Chapter 10: Chapter 10

There was something about the way the drops of rain ran down the glass. They hit firstly as a drop then a drop became a thin line traveling down the glass . Kamsi watched the glass with newly found interest like it was the first time she was seeing a rain drop slide down the glass. She idly pulled at the furs at the wrist of her long sleeved sweater.

While she watched the glass, she could not see beyond and at that time, she felt the need to paint. The need came with an uneasy shiver and she hugged herself tighter.

Her attention was brought back by the sound of a box being rolled down the stairs. She hurried out of the room to see Ella trying to drag her box down the stairs.

"Ella! " she screamed.

"I can carry it," she quickly defended.

"Just stop there! " Kamsi shouted.

She got back in the room and picked her brown sling bag then hurried into the room Ella had been staying. She looked around for anything that they could be forgetting. Close to the wardrobe was the little teddy bear bag the girl loved to carry - She picked it up. Downstairs, she packed in her plastic building blocks into her box not leaving out her favorite plate that she had come with.

"I don't want to go," Ella said, as she followed her around.

Kamsi knelt to her level. "You have to go to school."

She nodded, like she understood.

After making sure everything Ella came with was packed, she sat on the cushion with Ella on her lap as they waited for the rain to stop.

"I'm sorry, we are going to take public transport in this cold weather," She whispered.

" Okay," Ella replied.

The rain later stopped close to evening. Kamsi led Ella out of the house with her little box.

"Madam, make I help you, " Timothy said on seeing her with the box as they came out.

"No, it's not heavy," she politely declined.

There was no bike along the street .  They had to get to the junction  between her street and the major road. It was there she got a bike. The box was placed in front of the bike man while Ella was sandwiched in between her Godmother and the bike man. Kamsi's arm encircled the little girl more like a hug than keeping her in place. It was selfish of her to wish the little girl did not have to go back but she still wished.

The bike bounced up and down on the bad road that led to Michelle's house and they bounced with it. Ella laughed like she was being tickled each time they bounced. Kamsi knew she was the one that took her on her first bike ride. She had searched for the car keys to the Camry but could not even find any of the car keys. She did not ask her husband. He was always reluctant in letting her ride his cars and most of the time, he refused her request.

"It's here, " she said to the bike man.

She carried Ella down after she came down. She paid the bike man with a rumpled hundred naira note which was among the balance she returned home with the last time she went to market.

Joseph's project the previous year had been getting land and erecting a house for his family. The House turned out to be Mansion on finishing . The only reason Kamsi was envious was that Mark did not seem to have pressing projects or plans for investment.

The gateman most of the time sat outside their huge black gate where he would entertain his eyes. He was there at the time Kamsi arrived with Ella. He rushed and helped her to carry the box.

" Aunty, you don fresh finish o" the gate man said as he led them into the compound.

Kamsi shook her head with a smile. It was a regular thing he said each time he saw her.

"Small madam," he called, finally noticing the little girl.

"Good evening, " Ella greeted.

Joseph excused himself and went up after he had sat in the parlor and watched the women jump from one topic to the other.

"You should get a job," Michelle said after Joseph left.

Her actual job while Ella was around was babysitting and she was back to doing nothing but she did not want to admit or give away anything. She had always said, it was her choice to be a housewife. She allowed her eyes to wander to the window. Darkness was slowly crawling in.

"You should close the window, " she replied, smiling at Michelle.

" I hate you, " Michelle replied, walking to close the windows and draw down the curtains.

She sat on the arm of the chair Kamsi was sitting on.

"I mean it. You need to get busy because you can not just sit at home pregnant doing nothing."

"Does it not make sense to you - getting a job? " Michelle asked, using just a finger to tilt Kamsi's chin up.

"Why are you talking like it's most necessary now that I'm pregnant ?"

"Because it is. Every child would love a working mum more."

She inhaled and exhaled then repeated the action. She thought of it and the thought alone seemed exciting but where would work be?

" My husband will help you get a job in civil service, " Michelle answered her thoughts. "That's if it's what you want. "

" I want. I will take anything. " Kamsi replied eagerly.

That night while she lay with her husband in the cover of the darkness and her eyes refusing to be shut for long, she thought of being productive. It made her excited, so excited that she could not hold it in anymore.

"I'm going to start working."

She was lying on her side backing him while he lay right behind her with arms around her waist. He tightened his hold on her without saying a word.

"Did you hear me? " she asked.

"What do you mean by working ?"

"I want to have something that can be keeping me busy."

"What sort of busyness do you need, Kamsi ? I hope all this is a joke. "

He disentangled from her and sat up. She also sat.

"I'm not joking. I'm going to apply for a civil service job."

He laughed - hard and long. Kamsi stomped off and put on the light so she could have a look at his face.

"Of all jobs baby, civil service? " he asked, still amused.

"Yes. What is wrong with it? It's just my starting point," she shrugged and sat on the bed.

"The pay is meager, the place is public, so public that in an office you would be up to twenty people."

"There's nothing wrong with that," she said. That was the only time she had lied to herself that day. She had thought she would grow to be a boss and she was grown but to share a public office taking all the packages that came with it, noise, gossip and more.

"You are not working there. Let's not talk about it again " he said and lay back on the bed.

"Then find me a job," she dared.

"Why do you like acting like you have a loose nut, in your present condition, how is getting a job your utmost priority? "

"I don't have any loose nuts," she replied. " I also do not have a condition."

"Act like it," he replied.

He huddled to the edge of the bed backing her. He left a very large space which could enter extra two people.

Silence. She folded her arms and glared at his back with an intensity that could drill his back.

" You will give me time. I will find you something better, " he said in a tone that was calmer.

Kamsi was done giving time when it came to her job. She had made the mistake of quitting her job when he promised a better one. She was not going to make the same mistake twice. She knew she was going to get the job through Joseph. He was one of the top politicians in the state.

She closed her eyes and her mind wandered about like a little girl that was given freedom to play.

She imagined waking up every morning with a purpose that was more than making breakfast. She imagined the joy of seeing her own income again. If she slept that night, it was for a very short space of time. She was too elated to sleep.