The humming bird from the alarm called for the end of her shift. The humming bird from the alarm called for the end of her shift. Phoebe went to the lockerroom to change her cloths. She was finally done for the week. She worked as a waiter in a local restaurant in town. Although not so dashingly expensive, it was popularly known. People new in town were likely to stop by breakfast, lunch or supper. Whatever the choice may be. Pheobe was one of the most cherished workers. Most the customers loved her for her calmness and friendly charisma. Tips were a regular deal. Her work wasn't an easy one;Filled with lots of sacrifices and selflessness but she loved her job. Taking care of people was her joy.
She checked in her mini bag and glanced at her phone.She had missed an unknown number and another from Lizzbeth,her cousin. Lizzbeth had previously told of her plans this weekend and she had insisted that phoebe joined since she had vacant days that weekend. She shook her head considering the idea of spending the weekend at a cottage with her cousin. What catastrophe that would be!
Her phone rang again playing a mixture of highlife and reggae. The caller ID was unsaved meaning it was an unknown number. She inhaled and exhaled briefly before picking up the phone.
"Hello please who is this?"
................
"Mommy are you sleeping?" A little voice of a girl within the ages of three and six was asking her.
She used her tiny index and thumb to try to open the eyelid of her mother. Phoebe had honestly forgot that she was at home. Today was her off day and she had come into the bed room to sleep. Her daughter, Nana Efua,had been outside playing in her own world.She was named based on the day she was born according to Ghanaian culture.
She opened her eyes to meet a pair of tiny similar eyes peering into hers questioningly? Of course she was asleep,isn't it evident? But how can she say it like that to her little girl? She was having her nightmare once again. It was about the first time she took notice of Akim. His black large eyes were the exact larger version of the eyes she opened her eyes to meet.
"No love. I only had a shut eye." She explained.
"Okay. Can I ask you a question?" The little girl asked.
"Anything dear" she resorted
"Why do you squeeze your fists and frown deeply anytime you sleep? She asked
How was she to explain this? Her nightmare would be someone's cherished dream. The day she felt a rush of butterflies fly in her belly. It had been years and she wondered if she would ever be able to feel lovable ever again and there she was laughing at the slightest thing. How was that possible?
Love was and is a crazy business and she had told herself that night not to be soft. She was confident that her hard-core role was one of the best rehearsed script ever written but she could not deny her heart the feeling that rushed into her blood streams that very moment.
No she hadn't layed so low and loose her proof that easily. It was something worth more than that. A promise,a bond,a hope;yeah those things mattered to her. She didn't care if she was aging. All she wished was that she didn't repeat the mistake of her mother who gave birth age seventeen and had six children within an uneven and unprepared interval.
"Mommy is fine love. There's nothing to worry about." She said and gave the girl a peck on her cheek. The girl looked at her mom unconvinced but shrugged.
"If someone or something is harassing you ,you let me know. I'll make sure he or it never messes with my Mommy ever again" she proclaimed in confidence.
Phoebe stared at her brave daughter and shook her head while laughing. She wished deep down that she could tell her everything but it seems too early.