A Journey For Perlene
and if that was not possible she would return to remain with them in
Jamaica. Perlene believed everything her mother told her as she never
lied to her and so she had no doubt in her mind those words were true.
As a child Perlene always felt her mother’s love, and most family
and extended family members said that she resembled her mother. Her
mother was a beautiful woman and so she felt that she was beautiful
too.
In Jamaica where Perlene is from, adults usually give little
thought to children’s feelings. Often they will use words to describe a
child without giving much thought to how it may affect them. She can
remember her aunt saying that her sisters, Antoinette and Camille,
were being beautiful, but they would only describe her as resembling
her mother. Perlene did not know at the time that they disliked her
mum because she left Perlene in her dad’s care when she left for
England and never returned to him. The sight of Perlene was a constant
reminder, and the reason for them to describe her in that manner.
However, this behaviour did not stop Perlene from loving her sisters
as she naturally loved them and her mum embedded a sense of
togetherness within them, so they had strong bonds.
Looking back, had Perlene not retain the memories of a loving
mother who was her hero who would come and rescue her from an
unhappy childhood, she may have developed bitterness in her heart
even towards her sisters.
Perlene hugged her mother and the tears of joy rolled down her
cheeks. She felt safe again; finally mum’s promise had matured.
Antoinette stared at their mother emptily. She appeared not to
remember who she was; she hugged her because Camille and Perlene
did so. Perlene knew that life would get better being around her
guardian angel (mum) and that no harm could come to her whilst she
was watching over her.
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