CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS: PART 14

Lianater got out from her Toyota Corolla. She felt weak at the knees and her entire body system screamed ‘exhaustion!’ She willed her legs to move, but each step was made in rebellion. She wished she had stayed back at home. But what kind of excuse would she have been able to give her boss? Clenched teeth, braced for the worst, she made her way out of the car park, a large open space separated from the TV station compound by a fence.

She mumbled the list of programs she had summarized the other night, hoping to get a report ready before her boss summoned her that morning. That weekend, she barely touched her laptop. She spent her time playing with the children and watching movies with her husband. Thank God for the new maid. The girl was hardworking. When it came to chores, she no longer had anything to worry about. 

Suddenly, everywhere around her began to spin. She halted, but it didn’t stop. The next thing she knew, she was lying flat on the dusty ground, slowly sliding into unconsciousness.

xxxxxx

Ike was in a meeting when the call from the hospital came through. He didn’t pick the call at first, until he received a text message from his wife’s colleague. Lianater had been rushed to the hospital close to their place of work! Several thoughts clouded his mind. It would take about thirty minutes or more before he could get to the hospital. 

He prayed for the love of his life before hurrying out of the building. He kept praying on his way to the car pack and continued praying on the drive to the hospital.

xxxxxx

She opened her eyes, looked around, noting that she was in a strange room. Her husband’s voice, plus another she didn’t quite recognize filtered to her ear drums. She lifted her head and caught a glimpse of Ike, standing by the doorway, with a man in his mid-fifties. He was clad in a blue shirt and a white lab coat. Was she in an hospital?

A flashback of how she fainted in the car park came back to her. Who found her? Who brought her to the clinic? Why did she faint? Who called her husband? So many thoughts bombarded her fuzzy mind.

“My love…” Ike came to his wife’s side.

She blinked several times, unable to speak because of her parched throat.

“How are you feeling?” he sat by the bedside.

Lianater tried to speak, but started to cough instead.

“I will ask a nurse to bring her a glass of water,” the man in the white lab coat said and stepped away.

“Thank you, doctor,” Ike turned back to his wife. “How are you feeling?”

She managed to shake her head, still unable to speak.

“The doctor said you are twelve weeks pregnant,” the excitement in his eyes marched her shocked ones.

“What?” came the frightened whisper. How was that possible?

“We are going to have another baby,” he grinned from ear to ear.

Lianater took a deep breath. Another baby?! They had three kids already. What was she going to do with a fourth child? She was grateful to God, but, she didn’t want another child. Dealing with the twins and Adanne was enough trouble. What happened to her birth control pills? She might need to change them ASAP.

Ike gave his wife’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “It’s going to be all right.” He could sense her present state of mind. He wasn’t prepared for another child either. He thought Adanne was going to be their last child. Did his wife forget to take her pills? 

She met his gaze. He was trying to encourage her, but she was at her wits end.

“Maybe God wants to give Adanne a playmate…”

She raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yeah, you know how she tire easily after running after the twins.”

She sighed heavily. A playmate indeed. Her weary stare returned to the doorway. Where was the nurse with the glass of water? Did the doctor forget to tell her?

“The doctor said you need to take it easy, henceforth, momma.”

She groaned inwardly. She had so much to do at work. She distaste lying around doing absolutely nothing. Since she was just three months pregnant, she would need to tidy up a lot of loose ends at work before her maternity leave came knocking.

“Aye, aye, Captain,” she placed a hand on her forehead and saluted her husband.

He started to laugh and she started to laugh too. She felt a bit relieved. After all, having another child wasn’t the end of the world.

xxxxxx

Mmesoma tip-toed into the room and found Ike dozing on the sofa. It was past two, the television set was on as usual and a movie was playing. She decided to take advantage of the opportunity before her. Since the day she allowed him to see her nakedness, the man had kept her at arm’s length, or more like a leper.

She threw away the piece of wrapper tied to her chest and knelt in front of him. Making little or no noise, she slipped a hand into his boxers!

The seductive caress woke him up. He smiled, thinking maybe Lianater came to lure him to the bedroom. 

The smile encouraged the girl and made her happy. She assumed that he was enjoying what she was doing. Maybe tonight was her lucky day. Finally, her employer’s husband would be hers for keeps and her dreams would come true.

But when Ike opened his eyes and came face to face with the maid, shock and fury washed over him.

He slapped her before he could stop himself and jumped to his feet. “Don’t you ever in your life…!” his voice thundered.

The girl held her burning face, the assumption that he enjoyed her act vanished from her young mind. Why was so angry?

“Madam is pregnant…” came the whisper.

Ike blinked in confusion. “And so what?!”

She cleared her throat. “And… and I know you have needs…” her eyes smarted with tears. Her face hurt so bad. Why did he hit her that hard?

“Are you kidding me?!” he felt like slapping some senses into her thick skull.

She looked up at him. “I just thought…”

He pointed a warning finger at her. “Look here young lady, you have no idea what I want or need. The next time you try this… this diabolical act of yours, I will make sure you leave this house.”

The girl dropped her head and paled. She couldn’t believe that her naked body or her touch did nothing to win him over. Why was he so different? Or was he playing hard to get?

He eyed her. “Have I made myself clear?”

She raised her head and tried to smile sweetly, “I can warm your bed and take you to cloud nine.”

His jaw fell in disbelief.

She got up slowly. “I am very, very sweet…” she reached for her bosom and squeezed hard.

His throat went dry.

She cat-walked towards him. “Once you slide into my wetness,” she dipped her fingers between her thighs, “You won’t be able to come out.”

Ike backed away. “If you come near me, I will beat you blue, black and red and no one in your family, not even your ancestors will be able to recognize you.”

The girl stopped in her tracks. Why isn't anything working on him?

“Get out of here!”

“Sir…”

“You are still?” he raised a hand, threatening to hit her again.

The girl jumped out of his reach, picked up her wrapper and ran out of the room.

