ENDLESS TEARS

Chapter Six

The car entered a large compound that left
me momentarily stunned. It was not as big as
the senator’s house but the design was
exquisite. I would not have imagined, despite
the fact that I had seen many houses on my
neighbor’s television, that such an exquisite
building existed. And to think that someone
as young as Corper Bello lived here was so
unbelievable. I instantly felt out of place.
When the car was finally parked, I stepped
out of it, looking a little frozen. Am I
expected to live here? In this massive
house? How would I cope with this? I had
slept in the BQ in the senator’s compound
and even that had been too much luxury for
me, even though I barely stepped out of my
room. But here, if what I saw outside was
any indication, the house itself would be
mind-numbing. Getting used to this place
would be a great deal of work, no doubt. The
only problem was that I would not be able to
find joy here, the thought was so painful.
Even my shabby village was filled with joy
and a hope of a better tomorrow, there
seemed to be none of that here. The man I
thought I loved, cherished and respected
was gone, replaced by this terrifying monster
that would do anything to make my life
miserable.
The driver took my sack of clothes, holding it
with two fingers like it was trash, as he led
me into the massive building. I was right. The
house was spectacular, so breathtaking that
it had me gawking like a fool. A young pretty
girl of about my age approached me with an
apron tied to her body. The driver gave her
the sack and left her as she stared at me
vaguely.
“Hello” she said softly as if she were talking
to a child. I looked at her silently. “Mr. Alex
told me that you were coming and that I
should show you to your room” she
explained. I smiled briefly and followed her
lead.
She took me through a narrow passage in
silence, and as we walked, it occurred to me
that the girl would be a staff. Still in the
narrow passage, we passed by two doors
which faced each other and took three steps
further before the girl stopped in front of a
door which she opened. There was also a
door facing the door she opened but I
disregarded it and followed her inside.
A mattress was on the floor, enough to fit
one person comfortably. There was a small
table beside it, and a big box lay at the far
end of the room, by the wall.
The girl smiled, and then frowned. “Oh,
forgive my manners, I am Tina” she said. “I
am the cook, even though I look small, my
food is always very sweet, you could eat your
tongue” she boasted with a grin. “My room is
opposite yours. You would meet another girl,
Tola, she is the cleaner. She went out to get
some things. I am sure you are Amara” she
ranted.
I was feeling awkward because something
seemed very wrong and out of place. I
nodded stiffly. “Yes. Amara” I responded.
“Where is corper… I mean, Mr erm.. Alex.
Where is his room? Does he stay in one of
the rooms we passed?”
The girl laughed. “Of course not. His room is
upstairs” she leaned forward to whisper. “It
is a very massive room. This place is not as
big as his toilet” she grinned. “This is where
the staff stays”.
What? What the hell is going on? Before I
could voice my panic and question, we heard
a car horn and the girl startled. “The boss is
here, I have to go and serve his food. He
asked me not to talk to you, please don’t tell
him I said anything, if he asks.” With that,
she vanished.
I stood, still reeling from the implications of
what I had just heard. Am I to stay with the
staff in my own husband’s house? It can’t be
real. The drama just never seemed to end. I
don’t know how long I stayed there, at the
middle of the room, but suddenly, the door
opened and I spun round to see corper Bello
crowding the entrance. He entered and
closed the door behind him.
“I see you are fully settled” he said with clear
indifference. “Well, since you have obviously
pushed your way into my life, let me lay
down the rules and regulations. You are in
this house as maid and not a wife. Don’t ever
mention it to anyone that we signed a
marriage contract, or worse, that you are
carrying something of mine in your tummy”
he said with obvious disgust. “Everyone here
has been informed that you are the new staff
employee, and that is what you would be in
this place. You would join Tola in doing the
cleaning and other house chores. Never
interfere with my food because I won’t want
to contact cholera or food poisoning. You
would be given the staff uniform, so you
don’t have to go around in your pathetic
clothes. Do you understand me?”
I stared dumbfounded. He seriously did not
mean all he just said, did he? “You expect
me to work as a maid in my husband’s
house?”
His eyes flashed with fury. “First of all, you
are not my wife. Even though we signed a
bunch of miserable papers, you can never be
my wife. Secondly, you should be glad that I
dignified you with a maid’s position. You
either do this or leave. You chose to marry
me, whatever you see is of your making, not
mine” he growled out.
I swallowed. “What did I ever do to you?
What is my crime Corper?” I breathed.
“You got pregnant. That is your crime” he
turned to leave then stopped. “And while you
are here, you should never call me Corper,
you call me boss” he opened the door and
left.