Caught In between

Chapter 30: Opportunity

Not long after Marlise got into the house, she heard a knock on the door. Mr. Jo stood there, looking stressed and anxious. He rubbed his palms together, several times, placed them in his pocket, and took them out.

"Mr. Jo, is everything okay?" Marlise asked.
"Not really, and I hate to bother you about this. It's just that, I hired a housekeeper for Doctor Kamara but she's backed out today. I need you to recommend someone. I trust your judgment. They should be able to clean and cook," he said and waited for her response. She felt Mado behind her so she turned and looked her in the eyes. There was a silent mutual understanding between the two of them; they were thinking the same thing.
"Me!" she replied suddenly.
"You?" He asked, confused.
"Yes, Mr. Jo. I have worked as a maid before. I can manage her household" she said.
He placed his hand on his heart and breathed an audible sigh of relief.
"I knew you were here for a reason. Thank you. Please let me introduce you immediately," he said eagerly.
Nervously, she walked to the glass complex where she met the driver of the previous evening standing by a black vehicle. He looked at her suspiciously.
"Good morning, Oumar, this is Marlise, her mother and daughter. They are tenants living in the green apartment," Mr. Jo introduced. His face went from anger to shock.
"Madam's special apartment?" he asked.
"Exactly! They're special people," Mr. Jo laughed lightly as he continued to walk.
The person who opened the door was the woman she'd seen on the photo. Her hair was held behind and she had on a white long gown. She looked about 60 years old, had fair brown skin with no wrinkles. Those were the perks of living abroad for long, Marlise thought. Her own mother in her same sixties had bags under her eyes due to stress.

"Hi Mr. Jo," doctor Kamara greeted cheerfully.
Mr. Jo made her know that they were tenants in the apartment.
"Oh, so you're my guest!" she laughed and let them in.
"The apartment is beautiful ma," Marlise said.

Mr. Jo explained the reason why she was there and doctor seemed pleased.
However, Marlise's heart was beating fast as she introduced her mother and daughter.
"Oh she's pretty and we have similar birth marks," Doctor Kamara exclaimed, smiling at Viva. The child reciprocated her smile and reached for her.
"Oh, she wants you to carry her," Ma Mado said.
Doctor Kamara looked surprised.
"Don't trouble auntie okay?," Ma Mado said to Viva, moving away. The baby suddenly looked sad and her eyes clouded with tears.
"Oh no, don't cry," Doctor Kamara said suddenly taking the child. In her arms, Viva smiled and started playing with her hair.
Marlise thought they fitted well into each other's arms, like grandmother and grandchild.

♡♡♡

Two weeks passed and she'd still not had the opportunity to bring up her case with Doctor Kamara. The woman was really busy and sought after as everyone had said. She left the house as early as 6am and returned home sometimes after 10pm when Marlise had finished all her work and gone home. On most days, Marlise would watch her being interviewed on TV. The woman was elegant, her speech was polished and she was really passionate about this heart thing. She wondered what her story was.  Was she was even married? She had never come across any other picture in the house apart from hers.

"Mama, what do we do? its like I would never meet this woman," Marlise complained one evening when she returned to their apartment without meeting the doctor. Ma Mado remained in deep thought for a few seconds.

"I have an idea," she said.

***

THANKS FOR READING
Is Marlise in Doctor Kamara's house for a reason?
What's Mado planning to do?
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