Maud brought me a glass of water to drink and clear my throat because for the life of me I couldn’t seem to find my voice when Reverend Julian told me that I had to keep Conroy! When I finally could speak clearly I asked Reverend Julian if he was joking? “I am not joking, I am very serious after all he is your nephew,” replied Reverend Julian. “But what about Cassie’s Grandmother?” I asked. "She's too old." he said. Apart from the fact that she was illiterate, Cassie's Grandmother had major health issues and other life challenges that made it difficult for her to take care of herself properly, much less to take care of an energetic child like Conroy. Reverend Julian
went on to say that the environment that the Grandmother lived in was not conducive to raising a healthy child as where she lived was regarded as a squatter community and was without electricity and indoor piped water for the residents. He thought that I, being Conroy's aunt, would want better for my nephew. I rolled my eyes when he said that. “You are being unfair! I only just found out about his relationship to me!” I exclaimed. I reminded the Reverend that I worked and, even if I wanted to take Conroy into my home, there was no one to look after him in the days. “I don’t think Maud would mind looking after him while you are at work.” he said. I laughed, obviously Maud had not told the Reverend about her new career move. I told her to tell him her news. When Reverend Julian heard about her new job he sighed and said that this means that Conroy would have to be placed in a children’s home then. He glanced at his watch and said that it was getting late and he had to leave. He said he would take Conroy home with him for the night and then take him to the Maxfield Park Children’s Home in the morning. Conroy did not want to leave and began to cry but Reverend Julian took him firmly by the hand and in a stern voice told him to stop the crying as they walked out of the living room. I stood on the verandah and watched them go out the gate. Poor Conroy, he kept looking back at me but there was nothing that I could do! I sighed loudly, and threw my hands up in the air in frustration! Too much was happening in my life in such a short space of time! Maud went to put the padlock on the gate. The dogs ran up to me on the verandah and I played with them while Maud refilled their water bowls. She called them when she was finished and they rushed to the water bowls eagerly. In my mind I am wondering how I was going to cope with the dogs when Maud left for good. As if she could read my mind she looked at me and asked me if I wanted her to give up the job offer and stay home and take care of Conroy? “Oh no!” I exclaimed. “This is your opportunity to fulfill the desires of your heart and I would be very unkind to expect you to give up your dreams!” She sighed and said she was going to pray about the situation because God did not make mistakes, only must takes. We said our goodnights to each other and she headed for her quarters and I went back inside the house.
I got ready for bed but I could not sleep so I took up Charmaine’s diary. This was the last of the original set of diaries that Reverend Julian had given to me. I turned the pages to the final chapter that I was reading when I got the call from Matron the other night. Charmaine was mad at Stanley Wharbucks. She said she was very angry at the hurtful words uttered by her Grandfather. How could he have said that her father should be thanking God that his men hadn’t found him and killed him? Florence was furious too and she left the room muttering that she should have left the estate when Ben died. Charmaine said that when she looked at Charles and her Grandfather both men were trying to out stare each other! She could not believe that these two grown men were behaving like little boys! She shouted at them to stop what they were doing! Her father was the first to look away and her Grandfather ‘grunted’ in victory! Charles apologised to her and said that maybe it was time for him to go home but he was not leaving her, he was taking her with him! “Over my dead body!” shouted Stanley Wharbucks. “That could very well happen!” retorted Charles. They started arguing with each other loudly and Charmaine screamed for them to stop. She reminded them that she was almost eighteen and she was the only one who would decide her future! “Not in this household!” said her Grandfather. “Not until you are twenty-one! Until then I make all decisions concerning you!” “Says who?” bellowed Charles. “I am her father and I make the decisions now!” At this moment Florence reentered the room and said, “Nobody is making any decision today! Come Charmaine, you are coming to stay with me and you are not coming back to the Main House until these two gentlemen have learned to be cordial to each other!” Charmaine said that when Florence said that you could hear a pin drop in the room. Both men stood with their mouths agape when she left the room with Florence. Florence turned and went back into the room and told them that if they were not friends by Charmaine’s birthday they would not be allowed to come to the birthday party! "As a matter of fact, both of you will work together and plan the celebrations!" said Florence, and with a twirl of her huge skirt she whisked Charmaine away from the presence of the two gentlemen. Charmaine said that on the way to Florence’s quarters she asked her if she had forgotten that she did not want to have a party for her birthday! Florence told her to hush as she was going to have a party, as this would force Stanley Wharbucks to at least be civil to her father because he would not want to miss out on her birthday celebrations. Florence said her Grandfather was disappointed when she refused to celebrate her sweet sixteen birthday so she knew he was very happy that her eighteenth birthday would be celebrated. Charmaine was not so sure that the men would work together because of their animosity towards each other and when she voiced her concerns Florence laughed and said they would work together for her sake and she could not wait to see what both men would come up with! Charmaine said she was not happy because she never wanted a birthday party but she was willing to go along with it for the sake of peace between her Grandfather and her father. I turned the page and was continuing to read when I decided to go to bed and leave the rest of that chapter for the next day. It was late and I had work in the morning. I couldn’t help laughing, however, when I read what Charmaine wrote in the next paragraph. Stanley Wharbucks was really making it very hard for Charles to respect him!
