THE HELPER I HATED
It was 4:34am and I woke up to the sound of my ringtone. God knows I wasn't happy at all as I was already pouring curses on whoever the caller might be.
My night was terrible and I slept so late due to the numerous thoughts that flowed through my head.
I felt I needed someone whose hands I'll pour my innumerable fears and thoughts but my bad; I needed time to edit and rehearse on the words I should say.
I loved being formal and coded. I stretched my beautiful body carefully, not like I'm a braggart but tons of people I've told me I have a "killer body", they even advised me to go into modeling already.
They didn't just know.
They didn't know modelling was for the rich. Throwing up my legs, I raised my body and unplugged my fully charged phone.
When I saw the caller, my heart sank into my stomach and it began rumbling probably due to the heavy load it carried.
It was Mr Dickson though I prefered calling him Mr Dee, the name Dickson was like a profane word.
I hated F-words and dick-bla-bla was one, too heavy for my mouth. Sometimes I even wondered why his parents had to give him such name.
I answered the phone
"Good morning Sir, how was your night"? I asked like I really cared. Jessica, my course mate would always say, "na condition dey make crayfish bend" and whatever business I had with Mr Dee was prompted by a serious monetary condition. "My dear, it's well. Good morning baby"
Damn, Yuck, I'm 21 for crying out loud and I'm not a baby. I felt like screaming that to him. That name coming from him was just too irritating and I felt like puking whenever it came but shebi it's this condition.
"Thank God Sir. How's your wife and kids"? His voice became cold as he answered "Fine" that was the only thing that gave me joy. The way he acted like I shouldn't just talk about his wife and kids.
But I knew he had them so if he liked he could keep a cold voice or even freeze.
"Uhmm, my wife won't be around today, so will you come to my house to get the money? It's ready.
Hope your Landlord has calmed down o and hope you ate yesterday"?
Too many questions at once for just one person!
"Yes sir, I talked to my Landlord yesterday and he gave me till next week to get the money ready.
Alright sir, I'll just come to the house. But where will aunty go?"
"she'll go to church, Bible study every Tuesdays.
But it's not like it matters if she was around o, I don't just want her to start thinking otherwise. You know women na.
She mayn't know that nothing is going on between us"
Mmekab nkob..
Who said you didn't love it that she wouldn't be around when you've been trying some stupid innocent looking moves with me all because I begged for money.
I felt I could tell him those lines but I didn't want to lose that opportunity.
I laid back on my bed.
My low quality bed that sank whenever I sat or laid down on it.
We talked for a little more time and I exhaled sharply when he ended his call finally.
I snuggled myself into my own arms feeling too exhausted to get up and prepare for my 10am lectures.
My name is Emily and I don't think straight all the time.
I'm the only child of my parents. Having lost my father to the cold hands of death when I was 17 years old life has not been the same. It's just annoying whenever I remember that my dad was just very rich and famous but he died intestate, leaving his wealth to my cruel Uncle: Jack.
Since then it's been hell upon several others for us.
I worked for 3 years after writing my WAEC and was able to provide for my mom, myself and save some money for school. I study Mass communication in Akwa ibom state university and I'm a 200l student. It gives me joy to know I've gotten this far.
I had become so bankrupt lately. And my rents had to be renewed.
Mr Dee, was a family friend, a rich politician in his early 40s, And I was advised by many to talk to him about my problems.
The day I did, he really commended me for believing in him and not going astray to find help.
He gave me some thousands of Naira which I won't mention for fear of robbery and he promised to help me with the rent.
I thought he was just cool and caring until he retired to running his fragile hands on my thighs or helping to remove things from my bra that he pushed in before rendering any help.
I just wished he could help me finally with the rent and then I'd cut off every relationship with him. It was not even actually a relationship but I just wanted to stop seeing him with my eyes. I hated him with zeal for more.
I was just ashamed, I couldn't tell my mom neither could I tell my boyfriend. And meeting him today was a terrible one.
I wished many times that I had my own money.
On my bed, I peeked out through the window, the early morning overcast was just beautiful to behold and I didn't have enough reasons to doubt that there was A God in heaven.
I was thinking of some beautiful plans to help me avoid any irritating act with the Dickson of a man.
I came up with an idea. A good one.
I smiled.
I went to Uyo road by 6:35pm, 35mins later than I should have been. Feeling scared and excited and scared at the same time.
I knocked on the door and got in with Angelina my cousin.
I explained that I'd gone to the park from my mother's house to pick up my cousin. Good enough, she had a very big school bag on her back to justify my lie.
She looked very polite and cool. We sat on the couch and we were given something to drink and some crackers.
We'd not even been talking for long when my cousin's phone started ringing.
It was actually an alarm. She snoozed it and told me it was my mother that called. I looked scared but told her to answer the call. She didn't do it after all.
It rang again and again and again until Mr Dee asked her to answer it.
Just then, she played the audio I had recorded, mimicking my mom's voice.
It was loud enough to be heard by the man, my helper.
My mom cursed and shouted, queried and asked and my cousin answered her from time to time. She asked to speak with me.
She queried me for taking so long, she threatened me with curses and tears were dropping from my eyes already.
I told her I was on my way. And she supposedly, stopped talking. I pressed the power button and cleaned off the tears from my face.
Uncle Dee didn't want to implicate himself you know. He asked why my mom was so aggressive.
"of course, I'm her only child and she's trying to protect me"
"Take this, I wish I could do better" I collected and smiled. It was heavy, I could imagine that it was a huge sum though I didn't know how much. I dropped it carefully into my handbag and got up. "I really need to go Sir "
"Yes, you have to. Can I drop you at home and beg your mother"?
"No, no Sir, she'd kill me "
"OK OK, just go" "call me when you get home"
"thank you very much sir. I will. Thank you Sir. Good bye Sir"
"Hug me first jare"
"oow, " I ambled to where he sat as he got up and squeezed me into a tight embrace. His cologne was cool yet I still felt nauseous.
I waved goodbye after he freed me and hurried home.
We got home and I could not wait to see the amount.
I dipped my hand Into my bag and got pricked by the open safety pin I'd thrown the previous day. "Jeeeeez" I screamed and flung the bag. And boom, the money fell on the ground. On top of it was written #230,000.
"Jeeeeeez.... Jeeeeeez"
Thanks for reading
Thanks for reading.