Chapter 4: Still in the past

BRIANNA

The death of our parents left both Brenda and I devastated but despite everything, Brenda tried all she could to bail me out of the police custody.

After their burial, Brenda decided to take over my father's position in the company but shock awaited her. My parents' business associates took away the business, claiming that Brenda was still a baby and running a business wasn't a child's play. She was sent away like the child they claimed she was.

I had already tried my best to give up my habits, though little by little, and I had vacated the apartment I was living in since I was in the cop's wanted list. I had to move back with Brenda in our house but the joy was short lived since our uncle, dad's elder brother came to claim the house. He told us that since we are girls, we were useless hence we couldn't continue living in that house. We tried to fight back at him but our efforts proved futile since we didn't have any documents to prove that the house was ours.

Our greedy uncle had already confiscated the house documents and changed the ownership to his son's name. We were officially doomed. We couldn't fight back on our own and whenever Brenda approached people to help us, they either turned her down or sent her away after she refused to bow to their sexual advances. I still believed that Brenda was still a virgin even at twenty one. I had never seen her with a boyfriend or any male friend!

Since we couldn't get our share of our parents' business and we had nowhere to go, we had to plead with our greedy uncle to allow us to live in our house and he was kind enough to give us only one week before throwing us out. We had to utilise that one week, amid heavy security, as if we were armed robbers. Our uncle feared that we might steal the furniture or other stuff in the house. We were only allowed access to the servant quarters where our clothes were stuffed in a tiny room. We were helpless....we were officially doomed.

All that while, we'd consult each other on what to do next and we decided to visit the bank and see if we'd get hold of our parents' savings. We knew they banked with a specific bank but when we went there, shock was on us since everything had been withdrawn upto the last penny by our uncle. All their accounts were at zero balance!

We walked out of the banking premises dejectedly, wondering what we were supposed to do. That was two days after being allowed to live in the house for a week. We were about to exhaust the given days and due to our helplessness, we found ourselves at the gate of our parents' former company.

We were denied access but after Brenda called one of my parents' associates via phone, he listened to her and since he was the biggest shareholder, he decided to help us.

We were released when he decided to buy their shares at half the price since we had no documents to prove that my parents owned everything and since we were already smelling poverty, we couldn't turn him down.

That following day, Brenda signed everything on behalf of our late parents and some amount was deposited into her account. We were somehow relieved since we were about to vacate from that tiny servant quarters our uncle threw us into.

Immediately after meeting that guy, we went house hunting and we were lucky to get a fully furnished one bedroom apartment. We made payments and moved in immediately without even informing the evil uncle. He was no longer part of us since he had decided to backstab our late parents. He was one of our enemies!

Armed with a few dollars in Brenda's account and unimaginable faith, Brenda decided to hunt for a job but since I had resolved to be lazy, I indulged myself into prostitution. I had to do something so as to help with the house. I'm glad we had paid for a whole year's rent therefore our main worry was our means of survival.

One evening, two weeks after moving out, Brenda came back home from the restaurant she used to wait tables tired. She looked worn out but she couldn't hide the wide smile plastered on her face. I really wanted to find out why she was so happy and when I enquired from her, she just smiled and said, “Our trust funds...I remember mum mentioning about saving money for us.” she was still smiling.

“Oh yeah!” I replied. “Mum mentioned it too and said we could only withdraw the cash when we hit twenty two!”

We were both happy since we were only three months away from our twenty second year! Finally, we were going to get some money and maybe...just maybe...do something good with it.

Every passing day, we struggled to make ends meet but funny enough, Brenda never asked me to contribute for anything in the house. She always ensured we had enough food, clothes and other amenities. Despite being orphans, we never lacked.

I used all the money I got from my sugar daddies to replenish my drug and alcohol stock and to buy some revealing clothes. I never changed....I never learned from my mistakes. I was still the same Brianna who couldn't manage her life and Brenda never seemed to care.

Not even a single day passed without cursing our uncle for driving us out of our house, on top of it, accusing me of killing them. I always swore to take revenge even if it took over fifty years, I was ready to deal with him. He had humiliated us for long and someone had to make him pay!

I had no issues with our parents' business associates since they somehow saved us by buying their shares, though by half the price. We had no option though the money enabled us to settle elsewhere and start life afresh!

Fast forward, we were already twenty two and a day after celebrating our birthday, we walked to the bank, armed with our identity cards and birth certificates to prove that we were the legitimate owners of the money in our trust funds.

Everything worked out to our favour and after getting hold of our money, Brenda transferred hers into her bank account while I withdrew all my money. I never thought about tomorrow and that never mattered at all!

After getting the money, I put my whoring on hold and decided to spoil myself silly with vacations. I traveled allover the country, wasting my money on booze, clothes, food and drugs without worrying about tomorrow. Brenda's warnings and advices fell on deaf ears. I wasn't going to listen to someone my age!

While I was busy living large, Brenda was busy working hard, at the same time trying to secure a work Visa to another State. She was already tired of this State and she wasn't going to waste her time here!

While out there living my life, she would call me but I never picked her calls. When I had enough of her short messages, missed calls and voice messages, I destroyed my line and secured another one. I had had enough of her nagging!

One afternoon, two months after spoiling myself silly, the money I had had already ran out and I was at a risk of sleeping hungry. That's when I decided that I had a loving and caring sister who wouldn't turn me down at all.

With the little amount I had left, I booked a train and left to our city since I was in a far away city, over three hundred miles from our residence. I had the confidence that she'd accept me back, just like the prodigal son's father did...he had done worse than I had ever done!

I arrived home a day after starting my journey and spending about thirty hours in a train wasn't a walk in the park. I had messed up big time!

Brenda was in the kitchen preparing lunch and when she saw me, she rushed to me and hugged the daylights out of me. I wondered why she was not mad at me for abandoning her and going mute on her!

“Where have you been Brianna?!” she asked me after turning me around to see if I was okay. “I've missed you dear. I couldn't imagine travelling without saying goodbye!”

“Travel? To where?” I asked in shock.

“Sit down first. I'll serve you lunch then I'll tell you everything you need to know!” she said as she helped me to take a seat on the couch. I couldn't wait to hear what she had to say!

After lunch, she sat next to me on the couch and she told me how she had secured herself a job abroad. Her Visa was already out and she was supposed to travel in two days time, that's why she had left her job at the restaurant.

I was physically happy for her but deep down, I envied her. I wished I were in her position.

We had a long chat about my accomodation arrangements and to my relief, she promised to support me in paying all my bills till I became stable. I was inwardly happy that she was leaving and she was going to be supportive, just as usual and I couldn't wait to be left all alone in that apartment!

****

I saw Brenda off at the airport and after she left, I went back home to start my life without her. She has left me with some cash and I knew it'd sustain me for a month or so before she sent more. I was over the moon!

My drinking habits never ended but I trained myself to abstain from drugs though I partook in them once in a while. Brenda would call me almost every day to ensure I was fine and I always assured her that I was in control of my life!

A few days before our rent expired, she called me and directed me on to where to get the keys to our new house. She had already bought a two bedroom apartment where I live right now! Wow! Isn't she a great sister?