Ike sat back on the sofa, both hands on his head. He realized that he should have told his wife the first time the maid started misbehaving. The girl had grown wings. She now has the confidence to touch him. What audacity! What was he going to do now? Only God knew what else she had planned in her tiny head. It was better and safer if they send her back to wherever she came from. He wasn’t ready to tempt fate or play with fire. But, what exactly was he going to tell his wife? How was he going to explain things to her?

“Jesus help me,” he closed his eyes and leaned against the chair.

CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS: PART 13

Ike sat in the living room, watching one of the movies he downloaded on the internet. He had over a hundred movies and wasn’t sure when he would watch them all. His wife, the children and the new maid were fast asleep. The house was quiet and it felt like he was on vacation. Although he just had a couple of hours to himself. 

His eyes flickered to the wall clock, then back at the television screen. It was past one. If he returned to bed at four, he would have less than three hours to catch up on sleep and prepare for work. That sounded good enough for his relaxed mind.

xxxxxx

Mmesoma woke up with a very parched throat. She got out of bed, tied a wrapper around her waist and headed out. On her way to the kitchen, she saw streams of light coming from the living room. Although the main lighting system was turned off, she could tell that the room was illuminated by the television screen.

She tiptoed to the entrance and peeped. She saw her employer’s husband seated in front of the television, laughing and talking to himself. It wasn’t the first time she had seen him watching movies late in the night. It was almost a daily occurrence, especially during the weekends.

Her eager eyes roamed free. The man was bare chested and the only piece of clothing on him was a pair of boxers. Her gaze lingered on his broad shoulders, chest area, and dropped to his firm muscled thighs. She swallowed hard, wishing she could touch him and feel every inch of his body against hers.

She held herself and groaned. Day by day, her infatuation for him had skyrocketed. It wasn’t just because he was an handsome man, or that he had a good job and a house and an expensive vehicle. The man was also gentle and nice. She loved the way he treated his wife and children. And she often dreamt of being in Lianater’s shoes. She was beginning to nurse a blossoming envy for her boss. She began to wonder if it was possible to gain his attention and seduce him, knowing fully well how much he loved his wife. 

Unexpectedly, the man turned his head. Mmesoma froze. She had been caught!

Ike narrowed his gaze when he saw the dark figure at the door. “Mmesoma?”

She cleared her throat. “Sir…”

“What are you doing there?”

Several thoughts ran through her mind. What was she going to tell him? “Erm… I… I was going to the kitchen to get some water. Erm… can I get a drink for you, sir?”

All of a sudden, he realized that he was a bit thirsty. “Okay. Get me a glass of apple juice,” he returned his attention to the television screen.

“All right, sir.” She fled.

Once she got into the kitchen, she pulled a tray out of the rack on the sink, then a clean glass cup. While trying to open the bottle of apple juice, a crazy thought took over her mind. She set the bottle down and pulled off her tee-shirt. Then adjusted her wrapper, making sure that it was loosely tied around her chest.

xxxxxx

Ike heard the girl’s footsteps. He pulled the center table closer, so she could set the tray on it.

“Thank you.”

The girl blushed. “You are welcome, sir.”

He reached for the cold drink and took a long sip. Then he noticed that she was grinning at him sheepishly. He raised an eyebrow and set the glass cup back on the tray.

“Erm… erm… oops!” Mmesoma fidgeted with the wrapper and allowed it to drop on the tiled floor, revealing her naked frame.

Shock paralyzed Ike for the next twenty seconds.

She saw the way his eyes slowly roamed her young body and a triumphant smile lit up her face. “Oops… I didn’t tie the wrapper properly.” She picked the clothing up, tied it loosely around her body and sauntered out of the room.

Ike got up immediately. He felt as if he had just been bathed with a pot of hot coals. He was burning all over! What just happened? Was it an honest mistake or a deliberate act of seduction? Should he tell his wife? Should he keep quiet and watch the girl, hoping there wouldn’t be a repeated occurrence?

But, if the girl was truly trying to gain his attention and seduce him, she was on an impossible mission. He loved his wife to death. And he had never looked at another woman since he got married. And he wasn’t going to start now.

What’s wrong with little girls of these days? Ike fumed, his appetite for watching movies had evaporated. 

He marched out of the room, thinking of waking his wife and eating her all up.

CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS: PART 12

Mmesoma was in awe when she arrived at her new employer’s home. It was a three bedroom duplex, beautifully furnished and equipped with the latest electronics and gadgets. She could tell she was going to have a swell time. She suffered in the hands of her former employer. But God was rewarding her with a better one.

The children, a set of twin boys and a pretty baby girl, hovered around her at first sight. She liked them immediately. She never had problems taking care of children. They always seemed to like her and do her every bidding.

"What’s your name?” the twins seemed eager to know her.  

She smiled at them, “I am Mmesoma Obi, what are your names?”  

“I am Chinonso Briggs, you can call me Nonso,” the twin with a dark brown birth mark on his right ear said confidently.  

Mmesoma nodded in affirmation. “Pleased to meet you, Nonso.” 

The boy grinned from ear to ear.  

“Mine is Chidozie Briggs, everyone calls me Dozie,” the other twin said.   

She turned to him, noting how difficult it was to tell him apart from his brother. But the fact that he was the only one with a cropped curly hair, she would be able to tell them apart.  

“You both have good names. What’s your sister’s name?” her gaze drifted to the pretty fair baby girl. 

 “Adanne!” the boys choroused.  

At the sound of her name, the girl looked in their direction, then she twirl and started to laugh.  

Lianater returned to the sitting room. She noticed the way the new maid was talking to the children. They seemed to like her. 

“Once you have met my husband, you can freshen up in your room, change and join us for dinner.”  

Mmesoma adjusted when she heard the woman’s voice. She didn’t know when she re-entered the room. 

“Thank you, ma.” From the corner of her left eye, she sighted someone walking down the stairway.  

“You must be Mmesoma,” his baritone voice filled the room.  

