"Hardships and problems makes a weak man strong"...
Anonymous
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"My father?"...Nawal said out loud.
"Yes my dear. He married your mother but..." he trailed off as he stared at Nawal.
Suddenly her whole body turned cold.
'My father. This man is my father?'... She stared at the picture of her father as new set of tears began to stream down.
'There is a possibility that he is still alive, right?'.
"Your father maltreated your mother and drove her out when you were little."... Mr Kasim stated and that was enough to make Nawal's heart rate slow down.
Her mother would often tell her , her father was a good man and he died.
"I am sorry my child but at least he is still alive"... Mr Kasim said to Nawal who was crying.
'My father is alive?'... she was shocked to hear Mr Kasim say that.
Her whole life she thought her father was dead. Her mother told her he was a good man , he was her best friend and he was late... all this while it was lie.
Everything she said was nothing but lies!
Nawal stood up and ran to the first room she saw.
It was the room in which she slept in, she ran to the bed and cried out . She poured her heart out as she cried then performed ablution and prayed.
She prayed to God for her to meet her father and shout at him for what he did and finally unite with him.
She prayed to God for her life to get better as she is leaving her life of prostitute behind.
She prayed for her late mother in the Grave and for God to forgive her for all her sins.
She prayed to God for Asad to find peace within himself and not hurt himself....
She kept on praying for many things till she fell into a deep slumber.
The sound of a phone ringing played in Nawal's dream. It was distant at first but the sound started getting louder.
It soon became loud enough to wake Nawal up.
She saw her small baby techno phone ringing across the room. Asad bought it for her as a gift and got himself one so as to communicate with her.
With a lazy body and lazy eyes she walked over to the room and picked up the phone.
Asad's name was written on the caller ID.
Nawal was hesitant but eventually answered the call.
"Hello"... she said in a low tune.
"Nawal....." he slurs.
From the looks of things he was probably intoxicated again.
She checked the time on her phone and saw it was pass 2 in the morning.
"Asad, are you drunk?"... she was genuinely concerned about him.
"No..." he was quick to say. "How can I be drunk when I am slowly dying. Nawal I am sorry. Please".... he began cry.
Nawal felt the pain in her chest.
'He is hurting because of me'... a tear managed to escape from her left eye as she continued to listen to him.
"Nawal please don't leave me the way my parents did. I need you in my life. Did..did you forget that you are my savior? Did you forget that you are my baby?".... his voice was rough as he spoke.
"Baby I am sorry. Please don't leave me. I promise I didn't mean what I said"... he pleaded with her.
"I don't care if you're a prostitute or not, I still want you back ... please"... he sounded desperate.
Why won't he be? She brought him out of his darkness just to put him in another.
Nawal stared at the phone , silently crying and hurting inside.
Suddenly she remembered Mr Kasim's offer.
If I tell him I want to go back to Lagos, that means I am turning down his offer and he might see me as an ungrateful person.
'That means I am going to continue being a prostitute'.... she was in a dilima.
'Asad or a new life?'.... she thought.
Nawal sucked in a sharp breath and ended the call.
"I...I am sorry Asad"..... Her tears quicken as she went back to the bed and cried till she fell asleep.
In the morning she was awoken by the same maid that bathed her yesterday.
She brushed her teeth then let the maid bath her. She then dressed herself in he normal clothes and went back to the room to pack all her clothes and belongs.... including her small phone.
She then walked passed the dining table and straight to the balcony.
She had lost appetite.
As she sat in the balcony, she fixed her eyes on the bright sky with its white clouds. The sun shone bright in the center of the sky and the trees danced to the music of the wind far ahead.
A lone tear dropped from her eye as she stared at nature in its truest form.
She didn't know what to do.
Go back to Asad or start a new life?
Go and look for her father or plead to stay here?
She just did know what to do.
She heaved a sigh as she tried to clear her mind.
Just then, Mr Kasim stepped out with a maid trailing behind him with a small luggage in her hand "I will take you to where you will start working. You will continue with your education there and you will be well take care of as well".... He stated with a distant voice and walk into the car that will be taking them.
