Deborah

Episode 14

‘So what do you think’? she was a bit confused, was she making the right decision? To work for Andy’s aunt.

She still had reservations about the guy….the way he looked at her, like he wanted something, he desired her…but she had to trust him…

‘Of course, this is an opportunity of a lifetime and if you miss it…you’ll have yourself to blame’ Sara replied…

‘Okay…should I tell my mother about it or I should move straight from your place’?
Sara was startled, she had been friends with Deborah for a long time and she knew how close the girl was to her mother…something had definitely gone wrong.

‘Do you mind letting me on’? she said to Deborah.

‘I don’t understand you Sarah’

‘Did you fight with your mother’?

Deborah looked away; she couldn’t answer that right away, it would mean spilling the secrets she had hid safely in her belly…a very dirty secret.

‘I guess I will leave from your place’…she finally decided…what was the point of returning home?

Home represented many things, sorrow and unease, for example, going back would plunge her into another ravine of depression.

There was no hope for her family; the poor would always remain poor besides she was still angry with her mother for betraying her trust. In time, she would get over it …she prayed to God to enable her move past what she had seen.

Fear gripped her slowly….till she was possessed by it…what was it like working for the high class? Would they treat her kindly?

That wasn’t the greatest of fears… would she see him again? The man that had stolen her heart…

‘Somebody help!’ she groaned….she was lost in the darkness that enclosed her….
Where am i? she gasped…..then her heart raced, why did the blackness hover round her….was she dead?

No! she couldn’t be….her memory was blank ….then she felt something run off her legs…she attempted to bend, but she couldn’t….

‘God help me’ she whispered…sobbing lightly, her brain twirled and the pieces of what had befallen her came together…

‘Help me’! She cried louder….screaming with all the strength she had left from the automobile accident….yes, she remembered.

She remembered being in a car, she had been travelling home from Katsina where she served as a corper….then the driver suddenly lost control of the brakes….it was too late…the car somersaulted and there was fire…

She quieted down as she heard footsteps….somebody must have heard her cry….

She was right….the young woman pulled her out of the ditch with the help of some other men…still, her legs felt weak almost numb….

‘Where am I’? She asked…

‘A village’ the woman answered….

‘A village where’? she was growing impatient… ‘Benue’ she replied as they helped her to a hut…

‘My name is Ateri…let me fetch my mother, you are quite lucky you know’

‘Lucky?’ was she lucky to have had an accident….she was in Benue, a bit close to home…

‘she’s a bone setter’ Ateri replied and ran to fetch her mother…

Ekanem spent few weeks with them in their hut…on leaving Ateri who had saved her life; she gave her some money and promised to keep in touch. Although Ateri was few years younger than she was, they had become very good friends…

For years she had searched for the woman who’d saved her life, but the last she’d heard from Ateri was from her mother….Ateri died trying to abort a pregnancy, a second pregnancy according to her mother.

Ekanem Briggas jerked from the dream…..she wiped the tears that fell from her cheeks….that had happened a very long time ago, Ateri had been very nice to her, a total stranger but she didn’t live long enough due to the wrong choices she had made.

She heard some noise outside….what was brewing? Her family seemed to argue about something….she rose slowly and headed for the bathroom.

‘you deceived me, it’s so unfair’ Clara screamed…Andy had gone off to see the girl without her….and she really wanted to be friends with her.

Aniebiet liked the and she wanted to use that to turn him against his witch of a fiancee.

‘I didn’t want you to see us making out…she has good lips you know’ Andy teased…

‘Just go to hell already…you’re such a killjoy’ Clara insisted…

‘And why are you so interested in my love life….does my little cousin have a crush on me’?

Andy gave it a thought, Clara was very smart….and he knew she was playing a game…

‘That’s gross you know…tell me about the date’ she shifted closer to him….

‘Well …something else came up….this is strictly between us, it would be a surprise to the rest tomorrow….’

Clara nodded, waiting eagerly for her cousin to say more….

Just then Aniebiet walked into the garden….

‘I employed her…so she would be working for us’ he stopped as his cousin approached…. ‘Are you serious’? Clara gave a loud scream…

Ani shook his head….his baby sister was something else…

‘What is it this time? You wanna bring the house down with your screams’?
Clara ignored her brother and continued….

‘She is coming over to stay with us’ she caught her breath and threw her arms on Ani….

Andy rolled his eyes….so much for secrets! Clara wasn’t very good at keeping them…

‘I don’t get you…who is coming over’? Ani steadied her….

‘The girl we met the other day along Abak rd’ Andy chipped in…he was more excited than Clara…he just barely kept himself in check…

‘You mean the hawker girl?’ Ani broke away from his sister…this wasn’t good… Seeing Andy nod gave him more chills…

‘She can’t work here’ he cut in tightly…that would ruin his life….getting into a marriage he didn’t want was bad enough….Morganna loved him that was all that mattered…

Andy was startled ….Ani was really getting weird…

‘Who can’t work here’? Mrs Briggas approached their little assembly….

‘Oh my God’ Andy gasped and stared daggers at Clara….she had ruined his surprise…

She dropped her shoulders and gave him a puppy face, mouthing the words ‘I’m sorry’

‘Andy has made a very wrong choice in choosing a housekeeper…’ Ani explained to his mom…for the first time in a long while, his mum looked sad….like something was weighing her down.

‘She isn’t a wrong choice…she’s got skills and everything. What’s with you man’? Ani was really changed….

‘And you know this how’? Ani returned…he didn’t want her around…it was better that way….he knew the effect she had on him…it would ruin everything….

‘You are growing up Andy. Keeping to your promises and taking up responsibilities. I must say this, I’m very proud of you’.

Mrs Briggas was impressed, when she had asked him for a maid; she hadn’t expected him to find one…

‘Thank you’ Andy smiled at his aunt…

‘So tell me Ani….why are you so uncomfortable with this arrangement’? His mother faced him now, and his mouth went dry…

‘She’s a hawker….i don’t think that is okay’ he felt like a devil for sounding this way….

Clara was a bit disappointed…her brother never looked down on anybody…it was obvious Morganna had started digging into him….

‘So you’re all acquainted with this girl’? His mother looked from face to face…. ‘Clara what do you think’?

Delighted by her mother’s question…she was going to make the most of it…

‘she is a good cook….don’t ask me how I knew this but please if you love me and you want to have your peace….Hire her’ she smiled as she dropped her opinion on the table….

‘Well let’s see what happens…bring her home’

Ani felt defeated….worse still, his house was still under reconstruction….he was stuck….they had many other houses but he didn’t feel like going over there…

He was just going to have to avoid her…