05

**** Judith Sena Sonon ****

I've been here at my uncle's for two months and a lot of things have happened. My uncle is a taxi driver with no character. His wife steps on him, Aunt Odette is a trader at the total market. She sells everything she finds. When we arrived, it was the first time I had come to their house, a plot with 6 gates. So many people and the plot is not fenced. Everything that happens at home everyone is aware and to go wash, you have to wait your turn. Speaking of my uncle's house, so dirty, his wife doesn't do anything. Looking only at the curtains, you want to vomit foun and my aunt who considers me an enemy I don't understand anything. They have 3 boys from 10 to 5 years old and since I have been there the house has become very clean. As school hasn't started yet, I do everything in the house. You can even come and ask for water to drink without worrying because the cups are now clean and shiny. Since then, I don't talk much anymore, I watch everything that this woman is doing to me. She deprives me of food sometimes and yet it's me who does everything here. But hey, what's most important is that I go to school, but until then my uncle doesn't even talk about that yet. So I'm going to ask him the question tonight. It's Monday, the total market is not selling, so Queen Odette is here.

Odette (shouting): Sena?

Me: Yes my aunt?

Odette: Where's my casserole dish that doesn't have a lid there?

Me: Surely where there are all the pots.

Odette: Idiot djimankplon if I ask you it's because I didn't see that. Who do you think you are? Since you came to my house, I can't find my things. Where do you think you are? At your mother's house ? Ah yes she died and left us her bastard.

You can insult me, hit me, but you can't speak badly of my mother, since I've been here she hasn't touched me yet, but she's morally torturing me, I'm starting to cry

Odette: Go get me my cooking pot, instead of coming here to give me crocodile tears.

Even before I arrive, I can already see the pot that rises above the others, it is visible from afar. Am I going to hold? I don't know, I hope with the school it will be fine. My 10 year old cousin is a petty thief. The first time my aunt had deprived me of food, I had taken 500 francs to buy myself food and I had only spent 300 francs and the remaining 200 francs, I had put in my little bag that Crédo m gave but to my surprise, the money was gone. At first I thought it was me who had misplaced them but since his mom insulted me here because she loses her money, I realized that this little one is a future delinquent, an adjaka thief so I I had searched where the waistband of my pants goes and I had put my money in it and I know that even his mother came to search my things which are not much by the way but they did not find anything because I had anticipated That.

Odette: What are you doing standing there looking at me like a witch? Ozo nouwé min vielor. Now I agree with your family for rejecting you. As soon as you turn 18, I want you to get out of my house.

I go out, I sit on the veranda. I'm waiting if today at least she's going to give me food, and there Madame Rain is there. I get up to go into the house I see that the door is closed. I knock but no one comes to open the door. I'm all wet and I'm starting to shiver from the cold. I stay there for at least 3 hours and she opens the door after the rain. I come home trembling, I realize that she had closed the door to feed her children. I go into the room I share with the boys, I change and I stay there waiting for my uncle to talk about school. I can't sleep because sleeping on the ground on a mat and it's cold, I'm sure I'll get sick. I hear my uncle's voice, I go out and find him at the table with his wife and children around him.

Me: Good evening uncle.

Uncle: Good evening Judith, do you have something to tell me?

Me: Yes uncle.

His wife looks at me menacingly.

Uncle: I'm listening. What is happening ?

Me: My uncle will be back to school in a week but I haven't been enrolled in high school yet.

Uncle: Ah yes you are right I forgot to tell you that this year you are staying at home because you yourself see that for the moment I cannot do it because I have no money.

Me (tears in my eyes): But.......

Odette (cutting me off): But what? Even for his own children he hasn't done anything yet, is he only going to do it for you, someone else's child? At least not with my money.

Me: My uncle, mom had planned all this before her death, she had given me 35,000 francs for my registration and my supplies.

Odette (shouting): Héééé my money you see eh Faustin, when I say that someone robs me here you say that I invent things now as if by magic, does she have the money for her school? She's gonna give me that money, it's mine.

Me: I'm not a thief, just because I don't talk doesn't mean I'm stupid or whatever! You and I know it's Cedric who takes the money here.

She gives me two pairs of slaps.

I touch my cheek and look at it with hate.

Odette (furious): You're going to give me this money right away, otherwise you'll leave my house.

Me (crying): I'm not a thief and I'm not going to give you my money for my school, so much the better that I leave here. I've had it up to here.

Odette: I don't want to see you at my house anymore. Get out of here quickly.

