Patsy (the victim)

7

Aunty lami's husband stay for 3weeks and decide to leave, zahra'u quickly saunter around the kitchen with aunty lami giving orders around Alhaji is taking an evening flight , somehow zahra'u find it odd how excited the woman look, she seems overly happy and in good mood.

"Hurry up alhaji will soon be back,
He need to eat before he leave." Aunty lami say as zahra'u quickly dish the foods into a warmer.

Zahra'u hurriedly round up the cooking and arrange everything on the dinning table before heading to her bedroom.

"Mama nah." She call picking her daughter as the little girl giggle.

"Come on let's bath and then you eat." Zahra'u say and position the little girl and begin breastfeeding her,
Once she's done she bath her daughter and the little girl instantly fall asleep, zahra'u glance at the wall clock that now shows 8pm she wonder if Alhaji has leave, she is a bit hungry but don't want to leave the bedroom, the last thing she want to do is to offend aunty lami especially now that her husband is about leaving,
Zahra'u decide to pray her isha prayer and lay a little but somehow she sleep the night off and is awaken by her little girl crying.

"Mama." Zahra'u say sleepy and sit upright grabbing the little girl as she glance at the wall clock 5:00am.

She breastfeed her daughter and sigh tiredly as the adhan call the prayer, she drop mama on the bed who gp back to sleep and saunter to the bathroom to perform her ablution and pray.

"Ke zahra'u!" Aunty lami's voice call as she knock on the door, zahra'u quickly stand up from the prayer mat and  fold it before sauntering to the door.

"Goo.........

" quickly park your things,
You are leaving my house this morning the only reason i let you stay yesterday night was because of your daughter, park your things and leave my house, daman Alhaji nake jira ya wuche kema ki bar min gida"
Ire irenku ne masu zuwa su kwache wa mata mijinsu"
Go inside and get your things instantly. "Aunty lami say as she tap her foot impatiently.

" aunty lami ple.........

"Zahra'u,
Look you are nice and hardworking but any woman that will come and deviate my husband attention i am not going to tolerate,
Here Alhaji gave me this 50,000 naira to give it to you." Aunty lami say throwing the money on zahra'u who's crying.

"I don't even know where to go,
Please, because of my daughter." Zahra'u say as aunty lami stare at her.

Aunty lami really did feel pity for zahra'u, she wishe she can let her stay but she just cannot tolerate how alhaji keeps getting worried and paying unnecessary attention to her, zahra'u is sure the most quiet and well behave maid she ever have but she need to leave.

"Zahra'u go inside and get your thing,
I have ask dauda to check on mallam musa but they say he left to the village,
I don't know how you will do but you need to leave, ki tashi ki hado kayanki." Aunty lami say and head to her bedroom.

Zahra'u cry for some minutes kneeling by the door before she head back to the bedroom, she glance at her daughter who's sleeping and the money aunty lami gave to her, she sigh and open the wardrobe in the bedroom, removing all her clothes with her daughter's clothes, she open the small drawer she is saving her money and open it,
She remove the money and count them with a sigh, she has save 62,000 with the 50,000 naira aunty lami gave to her it's a total 112,000 naira but what and how can she even start,
She will need an accommodation,
Where and how will she even start searching for a work.

"Ba ki gama bane zahra'u!" Aunty lami say coming inside the bedroom and zahra'u look up from the bag she's arranging the clothes.

Lami glance at the little girl sleeping on the bed and avert her gaze from her, she feel bad but zahra'u has to leave her husband seems too generous and attach to the girl.

"Take this,
Your monthly salary." Aunty lami say handing the 20,000 to zahra'u who collect muttering a thank you.

Aunty lami leave the bedroom and zahra'u sigh rounding up the parking,
She bath her daughter and dress her  up, she sit with a heavy sigh staring at the duffle bag and a single suitcase aunty lami husband bought for her, she sigh and flick the tears from her eyes and stand up, she pick her daughter and clasp her on her back, she securely tie the wrapper around her and add the blue hijab on the abaya she's wearing, she grab the suitcase and pick the duffle bag before exiting the bedroom.

"OK,
Kin fito ko." Aunty lami say and zahra'u node.

Zahra'u stare at the lady and release a deep breathe, she wouldn't say staying here was bad because regardless aunty lami strictness she's a nice woman and treat her like a normal being without judging her.

"Aunty lami thank you for your generosity toward me,
Nagode." Zahra'u say with a sniff as aunty lami turn her gaze away,
A small part of her doesn't want zahra'u to leave but that jealous and insecure part of her want her gone,
Aunty lami stand up from the parlour and head to her bedroom.

Zahra'u sigh and wheel her suitcase with a sigh, even dauda felt sorry for her he just watch as the girl exit the house with her daughter sleeping on her back and the two bags.

Zahra'u stare at the quiet street wondering where her next destination is going to be, with a lot ot thought churning in her head she begin walking as she try to figure out a solution in her life,
she need a roof under her head,
she need money to take care of her daughter, the money with her can rent a room but what about things to keep in the bedroom like mattress, what about feeding?
Her daughter's needs plus hers,
Fed up with everything zahra'u sit under a tree few blocks away from the house and breakdown,
Why can't anybody accept her as a part of her life, will she always going to be used and then discarded when she isn't needed, for how long is she going to be a patsy,
A car halt in her front honking she wipe her tears and  look up at the car as the window slide down.

"Are you alright?" A man ask and zahra'u give him a confuse look,
Never did she know this will be another epic chapter in her life, one that will give her happiness, sadness, a taste of betrayal that will be her very worst nightmare.