Flower Girl – Episode 2
© Samuel Oyebamiji
Miss Beatrice’s POV
“ ma , Miranda is still asleep I guess, I knocked on the door of her room for a number of times but I was not receiving any reply from her “ Charlie said standing in front of me
“oh really “ I said and checked my wrist watch ,it was fifteen minutes to eight AM
“ has she forgotten that she is commencing high school today ?” I asked facing Charles
Charles is the driver I appointed to drive Miranda.
Miranda is my adopted daughter , I had being barren for seven years with my ex husband , when he realized that I wouldn’t give birth to a child , he sle-pt with another woman and the woman got pregnant and gave birth.
All the time my husband’s concubine was pregnant, I was oblivious of it , It was when she gave birth to a child, a boy to be precise , that my husband told me .
I felt so disappointed in him and so sad for myself , I can’t live with a cheating husband , so I opted for a divorce which he accepted .
We divorced just last year and I bec@m£ a single mum .
A friend of mine had invited me to a birthday p@rty at Miami , I informed Charles , my driver about the p@rty and that he should get prepared.
I’m to take a fligt but Charles is to drive me to the airport .
My friends birthday c@m£, It was on Tuesday , I got myself dressed by employing one of the best dressers for models.
I wanted to look my best , I’m a blessed woman who owns a multinational company , a construction firm to be presice , I had meet with the president a number of times and some t©p officials in government
After I was dressed , I checked myself in the mirror and I looked so gorgeous , I reallly tr!pp£dfor myself
I c@m£ to the sitting room and met Charles pressing his phone
“ It’s time boy ” I said and walked out of the house and went straight to the car
Charles walked as fast as he could and he overtook me and hurriedly went ahead to open the door of the owners sit
I stepped inside the car confidently, Although I do not have a child , I chose to be happy .
Charles closed the door of the car by my side gently and jugged to the drivers sit and started off the car
I like Charles , he is very ha-rd working and smart . I guess Its because of the pay he receives from me . The pay is much for a driver though but I chose to pay him
We drove across the street new York and while I was just staring at the houses, institutions and outlets throu-gh the tinted glas-s of my car, my eyes met with a young lady dressed tattered , skinny and looking hungry
“ st©p the car “ I ordered Charles who was driving professionally .
Common ! I like the way Charles drives me
“ Ma, I’m sorry , there is no parking space here “ he said and tried to find the nearest finding space to park
Yeah! Thanks goodness, he found one .
“ ma’am , Is anything wrong? He said as he stares at me throu-gh the front mirror
“ Charles, just come down and open this door for me “ I said getting frustrated towards his attitude
“ I’m sorry ma’am “ He said and stepped down and c@m£ to the door at the owners sit , he opened it and created a space for me to step out
I stepped out of the car and stared around the ugly environment
I can’t remember the last time I stepped my feet at a place like this in America
“ Charles , do stay here and wait for me , I’m coming “ I said and walked away
“ Alright ma’am ” Charles said and watched me as I left
I walked to where I saw the tattered and battered lady , I walked around and saw her standing like I saw her standing few minutes ago
I moved closer to her , I could see that she saw me coming and she looked towards my direction with a blinking eyes, I guess she was wondering why I was coming towards her
“ young girl, what are you doing here ? where are your parents ? what is your name ?” I rushed the questions at her as though I expected her to gr-ab every of those questions and answer me accordingly
“ my name is grace , my mother is dead ,my father and my church pastor ra-pped me till I bec@m£ unconscious , When I bec@m£ conscious, I found myself here , I had never in my life being in this place , I do not know any single person in this vicinity “ she said with tears streaming down her eyes
I felt pity for her
I wanted to tell her to follow me to my car , but she stinks and by the ways , I ‘m going to a birthday p@rty in Miami
“ young girl, has anyb©dy tried to help you since you have being here ?“ I asked looking curiously at her face expecting a definite answer
“ yes ma’am, but the woman is a pr©st!tût£,she wants me to work at a brothel and str!p for men“ She said and sniffed
“ so?” I asked expecting her to say more
“ I declined , I used to be very good girl at home before my mother died” she said with pity glaring at the sound of her voice
“ Seriously! you declined that kind of offer ,so there are still good child on earth. Was your mother sick?” I asked
“ No ma’am , I just woke up as usual one of those days and checked her at where she is suppose to be at that time, but I didn’t find her .