Uncle (angry): Enough Odette, since she's been there always problems, and yet your nieces came to live here I didn't say anything now it's my niece's turn you make problems as if it's are you paying for my house? She's not going to move from here. Sena tomorrow, I'm taking you to see a friend, he's the one who knows the school stuff, don't forget the file and the money.

Me: Yes uncle.

Odette: Faustin, are you talking to me like that in front of this kid? Ok as I'm the one doing the shopping in this house, I won't give him my food, otherwise I'm the one leaving your house.

Uncle: But what problem do you have with the little one? What did she do to you so badly, Odette? Even when my sister was alive, you didn't love her like you shared a man. You know I have no family and my sister was the only family I had. I walked away from her because of you and now you want to separate me from my niece too? Ah, I say no because I'm tired. Sena you can leave, tomorrow you have to wake up early I'll drop you at my friend's house before leaving.

I went into the room, I arranged my birth certificate and the list of admitted. The next day I took my money and I wore the pants where my money is. The short time I've been there I'm starting to know this upstart. I go out and only find the children and my uncle.

Uncle: I'm sorry for everything that's happened, I hope that with this money you can also buy your notebooks.

I get in the car and go to his friend's house, my uncle gives me 2000 francs, so I spend my day with his friend and his wife. We did everything, registration and school supplies, I registered for series C at the CEG le Lac de Cotonou. I come home in the evening all tired but at least I'm sure I'll go to school and no one will distract me from my goals, not even that upstart Odette.

**** Emy Sonon ****

What am I going to do ? I can't tell him who the father is. But how did I get pregnant? I don't understand anything, and yet we do it with a condom, except the last time and I know I was having a good time. For now, how am I going to get out of this? Mom who says nothing but who looks at me with rage, I know I really disappointed him, but I can't help it. What must happen has happened.

Mom: We're at the hospital miss as soon as we get home I want you to tell me who is the author of this pregnancy otherwise you will see that I am not your friend. Koun kun kun gblewanon.

I start to cry, I know mom doesn't like to see me cry. I'm going to play on that.

Doctor: You can go out, here is the prescription, she must start this treatment today.

I get up, head down I follow my mother home and as soon as we arrive...

Mom: Since when do you get cocks in your vagina Princess Sonon?

Me: ...

Mom (shouting): But I'm talking to you, isn't it?

I don't answer head down.

BAM BAM BAM

Mom (rage): Speak. I am speaking to you. Since when huh?

I am shocked. Since my birth it is now that my mother carries me hand.

Me (crying): Sorry mum, it was only the first time, sorry don't hit me anymore. I'm in too much pain mom.

Mom: And who is the father?

Ah that my dear mother, even if you torture me, I will never say it. Nandor kpon gbédéa.

Me (in tears): He's a boy from the neighboring village, but he lives in Calavi, I haven't heard from him anymore, he was only once a mother.

Mom (angry): You make me ashamed. You'll take your things and I'll take you to your boyfriend you don't know. Drag, you were my pride but today you disappointed me so much. What will I tell people and your father?

Me (small voice): I'm sorry mom, I don't want to keep it.

Mom: Oh God is this the curse that begins? Oh God who took my daughter this one is not mine, we changed my child ho. So you left to spread your legs and now you don't want to keep the child?

Me: Don't tell dad please mum. And I also won't say that you kissed the brother of the village chief.

Mom: What? Are you blackmailing me now? Do you think I'm your friend?

Me: I know he's the one who set the witch's house on fire.

She looks at me and says nothing more.

Me: I'm sorry mom, but I don't want to keep this baby.

Mum: We're going to Cotonou on Saturdays and that's the last time you're threatening me, the last time I hear that you slept with a man, otherwise blackmail or not, I'm going to correct you, dirty bitch.

Everything she says no longer interests me, which is important, I'm going to have an abortion in the capital.

**** Pierre Sonon *****

As the days pass and I don't know how to tell Thérèse, how will she react? She will return tomorrow from the capital, how can she be told that despite Solange's death, our children cannot inherit anything? How to tell him? I need advice so I rush to mum, I know she will surely find me a solution, I arrive and I find my parents. With dad (adoptive father), the current hasn't passed since I had prayed to Thérèse as my second wife. Our relationship had deteriorated and with his wife too, but in our house it's mom who wears the panties so if mom says yes, what dad thinks we don't care. But me, it bothers me that my father is not there for me. I consider him my father because he raised me, my father died when I was 14 and he left us everything.

Me: Hello dad.

Dad: ...

Mom: What's your problem Grégoire with my child? What kind of father is he who doesn't want his child's happiness? How long are you gonna stay mad at your only son?

Yes, Papa Grégoire is sterile, but he considers me and my sisters as his children. So I'm his only son.