Her shy gaze scanned him from hair to toes. She noted his cropped curly hair, just like one of the twins. “Yes, I am, sir.”  

“Welcome to our humble home,” he came to stand beside his wife.  

“Thank you, sir,” she lowered her eyes and stared at her sandals. She should have guessed that the man would turn out to be an handsome person. The children were easy on the eyes. And Lianater was a pretty woman.  

“Do you believe in God?”  

The girl nodded and added without raising her head, “Yes, sir. I am a born again Christian.”  

The couple exchanged glances.  

“You can go to your room now. Dinner will be ready in the next thirty minutes,” Lianater leaned against her husband. 

"Okay, ma,” Mmesoma picked up her luggage. 

 “Come with us, we know your room,” the twins leaped towards the exit.  

The girl chuckled and followed them. 

Lianater looked at her husband. “What do you think?”  

He shrugged. “Time will tell.”  

She bit at her lower lip. “True. I hope she is as hardworking as Amina.”

"What’s for dinner? I am farmished.”  

A mischievous grin enveloped her face. “Guess…”  

Ike groaned. “I am too hungry to take a guess ma’am.”  

Lianater pulled him by the hand, “I cooked one of your favourite meals.” 

"Really?” his mouth began to water.  

“Yep. I took my time to prepare oha soup with goat meat and I made some garri too. It has a lot of starch in it. You will enjoy it.”  

He placed one hand on his head. “Hey, my tummy is rumbling already.”   

She laughed. “I can hear the volcanic eruptions.”  

He laughed too when his tummy made more sounds. 

 xxxxxx  

Mmesoma lay on her bed, her phone was firmly placed on one ear. “Mama, I am so lucky this time around. My new bosses are very rich! The woman is working with NTA and the husband is an Engineer, working with Julius Berger.”  

“Thank God! At least, they will be able to pay your salary without spinning stories,” her mother’s voice was filled with joy.  

“Mama, they are even paying me double. That’s my former salary times two!”  

“Jesus! Chineke!”  

“God is so, so good, mama.” 

 “Yes, indeed, he is. I am so, so happy for you. Your salary will sort out a lot of things.”  

“Mama, they said I can go back to school if I want to and I can also learn a trade or a skill if I want to.”  

“Chi mo! This people are truly God sent. My God will bless them for me.” 

"I don’t even know what to choose, mama. All of a sudden, I am confused.” 

"You will do everything. They want to assist you. This is the opportunity you have been praying for. You will enroll for GCE and retake your examinations. That way, you can have your certificate. God willing, they might sponsor your university education.”  

The girl sat up. “That is so true, mama. This couple are kind.” 

 “Then, you can enrol for tailoring or make up or hair styling in a good center. That way, you are prepared for life, be it white collar opportunities or running your own business.”  

She thought of what she would choose between tailoring and hair styling. “That is true, mama.” 

"I want you to work very hard for this people. That way, they will always be ready to assist you.”

"Trust me, mama.”  

“Don’t allow this your coconut head to get you in trouble.”  

Mmesoma hissed. “Haba, mama.”  

“Am I lying?”  

She felt a bit offended. Why was her mother spoiling her good mood? “Mama, goodnight. I have a lot to do in the morning."

"Wait first. See, you said you are in an estate. That means all these layabout boys will be there. Please don’t get distracted over there.”  

"I won’t,” she lay back on the bed.  

“I know my daughter is a beautiful girl. And you will always get the attention of men, both young and old, but be careful.”  

She remembered how men used to flock around her in the neighbourhood she grew up, both young and old, single and married. 

"I am always careful.”  

"Goodnight, my daughter.”  

“Goodnight, mama."

She threw the phone on the bed and sighed heavily. Her mother was always full of worries. She turned on her side and closed her eyes. Images of Ike filled her mind’s eye. The man was so handsome and fit. Her employer was so lucky to have dragged such a man to the altar. She hoped in the near future, she would also be able to get someone like Ike. It would really be a dream come true!  

CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS: PART 11

Lianate was super happy when the agency called to inform her that they had vetted a lot of girls. And she could come and select one of them and employ as her maid.

She left work early, drove to the agency office and met with the office manager, Mrs. Shalewa Adams.

“We have about a dozen girls. They are from different parts of the country,” the dark skinned woman led her into a larger room.

Lianate nodded her head, eyes darting left, then right, she spotted the girls seated across the room. They were dark, fair, brown skinned girls. Some tall, others short and a few average in height. One or two were fat, while the rest were slim and some were quiet skinny. 

“They have been vetted. They can cook, clean and run errands. They are also very good with children. They have all been taken to the clinic for proper check-ups. None of them is pregnant or sick,” the woman watched her.

Lianate remained silent, looking from one girl to the other, till her scrutinizing gaze fell on a slim, fair skinned girl. She had an innocent face and seemed like she had not been eating well for a long time.

Mrs. Shalewa followed her client’s stare and smiled. “That’s Mmesoma. She is twenty years.”

The girl sat up straight and bowed her head when she heard her name. She was beyond happy that the client noticed her. Many had come in that day, but they picked other girls. She really needed the job badly. She had four younger ones to support. Her father was late and her mother sold vegetables in the market. Her daily gains were barely enough to feed six mouths. With a good salary, they would have a better life.

She met the woman’s glance. “What’s her expectations?”

The office manager blinked. “Expectations?”

“Aside from the basic salary?”

The woman’s dark eyes brightened, having caught on, on what her client was insinuating. “Oh! Oh wow! It all depends on your generousity.”

Her gaze returned to the girls. She wondered how long they have all been waiting to be employed. “My husband and I would love to fill in the gaps, educationally, if she wants to go back to school. Or if she wants to learn a handwork, we are ready to support.”

Mrs. Shalewa clapped her hands in excitement. “That will be wonderful!” 

The girls began to murmur among themselves. And many cast jealous glances at Mmesoma.

The girl’s heart beat wildly. Everything she heard the woman say was too good to be true. She felt like she had just won a lottery that had multiple benefits.

