TEARS OF A HELPLESS WOMAN (episode 5)

© Pauline Mumbi

“Yes I am” he responded without hesitating.
“Yes I am looking for employment. Are you hiring? I
asked patiently
“Well are you strong enough to work on a farm?” He
said with a smile.
His smile could brighten many days.
“Yes I guess I can” i said.
“That’s great then, hop in” he replied
I hesitated a little and my stomach turned.
Can I trust this man? I thought to myself.
“Are you having second thoughts?” He asked me.
“Sir what is your name?” I asked as if his name
alone was enough to make me comfortable to go
with him
“My name isn’t a problem but I am harmless. Very
harmless” he said
“Is it your farm?” I asked.
As I asked all these questions, I was seated
comfortably on my sack bag and did not care to
move a muscle.
“Its not a farm actually, its an house and you could
say its mine, a relative of mine is staying there” he
said.
I was about to ask why on earth he thought I was
looking for a job but I just ignored and stood up.
“Does that mean you will come with me?” The
gentleman asked.
“Yes….. I will” I responded hesitantly.
He quic-kly c@m£ to lift my sack bag and I walked
to the car.
“Lord I don’t know but I trust you” I muttered.
The road was so bu-mpy and dusty and the
gentleman kept apologising each time we hit a
pothole.
Finally the car st©pped at a beautiful house. It
wasn’t big like my uncles mansion but it was
equally big and neatly built.
“This is where you will be working” The man said
as he pu-ll-ed over.
I looked at him without a word as my mind went
wondering in thought.
He opened the door for me and I c@m£ out of the
car.
A pregnant woman walked out of the house and she
smiled.
“Is that her?” The woman asked with a lot of joy.
“Does she know me” I thought.
“Yes this is your new house help” the gentleman
replied.
I was led into the beautiful house. Everything in the
house looked great and you could tell everything
had great s£ntimental value.
I quic-kly sat on the floor but the woman st©pped
me.
“Young Lady sit on the couch and tell me about
yourself” the woman said.
“My name is mwansa madam I am 21years of
age..well I will be 21 in two days” I said.
“Wow that’s great.. But where do you stay?” She
asked
“Well I used to stay with my aunty and uncle but
they could no longer afford to take care of me so I
decided to start looking for a job”. I responded.
Meanwhile the gentleman who took me there was
somewhere in the house probably in there master
be-droom.
” so how long ago was that? She asked me
“It’s just today mum and I thank God your husband
met me and gave me a hand” I replied.
“My husband? Oh no no. He isn’t my husband. Did
he not introduce himself at least?” She asked
“Oh no madam, I’m sorry I thought he is your
husband” I responded.
“No not to worry dear” she said.
“Atu! Atusaye!” She called out.
“I’m coming” the gentleman replied.
“Atusaye is my youngest brother, he is the last born
in my family” the woman said.
“Oh OK” I responded.
The gentleman or Atusaye like the woman called
him finally c@m£ before us.
“Atusaye you couldn’t even introduce yourself, she
thought you are my husband” the woman said.
Atusaye had an apple and took a big bite off it.
“Young lady my name is Atusaye and this my older
sister” he said.
“By the way I don’t introduce myself to beautiful
women because I’m taken” he added.
His sister immediately bur-st into laughter.
“He is crazy don’t mind him, he is engaged and will
be wedding soon. His fiancée will be coming for
dinner tonight. Actually you c@m£ at the perfect
time. Do you know how to cook?” The woman
asked me.
“Yes I try mum” I responded.
“OK great then, let’s go to the kitchen” she said.
Atusaye sat and enjoyed watching TV while we
started cooking.
“You can call me Mrs. Martins” she said.
“Is her husband white? It made s-en-se because she
had a fine taste of things in the house
” I thought.
“I’m not always alone I have two house helps but I
nee-d someone to work at night and I have two
sisters. They are out for the weekend” she said.
I nodded my head with a slight grin to show I was
listening.
She did all the cooking while I helped with
chopping things up, like meet, onions, tomatoes,
vegetables and some other things I did not even
existed.
I also washed the dishes.
“My husband is in Scotland on a short visit. ” she
added.
Now I was more positive that he is white.
” do you have siblings?” she asked me.
“No mum I’m an only child” I said.
“Oh OK.. Must be boring being an only child” she
said.
“Yes.. It often is” I responded.
“Will discuss the terms of employment after a week
meanwhile I want to see how you will do, if you
impress me then I guess will be together for long”
she said
“OK mum” I responded calmly
Dinner was re-ady and we set the table.
“My dear let’s go I show you your quarters” she
said.
The small ap@rtment had a nice be-d a well tiled
floor a nice built kitchen and my own shower and
toilet.
I was so b!own away. It was like a small Paradise.
“This is where you will be staying” she said.
I thanked God inside and I thanked her too.
“I won’t disappoint you mum” I said.
“My dear call me Mrs. Martins, mum sounds old”
she said with a smile.
“OK Mrs. Martins” I responded.
“Take a shower and join us for dinner theirs no
food here for now” she said.
I quic-kly showered and wore my other dress which
was very old fashioned. As I sat combing my hair I
heard a knock on the door. It was Mrs. Martins.
“I brou-ght you some lotion, do you have some?” She
asked.
“No I don’t… thank you”. I responded
” is that the dress you’re going to put on? She
asked me.
“Yes…” I responded shyly.
“Claudine and her family can be rather impossible
let me get you something different ” she said
I wondered who Claudine was but I figured it was
Atusaye’s fiancée.
After a little while I heard a knock again.
“Come in plea-se”. I said.
Atusaye quic-kly bulged in with a big plastic bag.
” she said you can have these” he said before
quic-kly walking out.
I offloaded the plastic on the be-d and it had very
good quality clothes. Clothes that I would never
have imagined myself wearing
As I excitedly searched the clothes I heard a loud
ban-g on the door
“Don’t be long the guests will be here shortly”.
Atusaye shouted .
” OK sir!” I responded.
I quic-kly picked a beautiful peach peplum dress. I
loved my b©dy in the dress. I never knew I could
ever look that beautiful.
My natural hair was tied up in a pony and i wore
pink sli-ppers which were also in the plastic bag.
“You look very nice” Mrs. Martin’s said as I entered
the house.
“Thank you” I responded shyly.
We went to sit at the dining table while we waited
for the guests.
Shortly i heard the gate open as car drove in and a
little while later the group of three walked in.
Atusaye and Mrs. Martin’s stood up in what seemed
like a sign of respect to welcome the visitors so I
followed suit.
The guests sat down after exchanging greetings and
we equally
sat.
I was still feeling lost and wondering what God was
doing. He brou-ght me here and now I was going to
be eating with total strangers.
As I studied the visitors faces I sp©tted a Lady who
looked very familiar. The lady c@m£ with her mum
and dad.
My head went spinning wondering who she was
when suddenly the words hit me.
“Have you lost your mind?? do you want to die!!!
Why are you walking in the centre of the road and
not moving when I hooted!”
The Lady i was looking at was the same lady that
shouted at me on the road as I was walking from
uncles house.
Suddenly it hit me.. The voice of the man who I did
not see.. The voice that shouted..
“Calm down!!” matched Atusayes voice exactly.
I was now wondering what was going on but clearly
the lady could not recognise me.

To be continued…

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