“At home the game went on. Dad hired another maid who used to come in the morning to do all the house hold chores and leave at the end of the day. Relatives advised my dad to marry for my sake, since he wanted to stay with me. He used to say that most step mothers are abusive and he doesn’t want anyone to abuse his daughter. He even said that he would rather abuse me himself. How ironic? I used to laugh. How can I not laugh at such drama of a father who robs his own child of her pride and innocence?

“When I became of age, he started using protection. People can be evil? By the way, I cared less now on what happened in my life. I was hyper active. At school I was extra intelligent, naughty and rude. I started dating boys at school and outside the school. Because I cared less now, I slept with a couple of these boys. When dad found out, hell broke loose. He threatened to shoot them if I continued seeing them. I stopped, but it was too late because I was into drugs already. I knew it was not right but I felt like there was nothing right in my life, so why bother? I asked myself if there was really a reason to refrain from these drugs. At least the drugs gave me false confidence to face my heartless father who saw a wife in his own child.

“Who on earth would marry me, a person who was involved with her father for about ten years? The horror of my life only stopped when I was in Grade 11 during the December holidays. I used to wonder who would marry me after such a dirty life. My dating those other boys was a strategy to try and prove if people out there could love me. Guess what, they did and they even fought over me. That is how my dad knew about it. He was summoned to school after two Grade 12 learners fought over me.

“Secondly, by dating those boys, it was my plan to find someone to take responsibility of the pregnancy in the event that I got pregnant by my father. When he threatened the boys, I started taking a pill.”

“Why then didn’t you report him when you were in high school?” Rosa asked.

“Do you think I cared anymore? I had lost the essence of living and of humanity. But thank God, when people sin as though there isn’t a tomorrow, their days will have been numbered, just like Sodom and Gomorrah.

“One day, on his way from work, a big truck lost control and ran over his car at a robot. He kissed the world goodbye.”

“How did you feel when you received the news?” The trio chorused.

“Nothing! Rather, I had joy in my heart for the first time as a grown up girl. At last freedom had come my way. The bastard had robbed me of my childhood joy, my innocence, and my teen dreams. I just started life by being a woman when I was supposed to be a child. I hated him, cursed be the grave where he was laid. My whole life had been a life of persevering. I was been robbed of what was rightfully mine. Death robbed me of my mom when I was an infant and needed her most. It robbed me of my granny. Only on my dad did death do justice. It should have started with him. Bastard! He robbed me of a lot in my life.

Tell us: Do you think you would hate your father if they did this to you, even after they die?