One Night

By Dan Daniel Odia Bambabu

A spellbinding, emotional and powerful tale of a dream deferred, sexual assault, murder, and powerful love
Kimia, a young girl whose only dream is to become a pharmacist, is invited to a party by her best friend.
While everybody seems to be having a good time at the party, Kimia meets the man of her life who changes her whole life trajectory. The next thing she knows's her life will never be the same, not after Bill breaks into it. And as things go from bad to worse, Kimia is compelled to "live her hell with her eyes wide open".
Will Kimia ever be free from Bill or her nightmares will last forever?

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jun 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098311148

Book preview

Freedom!

PART

ONE

 Introduction 

Childhood Dream

"Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly."

— Langston Hughes

This academic year feels like the longest one ever. The month of May seems to be lasting forever and the crazy part is that we’re only on the fifteenth, so we’ve got sixteen more days to go. I feel like the closer I get to graduation, the longer the years become. College is my ultimate goal; in fact, it’s always been, from an early age. I know I still have two more years before graduation, but I’m already looking forward to college.

People frequently say to me: You’re still young, so don’t rush things. When the right time arrives, you can think about college, but now isn’t the right time. No, I’m not rushing things, I’m just getting ready for them! The most curious or the most single-minded people tend to annoy me with the What do you want to be when you grow up? game that I hate playing.

Nowadays, people want to know who you’ll be before even knowing who you are at the moment. I can tell from their curious eyes that they expect an answer from me like they’d get from all those millennial girls, who want to be like Beyoncé or other television stars, or even be like their parents. But, that’s not my case.

A pharmacist is what I always wanted to be. I fell in love with Chemistry when I was about five. In my life, I prioritize God, my family, chemistry, and then me.

We live in a world where people don’t respect you until you graduate from college, my father used to reiterate every morning before I headed out to school.

Oh my God! I can already picture myself on my first day at UTSA, The University of Texas at San Antonio. I know my mother always wanted me to go straight to UIW, The University of the Incarnate Word, like her uncle that I have never seen, but I’d already made my choice in my freshman year of high school. Everyone makes his or her own choice, right?

I, with my little backpack, enter the prestigious chemistry classroom. The professor has a long beard as if he’s never shaved in his life. He drills me about analytics, and I answer him as best I can. It turns out I give all the right answers to all his questions, so he congratulates me and encourages the whole audience to applaud me.

Heey! Wake up, it’s already 7:00. The sun’s rays hit my eyes. Who interrupts my beautiful dream? I open my eyes and see Danny’s big lips next to my bed, his hands holding the curtains on my window. Danny is my one and only brother, the love of my life. All my sixteen years of life have been marked by his presence. I don’t know what it’s like to live without him or far from him.

Danny! I shout in a sleepy voice and gaze at the clock behind him. It’s half-past six. Can you please let me sleep a little?

Your clock hasn’t worked for more than a week; we’ve gotta change the batteries. Look who has no idea about her own clock? he laughs.

Now I know why I always get up at half-past six, but my mother always yells at me for being late. I open my eyes wide and notice that the second hand on the clock doesn’t move. Please, Danny, give me just two more minutes!

Honestly, getting ready for school doesn’t take me more than fifteen minutes. You know, a head thinking about complex chemical reactions doesn’t tolerate many mascaras or other makeup.

Mom’s calling you, he insists.

Honey! I hear my mother’s bossy voice coming from downstairs. Come and get your breakfast. Then go straight to the shower!

The whole house smells like omelets. If I’m ever asked who makes the best omelets in the entire world, I’d answer without a second of hesitation that it’s my mother. Although I’ve never tasted others, I know she’s the best.

Urgh! Coming, Mom! I pick myself up so lazily that by the time my flat butt gets completely off the bed, Danny’s already out of sight.

The house hears the sounds of my steps coming down the stairs. Morning, Mum. I hug her from behind since her head and her whole front is fixed on these omelets.

Good morning, baby. How was your night? she mutters. She asks me this question every morning and I give her the same answer every time.

Good! How was… I gasp loudly when I notice a San Antonio Spurs jersey teasing me from the dining room. I can’t help but go closer and check it out. I reach the dining room and it turns out to be Danny’s dirty shirt on the dining table. Yup! On the dining table. That’s the absent-minded Danny that I know, so I throw it off the table and plop myself on one of the four chairs. How was yours?

