?♀️MARRIED?
Episode 15.
©Miriam Edem
Even as I sat outside, I heard her sparking like high tension inside despite Samuel was trying to keep his calm,
“Aunty plea-se I will take care of the feeding and try find a job for her so she won’t be a burden to you, at least she will also help with the house chores right? Samuel asked.
“Because I am lazy na, the house is so untidy that’s why you want to f0rç£ a maid for me. You told me just for a night and you’re saying another thing now, should I call your mother and tell her you’ve brou-ght a street girl for me to take care of or is there something you’re not telling me? She asked.
‘I can’t believe you can say such a thing and plea-se keep your sister out of this. Okay aunty let me go to work, when I come back we’ll talk about this but plea-se let her stay for the night again, Samuel said.
“No way! I can’t keep a stranger un-der my roof before she’ll poison me, I am not stupid, she said and angrily left the house and Samuel later c@m£ outside dressed up for work,
“What is going to happen now? I asked when he c@m£ to me.
“Sharon I really don’t know but I know she can’t throw you out either because of me. But then plea-se swallow up her troubles, you know she’s just bitter because of what she has been throu-gh. She’s childless and as the result lost her husband to another woman and she has been bitter that way, plea-se un-derstand, Samuel replied and I nodded. Hmmmm so there are people who are childless? Anytime I see women crying for children, I’ll wonder how God created I and my sisters that our wo-mbs are just open waaaa even when you don’t want, but its very re-ady to bear children in thousands.
“No problem, I’ll manage, I said..
“Thank you, and ermmm I’ll be going for work and I’ll be back in the morning but I gave my neighbor money to get you clothes so you can change up, when she’s back you’ll know, Samuel said.
“Thank you so much, I really appreciate this, I said.
“Its okay, he said and placed 500naira note on my palm,
“Just incase she does not give you food, just get something in the sto-re and don’t forget to take your drugs and apply the balm, he said smiling and left and I remembered the 500naira he gave me last night was still there and I was so happy.
I don’t know if Samuel was a soothsayer, his aunty didn’t even look at my face talk less to mention food, and I sat down there with the neighbors until it was evening. Before then I had strolled out with a small girl who showed me a sto-re where I bought bre-ad and groundnut i will eat before going to be-d.
I didn’t know how to approach that woman door, because anytime she pas-ses and sees me, she throws me one devilish look and my heart will cut.
“Won’t you go in? Rachel, the neighbor asked when it was past 8pm and I heaved.
“My dear, do you have mat? I can spre-ad it outside here o, i replied.
“Go in joor, she is doing that to scare you, she said.
“That’s her house plea-se and she has the right to do whatever she likes with it, I just wish I can find a job, I said.
“That will come later but you have to go in, you’ve been outside for hours now and I will soon go in to sleep, we can’t leave you outside like this na, Rachel said and I nodded.
“No problem don’t worry I’ll go in, good night, I told her.
“No o, go in first let me see, she insisted smiling while I scratched my head and carried the nylon of clothes Rachel gave me and knocked on the door shaking.
“Who is that! The woman shouted inside that I froze and Rachel covered her mouth laughing.
“Ma Its me plea-se, I shakily replied and she gave a loud hiss.
I looked at Rachel and sat down outside without disturbing myself again and she ti-ptoed to the door,
“You cant sleep outside na, Rachel said.
“plea-se just help me with wra-pper I’ll be fine, I said to her.
‘Oh Sharon, I wish our house was big but no problem, she said and left and returned with a wra-pper for me.
“Thank you, good night, I said to her and she slowly went back inside.
I couldn’t apply the balm nor take the drugs Samuel gave in the morning because he kept it inside and my legs has not crossed the door ever since he left. I just sat there leaning my head on the wall and covered myself against mosquitoes as I thought about my family in the village.
