Chapter 1
“Mommy! Mommy!” Amy called out, her voice echoing through the house. She was feeling particularly bored and needed her mother’s attention. “Oh my, there you are. Who are your friends?” Mom asked, noticing the children gathered behind Amy.
“Mom, this is Shela, Prince, Patience, and Emmanuel,” Amy introduced her new friends, a hint of pride in her voice. The kids chimed in unison, “Hello, Aunty!”
Mom smiled warmly, her heart swelling with affection. “Hello to you too,” she replied, amusement dancing in her eyes.
“Mom, we’re bored, and we want something fun to do,” Amy declared, her tone a mix of desperation and hope.
“How can you be bored in this day and age?” Mom questioned, raising an eyebrow playfully.
“It’s the 19s, Mom! It’s easy to get bored. We’ve done everything! We’ve watched our favorite shows over and over, and we’ve hung out everywhere today. We’re extremely bored—super bored!” Amy exclaimed, her hands gesturing wildly.
“Super dopular isn’t even a word,” Prince interjected, finding a cozy spot to sit down.
“So, what do you kids want me to do?” Mom asked, dusting the curtains as if they held the key to their entertainment.
“Mommy, please tell us one of your stories; I know we’d love it,” Amy pleaded, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
“Yeah, Aunty, tell us some! They sound so good when Amy says it,” Patience chimed in, bouncing slightly in her seat.
“Please tell us a story!” they all begged in unison, their excitement palpable.
“Okay, okay, have you kids sat down yet?” Mom asked, preparing herself to sit on the couch.
“Now gather around, kids, sharpen your ears, and open the door to your imagination, for this is the story of a little girl who was born into a cruel world. Once upon a time, there lived a little missy named Joyce who lived in Africa.”
The children leaned in closer, their boredom forgotten as they listened intently.
“Joyce, go upstairs and call your father and siblings; dinner is ready,” Joyce’s mother had called one evening. Running upstairs, Joyce informed her dad, and then called out to her many siblings, affectionately known as the ‘19 ugly monkeys.’ Being the firstborn in a family of twenty-two was no easy task.
“I love this big family,” she whispered to herself, “but only if I knew…”
“Yeah, only if she knew,” Mommy stated sadly, her voice soft as she continued the tale.
“Taking care of 19 kids must be difficult,” Shela remarked, her eyes wide with curiosity.
“Or yes, sweetie, it was difficult. But she had a good life until one day, her mom became ill,” Mom explained, her tone turning serious.
“Mother, mother, you’d be well; don’t worry, drink your medicine,” Joyce would insist, her heart full of hope.
As the story unfolded, the children found themselves lost in a world of adventure, love, and resilience. They gasped at the challenges Joyce faced and cheered for her bravery.
“Mommy, that’s so amazing!” Patience exclaimed when the story reached a particularly thrilling moment.
Mom smiled, her heart warmed by the joy her story brought to the kids. “And that, my dear children, is how Joyce learned the true meaning of family and courage.”
As the last words settled in the air, the kids were no longer bored; they were enchanted, eager for the next story to come.
