9 Anna’s Mum

Anna was thrown into darkness; unable to speak or move as Mrs. Gracious drilled her harder while Senior Gloria and her friends stared at her with mocking looks on their faces. How did her very normal evening suddenly change into a nightmare? She mused, still unable to answer Mrs. Gracious' nerve-wracking questions.

"Why did you fight your fellow student? Anna, how could you do something so vicious to someone who has asthma? Why? Answer me now!" Mrs. Gracious yelled in her face. Her hawk-like-eyes staring deep into Anna's soul, condemning her. Anna shook visibly as she looked down at Mrs. Gracious' funny peep-toe shoes and even that was not enough to lighten her mood or make her open her glued lips.

"Matron, this evil girl will end up stressing you out. Let's take her to the Deaconess, let her decide her fate." Gloria said, her long skirt shaking like she was about to fight Anna. 

"Matron, Gloria is right… What Anna did to her roommate is unforgiveable. We saw everything with our eyes. The poor girl did nothing to deserve the merciless beating Anna gave her." Edith lied through her teeth. Her beautiful face suddenly looked hideous to Anna, who couldn't understand why they were lying against her.

"Can you imagine, matron? When we were even dragging her out, she wanted to fight us. This girl is stubborn and evil. She doesn't behave like a student of our prestigious school" Goodness accused Anna, pointing her fingers at her while tears streamed down Anna's eyes. She brushed them away, trying so hard to stay composed even though she was about to break down.

"Enough! Tell me now Anna why you beat her up when you know about her condition? Let me hear your side of the story. Maybe that can save you from getting expelled." Mrs. Gracious said in a low voice.

Anna opened her mouth, but she didn't know where to start or what to say to exonerate herself. But the one presence of Gloria and her friends made difficult for her to say something to save herself.

"Anna, say something… tell me how it happened." Mrs. Gracious implored.

"Matron…I…It was not my fault. I did not plan to hurt her… she started it…" Anna muttered before being interrupted by Senior Gloria.

"Liar…Matron, don't listen to any words from her mouth. We saw everything, how she dragged the poor girl to the floor and was hitting her violently. She is wicked. You can ask any of the juniors." Gloria snapped at Anna.

"Stop crying, you pretender!" Goodness growled at her.

"Stop it now! All of you…Since Anna has refused to talk, I have no other choice but to take her to the Deaconess." Mrs. Gracious announced as she rose from her seat. "Anna, let the Deaconess decided your fate. I can't help you. You should already know that any student who fights in school will get suspended. But your own case is even worse… You almost killed someone. How could you be that vicious?"

Anna could no longer hold her tears, they were now flowing freely as she listened to Mrs. Gracious final decision. Gloria and her friends smiled at Mrs. Gracious decision, so glad that their plan was almost complete.

"Those tears of yours won't save you now. Please lead the way!" Mrs. Gracious said to a tearful Anna. 

Anna walked alongside Mrs. Gracious to the Deaconess' office like a lamb going to the slaughter. Her fate was sealed. She was getting expelled today. Everyone knew how strict the Deaconess was. There was no way she would be forgiven, she reminded herself as they walked along the quiet school compound to the proprietress office. The evening was quiet since other students were in class for prep… so quiet that it made Anna feel more wary. The only sound Anna could hear was the sound of her heart beating erratically in her chest. She looked around the quiet school compound, wondering if this was really her last day at Bishop Evangelical College. Her tears flowed freely as she noticed the straying eyes of other students peering at her from their classroom windows. She bowed her lower, ashamed that she was already the centre of gossip and ridicule in every class.

She slowed down as the weight of the evening's event weighed her down, but one of the seniors pushed from behind to get her moving faster. Anna cried even more at the harsh treatment she was receiving for something that was not her fault.

The door to the Deaconess' office opened and Anna trudged in, dreading ever having to face the Deaconess.

"Get in and get ready for your punishment." Mrs. Gracious said to her as they all filed into the Deaconess's office.

"Good afternoon Deaconess" they all greeted an absentminded Deaconess who was busy typing on her laptop. They stood there for almost 10 minutes before the Deaconess raised her eyebrow in a questioning look.

" Deaconess,we have a pressing issue at hand. We need you to handle. It's concerning…" Mrs. Gracious tried explaining before she was rudely interrupted by the Deaconess.

"Mrs. Gracious, you don't just barge into my office without calling or giving any prior notice. Things are not done that way. And you even came with your students to harass me. Can't I have one peaceful evening to myself?" The Deaconess snapped at Mrs. Gracious, as she scrutinized each student, mostly her daughter Gloria, whose head was bowed in fear.

"So, what's this unwarranted visit about? And why is she crying?" The Deaconess asked as she looked at Anna with disgust.

