A voice was calling out to her,thinking it was a dream she turned to the other side of the bed only for her body to collide with very cold water. Therein,she woke up to the resounding slap on her face,She immediately stood up as she shivered in the early hour of the morning.
"Good you are awake, haven't I told you to wash the dishes before you sleep? Oh so because I'm allowing you to do whatever you feel like doing you think it's alright to disrespect me right? Before I count to three I want to see you in the kitchen now!" The woman ordered as the poor girl quickly made her way to the door.
"And where do you think you're going to? You better mop the floor and change this your sorry excuse of a rag I don't want dirty water to be dripping on the floor." She yelled as the girl did as she was told.
After she was done with cleaning the house and washing the dishes as well as the dirty laundry,she made way to the yard situated at the back of the house when she heard her name being yelled. As the walked into the house,she was met with her boss seated in the living room.
"You called me"she said barely in a whisper due to fear.
"Take this, go to the market and buy me okra as well as bay leaves. And after you come back make sure you wash all the bathrooms in this house before I come back." She said handing her a thousand naira note as she collected it and made way to the door.
Just then her husband made way into the living room reprimanding her for what he heard."Sophie I don't like the way you're treating this girl. For goodness sake she is also human you know and not trash." Her husband said to her in the most calming way possible.
With an irritated sigh,the turned to him. "Toh sannu, ka chigaba da daure mata gindi.(well done,keep supporting her)After all why did I employ her? I will treat her however I want!" She yelled.
As the couple started arguing,he calmly walked away refraining himself from doing something he will end up regretting.Meanwhile after she washed her face,she made way to the market.
In not less than thirty minutes,she came back and was grateful as they were no signs of her boss, Sophie. She made her way into the house through the backdoor. After doing all the necessary chores,she proceeded to start preparing dinner as the time was already six in the evening.
As his car halted in front of his house,the watchman opened the gate and as always her car was missing. He heavily sighed to himself as he kept wondering what sort of wife he has. A wife whom barely has time for him,a temperamental and a nagging wife. He got out of the car and walked into the house where he was welcomed with a heavenly scent. Not minding about the sound coming from the kitchen as he knew they had a maid but he hasn't met her yet,he walked up to his room where he took a shower and changed.
As she dished out the food into the warmer,she made way to her room which was situated in the quarters behind the main building. As she slumped down on the mattress,tears freely streamed from her eyes as she remembered all those time when her father was alive,all the trips they've gone to and all the fun they use to have until the cause of death changed everything drastically. She weeped her tears as she remembered her mother's words.
"Have faith in the only perfect Being as no condition is permanent in life. As long as you will continue to thank Him,then He will always be there to provide for you in the time of need. Patience is the key to every success in life" these were the words her mother said to her just two months ago before she started working here. With the thought of her mom,she brought out her small phone and dialed a number. Within few seconds the other side could be heard.
"Assalamualaikum" Her mom said and just by the mere voice of her mother,she bursted into another set of tears.
"Mama,I miss you so much. I don't want to work anymore I'm coming back home "she said sobbing.
"Subhanallah,What has gotten over you? Where is that faithful girl I know? Don't forget where you came from,nothing is beyond His powers,keep praying" Her mother tried to console her. After a moment of silence,she continued.
"What happened?" She said in the most calm manner possible.
"Ummah,ever since I got to this house,it's been torture,it's as if I'm no human. Wallahi I am tired. Ummah do you know that this woman lashes out on me every moment she gets. And I don't know what I have done to deserve this. Only if..." she stated but was immediately cut off by her mother.
"Don't you dare complete this statement. Just remember what took you there and under any circumstance I don't want to hear any complaints from you,all you need to do is pray,okay?" She reasoned with her and after some minutes of consoling,she hung up.
Back in the village,Ummah was worried sick as she does not want her daughter's life to be like that of what she had experienced, an experience she always felt like ending her life whenever she remembered and now she is at the receiving end.
Meanwhile in the city,she curled herself and sobbed until sleep stole her away. Unlike most days,as soon as she had prayed subh, she made her way to the main house where she started her daily duty of preparing breakfast,cleaning the house,doing the dishes as well as the dirty laundry. She was surprised that her boss was yet to appear she was always awake as early as six in the morning nonetheless,she shrugged it off. The time was already after nine when she was done with the house chores. One thing she always wonder about is the fact that she has never seen her boss's husband which she is quite curious to see,but today wasn't an exception either. As soon as she dished out breakfast,she retired back to her room before she was needed again.
YOU ARE READING
After Agony...
Non-FictionNowadays,marriages fail to work due to circumstances that led to it or what the marriage was based on. In most cases,it is said to be that girls are not being taught the proper etiquette of marital life before they indulge into it and men nowadays d...