CRY FOR ME: Part 11 – The End
Part 14
Franca Uwuigiaren
I woke up startled. I didn’t know why I woke up so suddenly. I went into prayers immediately until I heard a loud knock on my door. It was oga Chikamso.
“Why are you disturbing me?”he barked angrily. ” There are things I do in the night that I will need silence. Every night you disturb my peace with your prayers. Ask my wife and she will tell you prayers are not allowed in his house. I stopped her from praying. Have you heard her pray before. Since you entered this house, all you do is pray. You have destroyed so many things. Let me sound this warning to you, the day I hear you pray again, I will send you packing” he said angrily and left the room.
I went back to the bed without praying again because I was afraid of the expression on his face.
A week later, after I had dropped the kids in school, I entered the house and discovered oga was still home. The television was on. There was no volume probably because he was pressing his phone. In his hand was a cigarette. It was the first time I saw him smoking.
*Aren’t you going to work today?” I asked him
“Are you pursuing me from my house?’ he asked smiling.
“No. I just asked.”
He laughed.
“Come and watch this film with me” he said.
“Aah oga, I have a lot of work to do”
“As the head of this house, I order you to leave whatever you are doing and come sit with me.”
I sat on the chair far to him.
“Come closer” he commanded.
I left the chair and went to sit with him on the chair. I focused on the television only to discover it was a pornography film. I stood up immediately and was about to leave when he squeezed my buttock. I turned immediately and slapped him but he returned the slap immediately.
“You low life girl. Next time you raise your filthy hands on me again, I will paralyse it.”
I rushed to my room and started crying and asking God to forgive me for setting my eyes on a pornographic film.
I told my dad that I will leave the job at the end of the month. I explained everything to him and he was furious.
“Leave now” but I pleaded with him.
“Allow me collect the salary month end”
“The moment you collect it. Stop and come home immediately.”
“I hear you sir.”
CRY FOR ME: Part 1 – 10
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Whenever nobody was home, I would study the Bible and pray. Each time I pray, there’s a kind of strength that comes upon me. Oga came home one afternoon. I greeted him but he didn’t respond. He passed me to his room, then returned to the sitting room shouting. I rushed to the sitting room to see what the problem is.
“Did you enter my room?” He asked
“No sir”
“Who broke my mirror? he asked
“I don’t know. I have never entered your room sir.”
“If it’s not you then who did. I am sure you have a spare key to my room.” He said pointing angrily at me.
“I don’t have any key and I don’t know how your room look like”
Before I knew it, he charged on me. He removed his shoe and started hitting me.
“You are a blood liar this girl. You entered my room and broke my mirror. Do you know what it took me to have that valuable item in this house?” After hitting me, he marched out of the house cursing.
When madam returned, she saw my swollen head and face.
“What happened to you Susan? She asked “who did this to you?
“Your husband” I told her
“Did he touch you. I mean rape you? She asked frightened.
“No ma.”
I told her everything.
She hugged me.
“I am sorry Susan. Forgive us.”
“I hardly enter my husband’s room myself. She doesn’t like it. I know you didn’t enter there. Maybe he broke it mistakingly. I asked you whether he raped you because he’s capable of such. He brings home young girls and have sex with them in this house and even in my presence. But I am still enduring for the sake of my children.”
Madam begged me not to report anything to dad and I agreed. She promised to add something to my salary and I agreed.
I continued with my duty as if nothing happened. I was just waiting for the month to end in few days time.
CRY FOR ME: Part 11 – The End
Two day later, oga asked me to go and buy a brown polish. I looked everywhere for the Polish before I could find one. When I eventually returned, he wasn’t in the sitting room. I didn’t bother calling him or knock on his door. I dropped the Polish on the dinning table and went straight to the kitchen to dish food for myself. As I carried my food to the dinning table, I heard him talking probably on the phone.
“I have tried everything but it’s not walking. The first day I saw her, I knew she is a virgin. If I succeed having sex with her, she will be useless in life while I will be wealthy.” He laughed and paused for sometime.
“Yesterday, I slept with a small girl and I discovered that someone had already collected what I wanted. I just paid her because she was already useless. No virtue or light in her. All her life, she will struggle and walk aimlessly because she has given her virtue willingly for free.”
I listened to his conversation and I placed my two hands on my head. Quickly I carried my food my room and opened the door a little so I could continue to hear the conversation.
“I will try again tonight. I will make her fall into a deep sleep, then I will go in and steal her virtue. I will keep you informed.”
When he came out from his room, he saw the Polish on the dining and took it. I quietly sneaked out of the room with dirty clothes for washing. When he called me I responded from outside.
“Are you busy?”
“I want to wash sir”
“Please come in and dish my food”
I rushed to the kitchen to dish the food but he was standing at the entrance of the kitchen smiling. He collected the food from me and proceeded to the dining.
“I want to apologise for the other day. I am sorry.” He said
“I have forgiven you sir.”
He drew closer to me and held my two hands in his.
“You’re more beautiful than my wife. Look at you performing the duties she’s supposed to perform. You are young but I know you will make a perfect wife. How much is she paying you” he asked
“27 thousand. He laughed loudly.
“Small money”
“I want to marry you Susan. I don’t love my wife. Do you know she begged me to marry her? He laughed so much. No man wanted to marry her but I pitied her. Have you counted 200 thousand naira before?
“No sir!
“I will give you #500 thousand.”
“For what sir? I asked shaking because he has put one of my fingers in his mouth. I quickly withdrew my hand.
“I want you. And I want you tonight on my bed.”
“I… I .. can’t sir”
“One night and I will give you one million naira.”
I became scared and I moved backwards.
“Come on Susan. You’re not a baby. That old woman won’t have to know anything. Think of what one million will do for you. I can even make it #1.5m. My wife won’t hear anything.”
“I won’t sir. No matter what you offer me, I won’t”
He looked at me and laughed.
“Anyway think about it”
He picked his spoon and started eating. I dragged myself outside to wash but I was scared.
CRY FOR ME: Part 11 – The End
Later, I saw him open the gate and left. Immediately he left, I locked everywhere, board a bike and rushed home. Dad wasn’t home. I had no phone to reach him. I waited for him until afternoon and I had to rush back.
I picked the kids from school. I made up my mind that with or without salary I was leaving. I will wait for madam to return, then I will tell her my decision.
After carrying out the house chores , I arranged my things in my bag waiting for madam. I hope I am making the right decision?
CRY FOR ME: Part 11 – The End
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