Nawal heaved a sigh and rose to her feet then dragged her luggage to his car, she then got in and sat behind.
The driver started the car and drove them to the train station, where they will take the next train leading to kaduna.
Soon they arrived at the train station and got into the train.
Within two hours , they were all in Kaduna. Once the trained stopped , all the passengers alighted from the train with their belongings, including Mr Kasim and Nawal.
Mr Kasim noticed Nawal struggle as she alighted from the train with her belongings and he offered to help in which she did not decline.
Once they were alighted from the train, they spotted a car parked far ahead.
It was Mr Kasim's driver.
Mr Kasim gave him a call to come and pick up their belongings and within few minutes, the driver arrived with the car.
He carried all the belongings from Mr Kasim then the trio all got into the car and proceeded to Mr Ahmad's mansion.
The drive there was quick and silent. Nobody dare to talk all the way through.
Nawal peaked through the window as the gate of the big mansion opened. For a moment, she couldn't believe her eyes.
'How can a house be this big?' ... she thought as the driver drove in.
The compound alone was twice of Mr Kasim's mansion. It took almost 10 minutes of driving before they reached the doorstep of the mansion.
When the car stopped , they all alighted from the car.
Nawal wanted to look at the surrounding of the mansion and admire it but did not want to disgrace Mr Kasim so she lowered her gaze.
'I will be working here for probably the rest of my life so I will have more than enough time to look around'.... She said to herself as they walked up the marble staircase which lead to the entrance of the mansion.
The door of the mansion was opened by two female workers dabbed in a pair of gray and white working uniform.
They greeted Mr Kasim and Nawal then took their belongings from the driver and took it in.
Another worker cladded in the same working uniform as the previous workers came in.
'So this is what I am going to be wearing for the rest of my life?' ... she thought as she stared at the maid.
"Good afternoon sir, ma'am"... she greeted them as she stared at them for a moment , her gaze lingering on Nawal's face for a while before she lowered her gaze.
"Sir is waiting for you in the living room".... The maid stated , her gaze never leaving the ground.
Mr Kasim nodded "Take us to him".
"Okay sir"... The maid stated then led the way to the living room.
Nawal knew the mansion was big but she didn't expect it to be this big on the inside as well.
They walked for about 15 minutes from one room to another, from chamber to another before they reached the main living room.
The whole thing was confusing to Nawal, they literally passed seven living rooms before they got to his.
When they arrived at the living room, Nawal released a sigh of relief.
'No more walking'... she hoped as she stood behind Mr Kasim and took a quick peak at the owner of this mansion.
Her eyes met a man who seemed to be in his late 40's seated on the couch with a pair of glasses on. He was dressed in a causal outfit and had a book in his hand , it looked like he was reading .
He stopped reading and closed the book then looked up and stared at Mr Kasim, slowly a smile creeped its way to Mr Ahmad's lips .
The maid excused herself and left them in the living room.
"You're here!"... Mr Ahmad exclaimed as he rose to his feet. He walked up to Mr Kasim and extended his hand for a handshake.
"I told you I was serious".... Mr Kasim shook his hand and went forward to make himself comfortable on the couch.
Nawal did not know whether to sit on the floor or go to the couch so she remained standing and lowered her gaze.
"I hope she knows how to cook"... Mr Ahmad stated as he took a seat opposite Mr Kasim.
'Cook?' ... Nawal thought.
"I will pay for her to learn"... Mr Kasim replied.
"So she can't cook?"... Mr Ahmad was surprised.
He stared at the half cast who was still standing by the entrance of the living room.
"Yes , she can't cook"... Mr Kasim stated.
"Then what's the point of her come here if she can't cook? I requested for a cook not some lazy half cast who can't do anything"... Mr Ahmad glared at Nawal who met his gaze.
Mr Kasim looked at her with sympathy before dismissing her.
When he was sure that she had left , he spoke "Ahmad what is the meaning of all this?".
