Page 14 - DAPHNE HART - MY MAMA STORY (AUDIO VERSION)

CHAPTER THREE

A
lthough I was just a child, I could feel a tension in the air
between them, my Mother and Stepfather. From the

moment we got there, I realized something was not right.

There was no lifting me up, no kiss on the cheek, no “I love you” —
just constant bickering and arguments, day after day, from sunup till

sundown. Yack, yack, yack. They would argue continuously about one
thing or another, while trying to be discreet.

My little mind could not have known what had happened. That I was
the cause of their constant bickering and vigorous disagreements.

Sometimes, I could feel my brother and Stepfather, secretly eying me,
especially when my mom was not around. What did I care? I got

something to eat when I was hungry, and water when I was thirsty.

Time went so slowly—sometimes it felt like time had stood still. My
Stepfather was very tall and skinny, and very dark in complexion. With

a straight face and straight nose. Later on, I learned that he was from
the Maroon tribe, from somewhere in St Elizabeth. My mother was fair

in complexion, so they looked very good together.

In spite of all the arguing and bickering that went on, he must have still
loved her, because he married her long afterwards, and even gave me

his last name. JOHNSON. I remember when my mom told me that she

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