This is a snippet to book four of this series...
enjoyyyyy....
"And the winner, of The Girl Child Representative Award goes to..."
There was a silent and lengthy pause pregnant with anticipation, everyone knew the name they would call next... it's the same name they had been calling for the past fifteen years.
So, it wasn't a matter of 'who was gonna win it', it was a matter of 'why they were taking so long to call her name'.
She watched her mother straighten her back as she sat like a rod of elegance had been fixated in her spine followed by her routinely patting down of her dress even though it was as smooth as a wooden table that had been finished with lacquer.
It was obvious that her mother was going to win the award yet again, among every other competitor her achievements were the most remarkable let alone the backstory to her movement.
It was going to take a while before anyone else would take the baton from her who had run the race for fifteen years and was still running.
"... Miss Iris Jules Shawn!!!" the orator yelled and as usual it was followed by an uproar of praises.
Her mother wore the brightest smile and slightly tussled her head to rearrange her bangs and rolls, squared her shoulders and began the walk down the aisle to the podium.
The thunderous applause kept resounding including that of her daughter, Louisa was very proud of her mother's growth after so many years especially how she channeled her energy for the better good of the society.
There were very few who were able to do that, and that was what she kept fighting for that always placed her at the top of the relevance table.
The moment she was on the stage it was their cue to pause their excitement for the meantime to permit her deliver her speech.
"It is indeed an honor to be on this stage once again, representing a culture that matters the most to me... but tonight we are not celebrating me, we are celebrating thousands of victims we have been able to deliver from the shadow they had created for themselves in the past years, we are representing the women who had been manipulated by their own emotions that had been brought to the light, we are standing here for those whose heart weren't strong enough to fight for themselves." She started and everyone listened intently while Louisa recorded on her phone.
The cameras from the paparazzi clicked ever so frequently that it was a wonder how the lights weren't blinding to Miss. Iris's eyes on the stage, perhaps it was all because she was already used to it.
Years in front of the media is really a force to reckon with.
"Being a victim of all forms of abuse and the aftermath trauma, I can only say you would never know how it is to fit in their shoes unless the shoe becomes yours. If I hadn't gotten help, I may have still been in my black hole and that is why I fight to be the help to those who do not realize they need it and those who desperately seek for it. Being rewarded for it is an extra push to my motivational cart and I pray that this cause would grow in strength and in valor. Thank you once again, I love you all."
The applause continued again and then songs began blasting through the speakers, indicating the event had been called to an end by the award.
Her mother walked down the stage and began heading straight for the back door with security officials walking hastily to guard her back as she left the hall followed by the media crew for various series of interviews.
They had been certain that her mother was going to win so they had organized an after party back at the house where everyone who was regarded as friends, family and probably some interview houses were allowed to attend.
She had said she had a big announcement for everyone present and perfectly everyone took the bait.
Louisa was already aware of what the announcement was and she wasn't really a fan of huge scenes so she managed to cover her face with her brown locks of hair and snuck out through one of the side doors where her car was parked.
The moment she was out the hall and into her vehicle, she released a loud sigh of relief that she was successful without any one stalking her for photos or juicy bits for the papers and revved her engine.
She had somewhere else she had intended to visit for the day.
She sat at the other side of the window and patiently waited as the room radios hummed a lovely piano piece that she was actually enjoying.
Soon enough the metal door on the other side screeched open and Her father walked into the room in his orange uniform and handcuffs on his wrist that was being released by the policeman who had escorted him into the room.
"You have thirty minutes" the policeman said and jammed the door behind him while her father took a seat.
"Your mother said you should stop seeing me" He started with a playful look in his eyes and a taunting smile.
His expression caused her to chuckle slightly as she slides the cup of banana smoothie, she had gotten him through the only opening in the window.
"I won't tell her if you won't" she said as he pushed the cup closer to his side.
"Bribe accepted" he replied and the two of them burst into some seconds of soft laughter.
"How have you been?" Louisa asked him as she noticed his stubble had gotten a lot more prominent and his eye bags larger since the last time they had seen each other.
"Some guy named Ed in there told me he wanted to be a better person and strangling people and I agreed to help... turns out he was looking for a Black Friday where clothes would be hundred percent off and nope...." Hunter narrated and she caught on to the meaning so quick that she laughed so nard her throat began to hurt.
"But how... how did you...?" she managed to stutter in between her rounds of laughter.
"Don't ask me how I found out, I beg you" he answered and it only evoked more laughter on her end.
He waited for her to calm down a bit before asking her his own question, "What about you? How have you been?"
She wasn't expecting the question yet because she didn't know if she was ready to answer that.
She had some news for him that he might not find favorable at the moment but she decided to start with something else.
"I got a new job, from a soccer player. Well, his manager that is... I haven't met him in person but I am to present it to them on the day of his club transfer and I'm quite excited!" she said enthusiastically and her father couldn't help but smile at the joy her face expressed when she spoke about her job as an artist.
Whether she got a new paint brush or a new six B pencil, she was always so excited to share it with him and it was these little moments that made the rest of his life worthwhile.
His dad had been discharged a month ago and his days had been more lonely than normal asides days she stopped by.
"That is amazing, when is the club transfer?"
"In like a week, his name is Colby Dannison. Have you heard of him?"
Hunter's eyes lit up because he was very well aware of who Colby Dannison was "You're kidding!" he yelled after a very dramatic gasp.
"Dad stop that and no I'm not" she said with a brush of laughter and tons of smiles because once again his reaction was hilarious.
"I'm proud of you baby girl" he said genuinely from his heart.
"Thanks Dad..." she started and knew it was time to break the news to him.
"Mom got an award today..." she continued and paused to see his reaction.
"That's great, congratulations to her" he said and still genuinely meant it.
"She's also pregnant and getting married soon." Louisa finally dropped the bomb.
This was the big announcement her mother wanted to make at the after party, she felt the need to tell him first before he heard it from the TV which he definitely would because news would obviously spread fast.
'Victim of rape and abuse from the past glorious McConnell family finds love again'
She could already picture the headlines and she was sure he did too because the look on his face could spell the word heartbroken at least fifty times.
"That's... that's, that's great too. I am happy for her."
This time, his voice came cracked and his demeanor had changed
But that didn't stop him from still enjoying his minutes with his daughter, they actually did a lot of gossiping within thirty minutes.
The door behind Her father opened once again and it was the policeman.
"Times up" he said.
Hunter looked to his little daughter who was now so grown up and smiled. "Thank you for always spending time with me" he said with so much gratitude and a lil tear in his eyes.
"Its nothing" she said, trying not to miss him already.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out two beaded bracelets and handed them over to her "I made one for you and you mom but I guess she won't be taking the second one now so you can keep it as a double token" a sad smile braced his lips as he said those words but he knew he had no rights to be.
"Thank you dad" she said sliding them on her wrists as soon as she got hold of them "They're beautiful"
This wasn't the first time he was gifting she and her mom something like this, but the first three times her mother threw the earring, keychain and even handmade origami into the bin and warned her to never visit her father again.
So she decided to not just show her any gifts he had sent to her.
"I love you baby" were his final words as he blew her a kiss and the policeman hurled him away like the prisoner her was.
"I love you too" she shouted with tears stinging her eyes.
But she had to be strong.
As usual.
A/N
what do you think of this chapter?
thank you for reading... i love you all