CHAPTER SIX

As the night wore on, Zilayefa's thoughts turned to her mother. She wondered how she was faring, and whether she would ever return to them.

She sighed, feeling a sense of sadness wash over her. But she refused to give up hope. She knew that her mother loved her, and that she would do everything in her power to come back to them.

Zilayefa's brothers, Bernard and Richard, were already asleep, exhausted from the day's work. Zilayefa sat by the fire, watching the flames dance in the darkness.

She thought about Mr. Stevenson junior, and how much she wanted to see him again. She wondered if he was thinking of her too, and if he would ever come to visit her.

As she sat there, lost in thought, Zilayefa heard a rustling outside. She got up to investigate, and found a small rabbit caught in a trap.

She smiled, feeling a sense of excitement. She would cook the rabbit for dinner tomorrow, and it would be a welcome change from their usual meal of yams and vegetables.

As she went back inside, Zilayefa felt a sense of contentment wash over her. Despite the challenges they faced, she knew that she and her brothers would always have each other.

And as she drifted off to sleep, Zilayefa felt a sense of hope that she had not felt in a long time. She knew that tomorrow would bring its own set of challenges, but she was ready to face them head-on.

The next morning, Zilayefa and her brothers woke up early, ready to face another day. They ate a quick breakfast, and then set off to deliver the remaining debt to Mr. Stone.

As they walked, Zilayefa couldn't help but feel a sense of anxiety. She didn't know how Mr. Stone would react when they gave him the money, and she was worried that he might try to harm them.

But when they arrived at Mr. Stone's house, they found him in a surprisingly good mood. He took the money from them, and then smiled, showing his crooked teeth.

"Thank you, my dear," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I appreciate your prompt payment. You and your brothers are lucky to have such a responsible sister."

Zilayefa felt a surge of anger at his words, but she bit her tongue. She knew that she had to be careful around Mr. Stone, and that she couldn't afford to antagonize him.

As they walked away from Mr. Stone's house, Zilayefa felt a sense of relief wash over her. She was glad that they had finally paid off the debt, and that they could now focus on rebuilding their lives.

But as they walked, Zilayefa couldn't shake off the feeling that Mr. Stone was still a threat to them. She knew that he was a ruthless man, and that he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.

And as they approached their hut, Zilayefa saw a figure waiting for them. It was Mr. Stevenson junior, and he was smiling at her.

"Good morning, Zilayefa," he said, his voice warm and friendly. "I hope you're doing well."

Zilayefa's heart skipped a beat as she smiled back at him. She felt a sense of excitement and nervousness, and she didn't know what to say.

But as she looked into his eyes, Zilayefa felt a sense of calm wash over her. She knew that she could trust Mr. Stevenson junior, and that he would never hurt her.

"Good morning, Mr. Stevenson," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's nice to see you again."

Mr. Stevenson junior smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Please, call me Steve," he said. "We're not formal here."

Zilayefa smiled, feeling a sense of ease with him. "Okay, Steve," she said. "What brings you here today?"

Steve hesitated, looking around nervously. "I came to see how you're doing," he said. "I heard about your father's passing, and I wanted to offer my condolences."

Zilayefa's eyes welled up with tears as she smiled at him. "Thank you, Steve," she said. "That means a lot to me."

He is the first person to pay a condolence visit since their father's passing. She was grateful for his kind gesture.

As they stood there, talking, Zilayefa felt a sense of connection with Steve that she had never felt before. She knew that she could trust him, and that he would always be there for her. He brought for them a basket of fruits and gave her a little pouch with some silver coins. He did not wait for her to reject his kindness, he left even before she can say no.

"I'll see you again, bye for now" he got on his cart and waved them goodbye.

Zilayefa and her brothers stood there dumbfounded by Mr Stevenson junior for his kind gesture, he was that close to them but he came to pay a condolence visit, something even their father's friends or mother's friends hasn't done.

And as they parted ways, Zilayefa felt a sense of hope that she had not felt in a long time. She knew this was meant to be.

She has already fallen for his charming personality.