Chapter six

"I will start a business and save as much money as possible. Then I will use it to pay my fees. I know I won't be able to pay for everything but before that time comes, I would have found a solution." She thought and remained positive about her plans. She knew she wasn't supposed to let her anger towards her parents and master, get in the way of her plans but she couldn't stop it. She knew she would end up going to one of them for support.

"It is their responsibility after all."

Her mind drifted to her master's house.

"Who knows what Zara is doing presently? Probably beating the children and threatening them to be submissive to her. Well, I'm out of his house, therefore I should take my mind off them completely." She concluded and was about to sleep before she heard voices. They were her brothers', and father's. She wanted to ask her mum if her master was still the one sponsoring her brothers' education, but she hesitated; She wasn't in the mood to talk.

"So what plans do you have for your education?" Edna asked Kendra after She finished attending to her customers.

"I don't know.....my interest in it is beginning to wane. I'm beginning to enjoy the business. I make money everyday." She said and waited to get her mum's reaction.

"Since when? You better don't because your education matters alot and it should always come first." Edna couldn't believe the words came out of her daughter's mouth.

"Mummy that was a prank. I still intend to further my education." She said and stood up to attend to another customer.

Kendra started the food business two days after she came back from her master's house. She cooks some food and sells them to people, in front of her compound. She made an agreement with her landlord, to pay him ₦300 naira monthly, inorder to let her sell in his compound. Her intentions initially for starting the business was to use it to further her education. But after hearing the stories of some of her favourite celebrities, how they dropped out of school and worked hard until they became successful, her passion for education began to wane. She thought of leaving school for some time and facing her business until she has made millions from it. Then she will employ a tutor who will come over to her house and teach her. She wondered what her parents' reaction will be when she tells them.

Edna felt guilty and weak for not being able to do anything for her daughter. She thanked God for the kind of child he gave her. Someone who is very passionate about education and is hardworking. She stood up and went to their house, which was few steps away, to take a nap. Kendra took her time to serve the next customer that came because She noticed his wealthy looks. Her mum had taught her to pay more attention to the wealthy customers. Kendra kinda felt dirty doing it but she had no choice. It was business. She served the food in a plate, since he wanted to eat it there. She wondered why this rich man wasn't driving a car.

"Jesus Christ! What is this? Is this food or trash?" The man spat what was in his mouth and it landed inside one of the flask of food, Kendra was yet to cover. Her control snapped and She angrily yelled at the man. He felt insulted and wanted to hit her but he knew would be severely punished if he touches her so he decided to destroy the things on her table. Her neighbours were already rushing to her to stop the chaos. Kendra who looked helpless before the man was shouting on top of her voice and at the same time trying to stop herself from crying. The man was held and stopped by some of her male neighbours. When Kendra realized the amount of damages he has caused, She rushed at him like an angry lion, like she could beat him but she was held back. After they had calmed the both of them down, the man was made to pay for the damages he caused. Knowing fully well that he won't succeed in defeating all of them, he brought out some naira notes and flung them on Kendra's face.

"Use it to buy the trash I destroyed and also change your worthless life." There was no way he would deliberately destroy her business tools and still pay for the damages. So he decided that if he must pay for them, it must be done in an insultive manner. He paid deaf ears to the people's rebuke over his statement, as he walked nonchalantly out of the place. His statement made her freeze and speechless. She remained where she was without bending down to pick the money and firing back at him. Her facial expression changed as of she suddenly realized something and she immediately went deep in thought. Her mum had to pick the money and lead her back to the house. Normally there was no way Edna would pick a money that came out of such a person but because they badly needed it, she wasn't ashamed to take it.

"I'm worthless. This whole time I was just wasting my time without realizing it untill someone told me." Alot of thought came to her mind while she walked to the house with her mum.

"Kendra it is alright. You don't have to feel bad for any reason. The man already paid for the damages he caused. You are not worth....."

"Yes I am. That is why I'm still in this house. My mates are already making millions and sponsoring their education but I'm still here selling trash. And you want me to believe I'm not worthl....." She barely completed her statement before she burst into uncontrollable tears. Her mum rushed to console her. She cried shamelessly in her mum's arms and when she finally felt embarrassed for crying in front of her mum, she stopped and went bed. She remained indoors for the rest of the day because she felt ashamed to go out . No matter how much people feel pity for her, they will surely use her as their topic of gossip.

Edna watched her daughter as she slept. She wondered how much and deep the man's words hurted her. She has never seen her daughter that way before. She knew her daughter to be strong and hardworking but when she saw how broken Kendra was, she wondered if it was just the man's words or something else.

"What did the man even see in his food that made him furious?"

Kendra remained in bed till the next day. Her dad had to sleep in sitting room with her brothers. When she woke up the next day, her brothers were already on their way to school and her father was still preparing for work.

"Kendra do you feel better today? Tell me if there is anything you need." He said even before she could greet him.

She wondered why he sounded as if she was sick. His words made her feel worse. She wanted action not words.

"Yes of course I'm fine. Somebody called your daughter a worthless girl and all you can do about it is ask me if I feel better?" She wanted to say but simply replied, "I'm fine." She knew her dad was angry about what happened to her but she wanted him to act even when she knew there was nothing he could do. The man may have hurt her but his words were appearing true to her. Her post Utme examination was coming up soon but neither She nor her parents could raise enough money for it. Angry over everything, she left the house without telling anyone. Her mum was now the only one at home. She had stopped her business when her leg and waist pains had increased. The doctor had advised her to stop working and take two to three weeks rest before going back to work.

Kendra sometimes wondered how old her parents were before they gave birth to her. Though as parents with ninteen years old as their first child, they weren't meant to look young but they were too old.

