by Maya Rossi
I made the mistake of suggesting a bike and Blessing threw a fit, slapping and hitting me all over before Madam made her stop.
“I will never enter a bike,” she declared.
And she never did. Oga got his driver to come to the house with the company truck just to pick her up.
But that was last year.
She raised tear streaked features, badly swollen from repeated knock downs to me. “Why…” her voice cracked, and she licked her lips, “why are you helping me? I was a -a -a demon to you, a devil.”
How did I explain they programmed me to serve, and it didn’t matter if she had being dethroned? Did I even need to explain how I could be in her position tomorrow? Oga hated me. He had on sight and he still did.
Chapter six
Blessing’s cries kept me up all night. Every time the arms of sleeps crept over me, she would cry out, startling the drowsiness out of me.
Jesus. It was Riggy all over again. The cries, keening and begging, raising goosebumps all over my skin.
From the side drawer I took out my blue watch, the first gift I would ever receive. Time had cracked the rubber bands with white lines bisecting it. The minute and hour hand had detached from their hooks so every time I picked it up it made a crinkling noise. The battery cover fell out in my sixteenth year.
The watch was useless. But it was the product of the worst day of Eriga’s life. The day she got me the blue watch might already be second place. My eyes drifted closed as I recalled the smell of blood and worse on her. I stared dully at the watch, absently listening to Blessing cry.
Why didn’t she find her way to the bus stop and sleep at the shop? Not even I could sleep outside. Mentally, I sifted through my work for tomorrow. I had the shop, and somehow I had to see Riggy. I remembered the bloodied clothes and cursed.
I opened the door and found my way to the bathroom. Blessing continued to cry outside. Did I ever cry for that long? I doubted it. I quickly washed and hung up the dress I discarded in my rush.
“What are you doing?”
At the softly voiced question, I screamed. When I turned, I saw Benita seated just a few feet away. She had seen everything.
“Are you deaf?” she asked. I couldn’t see her face in the dark, but I could picture it. The arrogant lift of the eyebrow and the sneer on her lips. She was just a teenager but unfortunately, she reminded me too much of her father.
Hesitantly, I said, “There was blood on it--”
“Blessing,” she cried, “I knew it. She needs to go to the hospital. I will talk to mom.”
“Go to bed, Benita.”
At Madam’s voice, we turned. Benita must have left the front door open because I never heard Madam come out. With a cry, Benita ran into her mother’s arms. I closed my mouth. I would have sworn Benita would be the last person to seek comfort.
Madam held her close, crying softly too. My heart ached for her. She didn’t deserve this. Why did good women marry bad men?
I replaced the bucket in the bathroom. Madam and Benita were whispering now. The words quick and urgent. It was funny. By tomorrow they would return to their normal way and start arguing.
Madam raised her head. “If your father finds you here, it will be bad for us--”
“No,” Benita folded her arms and leaned forward, “I don’t share his bedroom. He won’t know--”
“Just go inside. I need to talk to your sister and we’re making noise.”
“But--”
“Go inside.”
After Benita left, Madam’s shoulder dropped, and she cried. Huge ugly tears. She walked to the gate, and I followed. She gripped the bars and rose to her tiptoes. “Ble, Blessing.”
The crying stopped, and a second later Blessing’s hand slipped through the bars. Madam caught her hand and they cried together. I stared at their clasped hands and a memory of my mother before everything slipped through. I recalled the evenings she helped with my homework. The encouragement, the laughter. It was fun.
Why did I never remember her like that, with the pencil or biro stuck into her hair and her smiles?
“Go to the Adeyemi’s house and wait there,” Madam said, “I will see you tomo--”
“Mr Adeyemi will tell Oga,” I hastily added.
“It’s true,” Blessing said. She sniffed. “It’s so dark here. Ada, how did you manage all those times you slept here. I want to die.”
“I’m used to it,” I said, tracking the windows to Oga’s room with narrowed eyes.
“Hey, hey, look at me,” Madam squeezed her fingers, “I will call Mrs Adeyemi to hide you or something.”
“Ada said I should go to the shop,” Blessing replied, her voice uncertain and shaky.
Madam looked at me then and smiled. “That’s why I love you. That’s the best idea,” she told Ada. “Your father never goes to the shop and his friends will never know. Go there and wait for me. I will see you in the morning. Do you have the key?”
“I’ve gave her mine,” I said.
“Perfect,” Madam whispered fiercely, “why haven’t you gone? You can’t sleep there. What if something happens? God forbid.”
Blessing broke down and her cries were the only sounds breaking the silence for a minute. “I can’t trek down there--”
Madam made an incredulous sound. “You mean in a life and death situation you can’t trek the short distance to the bus stop to enter bike? What’s wrong with you?”
