Chapter 40: A Way out
Mary's transformation didn't go unnoticed. Her uncle—quiet and steady—had been watching her grow under pressure, like a seed breaking through concrete.
She studied late into the night by lantern light. She fetched water, cleaned, and cooked, but never let it steal her dreams. Her notebooks were filled with not just classwork, but careful plans—goals, prayers, and hope stitched between every line.
Her uncle knew: this girl was different.
One Saturday, he called her into the sitting room. On the table lay a manila envelope, a set of forms, and a letterhead that read: "Government Girls Science and Leadership College, Benue State."
A boarding school.
Far from the house. Far from the daily chores. Far from the past.
"I've spoken with someone," he said, looking directly into her eyes. "You've been awarded a scholarship. Full ride. Everything covered. You'll live there, study there. They only take the best."
Mary blinked. Her lips parted, but no words came out.
"You deserve it," he added simply.
Over the next two weeks, he took her to the market himself. Bought her two sets of uniforms, provisions—garri, milk, soap, sanitary pads, a trunk box. He even added an extra pair of school shoes and a wristwatch. Not once did he complain about the cost.
He gave her freedom.
He gave her a future.
When the day came for her to leave, her siblings—Vincent, Grace, Gladys—gathered around her. They helped carry her box to the car. Her aunt stood back, unsure, no longer in control.
As the car drove off, Mary looked back once—but only for a second.
At school, she thrived.
Her teachers saw it immediately—sharp mind, curious eyes, kind heart. She was chosen as class prefect in her first year. By senior year, she was leading her peers in debates and topping every subject.
She graduated with straight A's.
While other children in her aunt's home stumbled—some dropping out, others struggling with direction—Mary flew. Because someone finally gave her what she had always needed:
Support. Belief. A chance.
And from that moment on, the girl who had once been voiceless began writing her future with boldness.
She wasn't just surviving anymore.
She was becoming.