TITILAYO

_{Image created & edited on Canva}

"Go away. We don't want to play with you."

Titi's nose wrinkled in surprise, "why?" she asked the young girl who was the mouthpiece for the children.

"My mother said you are bad. Very bad." The girl continued.

"What do you mean? I am a child like the rest of you. I have not done anything wrong."

"My mother said you are a bad omen. Because you have the symptoms of cursed children. I shouldn't even be talking to you or I may contact what you have." The girl turned and ran, the group of onlooking children following her close behind.

Titi had never experienced this before. She stood there for moments, watching as they ran until they eventually disappeared from her sight. Titi's eyes grew heavy and red with tears. Her chest ached painfully as she turned and slowly walked back into her house.

Her mother, Temi, who happened to be sweeping the compound immediately dropped what she was doing when her child walked in wiping her tear filled eyes.

"Titilayo! What happened? Who beat you?" The woman knelt in front of her only child, checking for possible injuries.

"Mummy, am I cursed?"

The girl looked up at her mother. Her different colored eyes shone bright with tears. The brown and stark gray, one of her many distinctive features, plus the pale color of her skin and hair .

Temi's heart ached for her grieving child. She knew that she must have met wicked souls out there who would do this to her. The woman herself couldn't really say why her child was born this way. Two different eye and hair colors when she was pure Nigerian. Her husband had left her when the so called priest told him her daughter, God's gift to her, was a curse that would ruin him. She hugged Titi and told her not to mind them.

"Come, let's go inside and get ready. I'll take you the neighboring village for coconut milk."

Titi's eyes brightened as she smiled. She nodded and ran ahead of her mother to change, completely forgetting her troubles.

---

Titi and her mother steered through the small market of Oni village. Titi held tight to her mother's hand and tried to hide beside her unsuccessfully as the passers-by blatantly stared at her. Pointing and talking, the village women made it so obvious that they were talking about the duo.

Temi looked unbothered. She steadily led the way towards the thatched store of the coconut milk seller.

"Can I please get hundred naira own?" She told the man who immediately got to work with preparing the concoction. She sensed her daughter's discomfort and gently squeezed her hand to reassure her. Titi looked to her mother and nodded.

A young man came up to the stall as well, intent on buying the same drink when he noticed Titi. He smiled warmly as Titi stared at him.

"Little girl, has anyone told you how beautiful you are?"

Titi shook her head and looked at her mother who was assessing the stranger. She protectively wrapped a hand around Titi's small frame and drew her close. The man noticed the gesture and smiled at both of them.

"I mean no harm. Your daughter is a gem."

Temi looked lost for words before she replied,
"Many don't think the way you do but thank you. I really appreciate it."

The man drew his eyebrows in concern, "why?" He asked

Temi looked down at her daughter who was looking up at the uncle.

"It doesn't matter. Thank you for your compliment." She said and turned to the shop keeper for her drink. The man handed her a small plastic bottle filled with the nectar. Temi pulled out the money from her purse when the young man intercepted her,

"Oh no. Please let me do this one. For the beautiful girl." He said and handed two hundred naira to the shop keeper while telling him to mix one more.

Temi looked between the shop keeper and the man, suddenly unsure of her next move. She couldn't remember the last time anyone was kind to her because of her daughter. If anything, it was always the opposite.

"Thank you." She said to him and then turned to her daughter, "What do we say to uncle?"

Titi received the bottle with both hands and then bent her knees slightly, like her mother had taught her.

"Thank you sir."

The man grinned at the little girl, "you're welcome."

---

Temi and Titi had just arrived at the borders of the neighboring village, heading towards home when a black Toyota Camry parked in front of them. Temi was stunned when the same young man they'd seen earlier, got down from the car.

"Sorry to bother you." He said to the mother and her daughter who was concentrated on sipping from her bottle. Temi realized with fear that just she and her daughter were on that lonely road. This was a man and she wasn't sure she'd be able to win against him if his intentions were bad. Instinctively, she took a step back, putting Titi behind her.

"I honestly mean no harm. I am Toby. I work with the For All charity organization in Uyo. I came here on an assignment and I am so pleased I could meet both of you."

"What do you want?" Temi asked.

"I don't know if you know that your daughter's condition is uncommon but not impossible among our people."

Temi's brows drew together, "My daughter's condition?"

"Yes. From your reactions back there, I had the inkling that you might not really know what is going on with her. Am I wrong?"

Temi shook her head.

"Okay. Here is my card," He gave her a complimentary card which she accepted, "you can call me when you are free. We would love to help you and your daughter."

Temi inspected the card before she spoke,
"You said something about a condition. What do you mean?"

Toby looked at the young girl who was now carried away playing with dragon flies.

"Your daughter has the obvious signs of Waardenburg's syndrome; Pigmentation of the eyes and hair. It is nothing life threatening. But I understand that in a place like this she could be bullied by ignorant individuals. So, our organization are focused on grooming these ones to be comfortable in their own skin and holding awareness classes for people of all walks of life about this condition. In fact, that is what brought me here."

Temi listened attentively and felt hope burn in her heart,
"You mean my daughter is not cursed?" She asked

Toby chuckled and shook his head slightly, "I presume that is what you have been told?"

Temi nodded.

"Well no. She isn't cursed. She is a rare gem and we would love to come and talk all about it with you. I could call my colleagues if you would permit me."

"Okay."

Toby grinned. "Right. Excuse me one moment."

While Toby went to speak on the phone, Temi watched her daughter play.

---

---