Funfair of reconciliation.

"Mum, my school's funfair is next week." Jane reminded her mother who was at the kitchen preparing their dinner. "Hope dad is coming?" She asked.

"It's better you ask him by yourself. I will call him for you after dinner."

It's been four years since Joy and Mike separated from their marriage. Jane was two years old when the magistrate pronounced them divorced. Ever since then, Jane was caught in-between the negative effects of separated parents.

Joy was trying all her best to independently cater for her daughter.

"I will be there for you all the time. I want you to forget about your father. When you grow up, you will realize how safe it is to do away with that man." Joy had told Jane in one of their encounters when she was complaining of the absence of father's love in her life.

---

In many instances, she missed her father. She was always reminded of what she is missing whenever the school bus picked her up and headed to the next bus stop to pick her classmate, Amina. Amina's parents always see her off at the bus stop. The dad would plant a kiss on her forehead before waving her as she stepped in the bus.

"What will you prepare for me dad?" Amina asked her father while helping her to get into the car effortlessly like he always does. Her mum, overhearing her daughter, turned her attention from the driver that she was pleading with to drive with care, and interrupted the father and daughter discussion with an answer to the pending question.

"I will be returning from work early today and I will prepare your favorite noodles."

"No mum!!!" Amina countered her mother. "I prefer noodles made by dad."

An electric pulse went through the dad's bone with a soaring heart. "I am a better cook. I told you."

"You will meet it freshly prepared my queen." The dad concluded as the bus took off for the few minutes ride to school.

Jane's eyes were bloodshot and puffy. Her face was red and scrunched up. The more she watched scenes like this, the more she regretted finding herself in the middle of a couple's crossfire. She bowed her head and never uttered a word till they arrived at school.

---

Having thought of all this, she said to her mum; "please I want to have daddy around next week for my funfair."

"I told you to tell him when I call him for you after dinner." Joy raised his voice in reply to Jane.

Joy called Mike after having her dinner with her daughter as promised.

"Daddy, next week is our funfair in school. Are you coming?"

"I will try and make it to the funfair dear."

"Dad, please I want a promise from you. I don't want Amina to ask about my father again. I want to show her that she is not the only one with a father."

"You are alive yet your daughter is fatherless. May someone else not collect your role in her life." Joy added her voice underground.

This got Mike enraged over the phone.

"You can give yourself to another man but not my daughter. Can you?"

"It's not your fault. I never knew I called you for you to insult me." She ended the call.

The previous year's funfair left a bitter memory in Jane. At the peak of the event, pupils that were interested in having their parents play a couple's game were asked to climb the podium. Jane followed others up the podium.

"Innocent kid, where is your father that I will be playing the game with?' Joy asked herself as she saw Jane climbing the podium. It was too late to call her back, so she watched on to see what would happen next.

It took Amina to remind Jane that the game is for fathers and their individual wives before Jane descended the podium disappointedly. The rest of the funfair was spoiled for her that day.

"Mum. If dad won't be coming, I'll not go to the funfair." Jane declared while her mum remained silent.

Jane put continuous pressure on her mum to make sure that her dad would be present at the fairground.

On the eve of the funfair, Mike called Jane through her mum's phone to inform her that he had arrived in town and would be catching up with her in the school the following morning.

"Daddy will be coming." She screamed. Exhilarating flashed in her eyes, dilating her pupils to the size of two saucers. She couldn't held back her joy.

The following morning, Jane got dressed in a pair of black pants and a blue top. She wore a black sneakers to complete the smart outfit for the fair. They set out for the funfair.

Mike arrived at the school before his daughter and ex-wife. He positioned himself strategically for everyone entering to get notice of him.

As Joy was driving into the school premises, Jane lowered the tinted windows to have a view of the horses, the bouncing castles and other equipment being mounted for another potential fun filled fair.

"Daddy, Daddy," she shouted as she saw her father standing under a tree near the entrance. The responding smile was contagious.

Joy barely parked her car when Jane ran out into the arms of her father who she had not seen for almost a year.

Joy stood by her car and waved to Mike.

Dad, we have missed you a lot. Jane remarked as she dragged her father to the mum's car. Looking into the eyes of both in quick succession, Jane expressed how she has missed both of them together.

Looking at the excitement in Jane, both parties hugged each other to impress the innocent girl. From horse riding to climbing the bouncing castle and other activities, Jane made sure that she did nothing without the absolute attention of her parents.

When it was time for the couple's game, Jane was the first to signify that her parents were ready to play. Her face was beaming with smiles as she walked to the podium elegantly.

It got to the turn of Mr and Mrs Mike as the moderator announced.

"Sit here and turn back to your wife," the moderator directed Mike. "Jane, sit on this chair in-between."

While the game started, Jane was very happy at what was unfolding. The couples were not happy at the whole thing. Each party is doing it to impress their daughter.

A paper was handed each to the three of them to fill in some information. After filling it, the game started properly.

"What is Mike's favorite food?" The question was thrown to Joy.

"Rice and stew," she reluctantly answered.

"What is the hobby of your dad and mum?"

"Dad likes reading novels while mum loves watching movies." She answered.

A few other questions followed and at the end of the section, Mike's family was declared the winner. They scored the highest points in knowing themselves.well as a family.

The success of the fair amidst her mum and dad wasn't something Jane would stop carrying her shoulders up about. It's time to go home and Jane wouldn't just take a farewell from her father.

"Dad, follow us home. Mum will cook your favorite dinner for you."

"Mum, I deserve the joy that I experienced today to be forever. You two should help me," the poor girl pleaded.

I think it's time to consider the plight of this girl. Mike, let's talk things out for her sake." Joy concurred with her daughter.

Mike drew both closer with a hug. They headed to Joy's home to iron things out. Jane hopped into her father's car while the vehicle trailed Joy's.

The journey to successful reconciliation began.