Chapter 7

"Dara, I'm so sorry. Please, I beg you just try to understand" Precious came wringing her hands two days later.

We had just closed from work and she was in our resting room picking her bags and apologizing profusely. I stared at her confused, "sorry for what?" I was scared that I knew what she was apologizing for and I prayed I was wrong

"Just say you would not be mad at me first" she pleaded.

I really hate it when people ask for forgiveness before telling you how they have offended you. Tell me first, then I should decide if I want to be angry or not.

"Precious, I don't make such promises" I tried to smile to cover how really serious I was because I was freaking out a little. Now what? "Just tell me what it is, I can handle it"

"Okay, I spoke to my Aunt today and she has given me the address for her house" she stopped. I waited, expecting her to say more judging by the constipated look on her face, using my eyes to urge her along "She said she doesn't have space in her house for two girls so only I should come".

"Hmm mmm, are you sure that's what she said? Because I recall you telling me that her husband is abroad and she lives alone with her two daughter that shares a room in a three bedroom flat. We only need a place to sleep and probably to stay on Sunday. I can share a room with you. So tell me what she said exactly" I prodded.

"Dara, you have to understand that she doesn't mean ill" Precious pleaded.

JUST TALK! I screamed at her in my mind. I kept my gaze cold and steady on her face

"She said she doesn't know you and she doesn't want strangers that would influence her daughters negatively. I tried to explain that you were from a good home but she said if I can't leave you, I should stay with you wherever it is that you are staying instead" She rambled.

I'll be living on the streets! I'll be sleeping in counters and boxes on the roadside with beggars, I'll be sleeping under the bridge with the homeless and mad people. My mind was in a panic. Outwardly though, I was the embodiment of calm. "Don't worry dear, I'll be fine. It's very late, you should get going" I shooed her off to head to her Aunt's place. Briefly, my mind went to my sisters again but I shook it off. I could do this on my own.

"You can stay at my house on Sundays if you want" I was so deep in thoughts I didn't see the person leaning against the gate to my left. I wondered briefly how long he had been standing there before I registered what he said.

"What?" I asked. Not because I thought the idea was preposterous, but because I wasn't sure if he was the one I heard, if he said what i thought I heard him say and I wanted to be sure I heard

He laughed. "That is if you don't mind living with a guy" he continued as if I hadn't spoken. "I promise, I don't bite"

It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him exactly where to shove his offer but I reminded myself, half bread is better than puff puff.

"Thank you", I replied graciously, "I would get back to you on that"

"Hmmm" was all he said before he walked off, home, I presumed.

I went inside and explained to Shola that happened with Precious. "That's why I don't rely on friends" she fumed.

"Fimidara, it's okay. You can come home with me on Saturday" I was amazed. Mummy Tiwa had just offered me refuge. I wasn't even expecting it.

"Oh thank you, God bless you ma" I gushed

"Never mind. I am a mother too and pray my daughter finds favor in the hands of others" she smiled beatifically

"She will" I was so happy.

It wasn't that I had anything with staying with the boy/man, (I think his name was Kayode? Kelly? Who knows?) that offered earlier, it was just that I couldn't stand him. He was one of the Eating floor maintenance man and we had never had any issue but he just rubbed on me the wrong way for no particular reason.

Saturday night rolled by quickly and we closed almost 11:30pm. Mummy Tiwa had finished working since 9p.m but since I was assigned to cleaning dishes, she waited for me. Bless her heart! As soon as I was done, I picked the clothes I would wear the next day and followed her home. Because it was late, we took a bus and got to her house 30minutes later.

Her house was a room and parlor in a "face-me-I-slap-you" apartment but the house and its environs were neat.

There was no time for a tour as we were both super tired and sleepy. She led me into her sitting room and went to bring cloth to sleep with. I was asleep before she came back with them.

"Dara, do you want to sleep the whole day away? It's already 7a.m. get up and freshen up!" I heard from far away in the dreamland

"Why? There's no work today. Let me sleep a little more" I mumbled without waking up. Frankly, when I woke up, I didn't remember having this conversation at all.

"Dara! You need to stand up now. How can a young lady not wake up early to sweep and clean her surroundings ehn? What are children of nowadays turning to? She kept shouting. It all sounded like white noise in my ears anyway. At least, it did until I felt a resounding slap on my back. I was startled awake.

"You are still sleeping at past 7 Dara. That is not how to grow up into a woman worth her salt in the future. By now, a woman should have woken up, cleaned her house, if she has children, help them bathe and prepare food for them or be in the kitchen preparing it and you are still sleeping. Do you know I have swept the whole compound today and even washed the toilet? Come on, get up girl!"

I was annoyed but I did as she instructed, cleaned the house, and prepared food to eat hoping she can let me go back to sleep. There was no such luck. She called me virtually every 5minutes to ask for something or a question till I started feeling woozy from too much interrupted sleep and decided to forfeit the sleep completely.

Since I couldn't sleep, I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood to see what it was like. During my walk, I came across some #500 notes on the floor. It appeared to be about four or five. I was so tempted to bend down to pick the money but my mother's incessant warnings about the dangers of picking money on the floor did not allow me to. So I did the next best thing. I picked a stone around and placed it on the notes with the silent promise to myself that if I met the money when I was coming back, I would definitely pick it. I figured, with the stone, only someone that is looking for misplaced cash would see it.

As it were, I shouldn't have hoped to meet the cash because I had not taken ten steps from there before I met the owner of the money. It was maintenance man Kale? from the restaurant. Oh, how I wished I had picked the money! He was peering closely at the floor in a way that you would know he lost something. I intended to just go my way and hope he won't see the money so I can pick it when I was coming back. No such luck!

"Dara, fancy seeing you here!" he smiled.

"Fancy how you manage to stalk me" I replied sourly.

"On your way here dearie, did you happen to see a roll of #500 notes?" I was about to give him a reply that would ensure he never stopped me to ask any foolish question again when he added, "Please, it belongs to my mum".

"Seek and find, Kola? Kola. Who knew a thirty year old man would still lose money on his way to an errand like a seven year old boy?" I walked away

"I'm not thirty. I'm 23" he yelled to my retreating back. I laughed.

After walking or strolling for the better part of an hour, I headed back to Mummy Tiwa's house.

Of course, Kola had picked his money