went on to say that the environment that the Grandmother lived in was not conducive to raising a healthy child as where she lived was regarded as a squatter community and was without electricity and indoor piped water for the residents. He thought that I, being Conroy's aunt, would want better for my nephew. I rolled my eyes when he said that. “You are being unfair! I only just found out about his relationship to me!” I exclaimed. I reminded the Reverend that I worked and, even if I wanted to take Conroy into my home, there was no one to look after him in the days. “I don’t think Maud would mind looking after him while you are at work.” he said. I laughed, obviously Maud had not told the Reverend about her new career move. I told her to tell him her news. When Reverend Julian heard about her new job he sighed and said that this means that Conroy would have to be placed in a children’s home then. He glanced at his watch and said that it was getting late and he had to leave. He said he would take Conroy home with him for the night and then take him to the Maxfield Park Children’s Home in the morning. Conroy did not want to leave and began to cry but Reverend Julian took him firmly by the hand and in a stern voice told him to stop the crying as they walked out of the living room. I stood on the verandah and watched them go out the gate. Poor Conroy, he kept looking back at me but there was nothing that I could do! I sighed loudly, and threw my hands up in the air in frustration! Too much was happening in my life in such a short space of time! Maud went to put the padlock on the gate. The dogs ran up to me on the verandah and I played with them while Maud refilled their water bowls. She called them when she was finished and they rushed to the water bowls eagerly. In my mind I am wondering how I was going to cope with the dogs when Maud left for good. As if she could read my mind she looked at me and asked me if I wanted her to give up the job offer and stay home and take care of Conroy? “Oh no!” I exclaimed. “This is your opportunity to fulfill the desires of your heart and I would be very unkind to expect you to give up your dreams!” She sighed and said she was going to pray about the situation because God did not make mistakes, only must takes. We said our goodnights to each other and she headed for her quarters and I went back inside the house.
I got ready for bed but I could not sleep so I took up Charmaine’s diary. This was the last of the original set of diaries that Reverend Julian had given to me. I turned the pages to the final chapter that I was reading when I got the call from Matron the other night. Charmaine was mad at Stanley Wharbucks. She said she was very angry at the hurtful words uttered by her Grandfather. How could he have said that her father should be thanking God that his men hadn’t found him and killed him? Florence was furious too and she left the room muttering that she should have left the estate when Ben died. Charmaine said that when she looked at Charles and her Grandfather both men were trying to out stare each other! She could not believe that these two grown men were behaving like little boys! She shouted at them to stop what they were doing! Her father was the first to look away and her Grandfather ‘grunted’ in victory! Charles apologised to her and said that maybe it was time for him to go home but he was not leaving her, he was taking her with him! “Over my dead body!” shouted Stanley Wharbucks. “That could very well happen!” retorted Charles. They started arguing with each other loudly and Charmaine screamed for them to stop. She reminded them that she was almost eighteen and she was the only one who would decide her future! “Not in this household!” said her Grandfather. “Not until you are twenty-one! Until then I make all decisions concerning you!” “Says who?” bellowed Charles. “I am her father and I make the decisions now!” At this moment Florence reentered the room and said, “Nobody is making any decision today! Come Charmaine, you are coming to stay with me and you are not coming back to the Main House until these two gentlemen have learned to be cordial to each other!” Charmaine said that when Florence said that you could hear a pin drop in the room. Both men stood with their mouths agape when she left the room with Florence. Florence turned and went back into the room and told them that if they were not friends by Charmaine’s birthday they would not be allowed to come to the birthday party! "As a matter of fact, both of you will work together and plan the celebrations!" said Florence, and with a twirl of her huge skirt she whisked Charmaine away from the presence of the two gentlemen. Charmaine said that on the way to Florence’s quarters she asked her if she had forgotten that she did not want to have a party for her birthday! Florence told her to hush as she was going to have a party, as this would force Stanley Wharbucks to at least be civil to her father because he would not want to miss out on her birthday celebrations. Florence said her Grandfather was disappointed when she refused to celebrate her sweet sixteen birthday so she knew he was very happy that her eighteenth birthday would be celebrated. Charmaine was not so sure that the men would work together because of their animosity towards each other and when she voiced her concerns Florence laughed and said they would work together for her sake and she could not wait to see what both men would come up with! Charmaine said she was not happy because she never wanted a birthday party but she was willing to go along with it for the sake of peace between her Grandfather and her father. I turned the page and was continuing to read when I decided to go to bed and leave the rest of that chapter for the next day. It was late and I had work in the morning. I couldn’t help laughing, however, when I read what Charmaine wrote in the next paragraph. Stanley Wharbucks was really making it very hard for Charles to respect him!
No comments:
Post a Comment