A DAMSEL IN DISTRESS
EPISODE 01.
Having a dream is good,
But it is useless if you don’t do anything about it especially when you don’t have money to pursue your dreams. Vivian’s only dream was to become a medical doctor but life had really been ha-rd on her. Vivian was a beautiful Teenage girl, she was the most beautiful girl around their neighborhood but she was poorly raised. Vivian had big dreams but money had always stood as her greatest challenge.
Vivian’s father had died few years ago, and the burden to cater for 3 children fell on her poor mother. Vivian’s mother tried her best to s£nd all her children to school. Vivian who was the first child of the family had a dream of building a life for herself as a medical doctor, so she could help her family. And all she wanted was to turn her big dreams into reality,
Dreaming wasn’t enough and Vivian soon realized that having just a dream was useless without money and she nee-ded to take action or else her family will remain in poverty forever. Vivian had thought that the only way she could conquer poverty was by becoming a graduate. After graduating from secondary School with Honor, Vivian’s mother had promised to s£nd her to the state University, so she could further her education. But the poor woman was found it difficult to make enough money. Vivian truly wanted to make an impact in the world, she truly wanted to take her mother and her siblings out of their pitiful state and the only way out of poverty was by being properly educated or so Vivian thought.
The scariest thing about being poor is that you are limited, Vivian was hoping against hope that she would go back to school, everyday she would as-sist her mother, who was a petty trader, but the only money they made daily was not even enough to feed them, talk much of s£nding vivian back to school. Vivian’s mother had struggled so much but still got nothing, the poor widow was finding it ha-rd to break her daughter’s heart with the truth, because ever since she could remember, Vivian always talked of becoming a medical doctor, and if they had money, Vivian would had pursued her dream, without delay. Vivian’s mother had Tried so many times to save for Vivian’s University education but couldn’t, because they nee-ded Food more than anything else.
One day, Vivian’s mother was f0rç£d to open up to her. “Vivian, my Child, I know what I’m about to tell you, will break your heart but I have no choice, I don’t want to continue to raise your hopes for nothing, it has been almost two years you graduated from secondary School and you are no longer a child, you are nineteen years old, you are my first child and I don’t want you to continue waiting for something that might never happen, With the look of things, my child I don’t think I can afford a University education, I don’t know that University education would be so expensive and I’m so sorry, I can’t afford it, if you had noticed, we ba-rely made enough money for our feeding, plea-se my child, plea-se don’t feel disappointed, you can still be anything you want, with or without education” Vivian’s mother entered. Vivian felt devastated that she almost bur-st into tears. All her friends had gone back to school, some are alre-ady in their second year at the University, she wondered why hers will be different.
“If your father was still alive, things would not be this difficult, you would have been able to pursue your dream, I’m sorry I failed you, my child” Vivian’s mother added in tears. Vivian didn’t utter a word, she got up and walked away, she couldn’t conceal her feelings as she walked into her room, She kept repla-ying her mother’s words in her head and the thought of not furthering her education broke her heart.
Vivian felt extremely bad and she wondered how she would be able to give up on something that she wanted so much. “How will I be able to get my family out of poverty, if I don’t make it to the University?” She had thought.
In all honesty, Vivian’s mother had really tried, when Vivian’s father died, he had left nothing for them, except an array of debts. The strong woman toiled daily to pay all her late husband’s debt and at the same time, foot her Children school bills and put food on their table. Refusal to pay all those debt her late husband owed meant that they would have to forfeit their house because that was the collateral but the poor woman sold every valuable things she had to repay everything her late husband owed. Vivian knew that her mother had tried but she wished she could do more.
Ever since Vivian left secondary School, she ba-rely had the confidence to step out into the street and get a job or to learn a skill but after that day when her hopes of going back to school was crushed completely, she decided to look for a job and help her family in anyway possible. Vivian wanted to as-sist her mother and get some family pressure off her and getting a job seemed like the best option at the time instead of learning a skill.
In no time, Vivian got a job at a restaurant as an attendent and that was where he met Chief Okoh, A 59 years old man, who quic-kly picked interest in her.
Chief Okoh was a regular customer at the restaurant and he was plea-sed to see a beautiful and young new girl.
In just few weeks, Chief Okoh worked his way into Vivian’s life and the next month, he was asking the young girl out. At first Vivian declined his proposal.
