The Housekeeper

page 1

I had just returned from the boarding house after my final exams.
Ma was sitting there on the couch with sabrina.
Pa was happy to see me but didn't say so or show any expression it was good i understood him. My loving father.

"Pa,how I missed you?" I said weirdly and prostrated coyly. I can totally act it even if I don't mean it.

"Your welcome,Asima,"He responded without moving. He's unemotional sometimes but that's how he fathers us.
He gave me that look, I have seen it before.
The same look that I saw when My world fell apart. I don't want to talk about it.
Sabrina and samuel my older siblings  were helping me with my luggage pretending to be happy to see me.
Ma had left the room good riddance. It's good she left with her shenanigans.

I followed samuel to my beautiful room,I needed to crash seriously.I walked in hopes high dreaming of my loving room but met reality after entering my room.
It was in the worst state it looked like the dungeon of the house and it was. Just that I kept it neat snf it wasn't so obvious.
It was half store half room
And a pile of boxes was on my bed.
Oh my princess life! The dream of getting some rest washed away as swiftly as a butterfly flutters.
Annoyingly, Samuel was saying nice things to me he only did that when he needed something.
I missed him too(I wish) I just was too busy to respond squarely.

"Asima,what did you get for me?"He asked me like he always did.

"Samuel I have to put this place together. whatever happened to the window?"I said as lovingly as my hungry body could conjur. Ofcourse I was avoiding his question.

"Ma closed it and now there's a shelf in front of it"he said pointing to direction of where my window would be.
I knew this place like the back of my palms.
I would rearrange it to my taste but I needed some light source.
Oh did I tell you there's no power in the room. Yeah no damn electricity.
I saw a small rat peeping at me from behind a pile of books,he was trying to look left and right before crossing. I imagined him recognizing me as the one who threw some of his peers out the window. The things we do for space in this room.

"Why would she do that?"I asked curiously,Ma had always had a way of draining me.

"You're not gonna be here for long she said. Cause you are getting married",he said with the world's biggest smile,"your leaving the house".

For a moment I just stared bluntly at samuel and then I just needed to take a break from being me.
I just became nineteen, I was valedictorian,I will get a scholarship and go abroad.I would be a pilot.
My dreams. My stupid imagination.

I ran out to the living room.My room is like the basement.

"Pa!",I screamed angry at that twenty-four years old fool for breaking it to me without remorse. How could I be first to marry? To whom will I be getting married? This is the exact moment when my body,soul and spirit needed to hear April fool but nothing came.

"Pa!"I called again. My adrenaline was raging now , my face was wet,my t-shirt was not so white anymore ,it was a nice looking brown.

"Your father has gone for a business meeting, young woman. what you screaming for? Haven't you exchanged pleasantries enough?"Ma was in charge now.

"Marriage?" I had more to say but I didn't want to talk to this grumpy woman. I never felt her love but she loved me.

"I see you've been informed"she said looking up from the tv screen"your father went to get your husband. The old man was quite impatient ,you know, the suitor swims in money and you know our status currently. So sorry that its you my angel."she is an untameable demon.

"We are rich!!" I screeched frustratedly.

"No !we were until your useless father made a horrible business decisions and we now live in debt!....."she said content that I was drowning in a river of tears.

"You told him it was a risk worth taking and he listened to you!......."I pointed at her dumb face.

We were screaming face to face by now. I could strangle her but juvi wasn't the plan.
She caused everything. It was her fault.

"Causing trouble already aye?"Sabrina said from behind me her height has never really matched her ego.

"Why not her why me?"I asked in childlike wonder.

"He is a paedophile."Ma said she had was talking nicely now.

"Well ,am not a kid ."Awesome stuff. Old rich paedophilic man. What else is new around here?

"Tell that to him on your matrimonial bed ." she sprayed me with her saliva on purpose.

"Noooooooooooo!"I screamed.

"Asima,you would do so for love you are kind and obedient and dumb and full of life and am sure he can manage you". She was talking and touching me it reminded me of the day.I don't want to talk about it.

I shook my body visibly shaking off her touch,let me wait for dad he alone can change the status quo.I walked back to my room it was now so dark even if it wasn't yet night.I got my lamp.