CAN’T HOLD MY TEARS
By Authoress Mide ?
EPISODE 6
I carried my sack of clothes effortlessly, as I marched with great vigor towards the living room. I obviously had enough of this melodrama which had been on constant replay in my life. Jeez, it was abundantly clear that I made a mistake, but should I be treated like a rejected leper because of it? Well, all that is coming to an end. This has gone this far because I allowed it. I swallowed, trying to put my anger and irritation under control before getting to the expansive living room. I wouldn’t want to spoil my exit by ranting like a rebellious child.
I entered the living room unceremoniously and my blood stilled before it erupted into a whirlwind of explosion. Corper sat there in the succulent chair, and the snake of a woman, sat on his laps, curled like a child. She ran her hands slowly from Corper’s chest to his shoulders, and to his face, tracing his bottom lip with a finger. Anger coursed through me, making me feel like I would explode into a million pieces uncontrollable anger.
Corper raised his head and a slow smile lit his face immediately he saw me. I froze. What was going on? Was he expecting me? He surely did not look surprised or angry that I was standing there. It was as if he had known all along that I would come there. He met my eyes and bent to k!ss the lady’s shoulder and I almost exploded on my feet. The woman’s head went backwards and in the process, caught sight of me. She stilled and sat up instantly.
“Who are you and what are you doing standing there?” she asked on raised voice. I fixed her with an angry glare.
“I think there is a better place to carry out your impropriety rather than the living room” I retorted.
She stood from Corper’s leg, with her hands on her hips. “Are you mad?” she yelled then turned to Corper. “Alex, what is the meaning of this? Who the hell is she and…” she turned to run her eyes up and down my body. Anger seemed to flare. “…And how come you got a new maid without informing me?”
She had called him Alex! That alone made me angry. Why hadn’t I thought to call him by his name instead of the ‘corper’ I was used to. Maybe if I had, he would have seen me differently, instead of the secondary school drop out that I am. Anyways, there was no time again for me to undo that mistake. I am leaving!
Alex seemed a little shaken.
“Don’t you dare call me a maid” I roared as I stomped my foot.
The girl looked like she would march over and kill me.
“And what are you?” it was Corper – sorry, Alex, that spoke. He was glaring at me, as if daring me to speak. Oh, I thought sternly. If he thought he had instilled enough fear in me to keep me mute, he surely did not know me at all.
“Oh, I would tell you exactly what, or rather, who I am” I returned as I carefully put a dangerous smile on my face. I turned to face the stunned queen diva, when the door to the sitting room suddenly flung open. I turned round to see the Senator and his wife standing at the entrance. If there was anything like a bad timing, their entrance would definitely be a perfect example. But that did not deter me at all.
“Get back to your room Amara” Alex ordered but I did not move an inch. The lady clapped her hands in bewilderment, like she was still having a difficulty understanding what was going on. I turned to Alex’s parents and since everyone seemed to have forgotten their manners, I quickly put that straight.
“Good morning sir, good morning ma” I greeted, kneeling slightly. I moved to them to usher them to a seat. “I am sorry for the scene you witnessed, please make yourselves comfortable” I murmured, feeling proud of myself. I knew that once I got my head out of the clouds and stopped feeling sorry for myself, I could actually be quite entertaining. They walked to their seats in confusion and sat down. The senator seemed to smile secretly, as he stared at everyone.
Before they uttered their unspoken question, I asked quickly. “What would you like to drink? I do believe we have anything you need” I knew nothing about what I was saying but I said it anyways.
Corper – no, Alex. It would take a little practice, changing the name, I noted mentally. He seemed to mumble something but I missed it. I swallowed slightly, as I placed a great smile on my face, pretending to be unaware of the tension.
Alex’s mother glared at me. “I want nothing, thanks” she said sternly.
“Oh, I would have something. Could you get me a fruit wine please dear” the senator said, inciting the glare of his wife. I smile victoriously. I had no idea what a fruit wine was but I surely would not disappoint him.
“Just a minute sir” with that, I floated out of the sitting room, with my bag of clothes left on the floor, at the middle of the room.
I smiled as I glanced back and saw the silent state with which the sitting room seemed to be in. The girlfriend of Alex seemed to have gone as rigid as a pillar of salt as she tried to make sense of the situation. I smiled to myself. Well, if I would leave, I might as well make my exit a memorable one.
Immediately I entered the kitchen, I saw Tina and Tola staring at me in shock. Tina’s expression was more of bewilderment and Tola expressed her undiluted irritation.
“What did you just do there?” Tina asked in shock. They had obviously been eavesdropping.
