Chapter 3 - The Separation

Herah soon gave birth to her first child, a baby girl she named Nikita. For the time being Raphael was too busy to be concerned about Chandani or his son for weeks at a time but, like a bad sickness, he was always there when she least expected it. He had made his presence know on numerous occasions at her job where he embarrassed her and also threatened her in front of her boss and co-workers who tried to take a stand for her but were also taken advantage of as Raphael was the law and could use his power however he so pleased. He made threats to have them all thrown into a jail cell as he would usually do to ascertain his authority and power over those who couldn't stand up to him.

One more year passed and Chandani grew to accept Raphael's torture to the point where it became ritual. He had developed a habit of either threatening to take me away, put her behind bars or in rare instances he actually did take me away to get back at her when she refused to give into him but I always seemed to end up back in her loving arms.

I would soon celebrate my second birthday and I got a small party thanks to my Uncle Barry who had planed the entire thing on his own and he even invited some kids so it would seem like a real party that any toddler would go crazy for. Once again, I got nothing from my father. No card, no "Happy Birthday". Just nothing. It never bothered me. I was a child and could care less for the material things that life had to offer.

Chandani soon lost her job as the store owner could no longer take Raphael's presence which seemed to scare everyone, including the customers. Guess Raphaelgot his wish. It seemd like it was his life's mission to make Chandani miserable and destroy what little she had of her life left. With a stroke of luck, she wasn't down for long. She soon got another job as a receptionist at a doctor's office. Everyone she met seemed to take a liking to her. She was a beautiful woman  who got along perfectly with everyone she met so no one could really blame her for her natural charm.

My third birthday soon approached and this time I got a few gifts from my father who tried to be a part of my life at this point. They were very expensive toys but still could not make up for the past three years my mother went without any support for pampers, milk, food, clothes and all the other things, especially love and support, that growing babies need.

I had recently started kindergarten school and my teacher immediately took a liking to me. She had said I was the most adorable child she'd come across. I remembered seeing my parents together a lot at this point which was never strange to me as I had no idea of what was really taking place these past three years. In my mind everything was ok. I had never met the dreaded Herah or her new born.

I continued school as normal and the last day I remember going seemed to register in my mind like it was only yesterday. The morning I remember my mother made breakfast for my brother Avidesh and I and she stopped at a nearby parlor and got us some juices and snacks before taking a taxi to drop my brother and myself. He was in primary school which is the "big kids" school. Or at least that's how I saw it. She let him out at his school and watched him enter the gates before she let the taxi continue and then she took me to my school and after, made her way to her work.

That evening I remember seeing my father at my school. He told the teacher he was taking me early and she let him. He was after all my father. He took me to his home town which was in another city. He got me some new clothes and took me to his home. I remember reaching there after sunset. I assumed his house had no electricity at the time because it was pitch black and there were candles in the room. I sat at the foot of his bed and I was introduced to Herah for the first time. She looked very young and had a protruding belly. She was now pregnant with her second child. I don't think she liked the idea of my father having me there because I was shuffled off to my sister, Nicolette's room, where she slept with her husband and her new born son Ayden. I heard the arguments that ensued after I entered my sister's room but she told me to try and get some sleep and to ignore what I heard. It was a long night. Cursing and shuffling. Glass breaking. I didn't feel the least bit safe. I must've eventually dosed off because the next day I was awakened by my sister who took me shopping for some clothes.

My mother had decided to get full custody of me by taking my father to court, as she was advised to do so after this incident. I really don't remember this much but I remember when my father had taken me without my mother's consent and had told me what to say in the courtroom for the days laeding up to the hearing and I did like any other child would. i did as I was told. I loved my father no matter how horrible he seems to be in this story. What child doesn't love their mother and father at this tender age? I didn't care or notice the things he did or never did for me. I was just happy when he and my mother were together or even when he was with me as he was usually absent in my life.

That day at court I told the magistrate what my father had told me to say. He asked if my mother used to beat me and  I said yes. I didn't know the consequences of those lies at the time. I remember after the court hearing running towards my mother and my father stopping me and picking me up. I guess he didn't keep me long because I was once again with my mother. Being back and fort seemed like an ongoing process but I really didn't know what to do except agree. This tug of war between my mother who desperately wanted her son and my father who seemed to always have the upper hand but never truly wanyted me.

