Chapter 9

The Love of a Mother

He could hear his mum's voice trying to persuade him to come back and finish his meal but his mind was already made up.

“Oh my God, did I say anything wrong?” she asked directing her attention to Aliyah. "Is it wrong for a mother to want the best for her son? Why does he always think I am insensitive to his feelings?"

"You have done absolutely nothing wrong," Aliyah said as she stood from her seat to hers to console her. “You have done nothing wrong at all but I just think he needs more time to figure out things.”

“Spare me that nonsense!" She hissed. "What time more time does he need? It's been two years. For two good years, he has been living like a stranger with his daughter. How much time does he need? I don’t understand this anymore!” She lamented.

“I will talk to him. I am sure he is going to listen this time around,” Aliyah said with confidence.

“Can I ask you something?" His mother said instead.

"Sure, anything you wish," she replied happily.

"Don’t you have any feelings for my son? Is he not handsome enough?” she asked.

“I didn't say anything like that...” Aliyah stammered.

“I know it can be very embarrassing for you to give me an answer but can you please do me a favor?” she asked.

“I will do anything for you. Anything just mentions it and it is done,” Aliyah replied.

“Can you marry Rowan?” she asked. Before Aliyah could say anything she continued with her conversation. “It is written all over your face. I know you love my son very much, you can’t be doing all of these without having any feelings for him. Please do me the honor and make sure you marry him. ..”

“Truly I love your son so much but it is not as easy as that. You and I know how your son can be..."

She interrupted, “no matter what my son is, you are a woman. You can always use the wisdom of a woman to get whatever you want from the man you love. Can you promise me you will do this for me? Can you bring my dead son back to life? I need my Rowan, I need my son back” she said while crying.

“Please stop crying I will make sure I do my best to get your son to do your wish,” she said patting her back.

Rowan’s mother wiped the tears off her cheek and smiled. “Okay I am counting on you to do this for me.“

Aliyah looked at her wristwatch and she jumped to her feet. “Oops, it's past ten. I need to be on my way, we have a whole lot of things to do tomorrow. Good night ma, I will stop by some other time,” She said as she hurriedly rushed to the door.

“Okay do have a wonderful night and make sure you call me anytime you need my assistance. And don’t forget what we talked about this!” his mother called after Aliyah.

“I will surely work on it!” she replied as she closed the door behind her.

“What a wonderful young lady, she puts all her best into what she does. What a great cook too I did enjoy every bit of the meal.” She said as reached out to one of the maids to come to clear off the table. She stood from her seat and went to check up on her granddaughter to see how she was fairing.

Mrs. Shepherd went up the stairs slowly, step by step to get to her room. When she got to the room, she gently open the door in order not to disturb Tessa's sleep. There she was on the bed with a blue bed sheet used to cover her body very fast asleep. Mrs. Shepherd went very close to her and she kissed her forehead. She covered Tessa's body properly while she stood for a while looking at her, hoping in her heart that everything would end for good very soon. Tessa was too innocent to experience what she was currently going on.

Rowan had never for once carried her in his arms not to talk of spending quality time with her, she didn’t choose to kill her mother but it just happened that way. It could have been her that went instead of Vanessa and it could have been both of them too.  Tessa was a girl that was full of life although she was very young she somehow knew her father didn't what to spend time with her. She always called on him but he never gave a list listen-to.

Mrs. Shepherd quietly moved out of her room and was about to go to her room then she decided to stop by to check on Rowan. She quietly opened his door and entered his room; they were some of his wear littered the floor and she bent and pick them one after another. She folded them and arranged them properly in his wardrobe. She saw the picture Rowan snapped with Vanessa some years back sitting comfortably in his wardrobe.

The picture was all but memories at first when the both of them started their relationship. She was totally against their love because she feared Vanessa would turn out like her mother, but the two didn’t give up regardless of what she did to them. She sometimes blamed herself for not being the loving and sweet mother-in-law she was supposed to be. She never gave them the support and love they needed early but it was all but a story now. Vanessa was gone now she couldn't turn back the time. She later found Vanessa to be the loving and charming woman her son needed but it was too late for that.

She put the clothes in the wardrobe and quietly closed it. She looked at her son and he was also sleeping but any noise could wake him up so she decided to leave him and let him enjoy his sleep.