the door for him and when Gideon walked into her room, she was well dressed and reading a magazine. “You didn’t come to check on me. ” he told her. “You nanny is yet to arrive? ” she asked him. “Yes. ” he answered. She threw the magazine on the table adjacent her and opened her arms to the boy. “Come let’s see what you have there. ” she told him. He quickly climbed the bed and brought out his assignments.
“Romero the assignments are already done. ” she told him cuddling him. “I did it about an hour ago after you didn’t show up. ” Little Gideon said. “Wow Romero you are such an intelligent kid. ” she praised him while he smiled. “The arithmetic is correct and you draw beautifully too. ” she added. “So I drew a family tree. ” he showed her pointing to his work of art. “My creative teacher said we could draw anything that appeals to us and caption it. ” he said. “And you drew a family tree. ” his mother said with a smile. “Who is that? ” she asked him pointing to a tiny figure which was standing close to Gideon in the art. “My sister. ” he told his mother. “You don’t have one Romero. ” his mother said laughing out loud. “Well maybe I’ll have one. ” he said. “I want one. ” he told her. “Well, if your daddy returns from his trip, I’ll tell him about your wish. ” she said. Little Gideon got up and jumped happily while she laughed at the funny dance steps he made. Then, the door bell rang. “Nanny! ” screamed Gideon while running out of his mother’s room.
Gideon ran downstairs and opened the door to the living room. His nanny was standing outside waving at him. “You are late Nanny Grace. ” he told her. “I am sorry my boy. ” she told him. “I had something to take care of urgently. ” she added closing the door. He held her hand as they walked upstairs. Nanny Grace will always see Mrs. Romero first and take the day’s order s on the boy’s schedule. While they were heading to his mother’s room, an excited Gideon revealed to her that he will be having a baby sister. She smiled and hugged him saying “I am so happy for you Romero. ” and the smart Gideon said “We will need to wait for my dad first before we celebrate. ” “My mom said she’ll talk to him once he returns from his business trip so they could bring my sister home. ” he said. Nanny Grace held her mouth and chuckled. When Gideon ran out to open the door for her, he didn’t close the door to his mother’s room so they walked in to an open room. “Mrs. Romero. ” Nanny Grace called out after she noticed Gideon’s mother lying on the floor staring blankly at the wall. Her cell phone was in her hand.NôvelDrama.Org owns this text.
“Is she asleep? ” The nanny asked Gideon. “No I left her on the bed when I ran out to get the door for you. ” little Gideon replied. Nanny Grace quickly rushed to the woman’s side and shook her violently. Her face was blank as she laid and Gideon became instantly terrified. “Quickly go get the driver. ” Nanny Grace screamed at Gideon with her voice shaking. Gideon ran downstairs to get the driver while his nanny kept doing her best to resuscitate the woman from her shock. What could have happened? the nanny thought. The driver immediately showed up with Gideon behind who was already crying. Nanny Grace and the driver carried the woman, placed her in the car and they sped off to the hospital. On their way, Gideon wouldn’t stop crying and his nanny kept assuring him that his mother will be fine. Later on, it was discovered that the news of his father’s accident was made known to his mom via a phone call which left her in total shock. Mr. Romero Snr. had died instantly in a ghastly car accident.
Little Gideon was told that his father had gone to heaven to never return again. Little Gideon knew back then that people who went to heaven were dead. He cried and his nanny cried with him. She was always by his side. In few days, people started trouping into their home and Gideon barely got a glance of his mother who was later discharged before his father’s burial. His distant cousins came and the uncles he always heard of but never met. He saw several of his father’s friends whom he was introduced to at events. “Romero Jnr. Will carry on with his father’s legacy. ” he heard someone commented and he couldn’t comprehend what it meant then. Few weeks after his father was buried amidst tears and sorrow, the people began to depart and Gideon noticed how strange his mother was beginning to look and act. Then Nanny Grace stopped coming and he was later sent to a boarding school.