“It’s far,” she whined.
Madam glared at her through the gate bars. “If it’s too far sleep there then. For God’s sake, just walk down to the main road, and take a bike. You can still see one.”
After much arguments and convincing, Blessing finally left. Madam cried softly. My heart leaped for joy when she turned to press her face to my chest as she cried. I cradled her in my arms, filled with awe and gratitude for this woman who had seen me through the toughest times.
I couldn’t tell how much time we spent there. But when we heard Oga’s voice, Madam released me and raced inside. I stood alone, listening to her footfalls as she ran up the stairs. Staring up at Oga’s room window, I imagined my hands around Oga’s neck, squeezing for all I was worth.
So between Oga’s dramatics, Blessing’s cries and Benita’s appearance once her mother ran to join Oga in their room, I didn’t get much sleep. In the morning, I splashed my face with cold water from the fridge to stun the remaining sleep out of me and began the morning chores.
After cleaning the house, I waited for Madam to give me the instructions for breakfast. When I heard Oga moving around in their room, I hastily began plans for jollof rice. It was the one meal I could count on everyone to eat regardless of preference.
I had just dished Oga’s plate of rice when a knock sounded at the door. I carefully changed the placements for Oga’s water, toothpick and his morning paper. At the door, I found one of Oga’s closest friends. Pa Nonso was one of Oga’s business colleagues. He was balding, potbellied and had the annoying habit of releasing a fart when it suited him.
He pushed his glasses up his nose and sniffed. To my shock, he touched my cheek, running a finger down my skin. “Something smells delicious.”
I lowered my eyes. “Uhmm th-th-thank you, sir.”
His nostrils widened like he smelled something foul. “You don’t stammer, do you?”
“No, sir.”
“Good.”
He walked past me, admiring the kitchen and muttering under his breath the whole time. Thrown off by the attention, I took a clean plate and served his food. The first time I waited for Oga to tell me whether or not his friends wanted to eat, I got a slap that still made my ears ring.
I placed the rice, a bowl of stewed meat, chilled beer and a bottle of water on a tray and took it to the dining room.
“... my wives they are old and fighting like women,” Pa Nonso grunted, “I give them everything, spend so much money and they fight.”
Oga laughed, licking his fingers. “They are women, j
obless ones. What did you expect?”
I carefully placed the food before Pa Nonso, squirming inside as his eyes stuck to me like glue. I didn’t pull a breath until I had arranged everything to his liking. But when I tried to leave, he caught my hand. I stopped breathing.
“But a young, sweet, beautiful thing like this,” he licked his lips, “she will be obedient, grateful and will do anything to please me.” He gave Oga a speculative glance. “Have you tried her yet?”
Oga stopped chewing to study me. I lost my virginity during my stay with the Babalolas at age eight. As Madam Gold repeatedly warned us, it was part of our duty. I never heard of a maid who didn’t have to satisfy her Oga sexually at least once. Joy did it. Even Mary with her illness did it.
Except me.
I wasn’t surprised, but I was still relieved when Oga stared at my scar and winced. “No.”
Pa Nonso laughed. “Because of this,” he nodded at the scars, “so you spend all this money on campus girls?”
Oga pointed at the bowl of water, and Pa Nonso released me. I brought it to him, holding it so he could wash.
“Those girls know what they are doing.” He rubbed the liquid soap between his fingers and dipped his hands in the water.
“Those girls are disrespectful, catty and dangerous. Not to talk of expensive.”
“I can afford it.” Oga grabbed a napkin and wiped his hands.
Pa Nonso pointed at me. “Come here.”
My eyes went to the stairs. Madam would never allow this. But no matter how long I stared at the stairs, she never appeared to save me. Pa Nonso flicked a finger at my dress. “Remove it.”
When I hesitated, Oga frowned. Quickly, I unzipped, twisting my hands behind my back to reach the zipper. I pulled the dress over my head, holding it in my right hand. I kept my gaze fixed straight ahead. He pointed at my bra, and panties and I pulled them off.
I stood there under the lights of the dining room waiting for Pa Nonso’s next instructions. He rose and moved to stand behind me. His stomach pushed me a bit forward, so I stood closer to Oga. My eyes dropped to his hands gripping the napkin. His fingers were clenched hard around it.
Pa Nonso cupped my breasts, twisting the nipples between his thumb and forefinger. “Who cares about her face when she has this, huh? See how they stand?”
He continued to touch me. He grew silent, his breathing and Oga’s own increased until they were panting. I kept my mind blank, waiting for them to finish. My only thought was that they hurry so Madam didn’t find us like this.
It would hurt her.
“How old are you?” he asked.
