The next morning arrived in heavy silence. The air was thick, as though the sky itself had mourned the night with her. Blessed hadn't slept. She'd sat by the window all night, hoping and waiting — foolishly — for the sound of a car returning, for her mother call her name, to say it was a prank, that no one is leaving. But no one came.
By the time the rooster crowed, her tears had dried, leaving tears stain on her cheeks and shadows under her eyes.
A knock at the door stirred her, slow and reluctant. She walked to the entrance, dragging her feet as if the weight of the world sat on her small shoulders. When she opened it, an older woman stood there — small, with gray-streaked hair tied back into a rough bun and tired eyes that carried more warmth than judgment.
"Are you Blessed?" the woman asked, in a low kind voice.
She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. Knowing it was time to leave the house she grew up in though not so pleasant memories but they were time she felt loved by her brother and father, she didn't have any friends but some neighbors were friendly to her and even give her snacks when she was hungry and was starved by her mother
"I'm Jane. Your grandmother." She smiled and explained "actually I'm your mother aunt so technically that means I'm your grand Aunt but you can call me grandma"
"Grandma" she called out subconsciously
The word grandmother felt foreign on her tongue. She'd never seen this woman before. Was she really her grandmother? Or just another means her adoptive parents used to make abandoning her sound less cruel?
"Good "
Jane didn't wait for an invitation. She walked in, surveyed the quiet house, and then motioned toward the small bag by the door. "That all your things?"
Blessed nodded again.
"Then let's go. We don't have all day."
They walked in silence to the small bus stop together. No one said much. Jane didn't ask questions, and Blessed didn't know what to say. She felt awkward and uncomfortable, Grandma Jane was a stranger to her she looked like a kind old woman with gentle features than her mother Maria?
The bus arrived immediately they arrived at the bus stop and they quickly entered to avoid the morning rush .when the bus moved Blessed watched as the village disappeared behind them, so did the last pieces of the only life she'd ever known for the past eight disappear before her eyes, when they left the village she looked ahead to she didn't hope for a better life, she just prayed and hoped that her new life will be better than what she had experienced
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They arrived at Willow Village in the afternoon it was a — quiet, poor, and tucked away in the hills. Life here moved slowly, like time had forgotten it. There were no big houses, just weathered houses and narrow dirt paths. The scent of firewood and dust filled the air. The people who passed them gave curious glances but said nothing.
It seems Grandma Jane was not popular in the village or else why would she be ignored by the villagers and was stared by people as though they were avoiding her, not one person said hi or asked who i was, I turned to look at her face to see if it affected her, but it looked serious and really tired not minding what was going on around her, she hurried along the path, so I dropped all my thought I followed her quickly not to delay I didn't want to be shouted at, I really don't want to be scolded today.
We arrived at Jane's house; it was a small house with — two rooms and a kitchen that smelled of dried fish. But it wasn't filthy, it was warm. It feels like home.
Grandma Jane observed as Blessed was looking round and thought she didn't like it but this is what she could offer, Blessed had to stay even though it's not what she expected
"You'll sleep here," Jane said, pointing to the room beside the firewood stack. "School starts Monday. Uniforms on the table. You better keep it clean. I don't know what you want, but this is all I can offer"
"I don't mind, it's nice here and I promise to be at my best, don't look at my age and tiny stature I'm a strong worker" Blessed declared.
As she went into the room, looked around there was a small bed, a table, a chair and a small shelf, she has never slept in a room before she slept in the kitchen on worn out mat she never had a bed or anything for herself she was happy, so she unpacked slowly, placing her few belongings on a small shelf. The clothes her adoptive mother had left her were all old and faded — things no one in City A would ever wear according to her mother's words. But she folded them neatly anyway. She didn't have much, but at least it was hers.
That night, lying on the thin mattress, she stared at the cracked ceiling, replaying the event the week in her head.
How her parents and brother left her behind without hesitation, all these years of hard work, trying to please them and was always obedient never complaining still they never harbored any feeling of reluctance they just left though she knew she was adopted but she was still their child, who would leave the child they had trained with a stranger, she was heartbroken she tried not to cry, she was abandoned by her biological parents and now her adopted parents also left her behind, again. But it was still better than her real parents at least she would go back to them when she's sixteen. She hoped they won't forget their promise.
"Will they ever come back for me?" she whispered into the dark. The wind answered with silence.
The following days passed in harmony. Grandma Jane was strict but not cruel. She gave her food, told her what to do, and sometimes even asked how her day went — though her eyes never softened, She didn't have children of her because she was never married, I didn't know why and never bothered to ask so as not over step my boundaries Blessed learned to sweep the compound before sunrise, wash clothes by hand, and boil water over firewood. She kept her head down but she felt at peace.
But school... school was different.
For the first time in her life, she sat in a classroom every day. The uniform hung loosely on her small frame, and her shoes pinched, but she didn't care. She loved studying, hearing the teacher's voice explain things she never thought she'd understand. Math, history, literature — it was a world that didn't require anyone to love her in order to let her in she just needs to be herself and not pleasing anyone.
Still, she remained silent most of the time. The other students stared, whispered. "She's the girl who got dumped in the village," some said. "Her parents moved to City A and left her." Their words stung, but she ignored them.
They didn't know her story. It was all rumors and she didn't care.
.
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