“I wish we have more clients like you and your husband,” the woman sounded grateful.

“These girls cannot work as maids forever.”

Mrs. Shalewa sighed heavily. “Truly… they can’t,” she didn’t like seeing girls on the streets, jobless and aimless with no future to look forward to.

Her concerned stare returned to the girls. “We are doing our bit, hoping to change one life at a time.”

“Yes, yes, in this way, by the time they stop working as maids, they will be equipped enough to start their own lives.”

“Exactly.”

“God will bless you both.”

“Amen!”

“Please come with me, there are some paper work you need to fill.”

“All right then,” Lianate followed the woman out of the room.

Mmesoma could hardly contain her joy. She would be working for a young couple who will not only pay her salary, but also sponsor her education or pay for her to learn a trade. Her mother would be ecstatic at the news. Her last employer was a shrewd. She paid her a paltry some and was unconcerned about her welfare. She prayed inwardly for the woman that introduced her to the agency. Things were definitely going to change for her and her family.

The girl heard the others whispering. They were obviously gossiping about her and probably insinuating that she didn’t deserve to be employed by the nice client. She was unbothered about the ones who were looking at her with envy. It was her luck and their loss. Her lips spread in a crooked smile.

CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS:PART 10

 
“She looks so beautiful…”
 
Ike glanced at his wife briefly. Her dark brown eyes seemed to glow with unshed tears. He reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Then returned his attention to the newly wedded couple who were dancing with their families. He watched the way Deji held Amina. And the way she looked up at him. They were both beaming and laughing. Their joy was contagious.
 
“I am happy that she is happy.”
 
“Me too,” Lianate rested her head on her husband’s shoulder.
 
Ike groaned inwardly. The massive head-tie on his wife’s head looked like a swan and it was partially obstructing his view.
 
“Oh my God!” She gasped.
 
He raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”
 
She sat up straight and turned, so she could face him. “Amina is now happily married.”
 
He nodded, patiently waiting for her to articulate what was bothering her.
 
“We are going to need a new maid.”
 
Ike blinked several times. the realization of their new predicament washed over him. The twins turned six years recently and Adanne clocked a year a few weeks back. The children were still too young to fend for themselves if both parents were absent. His wife’s job at NTA had no specific closing hour frame, due to the department she was working at. Sometimes she returned home as early as two in the afternoon, and other times, she came home around six in the evening. There was a time she came home as late as he did, because of some of the new programs the television station was televising that period. She loved her job and there was no way he was going to ask her to quit. A happy wife equates a happy husband.
 
Amina had been wonderful and he wasn’t sure anyone else would be able to replace her. She started out as their maid, but she became like their little sister overtime. There was nothing they wouldn’t do for her. All she needed to do was ask.
 
Lianate got up slowly. “I need to find mum. She helped us before. I think she will be able to help us again.”
 
“Okay…” Ike hoped the new maid would be as godly and hardworking as Amina.
 
xxxxxx
 
Six-year-old Chinonso and Chidozie ran into Amina’s arms. She held them close and fought against the tears that blinded her.
 
“Mum says you are not coming back to Abuja with us,” Nonso pouted his lips.
 
“Why don’t you want to come back with us? Don’t you like us anymore?” Dozie added.
 
Amina felt a lump stuck in her throat, making her unable to speak coherently. “I am going to live in Lagos now, with my husband, and my baby,” she rubbed her tummy.
 
The boys’ eyes fell on her growing tummy.
 
“Why can’t you live in Abuja with your husband?” Nonso eyed Deji, who was standing a few feet away. He waved at the boy.
 
The new bride breathed out loudly. “Don’t worry, I will visit as often as I can. And both of you can also visit with Adanne.”
 
The twins shared a glance.
 
“I am going to miss you,” Dozie hugged her tightly.
“Me too,” Nonso stepped into her warm embrace.
 
“I am going to miss you more,” Amina allowed the tears to flow. The boys and their family were going to remain in a special part of her heart forever and ever.
 
xxxxxx
 
Adanne started to cry when she saw her mother.
 
“Cry-cry,” Vero eyed her. “You were fine in my arms before your mother showed up. Now, you are acting like someone kidnapped you.”
 
Lianate laughed and scooped the girl in her arms. The baby stopped crying almost immediately.
 
Vero hissed and eyed the girl again. “You better remain with your mother henceforth.”
 
She pulled a chair and sat beside her mother. “Mum, now that Amina is married, we are going to need a new help.”
 
Her mother sipped from her drink. “I have thought about that too.”
 
Lianate brightened.
 
“I will give you the number of an agency. They are very good at match-making families with good maids,” she drained her glass of champman.
 
The younger woman leaned against the chair. “I hope they can find us someone like Amina.”
 
Her mother chuckled. “No two human are the same. Everyone is different.”
 
Lianate bit at her lower lip. “I know, but…”
 
Vero placed a hand on her shoulder. “Just pray that God will take care of all that concerns you, regardless of the kind of help you employ.”
 
Her daughter sighed heavily, lost in deep thought.
 
xxxxxx
 
Amina and Deji waved at their family and friends as the vehicle mounted speed. The couple were happy that the ceremony started and ended well.
 
“Are you ready for our honeymoon, Mrs. Williams?” Deji winked at his wife.
 
“Yes, my darling, I am super excited,” she mimicked the voice of an American woman.
 
They both laughed.
 
“I am so happy that God brought me to Abuja to find you, the bone of my bone and the flesh of my flesh,” his passionate gaze bore into her shy ones.
 
She wrapped her arms around him. “I am happy too.”
 
Deji leaned closer and kissed her till they were both out of breath.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS: PART 9

Amina lay face down on the bed, feeling as if a truck ran over her. Her temperature shifted between hot and cold every thirty seconds. Her tummy hasn’t been able to hold down any food, be it solid or liquid, for three days straight. What’s wrong with her? She missed Deji. She hasn’t seen him in days. And Lianate has been watching her like a hawk. Due to her malady. There was no way she would be able to sneak out and see him. Even if she succeeded, she could barely walk ten steps without feeling like sitting down. Her total body system felt alien to her. She wished everything could go back to normal.  
 