Mr Ahmad raised an eyebrow "All what ? I have more than enough maids and I most certainly do not need more".
"I thought you have a cook?"... Mr Kasim pressed his lips into a thin line.
"I do".... He paused then continued "But I need one more " Mr Ahmad stated.
"Look, she is still young okay? Give her a chance . I will pay for her to learn and also pay for her education because she is still going to uni—.." Mr Ahmad cut off Mr Kasim.
"Oh my God, now you want me to take care of a little girl as well"... He rolled his eyes.
"Yes... trust me , she is a fast learner. I will pay for her to go to the best catering school available"... Mr Kasim sounded convincing.
"Fine..." Mr Ahmad heaved a sigh "but I won't make it easy for her"... he warned as he remembered the half cast's face.
The thought of her staying in his house irritated him , he wonder how he is going to cope with her.
Mr Kasim nodded then gave him a firm yet brief look before leaving.
That evening, Mr Kasim went to Nawal who was seated outside on the porch.
He and gave her series of warning and also preaching. He knows Mr Ahmad will not make it easy for her but he hopes she will be patient enough to bare with him.
"Nawal , please be good okay. You have always been a good girl so continue to be one. You will be going to a day university and night classes to learn how to cook and bake properly then you will return to this mansion to rest and get ready for another day of all this. I know it won't be easy.." he sighed as he placed a hand in her shoulder.
Tears were visible in her blue eyes but she tired her best to hide it.
"But try and be patient okay. God will be with those who are patient so try and be patient and exercise as much patience as possible. See this as a training, it will only make you a stronger person , okay?"... he explained and she slowly nodded , trying to control herself from bursting into tears.
"But I am in my final year in the university sir"... Nawal says.
"I am sorry Nawal but you have to start from 100lvl again".
Nawal wanted to cry at this point.
"Everything will be okay ... No condition is permanent "... he gave her a small smile as he took a few steps backward.
Meanwhile...
Mr Ahmed watched the half cast and Mr Kasim through his window ...upstairs.
He couldn't hear what they were saying but he could see what they were doing so as their facial expression.
Mr Kasim looked sad as he talked to the half cast and that made Mr Ahmed wonder.
'What relationship does he have with this half cast?'.
He watches Mr Kasim turn to take his leave and the half cast begins to cry.
'How strange, people who often come to work for me are always happy to live in such big mansion and sleep in it so why isn't she happy?'.
He sighs as he walks away from the window, he decides he won't waste his time thinking about the half cast, he has better things to do with his life.
He picks up his phone and calls the woman who is taking care of the rightful owners of this mansion and so many huge and luxurious mansions and houses all over Nigeria.
He dials her number in which she picked after the first ring.
"Hello, Ahmed?".... She was quick to say.
"How are you Nafisa?"... he asks for formality sake.
"Fine, how are you? How are you managing Suhail's business?"... she asks.
"All fine. I hope Asad is studying architecture or something around that region?"... he questions.
"Yeah ... he is but he will need a lot of grooming if he wants to take over his father's business"... she states.
"Oh dear, poor child. It's not easy loosing a loved one less talk of loosing both right before your eyes".... Said Mr Ahmad.
He would know, he lost his wife and two kids due to a car accident and on he and his wife's anniversary. It was painful and sad and he had no one to talk to or share his pain with.
It turned him into the person he was.
"Give him time , he will grow and become a strong man. He needs what he is going through if he wants to take his inheritance"... Mr Ahmad says in which Nafisa agrees to .
"Sometimes tragedy teaches a person wisedom and he needs to be filled with a lot of wisdom in order to live in this deceitful world of ours".. Mr Ahmad states.
***
Morning arrived sooner than expected and Nawal couldn't even get a glimpse of sleep.
How could she when she slept outside?
After Mr Kasim left , the maids refuse to open the door for her so she sat on the balcony and patiently waited for someone to open the door and she fell asleep in the process but was awoken by mosquitoes.
She tried driving them away and returned to her sleep but they returned and kept on disturbing her throughout the night.