I was once again with my father.

My second encounter with Herah seemed much nicer as she was very pleasant this time. She was in her home village at her mother's house in Brasso. I met a little girl, Nikita, who seemed to be a year and a few months younger than I was. I had no idea that she was my sister though. We got along well and played in the huge yard her Grandmother had. It was filled with lots of ducks and chikens as she often sold poultry as well.

I had now started staying with my father and I rarely saw my mother. I missed her a lot and I remember crying for her but my father was very gentle and always got me to stop crying. He seemed like a very loving man and he was. Herah had soon given birth to a second daughter she named Renata and eventually they moved in with my father. I don't think Nicolette and Herah agreed too often because I could see personally that my sister never liked or got along with her. They were always at each other's throats. I would soon find out why ...

Chapter 2 - The Escape

It was a joyous occasion as Diana had accepted a marriage proposal from her at the time boyfriend Rahil. The grand wedding took place without a hitch and went greater than expected as it was thought that Diana was never one to "settle down". Maybe she accepted because Rahil and his family came from money.

After a few short months Chandani decided that enough was enough and sought refuge at her sister, Mintra's home. Mintra was a married woman who lived a successful life with her husband Barry and her at the time eleven year old daughter Ameeka. No relationship is perfect however because it was rumored that she frequently cheated on her husband and had two abortions for the men she secretly saw. Chandani never got along perfectly with this particular sister but it was her only option being caught between a rock and a hard place. She spoke to Barry who willing tried to help her get away from her torture as he always had soft spot for her but Chandani never had a chance to speak to her sister as Mintra whom, at the time, was away on vacation visiting family abroad with her daughter. Barry lived a bachelor life even though he was married to Mintra. She never made time for him or even acted as his wife as she was always too busy with her fast lane life to ever include him. He frequently made advances to Chandani when they were alone but she was not determined to break up a marriage. Especially her sister's marriage. So she refused all his gifts. Even a proposal of a new home which would have been all that she needed to recover.

Mintra returned and discovered her sister Chandani at her home which immediately enraged her. The thought of her husband making decisions as hasty as this earned him a punch to his face but she eventually accepted and offered a helping hand while watching Barry nurse his bloodied nose. After all family is family. There was no difference at this residence as Chandani would soon learn to realise. She was nothing more than a maid as opposed to being a guest. She did the laundry, the cooking and the cleaning for everyone at the house and still tried her best to take care her of her two sons and maintain her new 9 to 5 job as a sales girl in a trendy clothing store. She was after-all grateful for whatever little help she had. No matter how bad the situation was. She kept telling herself, "things coould be worse" and indeed things could be worse as we will come to find ...

Raphael couldn't bare to lose her and loved the idea of stringing her along like a puppet along with his new prize Herah. He frequented Mintra's house and abused his power as an officer of the law and every time Chandani refused his advances he would threaten to have her thrown in jail and take the one thing that mattered to her the most, Me.

The time came when he no longer got through to her with his threats. This was when he became most enraged and resorted to kidnapping me from my mother. It was only two weeks before my first birthday. Chandani had no idea what to do. She was used to the abuse by now but never had she faced these problems. Especially battling to keep her child. She visited the police station where they advised her to make a report and immediately the officers responded and a warrant for Raphael's arrest was issued.

The day before my big day I was reunited with my mother and Raphael once again had bent the law to suit him so he was let off with nothing more than a mere pat on the back. Chandani could care less. She was happy to be reunited with her son and upon closer inspection of him saw what looked like a cigarette burn on his leg.

The following day I celebrated my first birthday. No cake. No ice cream. Just an ordinary day. Raphael returned to taunt my mother but this time he had something he was brandishing for me. A ripe Julie mango. It wasn't much. He probably didn't even buy it. Just plucked it off someone's tree and expected everything to be ok.

I really can't remember much from here. Maybe there wasn't much to remember except how Raphael tried to string Herah on one hand and my mother on the other. There is one important fact I should mention however. The fact that Herah was now a few months along and expecting her first child with Raphael. I would soon have one more brother or sister to add to the bunch of kids my father already had.