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JENNIFER'S POV•
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I was kindly waiting for my dad to step out of the house too as my eyes was filled with tears.
"No, tell me it's not true" I muttered with a low voice as tears began dripping down from my eyes and I quickly rushed the grave and fell on it.
"No! dad am sorry, I was never expecting something like this! I'm sorry for not coming back home to protect you! am so sorry!" I muttered as tears keep streaming down my face.
I breathes out heavily as I kept staring at the grave while tears keep streaming down from my eyes.
After crying bitterly my eyes catch up with my younger sisters who were looking at me standing at the door.
I began to wonder why they didn't rush me and at least hug me instead of looking at me.
When I looked up to them they entered back into the house without minding me and I knew that they might be upset with me.
I understand, I was so foolish that I left my family for so long without returning home but what's that supposed to be the cause of my dad's death? of course no.
It wasn't supposed to be and beside I spoke with my dad just 2 weeks ago so I'm not to be blamed at all because I thought everything was alright.
It was just two weeks absent of calls which made me feel so uncomfortable so I have to return home to know how my dad is doing and why he hasn't been calling for the past weeks like he use to.
However I picked up my hand bag and ran inside the house.
Getting inside my eyes was filled with tears, the beautiful home I left was all messed up.
Look at the kind of clothes my little sisters are putting on, it's all torn and has holes on them.
And the house is no longer looking healthy, but I don't understand what's going on, was this supposed to happen just within two weeks?
My sisters was seating on different couches, no one was seating close to each other as if they had issues among themselves and none of them was happy to see my face.
This is not my sister's I use to know, my sister's that I know will always be happy to see me come back home.
Once they sight me stopping at the compound with the taxi they will turn it into a race of who will be the first person to hug me.
But what happened now? why the sudden change on them?
So I kept looking at them as I was so much depressed.
"Lilian?" I called on the one am directly senior to and she didn't answer and so I looks at the others.
"Birdie? Yulia?" I called and none of them was ready to answer me they pretended like they didn't even hear my voice.
"I thought you guys would be happy to see me?" I said as Lilian interrupted immediately.
"Happy to see you! like seriously we should be happy to see you! Jennifer?" She said as she stands up and approached me looking into my face.
"And why are we supposed to be happy to see you? for what reason? where were you when we needed you?" Lilian asked as tears began streaming down from her face.
While I as well was waving my head with a burning heart "Lilian how do you expect me to know that you guys are in danger when you didn't contact me?" I asked with a guilty and cracked voice.
"And why did you not wait till I call you before you can come back home? why did you come back then?" Birdie said as I stared at her in surprise and she continues.
"You could have keep waiting for us to call you before you will know that we are your responsibility whether dad is present or not
"So you should have waited instead of coming home or did any of us call you to inform you? because I have no idea that they did!" My last born, Birdie, said as I stares at her in surprise.
I mean the little girl that knows nothing apart from food and toys have even witnessed a life that she can speak in such a sad manner.
I was left looking at her with my mouth widely open and my heart heavy like a stone.
"You left to school and then you forgot that you have sisters and your dad! you forgot us all!" Birdie said as I knees down in tears and touches her cheeks.
"Oh my little goddess, I'm very sorry but dad is aware of my long stay, I always inform him that I am not coming back home, I haven't forgotten you guys! dad knows" I said as she pushes my hand away from her cheeks.
"Yes dad knows, the Dad you are talking about died about a year now! and there was no sign of you, no call! you did nothing! you forgot us here so that hunger will kill us!" She was still saying as interrupted her.
"Birdie! that's not true, I have been talking with dad for the past few weeks I swear, I spoke to him about two weeks ago"
"It was recently that I discovered that he was no longer picking up my calls and so I have to come back home, what are you guys talking about?" I asked looking at my sisters.
"One thing about you Jennifer is that you are full of lies! dad died a year ago, we tried all we can to reach you but your line is always busy" Yulia said but I am not understanding what they are talking about.
My line has always been on and I'm receiving calls with it so what are they talking about.
"Am very sure you did block our numbers" Yulia accused but I defended myself even it looks like it's true.
"No, that can never be me, I never blocked dad's number? come on you guys have to believe me, why do I have to do that?" I responded.
"Does it matter? does it change the fact that you left us to die here? all the works was all upon Lilian, she provides and care of us with any possible means she can"
"If it wasn't for her, maybe you could have returned home and you wouldn't find us at all, or you would find us at grave just like you saw dad or you may probably found our dead bodies inside this house" Birdie said as i reacted.
"I reject that! you girls are all that I have left now, don't say like that, come here my little princess" I said as I drags her closer to myself and hugs her.
Then I looks up to my other sisters with a sorrowful look on my face, I'm very sure that they can see how sorry I am.
"Yulia and Lilian I think there is no need arguing or fighting for who the blame should be on, I accept the blame, I should be the one to be blamed for whatever happened"
"And I want you guys to understand that I am sorry, I know it might be hard for you to forgive me but what can I say?"
"What else can I say? apart from am sorry?" I said with tears in my eyes as the both of kept on looking at me.
Then I looks up to my little kiddo, Birdie, "Birdie...?" I called on her name with my two palms on her cheeks as she widens her eyes in response.
"What do you have to say to big sis?" I asked as she smiled.
"I have forgiven you, I really missed you and the most important thing is that you are here now but you have to promise me one thing" Birdie said and without hesitation I was willing to hear her out.
"Tell me, what do you want me to promise you I can already guarantee you that I have promised you whatever you it is" I replied as she smiles.
"I just I want you to promise me that you will never leave me ever again! promise me that you will never leave us again" She said as I smiled with tears and she wiped off my tears with her lil hand putting more reason to be happy on my face.
"I promise! I promise that I will never leave you again, I will always be here to protect you and your sisters" I said as she smiles and hugs me and then I looks up to Yulia and Lilian.
And it seems that they are never ready to forgive me I don't know what else to tell them so I slowly stood up to my feet looking at them.
While Birdie was just looking at us and so I approached Lilian.
"Am grateful that you are strong enough to take care of them, that means that you are a strong woman!"
"And I'm very sure that dad will be proud of you wherever he is now" I said as tears rolls down from her eyes as she was blinking her eyes.
I can see her trying to hold the tears but she can't just control it.
"And I equally want to let you know that I am sorry for everything that happened, and I am equally grateful for your great work on our sisters, you have done really well Lilian" I said as she hugs me immediately and I can hear her voice in my ear crying out.
I knew that her heart is soaked with tears and she was trying to bear it.
And after her I looked up to Yulia who didn't hesitate to hug me immediately and so Lilian hug me again.
Birdie equally joined as we give each other a family hug.