Raising Tasha

Mr. Money bags

Tasha's POV

This man Jerry was insane and incredibly lazy. He had given that cleaner man a lot of money to wash fruit? That was a lot of money even I could not tell how much it was I knew the value had to be high. Mommy had carried money like that one yesterday when we went to the market and we had bought a lot of things.

All of mommy's shopping got destroyed yesterday, she will be so devastated when she wakes up. Maybe if I had gone to wash the fruits Jerry man would have given me the money. I sighed at the lost opportunity, I could have finally been able to help my mother, just the thought made me feel terrible.

Growing I noticed how much my mother has been sacrificing for me, I maybe be five years old but I was neither blind nor deaf. I have grown up listening to neighbor's talk about us. Each one of them had their own version of event. I had witnessed mommy cry when neighbors talked but she always had to pretend to be strong. I want to help mommy but I don't know how.

The man sent to wash the fruits finally brings them back with a knife and plate. My stomach growls at the site embarrassing me in front of the handsome uncle, truth be told I had not eaten the dinner made by the hospital last night. I knew mommy needed it more than I did so I told her I was still from the food handsome uncle had bought me earlier. If she could go hungry for my sake I could do the same for her besides I had already had something to eat three time while mummy had not even drank water.

The fruits handsome uncle had bought smelled really good I was drooling. I was not going to take any of them till he promised that he had enough for mommy too, he was very thoughtful man. He had not even gotten angry when the bad nurse had called him my daddy. I knew he was not daddy though but maybe I did wish a little that he was. He had cared so well for mommy and I, no one had done that before. Mommy had always said that it was just the two of us against the world.

I watch Jerry peeling the fruit, it looks like he has never done this before but we was doing it now for me and mommy bringing a smile to my face.

"Ouch!" I hear yelp bringing me out my thoughts, the foolish man had nicked his finger with the knife and it was bleeding. He was looking cute eyes wide open in panic, a grown man scared of blood.

I took his hand dragging him to the adjacent bathroom to clean it chuckling when he winced in pain. "Such a baby," I could not stop myself from making fun of him. "Why did you try to peel them if you didn't know how to? Mango peels are edible too you know. I could have just eaten them"

"Why would someone it mango peels? Its disgusting!" He replies while making a face showing just how much the thought appalled him.

"What? The peels makes you full faster." I do not understand what may have triggered him in my answer but now he was looking at me with pity. I had that look, our bad nosy neighbors used to do that before they made mommy cry.

"Is that a problem? I have always eaten them, mommy also says they are healthy and I enjoy them," I feel the urge to defend myself. I then put a band aid on his finger when we get back into the room before reaching for the mango he had been mutilating. He had cut off chucks of flesh in some places and left the peel in some but I was too hungry to care.

I could not help but sigh in happiness, I last had fruits on my birthday last year those thing were a little costly and were not essential there were more important things to spend on. I had learnt that earlier in life, back then I would ask mommy to buy me things and she would end up crying so I knew to appreciate what we had and not ask for more.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" Jerry asked breaking the silence.

"Rich! I want to rich," I answered seriously earning me a laugh but I did not think I had said anything funny.

" I meant for a job, what do you want to do?" he amended  his question.

"Anything that makes me rich that is what I will do. I want to be rich so I can help mommy." Money did run the world, those that had it could do anything they wanted and lived in luxury while those that lacked lived in poverty like mommy and I. If I become rich the mommy could live well and would never have to grow hungry again.

"Handsome uncle why are you crying, real men don't cry." I had heard one of our numerous neighbors tell his son that and he was seven and handsome uncle is man too so he should not cry too. 'Was his finger hurting again?' I thought as I moved forward to blow on it. Mommy always does that when I hurt even though it never helps.

I was not prepared for a hug but Jerry gives me one anyway, only mommy gives me hugs but now Jerry was crying while giving me one too. It feels good. I like hugs, they are warm and they make happy. 

"The you have to go to school and work hard so that you can become rich for mommy ok?" he says releasing me the ruffling my hair. 

"I promise," I vow raising my hand like a girl scout, handsome uncle is rich so I did not not doubt anything he said he may have also studied hard. 

I will work hard for mommy. I will become rich.