“Oh…” she said out loud.
 
“How are you feeling now?”
 
She heard Lianate’s voice. She thought the woman left the room hours ago. She didn’t even notice her return.  
 
“I don’t feel good.”
 
Lianate sat on the bed. “I have a meeting this evening with some clients. My husband will take you to the hospital… hopefully, this isn’t something serious.”
 
The girl turned on her side. She liked the way the woman’s brown trouser suit hugged her body. She looked pretty and smart, like one of the female CEOs she had seen in a Korean TV show.
 
“I will take Adanne along, while the twins will stay with our next door neighbour.”
 
“Okay…”
 
“You will be fine. This is probably malaria fever.”
 
Amina watched her leave the room. Her tired gaze drifted to the wall clock hanging above the cabinet. It was a quarter past two. She wondered what Deji was doing at that very moment. Since the day he completed his service year, he had been job hunting. He didn’t fancy teaching jobs. His eyes were glued to offers from financial institutions and the likes.
 
“Can you get up?”
 
Ike’s voice brought her out of her reverie. He stood by the doorway, watching her with a worried look.
 
“I think so…”
 
She mustered all the strength she possessed and pulled her weight up.
 
“Let me help…” before he could finish the sentence, the girl slipped while trying to alight from the bed. “Amina!”
 
xxxxxx
 
When Amina opened her eyes, she discovered that she was in a strange room. Her initial panic weaned when she saw Ike a few feet away, talking to a woman in a white coat.  
 
“She is awake,” Ike met her gaze.
 
“That’s good. You can take her home whenever you are ready.”
 
“Thank you doctor.”
 
The woman grinned and walked out.
 
Amina wondered how she got to the hospital. The last thing she remembered was falling from her bed.
 
“You do not have malaria or typhoid or any other sickness,” Ike came to sit by her side. “Thankfully, you are not sick at all.”
 
The girl blinked in confusion. If she wasn’t ill, then why was she feeling as if her body system was rioting against her very soul?
 
“Amina, you are eight weeks and a couple of days pregnant.”
 
She stared back at him, wide-eyed, shocked to her marrows. She was pregnant! Eight weeks? Her thoughts drifted to the day she shared a kiss with Deji. Things had definitely gone out of hand that evening. He apologized and apologized for one week straight. She wasn’t too happy either because she had always dreamt of getting married as a virgin. They both prayed and asked God to forgive them. Promising him that it would never happen again. Now, she was pregnant!
 
“Amina?”
 
“Sir,” she could barely meet his sad gaze.
 
“Whose is it?”
 
She swallowed hard. “Deji.” She heard him hiss loudly.  
 
“Let’s go home.”
 
xxxxxx
 
Her heart began to hammer against her chest like a locomotive engine when Ike parked outside the WIlliams’ home.  
 
“Get down…”
 
Amina obeyed without saying a word. She followed him into the large compound, prayering a storm.
 
She saw Mr. Kola Williams and his wife, Bisi, sitting at the front porch of the house. Her frightened eyes searched for Deji, but he wasn’t sitting with them. He was probably indoor, or absent.
 
“Ike…” Kola got up to greet his friend.
 
“How is it going my brother?” Ike shook hands with the man.
 
“We are pushing it.”
 
“Are we? And you are adding weight per second?”
 
Kola started to laugh.
 
“Evening madam,” Ike smiled at Bisi.
 
“Evening, Mr. Briggs. How is our wife and the children?” She smiled back at him, then glanced at Amina who was standing several feet away.
 
“She is good, the children are well, we thank God.”
 
“Good evening ma, good evening sir,” Amina murmured.
 
Bisi raised an eyebrow. “Evening,” wondering why the girl looked troubled.
 
“How are you, Amina?” Kola settled back on the sofa beside his wife.
 
“Fine sir.”
 
Ike sat on the chair next to the sofa. “We need to discuss a very important issue and it involves Deji and Amina.”
 
Kola and Bisi exchanged glances.
 
“What is this about?” Kola looked at Amina, then back at his friend.
 
Ike breathed out loud. “Amina is pregnant. And she says Deji is responsible.”
 
Kola frowned. “Is she sure?”
 
Bisi clapped her hands and started to shake her head.
 
“Deji is the only man I have seen with Amina. The girl is a hundred percent sure.”
 
Kola met his wife’s angry stare. “You know these youths of nowadays. You can never tell…”
 
Ike cleared his throat. “Let’s not over flog this issue. Please, let us speak with Deji.”
 
“Are sure that Deji is the only person you have been with?” Bisi eyed the girl. “Hope you are not trying to pin a bastard on the poor boy?”
 
Amina shook her head, hardly able to find her voice.
 
Kola glared at the girl. “I will not tolerate that kind of behaviour. Thank God for DNA tests and other scientific procedures. If you are lying, we will find out.”
 
“I am not lying,” the girl whispered.
 
“She is not lying…”
 
Everyone turned at the sound of Deji’s voice.
 
“I didn’t mean to, but I am the one who took away her virginity. And it doesn’t matter if she is pregnant or not. I have already decided to marry her.”
 
Amina trembled with relief. She was glad that the one who stole her heart didn’t deny her or their unborn child.
 
“What?!” Kola got up immediately. He could hardly believe that his well brought up younger brother had put someone’s child in the family way.
 
Deji walked up to the girl he had grown to love and held her close. “I have already informed dad and mum. They can’t wait to meet Amina, their future daughter in law.”
 
Ike started to laugh. He was happy the issues he anticipated had been resolved.
 
Kola and Bisi stared at the young man as if he had lost his marbles.
 
 
 
 
 
 

CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS: PART 8

Lianate sauntered behind her almost nine months old baby girl, who was trying to walk on her own. Adanne was heading for the vehicle parked at the gate. Her brothers and father were already in the car, waiting.
 