I went to her room to know if anything was wrong with her only for me to find out that she was dead” she said pathetically
“ I’m so sorry , you look so lean, are you still that good girl ?” I asked her bluntly
“ If I had become a bad girl, you wouldn’t see me here ma, the woman gave me the opportunity to come back to her at anytime of my choice , maybe , after I had thought it over and still have no choice but to seek her help, I would come back to her , but still , I refused, I can never be a prostitute” she said and tried to look at my face but lowered her face when she saw a p@rt of my face
“ good girl indeed” I muttered
“ This girl might actually console my pain of barreness and give me the joy I had being longing for all my years , the joy of having a child” I thought de-eply while staring directly at her eye ba-lls
“ afterall her mother has died , so , I can be confident that no one can come to snatch her from me in the future.”
“Moreover , her dad is a devil, she would never accept him back”
“and she even declined to be a prostitute
So yes , I’m gonna go for her , I will take care of her and make her my own child ” I finally concluded my thought
“ follow me” I said to her after few seconds of thinking of either to help her or not
She obliged and followed me
There is something around her that sparks joy in me , the joy is incomparable to the one I had have over the years . I was feeling like having the longest conversation with the girl
“ oh ! common .I’m not going to the p@rty again, I guess I find a greater joy alre-ady” I thought decisively
I’m gonna find a better way to speak to my friend and make up for the birthday p@rty I could not attend
We got to the car and I met Charles standing in the same position I left him when I left to meet the girl
“ Charles , I aint going to the p@rty anymore ,drive me back home “ I said in a tone of serious order, so, he did not even border questioning me
I guess he must be wondering who the new girl was.
All throu-gh our stay in the car , no one spoke to another , we kept mute like we were observing a minute silence for the dead
Charles would have brou-ght up a coneversation , but I guess the only thing on his mind would have being how I had behaved recklessly by picking up just a girl from the street
But who cares? my barrreness and my willingness to help had made me do what I do , and I’m re-ady to face to consequence , either positive or negative
**
Yeah, we got home
Charles c@m£ down to open the door for me and I stepped out waiting for Grace to come out , she walked out gently
I informed my workers immediately to work on her , my doctors arranged her in a mini clinic and gave her some medicines , they administered some medical treatments to her.
That same day, My very good saloonist invited her to a mini saloon in my house , her hair was well dressed in few hours
Then those that would work on her skin did, they worked on her and gave her a special type of food for three days , those three days must have being hell and paradise to her ,because she will enjoy some treatment , but some tratments will he ha-rd on her
I couldn’t see her for the three days , my professioanl workers were working on every single p@rt of her b©dy.
no_a
After three days,she was pres£nted to me.
I looked at her from head to toe and I’m finding it ha-rd to recognize her.
“Oh no !”
I couldn’t control my curiosity
“ Is she the one , I mean , Is she the lady I brou-ght, Is this grace? “ I asked with total surprise and myl-ips lowered like it will fall
“ yes ma, she is the one “ one of the worker smiled and replied
“ That is the result of money ma” another worker said and smiled
They were probably feeling themselves now because it is obvious they did a good job on her .
I moved closer to her and perceived a very good smell, with tears on my face, I hvggged her ti-ghtly, It was as if I had found my lost daughter
She raised her arms gently too and ra-pped it around me
“call me your mother from today henceforth” I whispered to her ear
“ see me as your mother and relate with me as your mother . Don’t ever see yourself as a stranger, you are my daughter from today henceforth, and you have access to everything I have ever worked for “ I said whispering with a cracking voice inside her beautiful ears
“ Alright mum, thanks “she said and hvgged me ti-ghtly. I do not nee-d anyone to tell me that she was extremely happy
“As a seal between us , you will no longer be called Grace from now henceforth, you are now named MIRANDA “ I said gently into her ears
“ Alright mum”
“ call me all the workers in this house “ I commanded one of my workers
“ Alright ma” he said and walked away
After few minutes , all my workers had as-sembled
“ ladies and gentlemen , this is my lost but found daughter “ I said facing all of them and watching their facial expression
I could here murmuring and mutters, but in all, I found happiness in their voices
“ well, Her real name is Miranda, so call her Miranda “
“ okay , Miranda … lovely Miranda …. Oh ! fine Miranda … different people with different comment about Miranda
All my workers were happy for me.
Indeed , it was a beautiful and glorious day for me
I took Miranda to a nice room and told her it’s for her. She did appreciate it.
I told her that she will be commencing high school on Monday. I had alre-ady spoken to the Principal of American International School, He is a very good friend of mine ,I had done all the registrations required for Miranda. It is just for her to resume on Monday
.
Back to the scene
“ Charles , just stay here , she is not used to going to school yet , let me check up on her “
I said and went to her room. I got to entrance and knocked lightly on the door to her room.
She opened the door and what I saw shocked me
To be continued