Tola snarled. “what she has just done is clear. She has revealed her true nature, behaving like the nuisance that she obviously is by disrespecting her boss. Get prepared to get sacked. Frankly, I cant wait for that to happen” she said with disgust.
I fixed her with a firm glare before turning to smile at Tina. This was not the time to banter words with a fool, I told myself. “Tina dear, could you do me the favor of showing me where you keep fruit wines? The senator requested for it and I would like to serve him myself.” I said in a pleading tone.
Tola laughed hysterically but I ignored her. “See this little fool. The wines are there at the bar in the sitting room. You have no business here little novice” she said.
My blood drained as I heard her. OH no! I had just spoiled the fun. If the wines were there, I could bet that glasses would be there as well, so what would I say I came into the kitchen for?
Inspiration hit me at once and I went to the cabinet and grabbed two glass cups.
“Madam, that is not a wine cup” Tola said again.
I ignored her and rinsed the cups, placing them on the tray. Tina looked confused but, bless her soul, she decided to help me by explaining where, in the bar, I would get a fruit wine. I thanked her and carried the tray back into the sitting room. The room was as silent as I left it and I smiled internally again. I was having so much fun at their expense.
As I dropped the tray on a side table, moving it to them, I quickly explained. “Please make do with these glasses sir. I fear the glasses at the bar might be a little unclean, at it might not well with your system” I was saying arrant nonsense, I knew, but I pretended to mean what I said. “I would just get the wine” I walked to the bar, remembering Tina’s descriptions. I picked the first cherry wine I saw and walked back to them. Opening the wine seemed like a really difficult task since I had never opened one before. I stared at it like a work of art until the senator came to my rescue again.
“Let me open that. Your fingers might be a little tender for this” he said with a smile and I heard Alex mutter something that sounded like a really terrible curse. As the senator took the bottle from my hands, I realised instantly that he was actually a likeable man. There was no disputing the fact that Alex got his looks squarely from his father. Although elderly, the elderly man looked exceptional, and coming from me since I am terribly picky, i would say he is exceedingly handsome. He looked so breathtakingly masculine in the dark brown suit he had on and I could imagine several young girls falling for him. Looking at him, I wondered just how handsome he would have been in his youth, if he could be this compelling at 50. When I stared at Alex, I knew exactly what he would have been like at that age. Alex was more handsome than he had the right to be. Who would imagine that someone with the behaviour I recently noticed in him would be as handsome as he is? No wonder women were swimming all over him, just to gain his attention. Unfortunately, I happened to fall into his trap.
The senator popped the bottle, snapping me out of my thoughts. He was about to fill the cups when I hastily collected it. I would show them the good daughter in-law they would miss before I leave, I told myself.
“Let me do it sir, I am sure you would love the taste of this cherry wine” i murmured and his eyes flashed with something i could not place. I risked a glance at his wife who was practically my mother-in-law. She had an uncertain look on her face, like she had not decided whether or not to accept what was going on. I filled her glass with a smile.
“Mummy, I am sure you might want to reconsider your desire for a drink. You must have had a long day”
I stood with a satisfied look on my face.
“Can someone tell me what the hell this maid is doing here? Who is she” The lady’s patience seemed to have snapped. She really is sausy, I thought. I am sure she had not even greeted the Senator and his wife. How can Alex marry this one?
The senator frowned. “Which maid?” He asked in total surprise. For the first time, he noticed the dress I was putting on and a sharp shock went through him. His wife shifted on her seat uncomfortably.
I laughed slightly and was about to talk when Alex cut in, talking for the first time since his parents’ arrival. “Don’t you dare talk” he yelled with deadly warning.
I glared at him. “You can’t do anything to me Alex” his stunned expression registered when he noticed that I used his name. For the first time! I smiled and turned to the senator. “Sir. I was made to resume the duties of a maid, the very day I got married to your son”
“What?” The senator bellowed
“Married?” The girl yelled. I wish I could remember her name, but frankly, I keep forgetting. She turned to Alex, who was glaring at me, making me squirm a bit. He looked uncomfortable and I guessed his girlfriend, or fiancee was the cause.
“What sort of s*** is this Alex?” She screamed.
He stood beside her with a pained expression. “I can explain” he said, pleading.
She hissed and picked her bag. “Explain to the dogs” she said and marched out of the sitting room and I was surprised her feet did not drill holes into the tiled floor. Alex pursued her until he got to the slammed door and the Senator’s voice rang out.
“Bring yourself here Alex, this minute and explain the trash I just heard of.
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