To worsen things up , it was cold and she had no food to eat and nothing to cover herself with.
She kept on shivering as the night went by.
Now here she was, leaning against the gigantic door.. admiring the compound, that's what she has been doing while the mosquitoes disturbed her at night.
She thought it was beautiful during the night but it was more beautiful now that the sun was out.
The maids who refuse to opens the door finally did, making Nawal fall into the living room since she was leaning on the door.
Her head made contact with the cold tilts and she grimaced in pain.
As she opened her ocean blue eyes, she met three hateful gazes.
"Sir said you should get ready and go to school"... one of them said.
'School?'... Nawal was confused.
"Which school?"... Nawal asked.
The second maid spoke "How do you want us to know? Are we the ones that registered you?".
'Typical Nigerians, answering a question with another question'.. Nawal says inwardly.
Just then Nawal's stomach grumbled, reminding her she hasn't eaten for more than 24 hours.
"Can I see your boss?"... Nawal requested but got no reply.
Instead, the three maids stared at each other.
"Please"... Nawal pleaded.
She need to know where she is going to be school and how things are going to be around here.
The three maids stared at each other then back at Nawal. They seem hesitant but agreed to take Nawal to Mr Ahmed.
Nawal thought they were going to walk for a while but to her surprise, she found Mr Ahmed seated on the dining table in the first chamber of the house, having his breakfast and browsing through his phone.
The scent of his pancakes reached her nostrils causing her stomach to make a rumbling sound. She then place her hand in her stomach.
"Good morning sir"... the three maids chorus.
He simply nodded and continue using his phone.
"Good morning"... Nawal greeted but got no reply.
She cleared her throat "How are you?".... She showed corcern but still got no reply.
"Sir , I am sorry for the early disturbance but I need to know where I am going to be staying, my duties and responsibilities, rules and regulations and where I am going to be schooling"... she explained but Mr Ahmed paid no heed to her.
His attention was in his phone and she noticed something white in his ear. It looked like a wireless EarPod.
"Sir please answer me"... Nawal stated a bit louder but got nothing, not even a look.
She open her mouth to talk but her stomach tightened making her focus in it. She raped her arms tightly around her stomach and welcomed the pain , instantly falling to the ground.
The three maids who stood behind rushed and carried her up, even with this , Mr Ahmed did not look at Nawal but he was well aware of everything that was going on.
"Let's take her".... One of them whispers and the other two agree.
The three maid then carried Nawal through the corridor and into the maids chamber, where the cook stays.
They laid her on the bed and watched her with pitiful eyes.
"I told you the man is heartless"... Halima, the first maid spoke.
"We know but what can we do, he instructed us to be cruel and cold towards her"..... Barcha says.
The third maid ... lale, remained silent.
"Stupid man"... Halima hisses and turns to leave only to find Mr Ahmed staring at her at the door step.
"So I am stupid?"... he asks as he walks into the room.
"What!! N..no s..sir"... Halima stammers.
"So you have the guts and audacity to call your boss stupid"... Mr Ahmed raises his voice.
"S..s..sorry sir"... Halima manages to say.
"Oh shut up, to hell with your sorry. Pack your things and leave . I don't need your services any longer..." ... Mr Ahmed spoke with finality making Halima look at him with wide eye.
Barcha and Lale gasps at Mr Ahmed's statement.
"Maria".... He then calls out the cook's name.
"Yes sir"... she rushes into the room.
"You finally gave an assistant"... he gestures to Nawal who was still unconscious.
Maria slowly turned and stared at Nawal.
"She is your responsibility from now on henceforth. Make sure she goes to school during the day and catering classes at night, once she is back , put her through with some basic stuff in the kitchen and always feed her. I don't want any dead soul living in my mansion".... He states to Maria who was carefully listening.
"I will send you her transfer papers for her new school. Once she regain consciousness, feed her and give her better set of clothes to wear. She looks like a human skeleton clothed in a rag"... he states then walked to the entrance of the door and halted in his tracks.
