A walk into the past episode 5

A WALK INTO THE PAST
EPISODE 5
BY AUTHOR SMART

His pounding heart, threatening to jump out of his mouth and his mouth running dry as if suddenly losing all saliva within it all.

“Richærd? Are you alright?”
His mom asked noticing his nervous action and the way he had reacted when, she said she had something to tell him .

“Ye.. yes, I’m fine. You said you have something to tell me.”
He said, changing the line of discussion tactically.

Her voice great nervous when she was about to say what, she wanted to tell him. Noticing how she was sounding his face grew grim, as he felt things were amiss.

“Did someone die?”

He suddenly asked her, he didn’t even know when he said it out.

Taken aback by his question, she immediately said.

“No.. no, nothing of that sort happened it’s just that I…… I have a man who has been coming around this days to stay with me and he really is a nice guy. He had helped me forget the painful exit of your dad and uncle. And he has been proposing marriage, but I don’t really know what to do.”

She said clearly torn in between two decisions. Nervousness could be deciphered from her words.
.”What’s my brother’s view on it? Is he happy and does he like the man in question?”

Richærd asked her.
” Yes he is very much happy with him, they both have really been going along so well. They play ball and chess too. Your brother has returned to his usual chatter box display. They both left this evening for an outing and a stroll.”

She said.
Hearing what she had said.
Richærd sighed. He knew he could never stand in the way of his mom’s happiness, though he still was unhappy and even felt a tinge of jealousy. He didn’t want his mom to remarry so soon, but he knew it was something he couldn’t stop, so far that would pull her out of her continous grief.

Moreover, she was still in her early forties and had every right and his brother seemed to go along with the man. His brother still needed the care of a father, so it really wasn’t a bad idea, in respect to the bigger picture.

“Ok! Mom since you like him this much and my younger brother seems he is in support, I have no say in it. Anything that would make you and my brother happy is my priority.”

They both continued, with the call and later hung up after a prolonged period of time, as his mom continued with her evangelization on how good the new man in her life was, because she noticed that Richærd was not happy.

He lay down, on the bed and was completely downcasted, tears rolled freely from his eyes as he reflected.

“Dad, I love you. You have been more of a friend to me than even a father figure. I love you Dad.”

He said and he broke down in tears.
Smiling, his father, walked up to him and patted his shoulder, while car-ssing it lovingly.
“All I and your mom had always struggled for is always to see you and your little bro lack nothing in this life, though we can’t do much for you, due to the situation of the family. Just keep making us proud son, that’s all we ask of you.”

” C’mon stop acting like a baby young man, you are no longer a kid. Stop this before you draw attention to yourself.”

Just as he was still rambling, Richærd Immediately hugged him tightly, while muttering.

“I will never disappoint you and mom.”.

All this was the last incident that had happened before his father’s death.

Who can ever be like that man that was already six feet down the cold soil to him? He probably already had his flesh already devoured by termites and his bones losing it’s lustres already.

No matter how good this step father of his might be, he can never be his father. He can never be that huge man that always tapped his shoulder affectionately with that kind smile of his. Tears filled his eyes.

If he could help it, he wouldn’t want his mom to remarry. He found it hærd to accept, it gnawed heavily on his heart.

If that was being selfish then he couldn’t help it. This was his earnest desire.

He was still lost in the world of lamentation, when he suddenly slept off, with tears still on his eyes, which smeared tenderly on his pillow.

The next day, Richærd was already in school. The class was yet to start, since the lecturer was yet to arrive, so he wobbled over to a seat and sat down. He brought out his notebook and was busy going through what they last treated on the course, when he felt a hand tap him from behind.

He turned swiftly, to see it was the girl, who he encountered yesterday.
He gave her an inquiring gaze, and his face turned a bit colder.

“Good morning.”
She greeted him quite cheerfully, with her face that glittered from her smile.

“Good morning too. Is there a problem?”

He asked her, with his forehead creased.

Tbc