“Da-da, da-da, da-a…” the light skinned girl babbled.
 
“Adanne slow down!”  
 
The baby halted, glanced back at her mum, then accelerated her steps.
 
“Adanne! If you fall, you will hurt yourself,” she warned, but the girl paid little or no attention to her.
 
Lianate hoped she wouldn’t fall. It rained a night before and the grounds were still wet. If the girl tripped, her dress would get ruined. She dreaded having to change the girl’s clothes all over again.
 
“Da-da, da-da, da-da,” Adanne continued till she got to the front seat of the car.
 
Amina stood afar off, watching from a corner. And the moment Ike drove off with his family, she bolted and headed out of the compound.
 
“Are you going out too?” the security guard called out to her.
 
“Yes,” she glanced back at him and waved.
 
The man closed the gates and locked it.
 
Her face brightened at the thought of seeing Deji. They planned to meet at the uncompleted building about an hour ago, after she intimated him that Lianate and her family were visiting some friends that evening. He would have come to her place, but, Lianate didn’t want her having male visitors when no one was around.  
 
Amina straightened her dress when she got to the entrance of the building. She plaited her hair recently and had gotten dozens of compliments from many people. She wondered what her boyfriend would say when he sees her.
 
The thought made her heart to skip a beat.
 
She found him resting on the make-shift bed. Was he sleeping? How long had he been waiting?
 
“Hello…” she walked up to him.
 
Deji opened his eyes and beamed when he saw her. “Hello to you too.”
 
She chuckled.
 
“How have you been?” he made space, so she could lie right beside him.
 
She shrugged. “I am okay.”
 
She felt warm all over. She always feel this way whenever she was around him and the butterflies in her tummy were on rampage.
 
“I will be rounding up my service year pretty soon,” he placed a hand around her. “My brother wants me to stay in Abuja, whether I get a job or not. But, I will rather go back home.”
 
She blinked. “Home? Lagos?”
 
“Yeah.”
 
The girl bit at her lower lip. She wasn’t sure how a long distance relationship would work. If she had her way, she would rather have him close by.
 
“If I go back to Lagos, I want you to come with me.”
 
Her breath caught in her throat. What was he talking about?
 
Deji turned and lay on his side, so he could see her face. “I don’t think I can bare living a day without you.”
 
She held her breath and watched him. He sounded so sincere and passionate. She doubted if she would be able to live without him too.
 
“Amina, I am in love with you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
 
The girl opened her mouth, but no words came out. His confession took her unawares.
 
“I will get a job as soon as I am in Lagos. And I know a lot of eateries and bakeries that will be willing to employ you. Or you could start your own cake business. We will get married and start our lives together.”
 
Her heart hammered against her chest thunderously. Everything he said made her feel wonderful and excited.
 
His eyes bored into hers. “Amina, will you marry me?”
 
She closed her mouth and swallowed hard. What would Lianate and Ike say? Will they think she was too young to marry? Girls younger than her marry all the time in her neighbourhood. But, they were her guardians and they always do what was best for her. Her own family didn’t care what happens to her.
 
“Amina?”
 
“Yes…”
 
Their gazes locked and held.
 
“Will you marry me?”
 
The girl thought long and hard. She believed that if they trusted God and worked together, they might make it work, no matter the opposition they might face from both families.
 
“Yes, yes I will marry you.”
 
Deji breathed out loudly. Everything he was feeling in that very moment couldn’t be expressed in words. He was beyond happy.
 
He leaned closer and claimed her lips. She kissed him back, marching his eagerness with wants of her own.
 
Their desires took over, leading them to passionate borders they shouldn’t ever think of crossing just yet.  

CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS: PART 7

Lianate back from work and went straight to the kitchen. She found Amina washing some of the beef they stored in the refrigerator.
 
“Have you grinded the tomatoes?”
 
The girl turned to see her employer standing by the door way, still in her work clothes. “Welcome ma, yes, I am already steaming the tomatoes. I have also started cooking the rice,” the girl responded.
 
She sighed with relief. She was happy that dinner would be ready before her husband returned from work.
 
“The twins are done with their homework and they are watching the television. The baby is asleep, she ate a while ago,” Amina closed the tap and poured the washed beef into an empty pot.
 
Lianate strode into the kitchen, checked the tomatoes, then walked over to the refrigerator to get herself a drink.
 
“Mrs. Nkechi called about thirty minutes ago. She wanted to know if you got her the cheese you promised.”
 
“Oh! Yes I did. Leave what you are doing. You need to get to her place immediately,” Lianate took over the cooking.
 
“Okay ma,” Amina took off the apron.
 
“The cheese is on the dining table. You need to hurry. I think it is going to rain soon,” she glanced back at the girl who was already at the door.
 
Amina cringed. She detest getting wet in the rain. Mrs. Nkechi’s place was a street away from the estate. If she walked fast enough, she should be home in less than fifteen minutes.
 
The girl picked the packaged cheese on the dining and dashed out of the house. When she got to the estate gate, the clouds became darker and from nowhere, fierce breeze danced around her.
 
“Oh God…” she groaned inwardly.
 
“Where are you going, Pretty?”
 
The familiar voice made her smile. She turned her head and got a glimpse of Deji, standing a few feet away from her. The blue short-sleeve tee-shirt he was putting on gave him a soft aura.
 
“I am running an errand.”
 
He looked up at the darkened sky, then back at her. “It’s going to rain.”
 
The girl shrugged. “This cheese needs to get to the owner,” she tapped the package.
 
“Where exactly are you taking it?” he sounded concerned.
 
“The next street.”
 
“Let’s take a bike,” he collected the package from her.
 
She gaped at him.
 
“I am coming with you. I don’t trust this weather,” he waved down a motorbike.
 
“You don’t have to…”
 
“Yes, I do. Come on, it’s going to rain,” he reached for her hand.
 
They boarded the bike, delivered the package and by the time they got back to the estate, the rain was pouring.
 
