Chapter 7: Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The journey was long.

I have never traveled on such a long distance. I slept almost all through the journey. I yawn loudly just as an announcement comes through. The person talking has a sweet voice and her accent is great.

‘’This is the last stage for the bus. I believe we’ve all reached our destination.’’ She says sweetly.

I love it when women are empowered and I will empower many at the end of my journey.

I clutch my bag tightly and clench the piece of paper that I found in the home bank with strength. I depend on that because without it, I will not be able to locate where she is.

Tabby.

I watch in awe, with an open mouth as she walks in sure steps towards my direction.

‘’You didn’t hear that the journey has come to an end?’’ a young, bold and beautiful lady tells me and I don’t respond, instead, I am looking at her with my mouth and eyes wide open. She waves at my face. ‘’Are you okay?’’ she asks concern plastered on her face.

I want to touch her black, long and beautiful hair but I decide to keep my filthy village fingers to myself. She is one of those models that I always see on TVs.

I usually admire them a lot. In fact, many are the times when I think they don’t exist in real sense but here I have been proven wrong.

She touches my shoulder and this time, I smile at her. ‘’You should be alighting.’’ I nod and stand up without a single word.

I turn to look at her from the door and she is smiling, I try to tell her that she is beautiful but no word comes out of my mouth. Partially because I don’t trust my words and also, because I don’t know how she may take it.

I spin on my heels and walk out of the bus.

Everyone is busy with their businesses. I feel lost in the midst of busy people. I walk to an empty spot and stand there like a zombie. There seem to be a beehive of activities going on around here. The people look so refined and I wonder if all of us were born under the same sun.

In the planet Earth.

Some of us seem to have been under the scorching and blazing sun while others seem to live under big umbrellas and never get blazed or smoldered by the super-hot sun.

I turn my gaze to the left after scanning the whole place and I am amazed at how beautiful things are around here. Some handsome man, standing a few feet away from me is staring at me like I am some sort of thing that he enjoys viewing.

I try to hide my face but when I lift it he has even moved closer. I wonder why he has a smile on his face. I think it is because I am ugly and from the village. Everyone else can notice how rough and dark my skin is. I have no idea what the hell is going on because some of the people here are looking at me like I am missing something.

Where could this girl be? I have been standing here for almost twenty minutes and she is still not here. I hope she doesn’t stand me up.

The cold weather in the city is streaming through my skin and I pull my cardigan even tightly. I want to be coiled but I may just fall asleep.

I look up and realize that the guy is still standing at the same point. He hasn’t left. Someone passes and drops a coin before me. I don’t know what happens next but a tear drops when it cuffs my mind that the guy thinks I am a beggar.

Well, I look like one literally. Because here, everyone looks stunning and worthy of attention.

Striking.

I don’t know why someone as handsome as the guy I am looking at would want to stand watching me for that long. It doesn’t make sense at all.

I don’t make an attempt to pick the coin at all.

He takes a few steps towards me and due to fear, I take a step backward.

‘’Hey, I won’t hurt you. Are you okay? You seem lost.’’ I don’t respond. Sometimes it’s not a good idea to speak to strangers especially when you have a paranoid mum like mine. ‘’My name is Harry and I can help you. Are you waiting for someone?’’

I shake my head. ‘’Not really.’’

‘’But you look lost. Do you need help?’’ he asks again. By the look of things, he doesn’t look like he will give up any time soon. I am scanning around trying to see if I could see any sign of Tabby around.

‘’I am okay. Thank you for worrying. You can go now.’’

‘’I can’t go until I am sure that you are okay um … young girl. Are you …’’

‘’I am not your responsibility. Am I?’’

‘’I know you aren’t. Well, you may be but I am only doing what is right. I want to help you because you don’t seem to be okay.’’

‘’Please go! I hate nosy people. You behaving as if you are prying or probing me isn’t funny at all. PLEASE GO AWAY!’’ I shout stressing the last three words and I realize that I attract attention.

A few people turn to look at me but I bluntly ignore them.

‘’Won’t you just tell me your name?’’

‘’Why would you wanna know my name? What does it matter to you?’’

‘’I just want to know your name. Please!’’

‘’Will you go after knowing my name?’’

‘’I am not sure if I really will leave you here. I know you are waiting for someone and I also know that you are a visitor here. It is not safe to be here all alone.’’

‘’Jeez! You are just so stubborn. And you think it is safe with you? Why would you want to take care of a stranger?’’

‘’Just tell me your name okay? I promise I will go away.’’

‘’I am …’’ As if that was a signal, Tabby cuts me off perfectly when I am about to tell the stranger my name.

‘’Clara!’’ I hear a familiar voice shouting my name and I run to her open arms. Tabby is already here so, I will be fine. The stranger can go hang himself if he likes.

