No matter how dark one's life is, there will always be light at the end of the tunnel.
Deborah has slept under the bridge for days. She was 2 months pregnant already. Even if her belly is still flat, the infant was not merciful to her at all. She throws up at the sight of anything that is not pleasant for her to smell. Life under the bridge, exposed to mosquitoes was a different side of life. She has traveled very far from home. All she prays for is that help locates her. Her pocket money will soon be exhausted and she has no plan of getting money yet.
She looked around her and felt like crying. This bridge was a home for beggars, disabled and homeless people like her. She wasn't crying for herself but for the people who has been staying under the bridge for months or even years.
"Naomi, you no go follow us go sell market? Abi you get wetin you go chop today? " A woman with a child across her back asked. She and the child look both dirty and unkempt.
" Mama suleja, I no get wetin I wan sell na," Deborah said. Deborah decided to change her name to Naomi.
"Follow me, my madam go find you something wey you go sell. But I no sure say you go like this our business. Because the sun goes turn your oyibo skin to charcoal. Na so so waka we dey do to feed. But if you fit do am then I go teach you the business. At least make you save money for your pikin' milk and clothes"
Naomi was baffled. How did the woman know that she was pregnant?
The woman laughed revealing her bad detention.
" You dey surprise abi. Even if I see a person who dey even one week pregnant I go know." mama Suleja boasted.
" Oya do quick make we go before this sun begin hot"
Deborah stood up and followed the woman.
Deborah saw what it's like to leave in this dirty environment and she made a mental note to help this people one day.
( Note: I will switch to calling her Noami instead of Deborah )
The woman took her to her distributor. ( where they get pure water to sell and then pay after they are done selling for the day.)
All eyes were on Naomi and it was obvious she was a newbie. Her skin and beauty were out of place among others.
"Mama Suleja, who be this oyigbo wey you carry come," the distributor asked.
" Na my new friend be this. Her name na Naomi. Abeg she wan join us sell market." Mama Suleja said.
" Ahh! With this skin? Abeg oo she no fit do our kind of work." The distributor said frowning.
" I fit do am ma. Abeg make I join your retailers," Naomi said
The distributor gave her a second look.
" Ok if you say so but I get another better deal wey go good for you. E get one of my friends who dey find a person wey go help her for her restaurant. You go like work that one?" The distributor asked.
Naomi was excited about the deal she happily said yes.
" Well, the pay na ten cadis per day with morning and afternoon food. But as a person wey shows you the work, you go give me 2 cadis every day until one month then you go enjoy full pay." the distributor proposed.
Mama Suleja frowned and was about to oppose but Naomi stopped her.
" I go do am ma," Naomi said
The distributor smiled " I like this girl. Oya come make I go show you the place.
Naomi was taken to the woman, Madam Taste and See.
" Na the new girl be this?" Madam Taste and See asked smiling. Naomi being fair and beautiful will attract more customers for her.
Mama Suleja noticed the smile on the woman's face and snarled
" Na my sister's this. Make you no allow any man touch her anyhow abeg" Mama Suleja said.
" That one no supposed concern you Mama Suleja. She gets her mouth. Na she go talk how she go run am." Madam Taste and See said displeased with what Mama Suleja said.
The distributor called Madam Taste and See
aside.
" Shebi you see say na better deal I give you. You go settle me double or I go carry her go another place." The distributor said
" Ahh, Carol! You too like money. But the girl fine well well sha. Oya takes 10 cadis after I go give you another 5 cadis. " Madam Taste and See said. But the distributor refused to take the money.
" 25 cadis or nothing"
" Ahhh you be a thief?" Madam Taste and See lamented.
" You go give me abi you no go give me. Abi you think say I no dey hear how you dey give your girls to costumers for money? " The distributor insisted.
Madam Taste and See was dumbfounded.
" Oya take so far you leave the girl for me," Madam Taste and See said.
When they return to Mama Suleja, Madam Taste and See were no longer smiling.
"Oya girl wetin be your name? " Madan Taste and she asked
" Na Naomi Madam," Naomi said
" Oya make you go start to dey wash those plates. Costumers go soon come." Madam Taste said.
Mama Suleja promised to get Naomi in the evening since she is yet to know her way around.
Naomi walked from morning till late evening. She was exhausted and needed a cold bath but that won't possible since there is no public water available. She would have to bathe with sachet water and she can't afford a bag of sachet water only for bathing.
When she slept that night, she saw Dave looking for her.