feelings about them. She was angry with Erik for taking such a long time in hiding the past to her and was happier to put the past behind her. She missed their zest for life. She was just getting to know them.
Twenty-nine
Naomi asked other tenants if they had remembered the elderly woman. They were not acquainted with the elderly woman and they weren't knowledgeable of Erik. It felt strange to Naomi that they were no longer in her life. Surely they were not a figment of her imagination nor was she going mad. Their sudden departures brought back the memories of losing her mum. Naomi felt she could get to closer to an older person since of mum went into care.
Naomi slumped backward into the wooden chair and wept uncontrollably. She was on the verge of losing her mind until a large ginger cat brushed against her legs and cried.
"Where have you come from?"
The ginger cat was not leaving until she poured out quarter of a pint of milk into a saucer. Naomi drew in a deep intake of breath and watched the cat gulped down the milk. She thought to herself the cat reminded her of the importance of helping others. She felt a burden had been lifted off her head. She telephoned Mantel to confirm if he was still coming around to see her after work.
The next day Mantel arrived at the flat as promised.
"Mantel, do you remembered seeing an elderly woman inside my kitchen?"
"No."
"She was an older woman who sat on the pine chair."
"Yes, I remembered her."
Naomi hugged Mantel. She was no longer insane. It was the first time that they had touched each other. They were hugging each other for a few seconds. The chemistry between them with the added smell of white musk and cologne had the potential to develop a sexually explosion. They both knew that intimacy between an unmarried couple was something that the church would frown upon and disapprove of which made them stop hugging each other. Mantel felt more embarrassed and confused. He had always loved Naomi but he had to do the right thing in the eyes of God. Naomi apologised to him for putting a man of the cloth in a difficult and delicate position. They both kept their distance.
"The woman was a messenger sent to you from God," said Mantel.
"She offered me godly wisdom and I will never forget her and Erik as long as I shall live," said Naomi.
"Why don't you stay for dinner, Mantel?"
"I love to stay but I have a meeting with the deacons."
"Please stay for a few more minutes."
"Okay."
"Do you know Jan has a crush on you?"
"I didn't know that. It's news to me."
"Can't you tell she is in love with you?"
"No."
"Why are men so useless when it comes to the affairs of the heart?"
"You two would make a lovely couple. Don't you think?"
"Are you becoming a matchmaker, Naomi?"
"I guess so. Jan is an attractive lady. Don't you think?"
"Yes" and "She would make a lovely bride."
"I never knew you like large ladies."
"I do like large women, Naomi."
"What's wrong with slim women?"
"They can't keep you warm in the winter."
"Why don't you marry a radiator?"
Naomi playfully threw the dish cloth at Mantel hitting him across his face. Mantel chuckled with laughter; he knew there was rivalry between Naomi and Jan for his affection. A half serious looking Naomi chased him around the table. It was quite hilarious. Naomi was unable to catch up with Mantel and she eventually ran out of steam and called a truce.
"Ouch. You are too sensitive and I was only joking with you, Naomi."
"You do like to be mothered?"
"Yes. I do like to be mothered from time to time."
"Do you want someone to cook your meals for you every day?"
"Oh yes."
"Jan is more of the mothering type than I am."
"She definitely is."
"Stop being a wimp man. It's never going to happen."
"What were you and Jan talking about upstairs at Phil's house? Jan seemed so much preoccupied with her work. Every time I asked her out for lunch she is far too busy. Were you talking to her about me?"
"Whatever gave you that idea? It was just girl talk. Beside, we have far better things to talk about than you."
"Like what?"
"It's none of your business and don't be so conceited."
"Jan seem so distance."
The clock chimed at 7.30 pm. The deacon meeting starts at 8.00 pm promptly. Mantel looked at his watch.
"It's that time. I need to leave you now or I will be late for the deacon's meeting."
"Before you go I want to be baptized and don't you dare laugh at me, Mantel."
"I think it is so wonderful that you want to be baptize?"
"I want to become a real Christian woman not a fake one."
"Why now."
"Over the last few weeks I have come to realise that there is emptiness in my life, without God love and his grace nothing else can fill that vacuum."