“We need to find a place to hide,” she whined.
 
“Okay…” he looked around, then sited an uncompleted building afar off. “Let’s hide in there…” he pointed at the building.
 
Amina followed the direction his hand was pointing to. It was one of the few uncompleted buildings in the estate.
 
“Let’s run!” he held her hand and began to move.
 
She marched his speed and ran.
 
But, by the time they got into the building, they were dripping wet!
 
Amina felt like crying. she never liked been soaked in the rain. Even as a child. While others played in the rain, she would hide inside her house and watched them through the window.
 
“Are you okay?” the sad look in her eyes poked him right in the heart.
 
She shook her head.
 
Dejl surveyed the damp space. He saw what looked like a makeshift bed. An old blanket was spread over some cement blocks. He wondered if someone had slept there a night before.
 
“Let’s sit over there.”
 
Amina followed him and sat on the old blanket. She sighed heavily and looked outside. It was raining heavily. She wished she was home.  
 
“How are you feeling?” he placed a hand around her shoulder when he noticed that she was shivering.
 
“I am feeling a bit cold,” she dropped her gaze and stared at her wet fingers.
 
He drew closer. “We will be fine. Once you get home, make sure you change into dry clothes, then drink up some hot beverage. You will feel better.”
 
“Yes, doctor…”
 
They both started to laugh.
 
Deji was happy that she was smiling again. He also liked the way the warmth of her nearness penetrated into his system. If he had a choice, he would stay right beside her for the rest of his life.
 
There was something he wanted to ask her, but he was a little scared. Would she say yes, or a blunt no? If she said yes, he would be the happiest man on planet earth. But, if she said no, he would ache for days and weeks and probably years too. He breathed out loudly. What would her answer be? There was only one way to find out.
 
“Amina…”
 
“Hmm…” she lifted her eyes to meet his.
 
“I… I wanted to ask you…” he froze.
 
“Ask me what?” she looked on, eager, wondering.
 
He swallowed hard. He needed to finish what he started. “I… I like you.”
 
The girl blushed. Her shy eyes found other things to watch. “I like you too.”
 
Her response made his heart to miss a beat. The affirmation boosted his esteem. “I really, really like you.”
 
She pressed her lips together and smiled. It wasn’t news to her. The truth was that, she felt the same way.
 
“I… I want us to… I was wondering if you will like to go out with me.”
 
She began to feel warm all over, from the crown of her head, to the tip of her toes.
 
“Amina…” he became aware that she was avoiding his gaze.
 
She focused on the dark clouds. “Hmmm…”
 
“Will you like to date me?”
 
She nodded.
 
Deji breathed out loudly. “Is that a yes or a no?”
 
She met his smiling gaze. “It’s a yes.”
 
He chuckled. He felt like jumping and dancing at the same time. He would do that once he is alone in his room. “Beautiful, that’s wonderful.”
 
She looked away again. She couldn’t believe that she was now officially Deji’s girlfriend. Sometimes she often wondered why he decided to get close to her, rather than the undergraduate girls and fellow youth corpers in the estate. Many of them have been giving her envious looks in the past few weeks.
 
“Will you be free on Saturday? I want us to go to Jabi Lake.”
 
She nodded again. She had been there a couple of times with Lianate and her family. But, it would be a totally different experience with her boyfriend. She was looking forward to spending time with him outside the estate.
 
“Amina…”
 
“Yes…”
 
“Can I kiss you?”
 
Her heart beat accelerated.
 
“I believe in no sex before marriage and I would never, ever try to pressure you to do anything contrary to our belief system…”
 
She relaxed a bit.
 
“But, I have been tortured for weeks, dreaming of kissing you.”
 
She bit at her lower lip. She wanted to say yes. But she had no experience. The last and only person she kissed was her childhood friend, Audu. They were barely six or seven. She remembered playing with him and other children at the back of her father’s house. They hid in the same corner, hoping that the girl who they were playing ‘tag’ game with, won’t find them. The boy brushed his lips over hers briefly and swore that he would marry her. That was just a child.
 
“Amina…” he leaned closer.
 
Deji was a full grown man. She liked him and he was now her boyfriend. He had promised that they wouldn’t do anything stupid. Maybe she should allow him. She had also been dreaming of the day he would kiss her.
 
“Okay…”
 
Her consent made his heart to inflate.  
 
She closed her eyes, waiting. She could literally hear her heartbeat banging against her eardrums.
 
The moment his lips met hers, the rain stopped and the clouds began to clear.
 
 

CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS: PART 6

Amina stood outside the gate, chatting with Deji, her new friend.

Time seemed to fly by, as she enjoyed every moment of their conversation. Almost every single day, they meet up in the evening and take a stroll around the estate. Sometimes, he talked about the secondary school he was posted to and how he couldn’t wait to end his service year. He wished he was serving in a bank or a federal parastatal. Other times, he asked her about her catering school and how long it would take before she gets certified.

“I enjoyed the cupcakes you gave me some days ago,” a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Amina brightened. She had been waiting for him to say something about it.

“You should start your own cake shop soonest,” he leaned against the gate.

The girl shrugged.

“Or you could make some cakes and distribute them to all the supermarkets in the area.”

She sighed heavily. “I have thought about that.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” he looked her up and down. He liked the way her flowing gown cradled her slim frame.

She shrugged again. “I don’t really know where to start from.”

“Jesus is Lord!” he stared at her bewildered.

Amina started to laugh. A vehicle halted in front of the gate and her laughter stopped when Lianate stepped out. She glanced at Deji quickly, then back at her employer. She had no idea how the woman would feel, seeing her outside, talking to a boy. She had never been in a situation like that before.

“Good afternoon, ma. Welcome ma,” they both chorused.

Lianate waved at them and walked into the house.

“I think I should go in, she might need me to do one thing or the other.”

Deji paled. He always enjoyed spending time with his new friend. Every second away from her always made his heart ache with longing.

