100 Days With Mr Romero

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The snow was falling, it was a cold morning and little Gideon ran to the living room. He was the first to wake up that morning. Last night which was Christmas Eve, he had prayed to Santa to fix his family. Nanny Grace walked pass the living room and saw little Gideon admiring the well decorated Christmas tree. Poor Gideon she thought as there were no gifts below the giant Christmas tree. Mr. and Mrs. Romero could not get Christmas gifts for the boy? Little Gideon’s nanny Grace an elderly woman of about fifty asked herself. She went back to her room and came back hiding a package behind her. “Merry Christmas Romero junior.” She whispered from behind. He turned around, gave a cheerful smile and said “Merry Christmas Nanny.” He sat facing her. “I have a gift for you Romero.” She said handing him a small package. “I know its small but it will contain large beautiful things.” She had told him. “Don’t worry Romero. I am sure your parents have something special for you. Let them come down first.’ She assured the boy even though she wasn’t sure if his parents actually got something for him. “I don’t need any gift from them Nanny.” Little Gideon had told her. “I just wish mommy, daddy and I get to spend more time together and I hope they get to attend my school shows too. Santa will take care of that.” He confidently stated leaving his nanny marveling.

And after Christmas, little Gideon was disappointed in Santa for failing to work the magic. His parents became more distant from him and he barely saw his father. When he had an Easter party at school, Gideon wasn’t sure whether his father would turn up but he was sure his mother would and she will admire him in his egg dress he thought. But none of them showed up except for Nanny Grace who came immediately after the play ended. When they got home, he confronted his mother trying to register his complaint but she screamed at his face yelling because she was pissed after the quarrel she had that day with his father and thus, he became a victim of transferred aggression that day. Gideon ran to his room and locked his door wetting his sheet with tears and after much plea from his nanny, he opened the door and she hugged him telling him everything will be fine but rather things became worse.

When he went out to play with the kids in the neighborhood, Little Gideon will always wished he had a little one to call a sibling. Someone he would protect from the older kids, someone he could share his toys with, and someone who would be his best buddy. Sometimes, little Gideon will wonder what his young life will be without Nanny Grace. She bought him birthday presents, cared for his broken ankle and helped him fix his toys whenever they were broken. One day little Gideon asked his nanny “Do you think mommy and daddy will ever have time for me?” of course my boy.” She told him but they didn’t. He remembered following his father to events during the day when he would be pulled out from behind for a formal introduction. “Meet Gideon Romero jnr.’ His father will say and his father’s friends and colleagues will pat him on the back, flip his hair and smile but inwardly, he never really felt like a son.

Gideon’s childhood agony took a deferent dimension when his father died. Gideon was nine back then and he was told his father had gone to heaven never to return again. Of course Gideon knew what death was and he cried uncontrollably at his father’s funeral. Then, his mother became something else. She would lock herself in her room and cry all day. Gideon would knock and when he started to sob in front of her door, Nanny Grace will come and take him way and cuddle him. His mother became thinner and her bloodshot eyes whenever she came downstairs made Gideon uncomfortable. She began to drift farther away from the boy till she became out of reach.

Sometimes, his mother will stare blankly at the wall and his nanny will come down with his mother’s meal untouched. Then Gideon never got to know why but Nanny Grace didn’t show up one day, then for weeks and he never saw her again. One day, his mother told him his nanny will never come over again and Gideon cried all night. His heart was broken and his mother wouldn’t tell him why the nanny was gone for good. Sometimes, he wondered whether she died and no one told him. Shortly later, Gideon was sent by his mother to a boarding school. He then thought of how he overcame bullies in high school, how he almost drifted from his study during his university days and how he built his business. He wouldn’t take a penny from his mother to establish his business. He took loans, worked hard and became the man he dreamt of.

After Gideon had Ryan with Emma, he had vowed to give his child all the fatherly affection he was robbed off. He promised himself that his son will be his best friend in life and he was looking forward to guiding him through life. Gideon would drop Ryan at school when he got the chance and feed him at home. He played with Ryan and will dress him at times. Ryan’s first words when he began speaking were Dada and he and Emma will joke about how he stole the baby’s love from her. When Ryan tells him “I love you dada.” Gideon will smile with gladness because he never told his dad he loved him that often. Ryan is now no more and Gideon continues to grief over the fact that he lost his child, his only child without giving him half the life he had planned for.