"She fought and almost killed one of her classmates!" Edith blurted out before Mrs. Gracious could say anything.

"What?" The Deaconess asked, her smooth face squeezing in shock.

"Mrs. Gracious, are you not the matron? Where were you when all this happened?" The Deaconess asked a dumbfounded Mrs. Gracious.

"Deaconess, I decided to bring the issue to you as soon as it happened. This young lady here has done the worst thing ever to be heard in the history of Bishop Evangelical College. My girls don't behave like rascals. I don't know what demon possessed this one to fight an asthmatic person. " Mrs. Gracious retorted, feeling apprehensive under the scrutiny of the Deaconess.

The Deaconess looked from Mrs.Gracious' ugly shoes to her awkward dressing style and faded head tie, a condescending look boldly written on her face before turning her attention to Anna.

"Come here, you silly girl! You fought in my school? And almost killed someone? How dare you turn my school into a battleground for ill-mannered girls? You have obviously learned nothing from spending many years in my school and we can't keep wasting our time in teaching you to behave like a well-cultured lady. Imagine! This little rascal fighting in my school! A missionary school! That is unacceptable!" The Deaconess barked at Anna, who was standing in front of her table and quaking in her shoes like she had been bathed with ice-water.

Gloria and her friends secretly high-fived each other as they watched the Deaconess scold Anna. This was a dream-come-true, Gloria muttered to herself, finally at peace that her secret was safe.

"Ma…It was not my fault. This was all planned by senior Gloria and her friends. Queen came out of nowhere…" Anna tried to explain before Gloria cut her short.

"That is so not true… Deaconess she is guilty…"

"Shut up, you brats!" The Deaconess shouted, her face darkening in anger that these silly children had interrupted her work for the day.

"How dare you talk that way in my office? Have you no respect for me? You are not remorseful at all, I can see that. You still have the guts to accuse someone else after you almost killed someone." The Deaconess growled. 

"Fighting is not allowed in my school! I will have to use you to set an example for others! Call your parents to meet with me. I have to let them know why you are being expelled. I don't want to see your legs in this school after tomorrow! Ask your parents to meet me. Now, all of you, leave my office!" The Deaconess barked at them as they all walked out, including Mrs. Gracious, who was furious about how badly the Deaconess always treated her.

Anna walked to her room, wiping the tears that were flowing down her cheek, oblivious to anything that was happening in her environment. She knew other students were watching her as she walked to the hostel, but she didn't care. It was over for her! The Deaconess had expelled her without even giving her the chance to tell her side of the story.

All eyes were on her as she walked into her room, feeling devastated. Everyone was staring curiously at her. She crumpled into her bed, weeping uncontrollably and feeling like her life was over until someone tapped her. 

"Anna, please don't cry anymore. What did the Deaconess say?" Sylvia asked her sad friend.

"Leave me alone! Don't ever talk to me again!" Anna yelled angrily at Sylvia.

"Anna, please stop. I am your friend" Sylvia pleaded with her.

Anna's red eyes bulged out as she stared daggers at her friend, hating her for leaving her when she needed her the most.

"Where were you when I needed you? You could have saved me if you were there. But you were busy flirting with Senior Clinton. Get out of my bed now" Anna growled at her. "I hate everybody! And I hate this school" She howled in pain.

She looked around then at all the faces of the girls watching her silently and saw Queen staring at her with pity in her eyes.

"You! You let them use you to get me expelled. Why? What did I ever do to you?" She cried as she walked towards Queen again. Queen moved away from her in fear but Anna came moving closer to her like she was going to attack her again. Everyone watched them waiting for another fight but Sylvia stepped between them to stop Anna from doing something she would regret again. She held Anna and tried to take her to her corner.

Anna shrugged Sylvia's hands away from her shoulder before walking back to her bed to cry some more. All she needed to do now was to call her mum and then she can pack up and go home.

Anna's mum, Miss. Sandra didn't hesitate to visit Anna's school the next day after she got a call from the Deaconess about what had happened. Anna was the most important thing in her life!

Anna's mum wasn't the regular type of mum. She was elegant, young, sophisticated, influential and unlike any parent the students of Bishop Evangelical College had ever seen. When she walked into the school after parking her exotic car, all the students at the morning assembly stared at her with their mouths open, spell-bound. She was smoking hot, dressed in a short figure-hugging gown, pencil high-heel and designer sunglasses that made her look like a superstar. Her bangles jingled as she walked majestically to the Deaconess's office, her fluffy human hair dangling like she was a model from a commercial video. The heavy sound of her shoe heels drawing away the attention of the students from the morning preaching. The quiet assembly ground was suddenly filled with murmurs, as everyone wondered whose mum she was.

