CHAPTER ONE

(PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA, YEAR 2000)

The alarm clock rang, Lineo who had been awake for some minutes thinking about her plans for the day, stood up from the bed careful not to wake her husband whose leg sprawled across her own.

He muttered something in his sleep as she rose. She walked with silent steps to her daughter's room. She opened the curtains and looked at her little girl's sleeping form and smiled.

It was just like yesterday when she left South Africa to be with her husband in Nigeria. Helen was just a little baby of two years, now the girl was four and learning so fast.

She arranged the scattered toys and was about to walk out of the room when Helen spoke.

"Mummy good morning"

"Good morning, my baby. How are you?" She asked retracing her steps to give her a hug.

"I am fine mummy" Helen responded resting securely in the comfort of her mother's arms.

"I was leaving to prepare breakfast but will have to take you to the bathroom now" Lineo said with a smile putting her on her feet.

"Take your clothes off" She instructed and moved into the bathroom. Helen followed obediently.

Few minutes later, she stood as her mum prepared her for school.

"Wear your school bag. I am in the dinning" Lineo said patting her fondly and walked out to meet her husband who held her phone in his hands as though he had just finished answering a call. She gave him a questioning look.

"Mama Leratho called" He explained easily.

"Oh! What did she say?" She asked smiling reaching out for the phone.

"She wants us to visit this Christmas and she's complaining that she hasn't seen us for some time. We have to go."

"I am glad you said that" She smiled.

"I miss her and her dishes" David replied her with a twinkle in his eye.

As David said that, she thought of the happy times she had spent with her mother and realized she missed her terribly. Family life came with a lot of responsibilities.

Helen had been born in South Africa but David said that he needed to relocate to Nigeria. He thought his business will flourish better, besides he wanted his children to know their origin.

Unfortunately, Lineo didn't take in after Helen. David wanted a full family, at least three males and two females. He would train his boys in the era of sports.

One would be a basketball legend, another a football legend and the last a well known runner. If possible, his daughters would follow his wife's stature and would either take up modelling or acting. He had great plans for his family.

Lineo was a simple one. She was taught to obey her husband because she was the head of the family. She was taught to pray when she was confused and taught to fast when troubles arose.

She dressed decently and managed her finances with ease. She had started instilling those values in little Helen as she sometimes told her not to eat until at a certain time of the day. Who knows? Helen might grow up and defile her father's dream and finally her mother's dream of becoming a Pastor.

Lineo didn't fancy all those women who exposed themselves in the name of fashion trends and wore tiny clothings to appear on the catwalk.

As the family sat down for breakfast that morning, little did they know that the day would mark a change in their daughter's life, future and destiny.

"Helen, hope you have done your assignment?" David asked chewing slowly.

"Yes Dad"

"....And all your books are in your school bag?"

"Yes Dad"

"Lineo, did you check your bag while you prepared her for school this morning?" He turned to his wife chewing his food slowly.

"Yes, I did" She replied looking up at him.

"Alright dear. I will be leaving for work in the next ten minutes."

David said as she drained his cup of tea.

"I will just change after eating" Lineo responded and knew that he would make a comment. She was right.

"You would have done that before now, you are going to delay me!" He replied looking at her and shaking his head.

She dropped her spoon on the table noisly and faced him "You should appreciate the fact that I wake up before you both to put the in order!" She defended.

"I didn't dispute that. Just get ready in ten minutes!" He replied adjusting his tie. He stood up and Helen followed him immediately clutching her school bag, she slunged her lunch box across her shoulder and walked towards the door.

"Lineo, her father called several times before her mother came rushing out, her hands filled with bags of different kinds.

She dropped them in the front seat of the car before hurrying back to securely lock the door.

*******

They dropped Helen at the gate.

"Mummy bye" Helen waved to her mother who responded by blowing a kiss.

"Helen forgot her ID- CARD" Lineo observed as she looked at the back seat. David didn't respond but focused on the road.

"Helen's teacher is a godly woman" Lineo started.

David responded this time. "How did you know?"

"The way she brings up her children in her class" She sat up facing him.

"Do you know what she does in secret?"

"David! She is godly from what I have seen" Lineo raised her brows.

"I am not disputing that fact. I am just trying to say....." He tried to explain but he was cut short.

"There he goes again with his slang, I am not disputing that fact, only God knows where he got that from" She voiced out her anger.

"Are you serious right now? I was just trying to say...."

"Trying to say what? Say what David? You always find a way to argue about everything I say"

"There you go again! Taking things personal" David responded as Lineo heard the horns behind them but it was too late.

"David! David!!" She screamed...