Queen Of Heart And Reprisal.

The past 15 years have been hell for me.

"It's your birthday

, what are you thinking about?"

Summer snapped me out of my thoughts.

She is my best friend as well as my roommate.

"Yeah, it is my birthday and a sad day"

I took a sip of my coffee.

"You have to forget about the past and focus on the future"

"How can I possibly do that? The more I try to forget about it, I keep thinking about it"

"You know what? There is a new bar in our street and it's opening tonight, let's go and have fun"

"No"

"You are a fun spoiler"

"You know I need this job, I don't want to be looking like I got hit by a bus tomorrow morning"

She burst into laughter.

"You are a weather reporter, you are just on for a minute every day, it wouldn't hurt to skip a day"

"I need to work hard so I can get to be a full-time staff"

She rolls her eyeballs.

"Ok, whatever"

I looked at my watch.

"It's past lunchtime, you should head back to work"

"Oh, I forgot, my new boss is going to scold me, gosh, I hate her"

She said panicking.

"Well, you need her to like you so you can be on the lip balm project"

"Uh, I don't have a choice. See you after work"

"Yeah"

She drank her coffee and left.

I paid for the coffee and head back to work.

I said today was a sad day because 15 years ago, I was left all alone.

# 17 years ago

"You got first in class again"

My mum said and hugged me.

"I will give you a special gift"

She sat me down on her bed.

She opened her wardrobe and brought something out.

"This is a scarf I made myself"

She handed it over to me.

"It says mum loves Danielle"

I stood up and hugged her.

"I love it, thank you so much mum, I love you too mum"

I said still admiring the scarf.

"I love you more sweetie"

She grabbed my hand and we head to the living room.

"What's the special occasion?"

My grandmother asked.

"Elle got first again in class"

My mum said with excitement.

"Really?"

My grandmother asked looking at me.

"Yes"

I replied.

"I'm proud of you, since tomorrow is your 11th birthday, I will give you my special gift tomorrow"

My grandmother said.

"Thanks, granny"

I said and hugged her.

"You are welcome"

"I'm home"

Mandy, my sister announced her presence.

"What's your position?"

My mom asked her.

She looked at mum with guilty eyes.

"No, don't tell me you got last again".

Mum said with disappointment

"My card was switched"

She hesitated.

"Oh really? Take a look at your sister, focus on your studies"

She looked at me with jealousy in her eyes.

"She will do better next semester, right sweetie?"

My grandmother patted Mandy's shoulders.

"Where is your brother?"

Mum asked.

"I'm not his babysitter"

She left for her room.

"Can you see? She is never going to change"

My mum said.

"Just give her some time, she will"

Granny suggested.

"Ma'am, your phone is ringing"

The housekeeper gave mum her phone.

Mum looked at the caller.

"It's your dad"

She picked it.

"Hello"

She left for her room.

"Will Elle help granny make some cookies?"

Granny asked.

"Of course"

I replied with excitement.

"Ok, let's go"

We left for the kitchen.

"Go to my room, bring my special recipe in my drawer"

"Ok granny"

I left and saw mum heading towards the main door.

"Where are you going, mum?"

"Your dad told me to bring him some documents, I will be back soon"

"Ok"

She kissed me on my forehead and left.

*********

Granny and I finished making the cookies, suddenly we heard screaming coming from the living room, we rushed to see what was wrong, and arriving there it was mum screaming.

"What's going on?"

Granny asked.

Mum looked at me with disgusted eyes.

She left for my room, took the bag I take for vacations, and poured my clothes inside, I went in to stop her and asked what was wrong but she pushed me onto the ground.

"Use your words, woman!"

Granny said angrily.

She knelt sobbing. I stood up and hold her hand to tell me what was wrong.

"Mum"

I looked at her concerned.

"I'm not your mum, don't call me that"

She looked at me with disgust and said. I don't know why she said that, she stood up and left for her room, and granny followed.

I followed but she slammed her door in my face.

"I'm going to ask what's wrong, go back to your room"

She went in.

I couldn't stand mum being angry at me, I stood by the door to eavesdrop on their conversation.

I heard mum crying.

"Could you explain what all this is about"

"I discovered that Elle isn't my daughter"

She said sobbing.

"What do you mean? Of course, she is your daughter, you raised her uptill now"

"I also thought that but I overheard the family detective and your son's conversation. He came to ask my husband for money but he screamed at him saying he has been taking care of his family for a long time and that he also has a family to take care of"

She stopped and whimpered.

"So?"

"The family detective threatened him to do what he wants or he will expose his secret. He said he is fed up with him threatening him and he told him to go ahead, the detective said he will tell me first that Elle isn't my daughter, I came inside and asked him what the detective was talking about, and he hesitated"

"What?"

Granny asked shocked.

"Yes, the detective told me everything, he told me she was from my husband's affair, it hurts so much, I raised her for 11 years"

She cried.

I went back to my room, my mum who I loved for years isn't my mum.

I knelt ept.

Someone came in.

"Isn't this good news?"

Mandy slowly clapped in.

"You are not my sister, you were mum's favorite but you are not anymore since you are not her daughter"**

She laughed, and I couldn't control my tears.

"Well, it's a sad day for you and a happy day for me"

She left my room.

I took the scarf mum gave me. She told me she loves me, does it matter if I'm her daughter or not?

I kept thinking about it and slept off.

******

After 2hours nap, I woke up and heard dad's voice, I went to the living room.

"She is still my blood so take care of her"

He yelled.

"Since she isn't my daughter, I will not treat her the way I treat my kids"

She left the living room.

He noticed my presence.

"Come here, don't listen to whatever she is saying, you are still my daughter"

Will she treat me differently from now on?

******

I woke up the next day and left for school, I wasn't able to take breakfast cause I was told not to eat with the family again so the housekeeper packed some food for me.

On my way back from school, I saw an ambulance car in our compound and I heard people wailing, I rushed to see what was wrong.

I was surprised, it was mum, she was unconscious.

I was confused, I didn't know what happened to her

"What happened?"

I tried asking the housekeeper.

"She drank poison"

"What?"

"She drank it because of you, leave us alone, if anything happens to my mother, I will never forgive you"

Mandy cried out.

"What? Why would she do that?"

I asked myself.

I wanted to follow them but the housekeeper said she would go instead and told me to wait, I couldn't wait cause I want to be by her side.

I took my bike and followed the car.

I got to the hospital and went to her room, she was still unconscious, I took her hand.

"Mum, please wake up"

I was so scared.

"Elle"

She opened her eyes.

"Yes mum"

She looked at me with her arms stretched out

For a hug, I came closer.

"Get away from me"

She looked the other way.

"Mum, talk to me, I hate seeing you like this"

"If you don't want this to happen again, don't let me see you again"

"I don't want to see you like this again"

I turned my back to her and left the room crying, I don't want to lose her, if she will stay alive without me then I will stay away from her.

I saw granny sitting outside the room.

"Granny, please take me far away from here"

"What do you mean? I know you are shocked, just be patient, your mum's surgery was successful"

"She is not my mum, she said she will try to kill herself again if I don't stay away from here"

"Elle"

She pats my shoulder.

"I've made up my mind, if you won't help me then I will leave on my own"

"Wait, I will help you"