He turns and faces Maria "Also , instruct all the workers to be cold and cruel towards her or they are fired"... with that said , he walked out.
Maria became perplex as she gazed back at the golden haired creature. She has only seen such people in television... white pale skin, golden haired and strange color of eyes.
Never has she seen such people in real life, she didn't even think such people existed.
Maria instantly started admiring her new assistant while Halima paced to and fro.
"What am I going to do... what am I going to go".... She kept on repeating as she panicked.
"Apologize, what else?"... Barcha stated the obvious.
Halima stopped and stared at Barcha
"Do you think he will accept?"... Halita asked.
"You won't know if you don't try"... Barcha stated.
Lale remains silent all this while.
Maria who was still mesmerized by Nawal's beauty tore her gaze away from her and decides to prepare something for her to eat.
She ignores Halima, Lale and Barcha as she walks out.
After two hours , Maria comes back with a food flask filled with boiled yam and egg sauce but unfortunately Nawal was still laying unconscious but the three maids who brought her here had left.
Maria heaved a sigh as she sat close to Nawal. She stayed with her and waited for her to wake up.
Unfortunately, Nawal didn't wake up until in the evening.
Maria was shocked and slightly scared to see a pair of ocean blue sad eyes gazing at her.
She has never seen such color of eyes before.
Nawal was no longer lying down , she was seated with her legs curled up and placed against her chest with her hands rapped around it.
"Umm food...eat"... Maira was dumbfounded for a moment as she gave Nawal the food.
Nawal thanked her and ate in silence.
When she was done, she thanked Maria and kept the food flask away.
"Please do you have any idea where I am going to stay?"... Nawal asked politely, she didn't want to meet another mean worker.
"Yes dear. This is where you are going to be staying... with me"... she started off.
"I am the cook and you are my new assistant. I will also be the one to register you in your new school and catering class"... Maria explained.
Nawal was glad that her roommate and captain was nice.
"What are you studying?"... Maria asked.
"Chemistry..."
"You are still a fresher right?"... Maria questioned.
"No I am in my final year but I want to change course"...Nawal stated.
"To?"
"Food and Nutrition, since the rest of my life is going to be wasted here, let me learn about the science of food and how food actually works".... Nawal replied.
She has prepared her mind to accept what do ever was coming her way.
'Things will get better, let me bare patience'... she said to herself.
***
Days started running and Maria had done all the registrations required for Nawal.
Nawal kept her word and changed her course.
She usually leaves very early in the morning and comes back late at night , usually after midnight and when she is back , Mr Ahmed still forces her to cook for him what she had learn in her catering class then throws the food away just to hurt her.
Sometimes she wakes up around 3am and sees her phone ringing and each time she checks, it's always the same person.
Asad.
"I am sorry"... was his constant statement in a drunk voice .
Each time he apologizes, Nawal cuts the call and cries herself to sleep.
Maria noticed all these but said nothing, she wanted to give Nawal space.
One faithful night, Asad called Nawal but a different voice spoke.
It was Anas.
"Look Nawal, Asad doesn't need you. He only calls you when he is drunk and lonely. Forget about him, you're both better off this way. He would never call you when he is in his normal senses"... his statement shattered Nawal's heart to pieces.
She spent the whole night crying , Maria stayed awake and tried to comfort her.
"Someone better will come"... Maria said but Nawal paid no heed to her.
Days continue to run and Maria and Nawal started getting close.
Nawal learnt a lot from Maria , so many feminine things that no one has ever told her before.
She soon started considering Maria as mother.
She has her mother's name after all...
Soon Nawal started accepting her fate, the workers all hated her except Maria and she got use to Mr Ahmed's weird gazes.
Sometimes when she is trekking to school, he would watch her from his window upstairs and pity the girl.
He was surprised she didn't leave with the way he was treating her and all the other staffs were.
Soon Maria stopped cooking for him, Nawal started doing the cooking after she graduated from her catering class.
Mr Ahmed felt bad for treating wrongly and ordered the workers to stop treating her badly.
He has never seen anyone as patient as her in his entire life.