Dysfunctional Family - Season 1 - Episode 7

Episode 4 years ago

Dysfunctional Family - Season 1 - Episode 7

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As the term drew to a close, Lubesha and Alice studied hard for their end of term tests while all Amos did was play soccer with his friends. The trio finally sat for their tests and when the results were given to them on closing day, Amos came out second last in his class while Alice came out fifth and last but not the least, Lubesha came out first! Donald was impressed with both Alice and Lubesha just as much as he was disappointed in Amos.
They were in the car headed home when Donald said, “Alice and Lubesha, I’m super impressed by your phenomenal performances so I’ll get you presents.”
“Really?” asked Alice excitedly.
“Yes..really. Just mention anything you’d like.”


She sheepishly said, “There’s this birthday party am invited to next month, I’d like you to buy me a pretty dress.”
Donald smiled, girls and women at large never ceased to amaze him with their needs and wants. “Consider that dress already in your closet.”
“Thanks..you the best Dad ever!”
“Oh please,” groaned Amos who was sulking because he so wanted a gift which he knew his Dad wasn’t going to buy for him. When Donald noticed Lubesha was quiet, he said, “What shall I get you, Lubesha?”
“Nothing…you’ve done so much for me already so I don’t want anything.”
“You sure?” The boy smiled in assurance. “Yes.”
I’m still going to get you something, Donald decided.
Silence.


Amos decided to utilize the silence and try his luck. “Um..Dad?”
“Yes?”
“Am I not getting a present too?”
“What for? To encourage your failure? Are you even listening to yourself, Amos?” Donald was infuriated but tried his best to keep calm as he was driving. “The only gift you are getting is being grounded..and I mean it.”

“But Daddy-”
“Don’t you daddy me, boy! The problem is your mother spoils you a lot!”
And so it happened that Amos was grounded the whole holiday. The trio had holiday tuitions and Lubesha treasured every minute he spent away from Juliet just as much as he dreaded and hated every minute he spent in her presence. Her hatred towards him never seemed to be going away any time soon. She continued mistreating him while he continued to accept that was his fate. Donald did buy Alice the dress she so wanted and for Lubesha he bought a camera. He’d asked Alice to ask Lubesha what his aspiration in life was.

“Just don’t let him know I sent you, baby girl.” he had emphasized.
“Noted,” Alice had nodded.

She later knocked on Lubesha and Amos’ bedroom door and Lubesha who was inside studying told her to go in. “Is studying the only thing you know how to do?”
“No..I can play male maid quite perfectly too.”

The solemn expression on his cousin’s face forced him to hurriedly apologize. “Am sorry..that came out wrong.” “It’s fine..can I sit beside you?”

“Sure,” Lubesha moved aside and left some space for Alice on the small carpet where he slept and studied from as Amos wanted him far away from his (Amos’) bed. “What’s up?” “Nothing much, really. You’ve been here for three months now and I just wanna get to know you better, Lubesha. For starters, what would you like to become when you grow up?”

He really hadn’t thought about that not until Alice mentioned so he said, “I honestly don’t know but I think journalism would do…more like a reporter. Like my dad was.”
“I see…that’s an interesting ambition, cousin. Myself, I would like to one day become a model. Yeah, wish me some luck,” she lowly said.

“Just have faith, Alice. And work hard.”
“You too.”

They hugged.

That’s how Donald decided to buy him a camera. “A camera, uncle? What will I be using it for?”
“Business,” Donald joked as he handed the camera to Lubesha who loved the gift but wondered what he was going to use the camera for. “Business? I don’t wanna become a camera man!”

Donald laughed. “Come on..not only camera men use cameras. You’ll figure something out anyway.” Schools opened and and few weeks into the term, Lubesha’s class was given an assignment by their English teacher Mrs. Sikwati.

“So for this composition assignment,” she said to the class. “I need you all to either write a story based on the following titles..” she wrote the titles on the board. “Or a report.”

And Lubesha picked a report. During break time, as Lubesha and his friend Carlos were heading out of the class to go grab something to eat from the tack shop, two girls began exchanging bitter words over someone spilling juice on the other’s book and a fight later broke out.
Lubesha quietly took his camera out of his bag and took pics of the two girls pulling each other’s hair while several people attempted to separate them.

“What are you doing?” Carlos asked Lubesha as they sat at the playgrounds during lunch later that day. “Am writing a report on Cleopatra and Nancy’s fight…people gave false accounts to our class teacher, Carlos. They were all in favour of that Cleopatra because everybody likes her which is unfair to Nancy..I’ll vindicate her.” “By writing an account of what happened? Wow..you never cease to amaze me, bro.”

Lubesha smiled, took out a notepad and pen from his bag and started writing the report.
Two days later, the report was complete with pictures of the fight attached to it.

Lubesha followed Mrs. Sikwati to the staff room to go give her his assignment.
“I’m sorry I took long to complete it,” he said while handing the report to her. “I hope the delay was worth it though, Pondamali my boy.”