“See you in the evening…” she backed away slowly.

“See you soon, Yarinya (young lady)…”

Amina started to laugh again. “Who is teaching you how to speak Hausa?”

“The students,” he chuckled.

She nodded her head, “Interesting.”

“It was supposed to be your responsibility, but, you have failed woefully.”

The girl clapped her hands and placed them on her curvy hips. “I don’t teach for pennies.”

“You see, you see what I am saying?”

Her laughter rang out like the sound of a dozen nightingales. Deji watched her in awe, noticing how her smiles beautified her dark smooth face. Then it occurred to him that he was falling hard for her.

Amina looked up at him and saw the change in the way he was staring at her. Like he was seeing her for the very first time. His eyes told a story of their own. A story that made her heart to flutter.

******

Lianate kicked off her shoes and joined her husband on the bed. He drew her close in a warm hug.

“How was your meeting?”

“Nasty…”

He chuckled.

“I saw Amina at the gate with Mr. Kola’s younger brother.”

Ike smiled. “I have seen her strolling around the estate with him a couple of times.”

Lianate sat up. “What?!”

He looked up at her. “What?”

Her brows came together in a frown. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

He eyed her. “There is nothing to tell. The girl is nineteen. She is old enough to spend time with the boy she likes.”

“Deji is like twenty-six! Who told you that she likes him?”

“He is just seven years older. He is a fine young man, if you will ask me.”

“Ikechukwu…” she groaned with worry.

“What?”

“Amina is naive and that boy is way out of her league. She is like a chick beside a fox.”

Ike’s mouth opened in disbelief.

“I don’t want her to get into any boy-trouble.”

“Leave them alone, Lianate. They are both believers. They won’t cross any boundaries.”

She started to shake her head. “Can you vouch for him?” she climbed down from the bed.

“Lianate…”

“Have you seen the way he looks at her?”

Ike groaned inwardly. His wife tend to make a mountain out of a mole hill at times.

“Amina is a pretty girl. And any boy who sees her will definitely find her attractive. I don’t think she is ready to start dating yet. And that boy is too matured for her, when it comes to boy-girl matters.”

“So when do you want her to start dating? When she turns forty, right?” he eyed her again.

“Of course not.”

“Put them in prayers, babe. And give the girl a word of advice now and then. She will be fine.”

Lianate folded her arms across her chest. She wanted to go back to the gate and drag Amina into the house. She wanted to protect the girl from every wolves in sheep clothing out there. But she knew her husband was right.

“Come back to bed, babe,” he beckoned at her.

“If you promise to also put them in prayers…” she met his pleading gaze.

“I promise!”

CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS: PART 5

The cry of a new born baby filled the Briggs home.

Nonso and Dozie were very excited about the birth of their little sister.

Lianate and Ike were beyond happy. As the date of the naming ceremony drew near, Voke and Ike’s mum, Nkiru, moved in. Hoping to stay for a while and help the new mother.

Amina busied herself with house chores and making sure the twin boys stayed out of the adult’s way. Sometimes, she lured them into the kitchen and taught them how to make pancakes. Most times, the kitchen ended up looking like a war zone. Flour, sugar, vegetable oil and a host of other ingredients could be seen pasted on the walls, by the sink and dancing on the tiled floor.

Even though she had to clean the wreckage multiple times, she didn’t mind. Immediately after the naming ceremony, Lianate and her husband began to prepare for the twins’ fifth birthday party. They wanted a big party, mainly because they had been celebrating the boys’ birthdays on a low key in the past.

They sent out invitations to their family and friends and the twins made sure they also invited every single child in their class.

Amina barely slept a wink for days. She had so many errands to run, but she didn’t mind. She loved the twins and was ready to make their birthday bash worthwhile.

On D-day, so many people filled the Briggs’ home. There were several children running around, while the adults ate and drank. Nonso and Dozie were ecstatic! It was their birthday party and Amina made them the biggest pyramid of cupcakes they had ever seen in their young lives. Their parents also got them some delicious cakes, but Amina’s cake was the best of them all.

The party ended well, and when the last guest left, Amina took a stroll while the hired hands cleaned up the house and tried to get everything back to the way it was. 

It was a breezy evening and she often enjoyed talking walks around the estate. 

“Hello…”

She heard a voice behind her. When she turned around, she saw a very tall dark young man standing a few feet away. He looked familiar, but she couldn’t recollect where she had seen him.

“Hi…” she responded, wondering if she should keep walking.

“My name is Deji, I stay with Mr. Kola Williams.”

That name sounded familiar. Mr. Kola lived in the estate and she had seen him once or twice talking with Ike.

“He is actually my older brother…” Deji continued, he looked rather anxious.

Amina nodded. “I know Mr. Kola.”

“Okay, good. What’s the name?” he sounded relieved. 

She raised an eyebrow, contemplating whether to walk away or respond.

“I am a Youth Corper serving here in Abuja. And instead of renting an apartment, I decided to stay with my brother. It’s better, you know… the cost of things and all that.”

The girl blinked several times. Why was he giving her information about himself?

“I have seen you around, a few times…”

She stared at him, long and hard. She noticed how his thick dark eyebrows made him look more handsome. She wasn’t sure she had seen him before.

“You often take walks around the estate. I do it too. It helps me to unwind,” his lips spread in a smile.

“Oh…” maybe that was why he looked a tiny little bit familiar.

“I told myself, the next time I see you, I will introduce myself.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

He looked away. “I wanted to get to know you… maybe, we can take walks together sometimes.”

She shrugged and looked towards the house. The twins must have slept by now. Lianate and Ike might still be hanging around, probably gossiping with Voke and Nkiru. She wondered if the baby was still awake. The girl was beautiful.

“So, what’s the name?”

She glanced back at him. He seemed harmless, and very friendly too. And if she was being truthful to herself, she wouldn’t mind getting to know him too. “Amina, my name is Amina Haruna.”

“Pleased to meet you, Amina.”

Their gazes locked and held.