“Sir plea-se I can’t go out with you, I know that you a married man and you are old enough to be my father” Vivian had told him
“But I’m not your father, common Vivian I really like you, it’s doesn’t matter if I am married or not, I will take care of you…. don’t call me sir, I’m not your boss, call me chief… I will take care of you… I can do anything for you…plea-se accept my proposal, you will never regret it, here is one hundred thousand naira, I want you to get some thing new for yourself, buy new clothes, new shoes for yourself…. And Get a new phone too…. and think about my proposal” Chief Okoh said as he handed the cash to Vivian and walked away. Vivian was so scared as she held the money so ti-ghtly.
Three days after, Vivian was sure of what she intended to do, she didn’t spend a dime out of the money, she hid the money un-der her be-d and everyday she had a nightmare where she was labelled a thief and she always woke up in fear.
“I don’t know what that old man wants from a small girl like me, I don’t want to involve my mom because if I do, my mom will walk up to my boss and chief Okoh is one of our best customer, my boss would not want to lose a customer like Chief Okoh, I may lose my Job, in the process and I know how I struggled to get that Job….When next I see Chief, I will politely return his money to him, I can’t d@t£ him, never” Vivian had decided not Untill her mother was hit by a moving vehicle and 50 thousand naira was nee-ded urgently for her treatment. Vivian was f0rç£d to spend p@rt of the money.
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What’s your advice for Vivian?
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.A DAMSEL IN DISTRESS
EPISODE 02.
Two weeks after, Chief Okoh visited the restaurant, he had sat down to enjoy a palatable meal and the next minute he stylishly called Vivian to his table.
“My Queen, how about my proposal? If you are not interested, I won’t bother you again, just hand over my money and I promise that I won’t bother you again” The n@ûghty Chief Okoh threw in. Vivian’s heart skipped a beat due to fear, as she remembered her dream, she knew that there was no way she could replace the hvge amount of money that she used for her mother’s treatment, with everything that was going on in Vivian’s life, the poor girl reluctantly agreed to d@t£ him. Chief Okoh smiled sheepliy
“My girl, I promise you will never regret this, I will take care of you, I promise”Chief Okoh added still in smiles.
Some months later, throu-gh the help of chief Okoh, Vivian gained admission into the University of Calabar, The man had been fulfilling Vivian’s demands without complaining, the n@ûghty man pampered Vivian and gave her everything she demanded for and in return he sle-pt with her, anytime he felt like it. Vivian was like his personal slut, they d@t£d secretly for two years But unfortunately, Vivian got pregnant for the old man. She tried to terminate the pregnancy but it was impossible, Vivian had no choice but to keep the pregnancy, her mother was so disappointed when she found out and Vivian was f0rç£d to open up to her mother.
Vivian’s mother bec@m£ devastated, when she found out that Vivian accepted to d@t£ the old man because of money.
“Mom do you remember when you were involved in an accident, and 50 thousand naira was nee-ded for your treatment?” Vivian asked in tears and her mother nodded.
“I got the 50 thousand naira from Chief Okoh, and he has been the one sponsoring my University education” Vivian continued.
Vivian’s mother couldn’t help but cry, she was so devasted as she cried, she felt responsible and guilty.
“Vivian I know I failed you but you shouldn’t have sold your soul to the devil because of money, now see you are pregnant out of wedlock, what will people say, your late father’s family will blame me” Vivian’s mother Said in tears.
“Mom, I don’t care about those people, where were they when we were helpless and hopeless, mom, I know what i did was wrong but I had no choice, plea-se forgive me mommy” Vivian entered in tears.
Some months later, Vivian gave birth to a baby boy who she named Eric.
To Vivian’s greatest surprise, Chief Okoh didn’t shy away from his responsibilities as he kept taken care of her and his child, every month he will s£nd a hvge amount of money for their upkeep. Vivian had hopes of becoming Chief Okoh’s second wife, but all her hopes were finally crushed when Chief Okoh revealed that he would not marry her.
“Vivian, I love you too Much but I don’t think I can marry you, the age difference between us is too much, what will people say? I held a very important position in my church… I don’t think my wife or my children will ever forgive me if I get married to you… plea-se Vivian, My wife must not know that i have a child with you, plea-se Vivian, I will give you everything you want, you will never lack as long as I live, I will continue to take care of my son and you, I promise I won’t st©p you from getting married to another man, infact you are free to live the way you want” Chief Okoh had told her and she was so devasted but she had no choice but to accept Chief Okoh’s decision.
Five years after, Vivian had long graduated from the University and even concluded her youth service but she was not looking for a job or getting into the medical school as her baby Daddy ,Chief Okoh kept to his words, The man never backed out, as he kept taking care of Vivian and her son, he had bought a detached duplex for Vivian and always wired money into her account. Vivian had it all, money, cars name it but she was always lonely, she nee-ded a man who will love her unconditionally but that never seemed to happen, Ever since, the relationsh!pbetween her and Chief Okoh ended, she went into new relationsh!ps with younger men but all the men she met were not committed.