“I hope so too, madam.”
Since she had books to mark, Mrs. Sikwati tossed the report aside and continued marking books. She only came to read the report when she had free time an hour later and to say she was marvelled by the clear account Lubesha had depicted through words is an understatement. She knew then that Lubesha had a bright career and future ahead of him, God willingly.

Only a month was left for the second term to come to an end and Carlos and Lubesha were seated in the playgrounds working on their math homework when Amos turned up, his two friends rallying behind him.
“If it isn’t our dog,” Amos smirked, looking down at his cousin.
His two friends laughed.

“What do you want?” asked Lubesha politely. Amos had a tendency of mocking his cousin at school and everywhere else but Lubesha was good at enduring all that Amos threw at him but he was in a bad mood today because he hadn’t done well in the previous math test. “Don’t you use that tone with me, stupid. Do you have your camera right now?”

“Yeah..why?”
“I want you to take pics of my friends and I.”

“Okay, let me just finish what am doing.” “Did you hear that? I, Amos Musongo, should wait for the mighty Lubesha Pondamali to finish whatever the hell he’s doing?” Amos sarcastically said to his friends, “Like seriously?”

With rage, he grabbed both Carlos’ and Lubesha’s books and ripped them to shreds. “When I say something, you better do it right there and then!”

Carlos and Lubesha sprung to their feet. Carlos quietly said, “It’s so childish of you to reap our books, Amos or whatever your name is.” “I know right?” Lubesha agreed. “But what can we expect from a spoilt mama’s boy? Anyway, let’s go.”


They were about to go when Amos rudely shoved them back. “This ain’t home, Amos. Besides, the camera is mine so I have every right to refuse to take pics of spoilt brats like yourselves.” Lubesha didn’t intend to say all that but he was angry and his anger got the better of him. “Did you just say the camera is yours?” laughed Amos with mockery. “My God, you’re a joke! My father bought that camera so you have no claim over it! You wanna claim something as yours, I suggest you go dig your mama and papa up and ask them to buy it for you! Guys,” he faced his friends. “Let’s go.”
Ok he had had it! “Amos,” called Lubesha, more dangerously than quitely.


“What?” Amos rudely replied and as he turned, he was welcomed by a harsh punch, then another and another.
As Amos fell to the ground, Lubesha pounced upon him and sat atop him. Punching every part of Amos’ face he could get his hands on. “That’s for dragging my Late parents into this!”


Half an hour later, Amos who had a black eye and Lubesha who had a split lip were kneeling before the head teacher in his office while Carlos and both of Amos’ friends sat on the same couch awaiting Donald and Juliet who had been summoned to the school.
“My baby!” exclaimed Juliet as soon as she was inside the office. She rushed to hug Amos. “God, what did this little devil do to you?” “He started the fight,” chorused Carlos. “He sure deserved getting his a-s beat.”
“You’ll be punished for using vulgar language in my office, Carlos.” said the head teacher placidly and then. “Kindly take a seat, Mr. and Mrs. Musongo.”
“Thank you.”


The couple sat and all five boys were asked by the head teacher to one by one give an account of what had caused the fight. “Not that am in favour of anyone, Mr. and Mrs. Musongo, but I think Amos was wrong when-”

“Hey!” snapped Juliet as she held up a dismissive hand. “It doesn’t matter who was wrong here..what matters is this little devil almost killed my son! Have you seen how brutally rearranged his face looks?”
“Your son who happens to be older than the so called little devil,” uttered Donald sarcastically.


“Whose side are you on?” Juliet asked him with a glare.
He shrugged. “No one’s.”

Juliet was about to retort but for the head teacher clearing his throat. “You all know fighting is not condoned at this school but seeing as am in a good mood today, I’ll just suspend the two boys for two weeks. They’lL only come back to sit for the exams. And I believe two weeks is time enough for them to resolve their differences seeing as they live under the same roof.” “That’s not fair! Only Lubesha was supposed to get suspended..expelled even! My son has been at this school for 9 years and this is the first time such an ugly thing is happening. Can’t you read between the lines, mister head master?” “Honey..” Donald pinched her. “Calm down.”


“You know am supposed to expel both of them for fighting, right? Anyway, the Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree so all I ask is you people kindly evacuate my office cause I’ve got other work to attend to.”
Donald apologetically said, “Am sorry for the trouble my kids have caused you, Sir. I’ll make sure some sense is pumped into them. I’ll talk to both of them.” “You better do.”

“I can’t believe this,” Juliet stood. Donald’s calm was getting on her last nerve so she grabbed Amos by the arm and almost spat at Lubesha’s face but withdrew. “You’ll find me at home, Lubesha.”


Her tone alone told him he was in hot soup. Hand in hand, Juliet and Amos rudely exit the office.


Donald looked at Lubesha’s terrified face and deeply felt for the boy. What could he do to help him?


Maybe it was high time he put his workmate’s advice into consideration and took Lubesha to a boarding school.