Dad: If you're done making noise can I leave?

Mom: Your son is getting married, normally the father is the one who puts himself in the front row to support his child. In meetings, you do not come.

Dad: You marry each other. What do you want me to say or do? And they have already been together for years, what is the use of all these meetings? Anyway, it's your son and your niece, manage as you know how to do but don't put me in your witchcraft there.

He left, leaving me on my ass.

Me: I thought that over the years, he would change his opinion and especially seeing how Thérèse makes me happy and especially the little children she gave him.

Mom: Oh leave it, you told me you wanted to talk to me, what's going on?

Me (surprised): But how do you know? I came without calling you.

Mom: Yes, you called me the day before yesterday.

Me: Ok mom, I have a problem that is bothering me.

Mom: I'm listening, what's going on?

Me: When I got married to Solange, we signed up so that, whatever happens to us, everything we work for will be for the children.

Mom: And now where is the problem? Solange is no longer there so what you signed is null and void.

Me: No mom. If one parent dies, the other will watch over the children's inheritance and if I die Sena inherits everything as a legitimate child.

Mom: I don't see a problem, Sena is not your daughter so you can cancel that.

Me (happy): Mom you are the best. In that case, that's what I'm going to do. Wait, let me call my lawyer.

I call him, it rings.

Me: Hello master excuse me to disturb you, I wanted to know and if the girl is not mine?

Lawyer: You have to prove it, if so it will be easy.

Me: Prove it how?

Lawyer: By doing a DNA test of course.

Me: But will this test cost me dearly?

Lawyer: Yes, but you can recover your inheritance and give it to your biological children.

Me: Ok I'll let you know.

Lawyer: But you have to do it quickly before the wedding.

I'm hanging up.

Mom: So?

Me: I have to do a test to prove that it's not mine and it's expensive.

Mom: Leave it. Sena knows nothing. Either way, she won't be coming back here, so you have nothing to worry about. Now what you're going to work on is for your children, don't say anything to Thérèse.

Me: Ok you are right, not all truth is good to say.

Mom: Yes that's it, what's important you're going to marry the woman you love.

I get out of there. It's decided, I don't want to go back.

**** Therese Tchedji ****

I didn't want any shadows to darken my marriage, but that idiot Emy has already pissed me off. The time I was going shopping, I was there to find a doctor to give her an abortion, now it's done, we went shopping on Sunday and the majority of the stores are closed, so I couldn't find the dress. of my dreams.

Emy: Mom, at your age you can't wear the white dress anymore.

Mom: I don't want to listen to your filthy mouth anymore, you shut it.

Frankly, she annoys me. As soon as she opens her mouth I want to slap her, I'm so disappointed. Me, who wanted to show the whole village that I had a princess and that she was better than the other bitch, but no, I have a girl who opens her thighs to anyone. Her story that it was the first time and that it's someone I don't know, I didn't believe it, this little girl is clever, if she managed to blackmail me, it's because she knows many things. For the time being, I will observe him, I will finish my marriage first after I will take care of his brief case. I just found my dress even if it's not too much, but I have no choice. We arrive in the village at night and I see Pierre in front of the Tôkpa-Tôkpa bus stop waiting for us. I'm mentally and physically tired because in two days we really did the marathon, luckily my sister was there with me.

Me: Hello love how are you?

Pierre: Hi, a little tired but it's ok and you, it's been the weekend? Did you get your dress?

Me: Yes love.

You wonder if I cheat on my husband the answer is yes but occasionally, and I often do it in town, in the village only once, because the little brother of the village chief was going to do me a big favor and I paid him in kind as he did not want the money.

Pierre: I hope you haven't invited the whole village.

Me: It's our beloved wedding, the one we've been waiting for for years.

We come home so tired. I go up to bed to sleep. A few hours later, my phone wakes me up, I look at the time, it's 6 o'clock who can call me at this time?

Pierre (sleeping): Who is it?

I look it's the Congo.

Me: Hello?

Unknown: Hello, hello, are you Gabin's parents?

Me: Who are you?

Unknown: I'm a friend of Gabin, have you heard from him?

Me (throbbing): Listen what's going on with my son?

Pierre (worried): What is it?

I look at him but I don't answer.

Unknown: Gabin left for France 5 days ago but since then we haven't heard from him.

Me (shouting): What? What France?

Unknown: He left for Libya after he was going to take the boat from there but we have no news of him.

Me (screaming): No oooh what is my son ooh....

Pierre: But what is happening? Gabin has a problem?

Me: Sena you just killed me oh my son where are you?