Destiny Resolved

By Tameika Francis

In life there will be a million reasons to give up on your dreams, but whenever you wake up each day and all you can think about is your dream that’s hidden deep inside of you, that’s enough to keep the faith and believe in yourself. The only person that stands between your reality and making your dream come true is you. Work hard, b

• Language: English
• Publisher: Authors Press
• Release date: Jan 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9781643142128

Tameika Francis

Tameika Francis is a brilliant and self-taught individual who is passionate about life. She was born and raised in the Caribbean island of Jamaica. She has spent most of her life there in the cool countryside, in the parish of St. Catherine through the deep rural parts of Guy's Hill. Since she was a child, she knew she wanted to become a writer and ever since, she used every circumstance in her life to build a chapter at a time. She's a mother and her most prized possession is her son, who is just as enthusiastic about life as her. She's a nurse by profession and she is very spiritual. Her passion for writing comes from the pain she went through and hopes her story would be able to reach the whole world and would be inspired through this great masterpiece she has created. She now lives in New Jersey in the United States of America where she continues to thrive and be the best version of herself.

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Copyright © 2020 by Tameika Francis

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

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Contents

Chapter 1: The Christmas Gift

Chapter 2: Country Life

Chapter 3: The Silent Suffering

Chapter 4: Driving a Wedge

Chapter 5: Lovely Summer

Chapter 6: Surviving Courtney

Chapter 7: Ghetto Life

Chapter 8: Taking Form…The Beginning!

Chapter 9: Seeing The Light

Chapter 10: The Snake

Chapter 11: Take Courage

Chapter 12: The Falling

Chapter 13: A Brand New Dawning

Chapter 14: Breaking Bad

Chapter 15: If You Have Faith

Chapter 16: Coming Full Circle

Chapter 17: The Big Apple

Message From The Author

About The Author

Acknowledgement

CHAPTER 1

The Christmas Gift

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. It is the season for giving, sharing, loving, togetherness. It is the season that brings lots of laughter and hugs. It is the time when the cold winter air fills the countryside with a chill that runs down your spine and brings you closer to that special person. It’s also the time for cooking lots of food and making that favorite all time Christmas beverage. There can be no Christmas without that special drink; the sorrel drink. This is a dark red, raspberry-like flavored drink made from the petals of the sorrel plant. The mixture is steeped in hot water and ginger is added to make this drink quite splendid. It is also the time when family and friends come to visit loved ones.

During this special season of the year, family members abroad would pack boxes for loved ones back in Jamaica and make sure they receive them just in time for Christmas. Each box is carefully divided into individually packed smaller packages with names to avoid confusion and conflict.

All sorts of things, big and small, are packed in the packages. From clothes and shoes to cooking oil and flour, nothing was left off that Christmas list. Then there must be the pocket money and the special package for Mr. John and Miss Jane, the good neighbors. It doesn’t matter how small their package is, each is well accepted and appreciated. Everything makes perfect sense this time of the year. The love is so strong in the air you can feel and see it on everyone’s faces. People are nicer, kinder, more giving and forgiving too. It is the best way to end a very stressful and difficult year. After all, the tears cried, the disappointments faced all seem to fade away and disappear when it’s Christmas time. The loved ones who passed away during the year or the past years are fondly remembered. Somehow, the year-ender radiates so much positivity for the coming year ahead.

Rosie knows too well what her chores are every Christmas and what was needed to be done before the big day. Everyone was busy preparing for the next day. However, Rosie was in for a big surprise on Christmas Eve. Unlike most teenagers, Rosie is expecting her second child and is due in two months unknown to everyone except her close family members. Rosie was a rather chubby teenager, so her pregnancy has gone unnoticed by members of the community. She woke up early on Christmas Eve morning radiant and happy just like the rest of her siblings. Each of them mindful of their individual chores, as they fulfill them with much enthusiasm. . Although she is the fourth of nine siblings and second eldest among the girls, she is the oldest from those who still live with their mother, Mrs. B. Everything seemed to be going well as Rosie begins her daily activities in preparation for the big day tomorrow.

Rosie started polishing the floors, which was customary back in those days during the 1980’s. Technological advancement was quite slow back then. Only the elite could afford such luxuries such as electric machines and polishers to help with waxing and shining the floors. Those household equipment weren’t readily available to the average families in the rural parts of the country. And if they were, Mrs. B wouldn’t be able to afford those expensive gadgets back then. With kids to feed and send to school, that was not an option for Rosie’s mother. Rosie started putting the finishing touch on the floors in the late evening. Back then it was wood floors and concrete tiles. The sophisticated tiles weren’t in as yet and so the red floors had to be waxed and allowed to dry before it was shined using old clothes and coconut brush. Rosie would shine the floor just the way her mother liked it.

Mrs. B was a perfectionist who insisted that all her girls did their chores exactly the way she liked seeing it done especially leading up to Christmas where visitors were expected to stop by.

