SOMEWHERE IN AFRICA

chapter4

"You were Lucky to have meet up...I was already leaving... Been waiting for you over twenty five minutes...we agreed on a time Lauretta... what kept you so late...

"I'm sorry sir... I was so busy with chores... sorry…"

"Don't call me sir... always call me Ekim or Roland but I prefer Ekim, you need to try and be keeping to time because the person we are going to meet is a no nonsense man, his younger brother lives with him and they are both difficult to please but if you really need the job you have to keep to time and do your work well...like you said, you need the money to support your family so the ball is in your court.... "

When we finally got there, it was a fine new house, upstairs and the compound was big, a young guy who was on black and white, ushered us to the well decorated sitting room, he said we should feel comfortable while he inform his boss of our arrival,

Ekim sat down and I stood, he asked me to sit so I just sat with my hands clutched together in front of me.
After sometime, a tall huge looking man came from the stairs, Ekim stood up and greeted him, I stood because I wasn't comfortable at first sitting on such a lovely big chair.

Back at home I'm not allowed to sit in the sitting room so I felt uncomfortable sitting down now, the man asked me to sit. I looked at Ekim and he nodded for me to sit so I sat back but I wasn't relaxed.

The man called his butler, whose name was Sam to get us drink, he asked me what I wanted but I told him I don't want anything, Ekim spoke up for me and said I will take water while he will take fruit beer, and it was served chilled to us. I just held the can of water  in my hand without bothering to open it while Ekim sipped his drink.

The man looked at me from head to toe, he told Ekim that I was too young for the job, he said I look under age, too slim and malnourish. Ekim told him that I can do the job, he told him not to conclude yet because of my appearance until he gives me a trial first.

I prayed silently to a God I didn't really believe in, I just needed some sort of miracle at that moment, he looked at me again before asking me how old I was, I have to lie or I will never get the job.

"I'm twenty years sir, this is my real stature, is a family thing, we are not fat people in my family and we always  engage in fitness program "

“Can you cook?”

“Yes sir” I answered affirmatively. He asked me about other things I can do and I started listing before he stopped me, he said he will give me a try first which will determined if he will give me the job or not, he asked me to come the following day, around 8am and start.

As he was still talking, when a young boy came down from the stairs, car key in his hand, I assume he was the man's younger brother that Ekim spoke of, they both look alike, he told his brother that he was going out, and he glanced towards me before heading out.

We both later left, my water was still in my hand because I didn't drink it neither did I drop it. I was quiet as I began to think of how I will be able to leave the house early and resume work by 8am, Boss Lady will not allow me. Ekim must have noticed my countenance

“What is the problem?”

“The impossibility of me resuming at the agreed time” I told him.

“Don’t worry, I will drop you off on my way to work” he spoke kindly.

He doesn’t understand my plight yet, it’s not about dropping me off, it’s about Mrs. Ortega Delilah the Boss Lady , but I can't tell him that now.

"Thank you so much Ekim "

"It nothing to bother about, come I will drop you off  "

he dropped me off far from my house  but it no problem can't afford to let boss lady know .
 
Ekim said he was going to somewhere, he gave me money to continue my journey home. Before I got down he asked me a question

"Do you pray…? Lauretta… do you believe in God?"

"I don't know how to pray... I don't even know if God truly exist because if he does, why do he allow bad things to happen to good people...?"

"Hmmm… I can't answer your question... Just take everything that ever bothers you to God... he always have answers to all questions... Do me a favor, pray tonight and commit your new job to God... tell him how you feel…"

"Ekim...I'm sorry... I stopped praying long time ago when I got tired of talking to a God who never cares about me...it’s really sad but it’s the truth...I have forgotten how to pray..."

"Then just go home... I will pray for you, I don't know what troubles you but I know you will find peace in him... I will see you tomorrow..."

"Thank you sir, I may not come out at the exact time but please do not leave, just wait and I will come running like I did today..."

He nodded before driving off, as he drove out of sight I opened the can of water  that was still in my hand and gulp down everything at a go, I belched twice before walking away.

My known devil, Boss Lady, may want to starve me again today so I used part of the money Ekim gave me to buy food at a nearby restaurant, I ate very well before leaving. I noticed one woman was looking at me, she was also buying food, but I didn't pay her attention.

If eyes could kill, I would have been dead

As I got close to my home  my heart beat increase, it was already evening and night has come to settle, I knew Boss Lady will kill me today, but as I opened the gate her car was not in the garage, which means she was not back yet. I quickly walked through the backyard to my corner where I sleep, I change up immediately and wanted to go and continue the ironing before she comes back.

I heard her car horn, she was already driving in and her husband, Mr. Ortega, was driving behind her. I ran to the ironing table and to my surprise, the clothes were not there, Serena and Tobias were busy with their favorite television series, as I was still wondering who packed up the clothes, Emily came out from her room smiling.

"Don't worry mummy will not hurt you today, I ironed and took the clothes to where they supposed to be, the ones I couldn't iron I folded them up like that, I always watch you doing the ironing so I learnt how to do it. I knew you were supposed to iron them so I closed the  curtain so that Serena and Tobias will not know I was the one doing the ironing.

"Thank you so much Emily "

"When they were hungry and started shouting your name, I made cereals for them as they sat there watching television, like there is no tomorrow. they thought you were the one that made the cereals and gave me to serve them, oooh! and I also collected their plates and washed when they were done... I also...”

Before she could speak further I gently drew her into a hug with tears in my eyes, I can't thank her enough

" I love you so much Emily ".

Maybe truly there was a God watching over me

Ekim might be right.
Tonight I will go on my knees and thank him for using Ekim and Emily to favor me today.

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