Vivian was so frustrated and self-loathing. She wished she lived life differently as she was not living her dream or her purpose. She had furthered her education as she always wanted but with everything that was happening in her life, she wasn’t talking about going back to medical school, so she could start practicing medicine. All her dreams had went down with the wind as all she was thinking about was to get a man who will love and adore her son.
Worst of it all was that, Vivian had never been fortunate in all her new relationsh!ps. She usually ended up with bad spoilt guys who had little or no regard for her.
Vivian was so desperate to get a man as she quic-kly gave any guy a chance.
In all the numerous relationsh!ps Vivian had been into, one thing was certain and it was the fact that those men saw her like an easy way out to quench their plea-sure urges. None of them ever respected her, neither did they care about any of her emotional nee-ds asides love ma-king.
After many break ups and heartbreaks, Vivian was always frustrated, her mother wasn’t helping matter as she constantly reminded her of how her younger ones were happily married.
“You are almost 30 years and you are not talking about settling down…just because I couldn’t s£nd you to the University, you bec@m£ a mistress to an old man, I told you that man doesn’t have good intentions but no you won’t listen to me, he s£nd money to you but you are not happy, I warned you but you never listened to me, now see… Every year, new b©yfri£nd, none wants a serious relationsh!pwith you, because of how you lived your life, that chief turned you to a prostitute, I warned you” Vivian’s mother had told her. She felt devastated and defeated.
de-ep down in Vivian’s heart, she knew that wasn’t the life she wanted, she knew there was something better out there, she hated herself all the time and always walked around with regret but there was nothing she could do than to feel bad.
“How long would this continue? I’m so tired of living like this. chief Okoh c@m£ into my life to shatter my dreams, I know he takes good care of me and my child, but I have realized that money is not everything, I am living a good life but I’m not happy.. it’s obvious that Chief Okoh had returned to his family and he only s£nd money to me to compensate me for ruining my life, I will ask him to st©p s£nding me money? he had done enough alre-ady, I have to start supporting myself, Lord plea-se…just give me my own man, forget about my past….forgive me, Lord, I nee-d my own man, I’m so lonely” She silently prayed.
Few weeks later, Vivian went back to medical school and even though she had told Chief Okoh to st©p s£nding money, the man kept s£nding more money every pas-sing week.
“You nee-d money to take care of my son, even though I don’t come around, I want my son to be well taken care off. Soon, I will s£nd in a br@nd new car for my son, Vivian you can’t st©p me from taking up my responsibility, Eric is my son and I nee-d to fulfill my duties, I’m not in Nigeria that’s why I haven’t come around, I’m on a vacation with my family, I’m currently in the United States and I will let you know when I return” Chief Okoh had responded
Everything went on as usual in Vivian’s life, until one fateful day something happened. On that day, Vivian was returning home from the medical school. She was so famished and was exhausted.
“I can’t wait to get home” She had thought Halfway into the journey home, her car broke down on the high way.
Vivian got out from the car to see what the problem could be. As she stood there like A DAMSEL IN DISTRESS, a luxury car drove pas-s her and suddenly started reversing backward towards where she parked.
Vivian had no idea that help had come. Behind the wheel was a handsome young man, He c@m£ down from the sophisticated car and Vivian’s heart raced.
‘What’s wrong with the car?” the stranger asked,
“Uhmm, I just don’t know, it just broke down and I’m heading home” Vivian politely replied.
The handsome stranger looked at her, smiled and said “If you are in a hurry to get home, why not get into my car let me drop you off and you can come back with your mechanic to fix it, you can’t just stand un-der the h0t sun”. That sounded like a totally great idea but Vivian politely declined.
“Thank you so much, but don’t bother…..all I nee-d is a mechanic because mine is not available” Vivian said.
Immediately, the handsome stranger offered to help, as he called his mechanic over and in no time Vivian’s car was fixed. She thanked the nice stranger who even waited around till her car was fixed and to t©p it all, he paid the mechanic.
“Wow thank you so much” Vivian had told the handsome stranger.
“Don’t mention, plea-se ensure you get some thing to eat as soon as possible” The nice stranger added.
“I will, Thank you so much, but how did you know that I was famished?” Vivian threw in
” I heard when you were talking to your mom on the phone, I’m so sorry for listening to your conversation, it was not intentional” The handsome stranger replied
“It’s okay, once again, Thank you for your help, I’m so grateful, Mr?…..” Vivian added
“Martin, my name is Martin” The handsome stranger uttered in smiles.
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 3