Despite we have never sle-pt hungry, despite we have a roof over our head, but it was not okay for me. I felt I nee-ded more, I felt there was something missing and we have to change it no matter what. We nee-ded more than that food and shelter, and if this is what I am going to face then I was re-ady to adjust from that loving Sharon that was being cared for at home to that helpless and hopeless slave. I didn’t know when I sle-pt off but I quic-kly woke up when I heard a kick on my leg and it was the woman just looking at me eyeball to eyeball that I began to wonder if this woman saw me as football in the field.
“Thank you very much, you’ve done well with Samuel and now its the compound you want to paint me black for huh? She asked.
“No ma, I replied and she smiled shaking her head.
“Don’t worry, you don’t want to go to your house ba? No problem come inside o, come inside, she said with this wicked face that I felt it was better I sleep outside before this woman will strangle me inside. I still sat down there o without shaking my legs sef,
“Will you come inside now! She shouted at the door and i slowly took off the wra-pper and went in and she locked the door. I checked the time and saw it was past 11pm and I cleaned my face still standing at the side of the door.
“Sleep na, sleep on the floor you didn’t carry broom to sweep madam sleep, she said and went inside and I sighted the drugs and balm Samuel bought. I quic-kly took it and applied it myself as I was feeling pains alre-ady in my ankle.
The next day I woke up and began looking for broom to sweep the house but she c@m£ out screaming at me to st©p it,
“Who s£nt you? What kind of as-signment is this huh? She shouted opening all her eyes on me that I confusedly looked at the innocent broom.
“Ma I am sweeping, I replied.
“Eh I am not blind to see that but you are not sweeping witch, this is your plan to take sands from my house for your evil. Leave my house o! She shouted.
“Ma what are you saying? What will I use your sands for? I asked.
“Witch leave my house! She shouted and the last name I ever want someone to call me is a witch. E dey pain me pas-s anything for this life and I just looked at her respecting her age and Samuel.
“Its okay, I will go, my regards to Samuel plea-se, I said and took the nylon bag of clothes together with the drugs he bought for me.
“I hope you didn’t steal anything o, all this innocent thief sef, she said but I didn’t voice out and I left.
“Sharon! I heard my name just when I was about leaving the compound and Rachel ran to me as I st©pped.
“What happened? You’re leaving? She asked and I nodded cleaning my tears.
“God! Why is she behaving this way and where will you go? Why not wait for Samuel to come back he will take care of this, she said.
“No no i don’t want him to keep exchanging words with his aunty because of me, she might s£nd him out also but I can manage, I said.
“Are you sure? Too bad we’ll not see again, Rachel said with a frown and I gave a weak smile.
“It was nice meeting you friend, too bad also I don’t have that hello hello thing, I said and she smiled.
“Me too and I’ll tell Samuel what happened. Take Care of yourself okay, she said and I waved at her and left.
I had no where to go as I walked a long distance and st©pped at several places asking if they nee-d a house help but I got negative answers. I got angry and used the change that remained from the bre-ad I bought in the evening and got moi moi and water to drink, then used the remaining balance to pay a bus to no destination at all hoping I’ll see somewhere I can ask for a job.
The bus after driving for a distance st©pped and i saw people leaving and I quic-kly un-derstood that should be the last bus st©p. The place was a busy place and I had high hope that I’ll find a place I can squat and manage somehow.
After walking around I saw a big restaurant and walked in,
“Hello, can I help you? A lady asked and I respectfully greeted her.
“plea-se I nee-d your help, I said.
“Sorry there’s no food here to give you, she said.
“plea-se I nee-d a job rather not food, I can wash the plates and serve also, I said.
“Are you deaf? There’s no place here, she angrily said and I sadly turned to leave. That was the 8th place I’ve been rejected in that area and I was alre-ady tired, my ankle was alre-ady giving me signs but I ignored,
“Wait, I heard another voice and turned to see a woman which I went to her myself without wasting time.
“What do you want? The woman asked.
“I nee-d a job plea-se, anything I’ll do, I replied.
“Okay, come with me, she said and it was like I was poured cold water…………….
Sorry for the late posting, my phone is having issues.
Thc