It was a custom for country people especially those who were very nosey or inquisitive to stop by and ask for things they really didn’t need just to see how far preparations have gone for the big day.

Mrs. B knew this very well. The boys also had their duties before Christmas. It was their tasks to ensure the kitchen was stocked up with wood that will be used for cooking Christmas dinner. The older boys would milk, feed and look after the cows and goats. There was a system Mrs. B used to keep on top of everything, after all she was alone with them as her first husband had died. She was a very smart lady and she did what was necessary to provide for her children. She always made certain her children were always fed properly and wore clean clothes. Country life was completely different from city life. Running water was not available, instead they would make the streams and rivers the place to go and fetch water for all uses around the house.

Rosie was however still busy with her preparations as she rushed through her chores. Nobody sleeps on Christmas Eve, everyone would be up and make the final decorations, baking and cooking most of the meals needed for Christmas morning. With no thought of having her baby, Rosie felt a sharp pain in her stomach, which at first she ignores, thinking it might be from not eating on time because of all the excitement going around. She paid no attention to her belly, she just continued working. Her sister’s Elane and Gwen thought it was funny because they knew it wasn’t time for her to have the baby. They told her she was going to have the baby for Christmas which they found quite amusing.

But not to Mrs. B. She didn’t find it funny because as a mother of nine she knew it was possible to have the baby prematurely. She called Rosie and inquired what was happening. Right away her mother called for the taxi to take her to the hospital. Rosie got washed up with the help of her sisters, her hospital bag was packed and ready to go. The smile was gone from everyone’s faces, it was more of a worrying look and concern. Rosie started feeling nervous, shocked and afraid at the same time, not for herself but for her unborn child which she knew wasn’t supposed to be ready until February of 1983. The hospital was a good hour away, the hilly terrain was not an easy ride down as they traversed the Devil’s Race Course. She was in full labor at this point and had her sisters and mother by her side through this ordeal.

Back home they all tried making fun with each other, making bets that the baby will be born on Christmas day. The boys made their own bets saying she will give birth this Christmas Eve. What’s the hurry to get here? she asked the baby inside her, hoping everything will work out fine, even though at this point it was evident that it was ready to make its grand entrance into this world.

Rosie was now in full labor; what awaited her, only God knew. All she knew was she was happy to see her baby girl, her bundle of joy. A full 2 months ahead of schedule. God had a bigger plan in mind for this child. Shortly after going into labor her bundle of joy came out. She had a name, Sabella; just a few hours before Christmas she was here. A tiny angel, she was delicate, feeble, hardly hanging on to life. As small as she was Rosie knew the minute she saw her she was a fighter, she wanted to live. She had to live, she had to live!

Sabella had to be in an incubator because she was premature too. Rosie knew she was here for a reason she knew whatever life threw at her she would overcome it all. No one was prepared to handle such a small baby, not even Rosie. Everyone was in awe as what to do with such a small fragile little token. Sabella had to be kept in the hospital for an additional few weeks since she couldn’t breathe on her own and needed the incubator to help her right away. Rosie became worried, and was afraid for her baby. She didn’t know how to deal with this or what to expect. Her bundle of joy was constantly hooked up to those machines that was helping her breathe, helping to develop her lungs. She was thriving. She beat the odds and she grew up very well with occasional visits to the doctor. Yes, it’s expected life isn’t without challenges, and soon Sabella would have learnt that hardships and challenges will be part of her life: this baby wasn’t any different.

Born and raised in the rural parts of Jamaica in the parish of Saint Catherine. There is a little community named Middlesex Benbow. Sabella was a part of a very unique way of life there. Rosie had named her Sabella, a name that’s unique only to her. This community was made up of mostly farmers. And basic resources were a dime-a-dozen. These village people were used to that way of life, going to the river to fetch water and going to the market to sell their produce which was mostly cultivated by the men. This was nothing new to them since this was the main source of providing an income for their families. Some did it on a large scale basis while others just couldn’t. Others went into cattle rearing or other animals such as pigs, goats and chickens. Running water wasn’t permanent back then, they would rely on the rain and making trips to the river to water their plants. Just as scarce as the water was so was the electricity. Everyone would be sure to fill their lamps with oil and make sure there was enough reserves put away for the rest of the week. Rosie would go to the river to do her laundry, just like the rest of the other women in the village. The children would go with them because at the end of washing the clothes, their hairs would then be washed, that’s for the girls though. Most likely the boys would be found at the farm with their fathers learning the farming business, or helping to carry water for the crops.

Sabella was faced with health challenges, but luckily her aunts and uncles were there to help out now and then. Everyone attended church every Sunday because Mrs. B would never accept anyone being home unless it’s a major sickness or heavy rains. Sunday school was a must for all her grandchildren and they had to know the golden rule taught in Sunday school, because they will have to