Life's Challenges (Chapter One)

He sat down by his bed, his back leaning against it. His mind was full of thoughts. School, studies, future and the hardest thing to think about, his childhood. True, he didn’t have to think about all these and he hardly does so, except when it comes to his childhood. Try as he might not to think about it the more it comes back to him. When this happens he put his other thoughts away to concentrate on this single one.

He did not have a happy childhood, he knew. Every single thing stuck to his head. His mother’s soft, gentle singing. His father’s advices, words. And his own memory. Full of pain and misery it was. Even painful to think about but he gathered himself together to do just that. His father was a twenty-four year old gas deliveryman who delivered gas tanks to every house in the neighbourhood. His mother was a homemaker who was one of the richest man’s daughters. She left her life of luxury to be with his father, Jack. Her name was May and she was only twenty-two. When he was born his parents were happy but it was the cause for what the doctor announced to them. Being pregnant had definitely made his mother joyful for he was her first, yet it had also made her body weaker. As it is, she was not to live for long, the doctor told them. At most would be just half a year. Poor as they were, his father tried to get treatment for her though to no avail. Still, he made himself extremely useful to her. Whenever she needed anything, he would do his utmost to get it, to make her last months blissful. Miraculously, she lived longer than what the doctor said which brought them joy. Sadly, it did not last for long.

Right on his first birthday, his father had gone out to buy a cake for him. His mother stayed at home since she had not the energy to walk all the way. While waiting, she had gone to the bathroom. His father came back to find no one but him, wailing loudly. With an anxious heart, his father went through the whole house just to find the bathroom door locked. Worried, he charged towards the door and the lock broke. In he went and found her lying on the floor. Afraid of what had happened to his dear wife he carried her out of the house all the way to the nearby hospital. But it was too late. She had already breathe her last when she loss consciousness in the house. Because of that, his father blamed himself for not looking after her properly and could not get over his beloved wife’s death. He grieved over her death for a long time. He would drink by himself in misery every single night, neglecting his young son until one day.

He met a woman at the place he drank. She was very young and the way she dresses and everything made it obvious to everyone that she was no decent soul. But to his father she seemed like an angel who had come to spare him from the sadness he was going through at that time. She would pretend to care for him and console him just to make him trust her to tell her what was going on. And her plan succeeded. In no time at all-just a few nights-he was already pouring out everything that happened. How he got to know his wife. How she left her rich family in order to be with him. How he’d lost her on his son’s birthday. How he did not dare to inform her family for fear they will blame him. As he told her all this, she made a plan to make sure he informed his wife’s family because who knows, he might have an inheritance waiting for him because his wife died, she thought. So each time they met, she would try to persuade him to tell his wife’s family, giving him the reason that his son was still young and he needed proper care and education. Where would he find money if her family did not give him any.

After long persuasions for weeks, he finally gave in and went to her family with a heavy heart. Huge, the house was. And marvelous too. He stood in awe of the house, feeling dreadful. Then, “Hey! Who are you? What are you doing here?”

He turned around and saw a man, familiar yet not so.

“Who are you and what do you want?” the man once again, asked.

“I am.. I am.. Wait. Aren’t you...Kelvin?” he said, suddenly remembering the man.

“Who are you? How do you know my name?” Kelvin said, suspicious of him.

His father stopped himself from replying. Afraid of the outcome. But Kelvin was insistent so he finally replied with a stammering and soft voice. “I.. I am.. Jack. Your sister’s husband. ”

Kelvin was taken aback. He stared at and gaped. “Jack?” he questioned, immediately remembering who he was. “Why are you here?”