"Maybe they were barren for years." She always thought of asking her parents but never did. She went to a cybercafe and with the little money she had, she bought the Post Utme form and filled it before going home. She knew her mum would give her money for the form have it because she was afraid it might be the one the man had thrown on her face, she decided not to ask her mum for some money. She swore never to take it, because to her, the money was cursed and will only bring her bad luck.

"Where did you go? You made me scared and worried." Edna asked looking distressed.

"Sorry ma. I went to buy post Utme form." She initially had no plans of buying it. The idea of it had come to her mind when she saw the money in her pocket.

"I hope it is not because of what that useless man said. Don't mind that man, he is a drug addict. That is how they always behave. Kendra look at your life, what you were in the past and what you are presently; is there anything about them that has the definition "useless" in it? Don't let his words get you. You are strong." Edna didn't want her daughter to feel bad again.

"Mummy I have heard you. I want to further my education, that's all. I can't raise the money by selling food outside every morning and we both know that. I wasn't concerned about what the man said; I just had to go and buy the post Utme form before it is too late." She hoped her mum would believe her.

Later in the afternoon Edna left the house to visit a friend, since she was tired of staying at home, doing nothing. Kendra was left alone and decided to try studying for her exams . She opened her book to study but she couldn't concentrate. Her mind drifted to the incident that happened the previous day. She remembered what her mum told her after everything and it motivated her to prove the man wrong. She focused on her studies but it still didn't work. She found herself thinking of irrelevant things and looking around the room. Her eyes suddenly caught something and she put the book aside.

"Now is the right time to sell the clothes." She thought and stood up immediately. She packaged the clothes her mistress had given her before leaving the house, in a bag and left the house. She was lucky to find a little space in the market she went to, and without wasting time, she spread the old cement bag she had come with. After which she emptied the bag of clothes on the cement bag, arranged them properly and began to call people to buy like other clothes sellers. It was really difficult for Kendra because She has never gone to the market to sell before and she has always seen sellers in the market as the less privileged. It never occurred to her that she would join them soon. She had to harden her heart and put on a brave face. Fortunately, she sold some clothes before it was time for everyone to leave the market. She was happy she sold some clothes at least but her happiness didn't last. She was forced to pay for the space she stayed while selling. That was when she understood what the sellers go through in the market and why they always quarrel. She was clearly told that if she wants to continue to selling there, then she must pay for the space like every other person. Kendra wondered why people must pay for a space in the market. She believed that land usage was meant to be free. When she got home, her mum and brothers were already back and waiting for her. Edna was worried; she thought something bad has happened to Kendra. She warned Kendra never to leave the house again, without informing her."

Kendra did the rest of her chores quickly and perfectly inorder to appease her mum. She had something important to discuss with her and she needed her to be supportive. She believed that if her mum supports her, her dad will be convinced to do the same. After dinner, She approached her mum and told her of her intentions to start selling in the market.

"You need to study for the Post Utme exam you registered for. Don't you?"

"I do. I can do both."

"You can study in the market? Are you ok?"

"I can try. If I don't succeed, I will study when I get home."

After her mum had consented to it, she prepared herself for her dad and for the business she will start at the market tomorrow. She made up her mind do what she wants, whether her dad consents to it or not.

She told him when he returned from work and just like she suspected, he he didn't support the idea. He didn't want his daughter to suffer under the sun because of his inability to provide her essential needs. Kendra understood him but she knew it was for the best.

"Mummy why does the kitchen stinks, even when it is neat?" Kendra asked her mum after dinner.

"Because of the kind of waste in the waste bin."

"Aren't we the only people that have waste bin in this compound?" Kendra was sure she has never seen any waste bin in the kitchen besides thiers. She thought her neighbours have been disposing their wastes there and so she decided it was time to complain to her mum.

"No we're are not. Each person has his own waste bin under the table. I guess you haven't seen it because that part of the kitchen is always dark." Kendra was surprised to hear this. She decided that to put theirs under the table as well. She remembered how terrible the kitchen and bathroom were before she left her parents to live with her master. Then, there was no roof over the small building called kitchen, to protect them whenever it is raining and after the rain always come terrible erosion. As if it wasn't enough, their apartment was closest to the dirty infected toilet.

"Thank God everything is fine now." She said, referring to the new changes that has been made on the toilet and kitchen.

She decided to play Whotcard game with her brothers, since she wasn't feeling dizzy or in mood to study.

"Did you forget your brain in your master's house?" Tony asked her after she lost four times to them.

The next she did her chores, prepared for business and left. She knew the jobless gossips in her street were mocking her because she has joined the "uneducated" in the market but she wasn't concerned. She was sure about her plans. Her mum insisted on going with her to assist her. They were given a permanent space to stay after Kendra had paid the amount they demanded for. She was ok with it because no one had the right to chase her out or take her space, since she has paid. Before the end of the day, she made alot of profit and it gave her the confidence to continue.

Kendra continued selling until it was two days to her exam. She decided to stop inorder to use the remaining days to prepare. She was still worried about her fees. She noticed that her savings from her business still wasn't enough. She knew it because she had used some money for her needs. She couldn't approach her parents; not when her aged father is struggling to feed them and the little her master sends was only for half of her brothers' fees.

While studying, she realized that she was badly lagging behind.

"Does it means I can't serve two master's at a time. I can't prove my teacher wrong? Oh God! Foolish me. I should have known that studying and working was a bad idea. I still have a lot of topics to read but I have just two days. What will I do?" She tried to study faster but it worsened her situation. She just did a revision on the little she read and went to bed. She tried to control the urge to cry; she couldn't afford to fail her exams. She decided to pray to God for help before going to bed. She believed it was her parents' fault that she has to work to pay her fees and still study to pass her exams. The next day she tried again and it was a little bit better.