Raising Tasha

Whispers

Claire

At this point this point, I think I could teacher a master class in ignoring neighbors. I am so fed up of this whole situation, you would think it been like a week since Jerry drove us home. No, wrong! It was yesterday, Jerry had driven Tasha and I home last evening. In the last few hours I have learnt so much about my life that I had no idea about." How the f**k did people come up with this s**t anyway?" I could not wrap my head around the whole scenario.

These people did not even know me dammit! I had moved in four days ago for crying out loud and spent only one night here not counting last night. At eight am, these bitches were sitting on stools in front of my house pointing and talking s**t. Did they not have husbands to nag an kids to take of?

"I heard that the man that brought her home is her bastards father, he is married already." buck teeth explained with such zeal

"She slept with a married man? How loose!" acne faced asks loudly, probably trying to gain the attention of more people.

"You girls these days! They would spread their legs for any d**k with legs." puffy cheeks added on with disgust clearly written in her face. Young girls these day? b***h we were probably around the same age, why did people always feel the need to judge others?

"The wife even beat her up and broke the things her husband had bought for leaving her poor, that is why she move her with the poor people, don't you see how arrogant she acts? She clearly looks down us!" buck teeth went on passionately. I got to give her props for such vivid imagination, her story sounded so believable to me and I knew the truth now imagine my new neighbors that new nothing about me? I had been set up for trouble, there is nothing women hated more than mistresses and homewreckers and in their eyes I had just become one. I basically had a target on my back, I knew my days would not be peaceful here.

All I hoped for was that they do not take out their anger on Tasha, the could ridicule me all they wanted, haul abuse. I did not care but my bottom line was Tasha, no one was allowed to make my baby feel invalid, I would not let them go!

"Mama, are you ok?" Tasha's voice brings back to reality. Ho long had she been awake? Just how much had she heard.

"Yes baby, I am fine. Why are you awake so early?" I try to make my voice as cheery as possible, Tasha was smart. She could tell if  something was wrong if I sounded even a little off. So a plastered a big smile on my face and went to warm last evenings leftovers for breakfast. Seeing food the house was a good feeling, I do not even remember the last time we actually had breakfast.

"I heard the neighbors mama," Tasha then says. I can not stop myself from shaking, terrified of the thought that I had exposed my daughter to such people.

'Please let Tasha not think badly of me, please make her not hate me.' I sent out a silent prayer to God. He had to help me, He had watched me get into this unfavorable situation.

"don't listen to them mama, they are not people. I know Handsome Uncle is not daddy and he was just helping us." I let out a breath I did not even realize I was holding in in the first place. Thank God for small mercies! Tasha's attempt to make me feel better was just what I needed, I suddenly felt rejuvenated. It was like I was suddenly injected with chicken blood, my day got brighter in an instant. 

I carried my dishes to go wash, the tiny rooms had no kitchen sinks so we all shared the two outside. That meant I had to pass by the gathering on neighbors to get there literally do my dishes beside their 'meeting' but I was in a really good mood so I did not care.

"See! I told you she was arrogant." exclaimed on loudly. I had not done anything, maybe breathing was arrogant or was it walking because they were the only things I had done so far. I was never good with words anyway so I acted mute and went by my business.

"Trying to get the landlady to waiver her rent but eating like a rich person. The audacity of people these days!" added the other. The had stopped facing my house and were now facing me at the sink, they had turned during my tuning them out. They were watching me like hawks watched their pray.

"This b***h can afford to eat food worth half her rent but claims she can not afford to pay her rent, how shameless. Our landlady God bless her for her kind heart was clearly played a fool by this slut!" they had suddenly turned to using swear words. Was this jealousy? I could not understand where all this hate was coming from. Last night they had whispered amongst themselves watching their tones as if scared I would hear them, today was different though, today they were loud, I suspected they were trying to get a reaction from me.

These women we itching for a fight and I was not going to let them win, we had food to last us about four days and I possible had a permanent job from Saturday. No Debby downer was going to rain my parade. I was not going to argue with uneducated bullies, that was beneath, well maybe I am arrogant but that did not matter.

You sometimes I forgot that I was a university graduate, my amazing level of education had not helped me with anything so far but I did not regret going to school. One day my degree would help me but for now I would take any job that put food on my table. As long as it was legal  and did not involving me selling my body I would do it. Tasha was about to school too and school fees had to be paid. For now I was counting on Jerry for everything, the man was like my guardian angel  sent to me just when things were going to s**t. Nosy neighbors could talk as much as they wanted, I did not care besides they were not helping with anything.

One day I will overcome. one day.