I don’t give a hoot.

‘’Thanks for coming, darling. I was worried. I thought you had abandoned me. I am so happy that you are here.’’

‘’Anytime, babe. I can never abandon you, you know?’’ she says with a slight smile on her face.

‘’Thanks for the assurance,’’ I tell her and she nods her a perfect and genuine smile still smothering and coating her beautiful face.

She looks like one of them. Very bright and attractive.

‘’Let’s get going, babe. It is really cold out here. I know you are tired and need some rest too.’’ She turns to walk away but she stops after the first step and turns to look at me. ‘’Who is that dude you were with when I called you?’’

‘’A stranger. Why?’’

‘’Because he hasn’t stopped looking at you since I called you. What’s his problem?’’

‘’As fine as he looks, I don’t really think he has a problem. Maybe I am the one with a problem.’’

‘’Why would you say that, babe?’’

‘’People in this city are attractive and beautiful, I look like some mad woman walking across the streets. Can you imagine someone even dropped a coin for me! I am sure in his mind, I am some needy woman with nothing to eat, no place to live in and with no education.’’

‘’There’s nothing wrong with that, Clara. You and I both know that you are beautiful and should never be worried about who are and who is not thinking shit about you. Don’t ever demean yourself.’’

‘’Thanks, girl. Can we go now?’’ I ask but I notice she isn’t concentrating on whatever I am asking her because she doesn’t respond. I follow her line of sight and she is still looking at the handsome dude who is smiling at us.

He has a flawless and consummating smile.

‘’I am going to give that dude a piece of my mind. He isn’t supposed to be ogling at us or rather at you for all that while.’’

‘’How long should he do it?’’

‘’I don’t know and I don’t care! He shouldn’t do it at all!’’

‘’You are not going anywhere! The only medicine here is to walk away from here. It is better to disappear than to fight an unnecessary skirmish.’’ She ignores me and starts to walk towards that guy but I clasp her arm so hard with my rough palms from the village. She turns to glare at me but I give her a fake smile.

‘’Let’s go, darling.’’ She turns to walk in the opposite direction after picking the nylon bag that I had in my hands without saying another word.

‘’Be careful. We have our riches in there.’’ I say quietly and she laughs at that loudly.

She is fast. Just like them who live in the city. At least that’s one of the things I have noticed here. People walk really fast. It is as if they are chasing the wind.

I smile despite myself when I think of what I just said. I turn to look at the Harry guy and he waves at me. I can’t believe that he stood there for that long just staring at us.

‘’Let’s go, babe!’’ she shouts and I follow her, falling into step and catching up with her pace. ‘’How’s home and everyone, babe.’’

‘’All is well. Everyone is okay and finally, I am in the city.’’ I say the last words proudly. If you told me a few days ago that I will be meeting my sweet cousin here, I would have probably said you are a liar. I can’t express how I feel right now.

‘’I am excited about coming to the city, but I am also happy that my dad was finally remorseful about that issue of marrying me off to that idiot Liam.’’

‘’He wanted to marry you off to that idiot of a man?’’ she asks surprised and I just nod at her.

After long chats with Tabitha, we finally get home, to the woman who I am supposed to work for. I already feel some fondness and partiality for the woman.

There is something loveable about her.

She welcomes us warmly and I smile when I think about how much of a good heart she seems to be. She is neat and attractive. She doesn’t look frail or feeble even a little.

‘’What is your name, young girl?’’

‘’Clara, Ma’am.’’

‘’How old are you?’’

‘’I am twenty-one years old ma’am.’’

‘’Alright. You know what has brought you here?’’

Yes, as briefed by my cousin here but I wouldn’t mind hearing from you since it is you I am going to work for, right?

She nods and explains what I am supposed to do and tells me about the pay. I understand everything and since I could cook at home most of the time, I know how to cook very well. Her outdoing help takes her sweet time teaching and explaining to me a few tips here and there.

Tabby finally leaves and she promises to come around the following day to check on me. She tells me that she doesn’t work far from there and promises that she will be visiting, as and when she can.

Janet, who is the outgoing help tells me that my boss lady is a good woman and pays in time.

‘’What does she like and what doesn’t she like?’’

‘’She like lots of things and dislikes lots of things. First, she doesn’t like it when your chores go unattended to and when you go roaming around instead of taking care of what brought you here. She likes it when you do your work on time. Cook nice meals and make sure that the house is spotlessly clean. Will you manage all that?’’

‘’She got the right person,’’ I say proudly. ‘’She will never regret bringing me here from the village and I will make sure that she is happy all the time.’’

‘’Good girl. Keep the fire burning.’’

‘’Thank you.’’

‘’Clara!’’ there is a loud knock on my bedroom and I wonder who that could be.