Felix took off his trousers, and the man washed them right by the lake. But the trousers were wet now, Felix couldn't wear them. So, the man took off his scarf, which he had tied around his head, and wrapped it around Felix's waist. It looked like a skirt. He gave Felix his trousers and told him to dry it when he got home.
"Okay. Thanks, old man." Felix said, as he dashed off.
Old man? Did the boy think he was that old? The man thought.
It was now seven in the evening. Lucy was wondering where her son had gone. She felt too weak to go out searching. And Felicity could only go so far without getting lost.
"Mom?" She asked. "Should I go out again and—" She was interrupted by a loud bang from the door. "Felix?" She shouted. Then she took a look at his clothes. "What're you wearing?"
"Felix!" Lucy rose from the worn-out leather chair. Immediately falling on her knees.
Felix had slammed the door wide open. He held something in his right hand. "Mom!" He rushed to hug his mother. "Look what I got!" Felix opened his palm to reveal a tiny shiny rock. "I went treasure hunting!" Tears flowed down his mother's face as she hugged him tightly. Felix began to cry too, and he promised he'd never leave like that again.
Years passed. Life was difficult, but Felix kept smiling, for his mother. His friends wanted to come over, but he couldn't let them see where he lived, so he turned them down. Still, he kept smiling. Even when he didn't have the things he wanted, even the things he needed, he smiled. All for his mother.
Lucy had grown rather frail. She became sickly, and spent most of her days in the house, leaving her shop to her kids. Seven years had passed. Felix and Felicity were now sixteen years old. The family still struggled for money. Their education in senior high school was fully on scholarship. But what after that? They didn't have enough money for university. Their mother always said; "Everything will be fine." But how? Felix questioned. He had been thinking for a while. But now, he'd finally found a way.
His fingers flew across the phone screen, numbers flashing, odds shifting. His friends had introduced him to online betting. Desperate, he tried it out. Small bets at first, then bigger, each win making way for the next. It was easy money.
Felix tried to hide it from his mother. But she found out anyway. "Felix, what are you doing?" She asked, with a weak but firm voice.
"Nothing, just a game." Felix lied.
"It's betting, isn't it?" Lucy was filled with worry. "Your sister told me."
That Felicity. Of course she did! Felix bit his thumb. He knew his sister would snitch on him.
"Felix, that's not a good way to make money." His mother continued.
"It's not? But I'm winning though!" Felix protested, then he realized he raised his voice. He took out a few cedi notes from his pocket. "Look, I made this much today! I just withdrew it."
Felix's mother watched with horror. "Felix, send that money back where it came from."
"What? No!" Felix objected.
"That money is not yours. Send it back!" Lucy shouted.
"What do you mean it's not mine? I earned it fair and square."
"You did not earn it, Felix. Send it back!"
"NO!"
Lucy was now furious. She grabbed the edge of a wall as she flashed her other hand at her son. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."
"And you would know?" Felix clashed. "For goodness sake mom, look at this place! There's barely enough space. The three of us share a room! How?" Felix was speaking at the top of his voice. And he didn't allow his mother to dispute. "But now, I've found a way to make money. Very soon, we can leave this place and live better lives. We'll have a better future!"
"Felix Cudjoe—"
"No! Felix cut his mother short. "Don't use that surname for me! That man abandoned us long ago. I want nothing to do with him!"
"So, you will disrespect me?"
"I'm not disrespecting you, mom! I'm doing this for all of us!"
Felix's mother snapped. "If you will not do as I say," she pointed to the door. "Then leave."
"Fine!" Felix shouted, kicking the chair in front of him. Lucy could no longer support herself with the wall. She crumbled to the ground, as she watched her son walk out the door.
Outside the house, Felix found Felicity leaning against the wall. She was listening in.
"So, you're really leaving?" She asked.
Felix stopped. He turned his head towards her. "Yeah, would you like to join me?" He asked sarcastically.
Felicity frowned. "Goodbye then." She walked into the house, shutting the door behind her.
Felix moved in with Roland, a friend from school. Roland's parents were overseas. He lived alone in a rented flat and agreed to have Felix stay over.
Felix felt he was right, and he wanted to prove his mother wrong.
One month. That's how long it had been since the argument with his mother. And in that same one month, his plans and dreams fell apart.
Felix had bet the entirety of his money. He thought he'd win. After all, he'd been winning so far. But the results hit him like a slap from his mother. He had lost. Everything was gone. His mother was right. Felix could hardly believe it. He sank into the park bench. "I'm finished…" He murmured. He raised his head and looked up at the sky. It was dark and cloudy, much like himself right now. Tears begun to ran down his face. And at the same time, the rain poured.
The atmosphere was windy and the rain fell heavily. All shops were closed, and no one was in sight. No one except Felix, who still sat with his head up, drenched in water.
He had sat in the rain for a while now. Then, he heard footsteps approaching from his right. The footsteps stopped, and the person sat next to him on the bench.
Felix didn't bother looking. He was too absorbed in his misery and defeat. He kept on staring at the sky, until his view of it was blocked. He finally turned and saw a light-skinned boy holding an umbrella above him, blocking his view of the sky. The boy wasn't African, he didn't look it. But he probably wasn't American either. His skin was a little darker. Maybe he was Asian? Or a mix? Felix stared at the boy and the boy stared right back at him.
Then the boy broke the silence. He smiled, "Are you okay?"