Miss. Sandra swung the Deaconess' office door opened, strutting into it like she was the owner of the school before taking a seat and crossing her legs. The Deaconess watched her in awe, wondering who she was. The fragrance of her cologne filling the room, announcing her wealth and rich taste in perfumes. 

"How may help you? Do I have an appointment with you?" The Deaconess asked, unable to control the irritation in her voice as she watched the tall woman walk in to her office like she was the owner.

"Hy, I am Anna's mum. I believe we have an appointment. What is this madness I hear about my daughter getting expelled from the school I specifically want her to attend?" Anna's mum rich voice filled the room as she took off her glasses, revealing her artificial contact lens and long eyelashes.

The Deaconess stared at her for a long time, her mouth curled up in disgust as she assured herself that she was going to put the rude woman in her place.

"Oh, You are Anna's mum? Now, I understand where she got the unruly attitude from. Madam you need to spend more time training your child than you do applying all of this make-up you have on your face. Parents need to do better. The school can't do all the work for you." The Deaconess said, not trying to hide her displeasure.

Anna's mum smiled as she listened to the insults, which meant nothing to her.

" This is a missionary school and we do not condone fighting.Your daughter can no longer be a student of our prestigious school. We can't condone girls with violent behaviors like hers and mothers who don't seem to care. She almost killed a fellow student. Makes me wonder what kind of home she comes from?" The Deaconess paused, rolling her eyes at Anna's mum. "Look,You should be pleading for me to change my decision if you want me to consider suspending her instead of expelling her.But here you are, acting nonchalant about it all." The Deaconess said, as she relaxed in her chair feeling like a boss.

"Anna will not be getting expelled. And do you want to know why Rachel Martins Igboanugo? Do you want to know why? Because I am her mother and no one messes with my daughter!" Anna's mum bragged, adjusting her stylish gown as she stared at a dumbfounded Deaconess.

"How do you know my maiden name?" The Deaconess muttered.

"Mrs. Deaconess, I am that kind of woman you don't want to mess with. I know everything that happens in this city and I know how to put people in their place. Go around and ask about me. Or better still, you can ask your favorite buddy, Pastor Jude. No one messes with me or my daughter!" Miss Sandra retorted. The Deaconess swallowed hard, suddenly feeling hot even though the morning was cool.

"Oh… don't be so shocked, If you weren't so high up your horse, you would have known who not to mess with. So, here's what is going to happen, eh… you are going to clear Anna's name of any crime she has been accused of and warn those seniors off her back" Anna's mum warned. Her long artificial nails pointing at the Deaconess, making her grimace in anger.

"And why would I do that? No one threatens me in my own school or office for that matter. No one! " The Deaconess fumed, suddenly standing on her feet and banging her hands on her table, challenging Anna's mum.

"I know everything about you, your past, your lies, the secrets and the double life you lead. Deaconess alias pimp! Do not try me! I can destroy you with a snap of my finger. Ask about me!" Anna's mum threatened, still seated comfortably in her chair.

The Deaconess froze, wondering who Anna's mum really was and how powerful she was too. Whoever she was, the Deaconess couldn't risk losing her reputation because of some silly girls' fight. She looked around nervously before carefully choosing her next words.

"Fine… Anna won't be expelled. Please, you can't tell anyone about me. I can't risk…" The Deaconess muttered, feeling defeated.

"Enough… I have no interest in all that. I'm a busy woman and you are small fish to fry. Deaconeess,Anna is my everything. I don't play with my baby. Warn those seniors off her back or you won't like the next action I will take. If you are having any doubt about what I can do, ask about Miss Sandra White. Pastor Jude can help with all the info you need, or you can try googling me." Anna's mum emphasized before standing on her feet. Her domineering height towering over the Deaconess' average height.

"I guess that would be all!" She said, a satisfied smile plastered on her face before walking gallantly out of the office, the same way she had bounced in.

As soon as Anna's mum stepped out of the office, the Deaconess exhaled, crumbling into her seat as she massaged her aching head. Never had she met someone who made her feel so insignificant… someone who was so much more powerful than her. She doesn't hesitate to take her phone out to browse Sandra White on Facebook and Google. She's shocked with the results as she stared at her phone with her eyes wide open. Anna's mum was a very influential woman, a multi-millionaire, a single mum and the baby mama of a popularly known wealthy man.

The clanging sound of her phone dropping on her table echoed in her quiet office as it slipped off her shaky hands. There and then, the Deacon made up her mind to summon Gloria and her friends to warn them severely about ever messing with Anna. "How could she have ever made the mistake of touching the tail of the lion?" She asked herself as she remembered Anna's mum's threats. Her reputation was everything to her and Anna's mum could destroy it in just a blink of an eye.