Chapter 39 A TOXIC BACKGROUND
"Dad and Mom, I want to further my academics", Sobrina told her parents one morning, after discussing the matter with her younger brother the previous week.
The brother was supportive and encouraged her to speak with their parents.
She had been idle for almost a year after her service year. She had searched for a job, but none was forthcoming. She decided to harness her father's promise, he had promised her in front of Pastor Melvin and the fellowship's president few years ago, that he would pay her through second degree should she chose to.
When the University of Science began the application process, her mother wouldn't have none of it. She refused blatantly unknowing to Sobrina, and secretly incited her father to do so, while being sympathetic with Sobrina in the open.
Sobrina was rotting at home idle, just helping with farm work and house chaos, it wasn't her kind of life, she had bigger dreams.
Sobrina would confide in her mother at the farm about how she really wished her father would agree to her pleas, and her mother would console her. Her mother once saw her crying in the kitchen one afternoon, she consoled her saying "God must do something for you, my dear". Sobrina was totally convinced her mother was on her side in the matter.
She was cooking one afternoon, when her father came into the kitchen.
"Dear, I'm not financially buoyant at the moment, see if there's a way you could borrow some money for the Masters application form. I will refund you as soon as I receive my salary", Sobrina was excited, that was all she needed - his consent.
She had some money in her savings account, that was over half the amount required. She ran to her mother joyfully at the garden where she was watering the vegetables and told her the good news. Her mother was greatly annoyed, she couldn't hide her displeasure. Sobrina understood then that she had made a huge mistake, but it was too late.
After that, her father retrieved his consent while preaching the following morning during devotion. Sobrina did all she could to get him to reconsider like he had promised, to no avail.
"Daddy, please let me further my studies, I will work around the University, during the period to help carry the burden. Please momy, I really need to". She pleaded on her knees after prayers.
"Shut up and get up, you are doing nothing", the father commanded. Her younger brother was present, but he said nothing.
After a few days of struggling with disappointment, Sobrina visited the Pastor of their church and confided in him. He promised to come talk to her parents with his wife.
"Sir, your daughter came to me, and told me about her desire to further her studies", the Pastor started on arrival. The entire family was seated in the common room, with the Pastor and his wife.
"No, I won't permit it, her brothers are not yet through with their first degree. My house at the village is not completed. I want to add a swimming pool to it", the father responded.
Her brothers were actually through with school, but they had outstanding issues, like Sobrina had after graduation. But they were not required to pay for anything.
Truth was, the only other thing her father was funding was the house at the village, and he was now the boss of his organization, making tons of money. Her father only wanted to please his wife.
Sobrina began to weep, she was heartbroken, she wept bitterly. Her future had been weighed and it amounted to nothing better than a swimming pool at the village. She began to narrate to the Pastor how she'd struggled through her first degree in front of everyone, as she wept in excruciating pain.
"If you won't fulfill your promise, then I will raise the money through prostitution, working from this house", she bursted out in tears.
"Are you not already a prostitute?", her father responded, "how is that a new thing?", right there in front of everyone.
Sobrina felt like she had been stabbed. She moaned in pain.
"What do you think? Don't you agree your parents should do as your sister has requested?", the Pastor questioned her brother.
"My sister is selfish!" the brother responded, to Sobrina's amazement.
Sobrina felt light headed, the tears dried swiftly from her eyes. She couldn't believe her ears. Her brother who had very sympathetically encouraged her just last week to speak with their parents had suddenly turned against her. She felt betrayed by her brother and rejected by her parents. She decided to let them be, and take care of her issues on her own as usual.
Pastor Melvin who provided her with emotional support and advice had disappeared. There was no one and no where to turn to. It was too much an emotional burden for one small shoulder.
Her mother began to deny her food among many other wickedly actions. She was no longer secretive about her stance, a witch in disguise.
But Sobrina never stopped loving them against the advice of Asmodeus - her Demon - who wished she would cut all family ties.
Sobrina was excessively compassionate, she forgave her family, but they grew apart as always.