“Eighteen.”
“Perfect. Obedient, quiet and young. What more do you want?”
Oga exhaled harshly. He released the napkin deliberately. He shook his head like he just woke from sleep. “My wife likes her, she will be angry. Come eat, we have things to discuss.”
After their meal, they moved to the living room. I retired to the kitchen and my house chore. As I placed, the plates in the sink, my hands trembled so badly, the plates clattered.
By the time Madam woke, I was already on my way to the shop. I had food and buckets and other things Blessing would need. When I knocked on the shop, she opened immediately like she stood on the other side of the door waiting.
“Good--”
“You’re late.” She slapped me hard across the face. I blinked, taking a step back. Blessing covered her face with her hands and moaned. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that.”
I walked past her. She followed, apologizing profusely. “I’m sorry.“
“OK,“ I said evenly.
Twenty minutes later, I had the shop open, and the front swept. Blessing hovered, watching as I cleaned off the mess left by animals and homeless people who used the place overnight.
I covered my hands with black nylon and carried a palm full of sand. Carefully, I poured it over a mould of shit on the left side of the shop. Our neighbors had already opened their shops and their salesgirls were hard at work taking out goods and laying them out.
I used a packer to lift the shit just as Blessing gagged loudly. “Is that shit? Oh, God.”
“Yes,” I forced myself to answer. I looked at her fully for the first time. Unsurprisingly, her wounds were even more ugly this morning with different colors.
“Better tell Mom to post guards here. How can the shit in the shop?”
I ignored her. I scrubbed down the glass panes with the special glass cleaner we used. As I moved in and out, Blessing followed, peppering me with questions, request and demands.
I was carrying a carton load of weavon and hair accessories when I ran into her and fell on my ass. She reached for me, apologizing sweetly. Finally, I stopped to give her my full attention.
“I’m sorry about what happened to you,” I began slowly.
“But?” she asked.
“My loyalty is to your mother and no one else. And--”
“You’re helping me because of Mom?”
“Yes,” I stated calmly. “I will help you, but only after I take care of Madam’s business first. So, please, just stay out of my way?”
I half expected another slap, but Blessing looked at me curiously. “You love her, don’t you?”
“Always have and always will.”
She nodded. “OK.”
Without her underfoot, I had our goods cleaned and displayed in twenty minutes. Blessing must have been monitoring my progress because she turned on me the second I walked into the shop.
“I need to bathe and eat and I need clean clothes.”
“Give me a few minutes.” I rolled up the mattress she slept on and placed it in a corner. “Thank God for this foam.”
“I was grateful for it,” she said, “what’s it doing here?”
“Madam uses it in the afternoon when business is slow.”
I grabbed the bucket and went to get water. The car wash a good fifteen minute walk away sold water. I hated going so far away but I had no choice.
As my bucket filled up, a bike stopped. I placed the bucket on my head and said my goodbyes. I turned to find the bike blocking my way.
“Merrick.”
“I’m glad I don’t have to introduce myself,” he said. His words are clipped and angry. “What are you going to do about your friend, you know the one you brought to my--”
Conscious of Seun watching us, I forced a smile. “Good morning.”
I walked around his bike. His mouth dropped open in shock. I would have enjoyed it if he wasn’t a few seconds away from landing me in hot water.
The bike followed, angling and blocking my way again. His whole body vibrated with fury. “You don’t walk away when I’m talking to you.”
Merrick got out of his bike, long legs clearing the height easily. Gracefully. He sauntered forward. “I did you a favor, the least I expect--”
“Please,” I begged.
He stopped in his tracks, dark eyebrows snapping together over his dark shades. “What?”
“Please. Not here.” My eyes darted to the left. His followed.
What he did next surprised me. I was still intent on begging when he stalked past me. I remained rooted to the spot for a second, unsure what was happening.
As he passed, he hissed, “Go.”
I forced my wooden legs forward. At the shop, Blessing waited. Wordlessly, I gave her a basin and the bucket of water.
She eyed the basin in distaste. “What should I do with it?”
“There’s no bathroom, stand in it.”
As she bathed, I stepped outside to give her privacy. But I couldn’t get Merrick out of my mind. Why would he help me? He didn’t even ask too much questions; he noticed my fear, realized I didn’t want the neighbors knowing we had a relationship of any kind and protected me. Why?
Not that we had any relationship.
Not at all.
“I’m done,” Blessing called.
I threw out the water, clean
ed the ground and replaced the buckets. She sat on the shop couch playing with her phone. I ran to the nearest pharmacy and got her painkillers. When I returned, I served her food and handed her the medicine.
“Thanks,” she murmured. She fingered the nylon the drugs came in. “Do you have family?”
