"Father, please consider your children and send us provision. I don't want to go out there begging." Tabitha prayed quietly.
She stood to her feet and went into the kitchen to see what she could make for Joy to eat upon her return from school, but the kitchen was empty, except for a little corn-flour and a drop of oil.
She stood for a while thinking far and wide, but it seemed every means of livelihood was blocked.
What was she going to do? The food Joy took to school was just a little fraction of noodles and snacks.
Her main concern was to ensure that her daughter was well-fed so she don't look at anybody's food.
As she stood thinking, an idea dropped into her mind and she quickly moved over to the sack and opened it to see if the flour was still there, because she had forgotten about it.
When she saw it, she quickly checked the oil and ran back to the sitting room, picked the only fifty naira note she had on her and checked what was the time.
She was only left with about thirty minutes to pick Joy from school, so she ran to a nearby store and bought sugar with the money then returned back and made a little flour-cake with the fraction of the flour and used the remaining to make pap with it for Joy.
When she was done, she tasted it, and to the glory of God, it was no different from the bean cake they had been eating.
"Wow! This is nice. After all, the bean cake we are eating today was invented by someone. I just hope Joy likes it." She said and dressed the kitchen, then quickly left for Joy's school.
When they returned back, she served her the meal and went to shower.
By the time she was out, the little Joy had licked the plates empty and was demanding for more.
With a burning smile, Tabitha left for the kitchen and got her from the reserved.
She was happy and fulfilled that she liked it.
Her concern now was what she was going to eat in the evening and the following day.
This came as she was expecting her salary to be paid, over a full week delay.
"Hello Mrs Vershima," She called a fellow teacher in her school to confirm if she had seen her salary.
"I saw mine this afternoon, after speaking with you. I thought you must have received yours too." She answered from the other end.
"Ah, let me call Mr Francis and ask him." She said and phoned Mr Francis.
"...We have all been paid I believe. I just finished speaking with the dean. All staff have been paid." Mr Francis answered.
This became a distress to her as she wondered why all staff would be paid with her excluded.
She checked her account balance but yet, there was no penny in it. It read 0.
Not knowing what to do, she dropped her phone and fell faced-up on the bed.
"Mom, what's the problem." Joy came to her asking.
" Everything is fine, my salary has not been paid." She answered her.
At least Joy was always there for her to have someone to talk to. This in most cases she would engage her in conversations like she was with an adult.
"Mommy don't worry, Jesus will pay you your salary, okay?" She prayed and Tabitha said 'Amen' with a smile on her face.
"It's like there is someone on the door. Let me go check." She said and stood up for the door.
It was Mrs Peter, Victoria's mother.
When Tabitha opened, she came in with a sack loaded with all kinds of things and an envelope.
"Ah, mommy Vicky (her daughter's name could be called Vick, Vicky or Victoria) please come inside." She pleaded.
Mrs Peter went in and sat on the cushion. Without wasting time, she hand over the items and placed the envelope on it containing five thousand naira.
"That's from my husband. I went to market today, so he gave me money to buy these items for you and give you this envelope as well." She said.
"O' My Jesus!" She screamed and knelt down thanking God.
"Mommy Vick, you won't understand this. All my food stuffs have finished, and they don't want to pay me at my work place..." She narrated
"It is well my sister. God will always make a way. Thank God for your prayers for us. My husband's three months salary delay was paid in extra allowances yesterday. It was truly a miracle because only five of them in his organization got paid. The others are asked to exercise patience." Mrs Peter explained.
"My God! This is truly God's hand. Let me be going with you to specially appreciate oga Peter." Tabitha said excitedly, rising to her feet.
[LATER ON THE FOLLOWING DAY]
"Sir, please don't do this to me. I have my baby to take care of. Please sir!" Tabitha pleaded with the principal of her school.
[A dark skin man of small stature]
"Tabitha, all these are unnecessary. It's not as if I am punishing you, but what's need to be done is need done.
What I am asking for is not difficult. You are a single mother with a child. Give me a chance to take care of you and the baby. I am getting out of my senses that you are not giving me the permission.
See, I truly love you."
"Do you said you love me?
You love me and I will work for you, at the end of the day you will allow me to starve?
I know what manner of man you are. You know very well I am a single mother. You won't marry me, so why would you want me to give you my body sir?" Tabitha asked, with her face straightened.
"Okay fine, I will give you half of your salary. After our first date, I will pay you in full with additional benefits to it. This is a common thing. You need a man into your life and there can't be any man better than I.
Do we have a deal?" He asked.
"No sir!" Tabitha said slapping his table.
She then stood up and dug her hand into her bag, brought out her marker and placed it on the table for him.
"I am calling it off sir. But before I take my leave, I warn you to repent of your sins and wickedness, otherwise God's anger will be poured against you. Keep your salary to yourself. I don't need it anymore.
Thank you sir!" Tabitha said audaciously and walked out of his office to the school exit gate.
And that would be the last time she would ever be there.
Against whatever she was going to face, her dignity and stand with God could not be compromised.