"You've certainly done some soul searching, haven't you, Naomi? Can we finish our conversation tomorrow evening, Naomi?"
"Sure."
"It looks like you have another visitor."
"Jayne, what are you doing here?"
"I was in the neighbourhood visiting a school friend and I had decided to come and see you."
"It's great to see you, Jayne" and "Do you always carry around your luggage with you?"
"I've left home and I'm not going back there. Can I stay here with you, Aunty Naomi?"
"You can stay here as long as you want to, Jayne. We must first let your mum know that you are safe."
"I don't want my mum to know that I'm here. She is a big fat lying whore."
"Your mum is no whore and don't be so rude, Jayne. She is the most beautiful woman I know."
"Why has she lied to me then?"
"Darling, your mum had her reasons for not telling you the truth. She did not want to worry you."
"She doesn't care about me, aunty."
"That's not true. Your mum and dad love you to bits."
"Why have she hidden the past from me?"
"In those days it was very difficult being a preacher's daughter. Everyone assumed that we were perfect little girls. We found it extremely hard to live up to our father's expectations."
"Mum kept her past private, aunty."
"Jill and I weren't saint. She smoked cigarettes outside of the school gate and we adorned ourselves with our friends' make-up against our dad wishes. Jill went out with the boys and drank far too much alcohol. We were both teenagers with a cause, challenging dad's authority. He was very crossed with our rebellious behaviour and smacked us with the palm of his hand. He thought we were bad girls wearing trousers and short skirts below the knees. He called us tramps and he said we wouldn't make good wives. Dad gave our brothers more freedom. He was a hypocrite in that respect."
"I didn't know mum smoked."
"Jill rebelled against her harsh upbringing and sought comfort from David. She became pregnant with you to escape dad's dominance and some of the community leaders questioned of our dad's authority in offering moral guidance to the church when he can't manage his own household. In response to the backlash from the community dad sent a heavily pregnant Jill away to Jamaica."
"Who cares about what the community thinks."
"Your mum not only left England in disgrace she left behind mum and I. Mum cried most nights and she was never the same again. I had lots of sleepless nights without Jill. We missed her terribly. Our once exuberance household was now one of mourning. I felt as if someone had died in our family. Dad deliberately kept away from the house working late at nights. He had become estranged from us. It was horrible living in our household without Jill. We were no longer a family."
"You haven't explained to me why mum is sometimes unhappy."
"Can't you see Jayne? Jill was protecting you from experiencing what she had suffered all thos
e years ago. She think that if she had told you the whole truth about your real dad it would have left her bringing back painful memories of her own departure from England."
"It must have been really scary for mum to leave her home at the tender age of 16."
"Yes. It certainty was a frightened experience for us all."
"Why can't mum be more like you, aunty?"
"Your mum is a lovely woman. She has been hardened by her past, Jayne."
"Mum is stubborn as a mule and she has a big bum."
"Be careful about calling Jill a donkey and your bum is not that small."
Jayne was a little tearful and agitated. She raised your voice and cried, "I hate myself. You are dead to me, aunty."
"What's wrong Jayne?"
"There is a boy called Jason who is in year 11 at my school. He teased me constantly about the size of my lips and nose. He called me fish lips."
"Real beauty is skin deep and it is linked to character. Jason is a young boy who is far too immature. He can't recognise beauty even when it hit him in the face. If I was you I would report him to your form teacher. He's such a loser."
"My teacher blanks me out completely. He doesn't deal with any issues. He wants me to teach other children at the school about the different cultures. The school is afraid to act against racism and bullying."
"I am not impressed with the school failure to act on anti-discriminatory policy, Jayne."
"My school employed no black teachers. There is only one black supply teacher in the whole school who is constantly being ridiculed by the white children."
"Why aren't boys more like Mantel, aunty?"
"They will be one day."
"He is a bit of alright for an older man. Isn't aunty?"
"Mantel is not in your age group and you would do better by keeping your eyes on your school books."
"He is not my type, aunty."
"What is your type, Jayne?"
"He must have a six pack and he would be tall