Very good, thank you for asking. Did you have a dream or something? she asks.

I knew this question was next. My mouth almost says no, but then I remember my morning dream that Danny interrupted. But if I say yes, I’ll have to tell her. Anyway, she knows that my biggest dream has always been to go to college.

The smell of omelets hits me so hard that, now that they’re in front of me, my mouth automatically closes. It’s time to eat, not to speak.

As we remain quiet in the dining room, I hear Danny’s steps coming down the stairs, pretending to be ready for school. Really, Danny? Not even five minutes? I know my father always tells us that getting ready to go out in less than five minutes is a secret that only men know, but Danny has taken it too far, seriously. I wonder if he even took a shower!

Who threw my shirt on the floor? he shouts while picking it up.

I did, I chuckle. You’re not going to wear that, are you?

That’s none of your business, Mrs. Perfect, he jeers, taking his plate to sit next to Mom. Where’s Dad?

At work. He said he’ll be here tonight for dinner, my mother whispers.

This is the thirtieth time he’s promised that, Danny mumbles with his mouth full of eggs.

Mom rolls her eyes but doesn’t say anything. I nod. Yeah, he’s right. My father, just like all the other fathers in the family, I guess, leaves the house every day in the morning when everyone is still asleep and comes back at night when everyone is already asleep. It’s been almost a month since I’ve seen him. He no longer attends the family prayer that we do every day before going to bed; my mother always says that he’s too busy with his new job. Danny and I are even starting to think they’re hiding something from us. Either way, it’s their secret; they know what they’re doing. Well, let’s not talk too much about my father because he doesn’t like being talked about when he’s not around to defend himself.

 1 

Mundane Life

It’s the simple things in your life that make up the bulk of it. The mundane is where we live and we end up missing most of it. We find it again in the silence and in the attention of everyday life.

— Eric Overby

Today marks the beginning of the last week of school for this year, so everyone is relaxing. Nearly everyone is loosening the screws except for me since I still have a course I need to work hard on to improve myself: physical education and sports, gymnastics . And it’s the class we have today, so I can’t be late. I look at my watch, it’s already 7:10 a.m. Oh my God! You gotta be kidding me! I run to the shower. This cold water gives strength to my muscles, and this liquid soap has never been poured so quickly on this washcloth. Five seconds later, my face is filled with soap and foam, I can’t open my eyes.

Kimia! My mother’s voice from outside startles me and I lose my grip on the handles controlling the water. Where’s the bathtub faucet?

By the way, my name is Kimia, I didn’t have the opportunity to say it before. I guess it means Peace in Lingala, which is my mother’s native language. KIMIA, yeah, five letters: three vowels and two consonants, it’s that easy. I continue my search, my hands exploring the wall, looking for the faucet. My eyes are filled with suds.

Kimia! She calls me again.

What’d I just touch there? The faucet! I quickly run the water over my face, I open my mouth as the foam leaves my face so I can breathe better.

Mum, I’m done! I shout.

I rush into my room, put on my gymnastics outfit, the blue one, with these new pants that my mother bought me. As I’m donning my shoes, I hear the door downstairs open.

Kimia, we’re in the car, hurry-up! Don’t forget to lock the door! Danny shouts from downstairs, and then I hear the door close.

I sprint down the stairs with one shoe in my hand, lock the door and run towards the car. It’s so hot here in San Antonio that my whole outfit is already wet with my sweat. I guess the gymnastics course starts at home!

As I near the car, guess what I see? Danny’s in the passenger seat. Urgh! Again! He’s beaten me for three consecutive days. He gives me that little grin that he does every time he wins over me, and I clench my teeth hard. We’ve spent our last five years fighting for that seat next to Mom. It’s true that he beats me from time to time, but I’ve also squeezed in some victories. So I’m here, alone in the back seat, wearing my shoes. My eyes are covered with my hair…oh, my hair! I forgot that I had hair on my head, so I start to try to make it look as presentable as possible, without any mirror.

Seat belt, please, Mom instructs. I run my hand behind and adjust the belt. I tighten my shoe and lower the side windows to get some air. Mom looks at me through the rearview mirror and giggles, as if she’s noticed something funny on me. Ah, I know: my hair! I touch it up again, hoping it looks better than before. She takes her eyes off of me and stares at the road ahead.