Jack stood still for a moment then he gave the bad news in an extremely grieved, remorseful voice. Stunned, Kelvin did not even move a muscle. A tear could be seen glistening in his eye. After a little while, Kelvin brought a reluctant Jack into the house. Kelvin said Jack must be the one who breaks the news to the family. Jack was brought to a living room. A large, beautifully decorated. On the sofas he saw an elderly couple. He greeted the old lady and gentleman. He paused, thinking how to tell them. In the end, he sadly retold the news to them, not facing them. He knew he was an undependable man. On who could not even look after his family well. Not long after that, tears formed in the old lady’s eyes. She looked at Jack and screamed at him.

“YOU! YOU MARRIED OUR ONLY DAUGHTER EVEN WHEN WE DIDN’T ALLOW IT. THAT, WE LET IT GO FOR WE KNEW SHE LOVED YOU GREATLY. BUT NOW WHAT? IS THIS HOW YOU REPAY WHAT SHE DID FOR YOU? SHE GAVE UP EVERY SINGLE THING IN THIS HOUSE AND EVEN THREATENED TO SEVER TIES WITH US. YOU.. YOU..”

She could not control her emotions and big drops of tears were falling from her eyes. It was obvious that she loved her daughter very much and could not accept her death. Or rather, would not accept her death. Her darling daughter, always so helpful and filial but because of THAT man she had not only lose everything but also lost her life. Oh, her daughter, her darling beautiful daughter. She had many admirers and many had asked to be with her but of all men, she had chose a poor, filthy man who had nothing to his name.

While she reminded herself of all these, the old gentleman did not say a word but just sat down and stared into the floor. There was along silence. Then he looked up and gestured Jack to follow him. Jack, without saying a word, followed him into a huge room. There he saw many priceless antiques arranged in an order on a rack from the shortest to the tallest. There was a couch, a long table full of papers, cupboards full of files and books and wooden chairs. “Sit,” the old gentleman said.

Jack sat down, wondering what he was going to say. Both of them looked at each other. None of them said a word. Then the old gentleman spoke. “How did my daughter leave us?”

“She was ill. I’ve no idea what the illness was called as I did not even finish my secondary schooling. The doctor said her body became weaker from being pregnant and would only live for half a year at most. But she actually lived for a year. It was a miracle. But she died on our son’s birthday. It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have taken her away. But I loved her so. Still, it was unfair of me. I really shouldn’t have been with her. I brought her bad luck. But..but..”

“Enough. Her death has brought sadness to many especially you for I know you loved her dearly. It was most unfortunate that she had to go like that. It was hard for you and us to let her go. But we can’t do anything about it. I think it will be harder for you to go on with life now that she’s gone and you have a child to look after. What I propose to do is to give you some money to help you and your son. I want you to visit us with him whenever you can. If possible, as many times as you can. Do you agree?”

“Of course. But I can’t accept the money.”

“Why ever not?”

“It’s just...I don’t know but I just can’t accept it.”

“You have to and that’s final.”

May’s father took out a chequebook and wrote a sum in it. Then he tore one of the cheques and gave it to Jack. He took it and read the sum. “Ten thousand dollars! This is too much. I can’t accept it.”

But his father-in-law made him accept it. After a while, they went down to the living room. His mother-in-law was still crying her heart out and Kelvin was trying to soothe her. Jack left the house to go drinking again. He told himself, this would be the last night he would drink. From now on, he would fulfill his wife’s dying wish that she told him on the way to the hospital. He still remembered it clearly. Her voice, so gentle and sweet. “Jack, if I die, promise me you’d look after our son. Give him a happy home and proper education. This is my last wish.”

I will fulfill your wish, he thought. And I won’t regret it. Ever.

-------------------------
“Are you ready?”

A voice rang up to his room. He snapped out of his thoughts and replied. “In a while.”

He realized he had been staring straight into the tiles of his room floor. He straightened his back and looked out the window. Sunshine was streaming through them onto his expressionless face. It was morning and time for him to eat. But he had no appetite. He peeked at the clock hanging on the wall. Seven o’clock. He had been awake for only ten minutes, thinking. His gaze went back to the floor tiles. His mind back to his thoughts.

-brenda-