Fear Of Past Paths

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I was sitting in the parlour when my dad came from inside and sat on one of the chairs.
“Good afternoon sir," I stood up and greeted him properly.
“How are you?" He said as he balanced his back into the chair.
“I am fine sir," I said as I sat down back.
“Niko!" My dad called one of my half brothers.
“Niko!" He called for him again but still no response.
“Let me and check for him inside, maybe he is sleeping," I said as I went into the house.

My dad has this bad habit of shouting even when he knows very well that with the size and structure of the house someone inside the room with the door closed won't hear you no matter how loud your voice was, but no instead he would keep on yelling your name till he was tired and once he stopped you just know you are in a big pot of soup for being inside and ignoring him.

I went inside, called Niko and came out with him.
Niko was about to enter ss1 and needed to choose to be in art, science or technical. Niko was a good artist and had already chosen art.

“Good afternoon sir, sir you called me," Niko said as he stood before my dad. I went back to my chair and continued with my phone.
“So Niko, which class have you chosen?" My dad asked Niko, he was always a direct man. Everybody knew Niko was going for art, everyone knew my dad wasn't in support, and I knew he didn't call him to ask him but to tell him it wasn't going to work out.

“Art sir," Niko said nervously.
“No ooo, that one wouldn't work. You will do science," my dad said.
It was a serious matter but my Dad's reply almost had me laughing and rolling on the ground. I just did all that in my mind since the atmosphere was totally different.
My dad didn't say anything else and just stood up and walked inside.
Niko stood there for some seconds as his eyes welled up, before dashing back angrily into his room.

Later that night he went to my mom to talk to her about what had gone down. Niko was really close to my mom as she was the one who raised him from little as him mom had passed away very early in his life.
My mom explained to him that my dad was once like that and since he didn't have parents or anyone to guide him or advice him he went with his choice and did literature which at that time when he had finished couldn't get him anything or even feed him, he had to startup his business again and gave himself a second chance going for petroleum engineering.
He felt like he had wasted all those years and didn't want any of his children following and going down the same path he chose.

My mom was later able to convince Niko to switch to science promising him he could still develop his skill in art and to support him to still learn art with the small money she got from her business.
She was true to her promise and the last painting Niko sold paid his 200 level school fees.