After nearly five minutes, she turns down the volume of her music, which is always loud, and reminds me: Honey, I hope you brought your bottles of water.

Oh my God! I hardly remembered putting those bottles in the fridge last night. I don’t even bother checking my backpack because I know they aren’t in there.

Yes, Mom, I lie.

She’s lying, say Danny’s big lips with a glint in his eyes.

Shhhhhhhh! I command, but his big voice seems to have been heard by Mom.

Again, honey? my mother asks, her eyes fixed ahead of her.

Mom, I’ll take Abby’s, I lie again. Abby won’t be coming today since her mother is having surgery.

Okay, Abby is my sister from another mister. We’ve been friends since childhood, so she’s not just my best friend, but also the only friend I’ve ever had. I remember when her mother and my mother used to hang out. My mother would drop me off at Abby’s house in the morning, leave me with her babysitter, and go out with her mother. We’d stay all day together, playing all kinds of games, and my mother would come back in the evening to pick me up.

It’s true that the Abby I knew from my childhood is slightly different from the Abby that I know now, but she’s still my friend. She’s a year older than me and a year younger than Danny. I remember that time when she had a crush on Danny and used to tell me that he was cute. Seriously? Danny, cute? No, I’m kidding, he is, but I have to admit that I’m a little jealous when it comes to my Danny. Unfortunately, I know that one day he’ll leave me for another woman who, I hope, will make him happy.

How many times have we spoken about that Abby? I heard a lot recently about that girl. I don’t want you to hang out with her. I’ll even have to talk to her mother, Mom threatens, her eyes still on the road.

She’s on a trip, I quietly add another lie while I’m contemplating the landscapes outside.

What? I saw her yesterday in front of her house, and she didn’t seem to be preparing for no trip, Danny says, trying to turn his head around to look at me.

What do you even mean by that, she didn’t seem to be preparing for no trip? I shout in his ears. How can you even tell that someone is preparing for a trip by their looks?

I’m just saying… he raises his two hands while he says that she didn’t look like it, and he laughs.

Yeah, I know he’s sometimes annoying as a big brother but he’s the only one I’ve had my whole life, so I gotta deal with it. I feel jealousy getting the best of me every time a girl talks about or to him.

My mother parks in the school parking lot and of course we’re late. Be careful, guys, I love y’all. Kimia, tell Mister Jack that I’ll see him after my shift today, she reminds me as we’re getting out of her car. Danny, take care of your sister.

She doesn’t need to say this because Danny is even more overprotective than she thinks.

I love you guys, she adds again as she speedily drives off.

We love you too, Danny and I exclaim at the same time.

I hope your phone is fully charged, he says as we’re walking down the school hallway. I keep my mouth shut. Anyway, he knows that it’s not fully charged.

We arrive at his class entrance. He takes the earpiece out of my ear, then hugs me tightly in front of all those girls’ faces full of makeup. With my head on his chest, he gives me a kiss on the forehead. I feel his saliva on me, and I like that.

Aight, I gotta go. Call me when you’re done. I love you, he tells me as he enters his class.

Love you, too, I say with my thin voice, so thin that I’m not sure if he heard me.

Breathe! Breathe, Kimia! Come back down to earth! My little feet touch the ground again. I sigh heavily and continue on my way. It’s 8:10 a.m according to the clock on the wall in the corridor: You gotta be kidding me! I rush towards the gymnasium.

Kimia, you’re late! Mr. Jack shouts loudly as I walk in, his hands on his hips.

I keep my head down and sigh, I know, Mr. Jack…

Why? You know today’s the last session of the year.

Baah, she was being washed by her mother, a familiar voice sneers next to Mr. Jack. Everyone laughs out loud as if I was a joke.

Jada is that girl who doesn’t care about anything at school; she’s the strongest of the class when it comes to appearance. She looks older than all of us, so I guess no one has ever had the courage to ask her age, especially me. So here I am, standing in front of everyone as they laugh at me for being late. Without any doubt, I have Shut your mouths going through my head, but I can’t get it out. I prefer to remain silent while they continue to laugh.

Gymnastics isn’t my strong suit. My feet are trembling from running and jumping, my whole body’s already drenched in sweat, so