Maisse had to go home now. Old Prisley had assured her of a job and she was sure he was not going to fail. If anything he would personally take them to meet the buyer. He was that kind and compassionate. Maisse was lucky to have him.
Old Prisley had given her some foodstuff to take home. She was so grateful she almost cried. She hugged her for so long as she was filled with immense gratitude.
"Thank you very much. I don't know how to repay you." She said before wiping away a lone tear that had escaped her eyes.
She had been feeling very defeated before coming here. Now her heart felt at peace, albeit momentarily. She was going to bask in this little peace because she knew it was going to crumble soon. She shook her head so hard when thoughts of marriage started escaping through the door she had closed in her brain.
"Anytime my dear. Just make sure you come visit me during the weekends. My wife and I would love to host you every weekend if possible." Old Prisley said as he patted her shoulders.
"And I saw the head shake. I will call you later so that you can tell me all that is troubling you." He whispered.
Maisse wanted to protest but Old Prisley shooed her away.
"Make sure she reaches home safely. I don't want anything to happen to her." Old Prisley told Vik.
"I am taking her home myself." Vik promised.
They walked slowly towards the road and hailed a cab. Maisse's heart was almost going to burst because of the hope she felt coursing through her tired body.
"I can get home by myself. I am not a small child." She said lightly after they had settled inside the cab.
"I know. I just want to make sure you don't get an accident." Vik teased.
Maisse had told her about the almost-accident and the man behind the wheels who had an amazing voice.
"I should not have told you about it." Maisse said.
"About what? The handsome man driving a good car? Or your little accident? You don't trust me?" Vik feigned hurt by placing a hand on his chest daintily.
"Both. And I trust you. Anyway, how do you know he is handsome? I did not see his face." Maisse asked.
"I just know. You said his voice sounded amazing, right? That only means one thing, he is handsome. No doubt about it." Vik had a small smile on his lip.
"I can't with you. Honestly though, I can manage." Maisse got back to the topic at hand.
"Are you really sure?" Vik asked, concern written in his voice.
"Yes. I am very sure. Besides I have to take these home and rush to the shop and pay off this debt then get my phone back." Maisse assured him.
"Okay then. This is my stop." He said as he tapped the cab driver. "Call me as soon as you get your phone back."
"I will. Now go before you get knocked off the road." Maisse teased.
"You wish." Vik winked before heading towards his apartment.
Maisse was almost home when she started feeling sad. She could not pinpoint where exactly the sadness had come from, she just felt that something bad was about to happen. She paid off the cab driver and entered her apartment. The twins were playing outside.
"Maisse you came back early." Emmy said upon seeing her. She rushed to her and jumped on her, almost knocking the foodstuff from her hands.
"Careful Emmy," Maisse chided.
"And yes I am back. I asked for permission to come see you. How are you feeling now? And why are you not resting? Where is the sitter?" Maisse fired the questions.
"She left." Emily answered.
"Left? Without being paid? What happened? Who is taking care of you now?" Maisse was panicking.
She placed the foodstuff on the kitchen table. The twins followed her to the sitting room.
"Father came back. He was the one who sent her away." Emmy volunteered. "I am healed now. Look." She twirled around the room.
"Careful now. We don't want you giving our in-law a burden and making him change his mind." Their father said as he came from his room.
In-law? Maisse wondered silently as her eyes wandered across the room. Was the man already here? And why had she not seen his car parked outside? She knew her father and his love for money; he would not have sold her off to a pauper.
"Now why were you not picking my calls? Is that how rude you have become?" His father asked, his stern eyes trained on her.
"It's not like that. I forgot my phone at the shop. I just came back to check on Emmy." Maisse lied.
She did not want the twins to know about her joblessness. It would stress them and she did not want that. They were too young to start carrying the burden of money and lack.
"Well, that is not important. What is important is you have to get ready for marriage. The man you will be getting married to will be coming on Friday. I want you to go get your nails and hair fixed. Buy two dresses because I want you to be presentable when he comes." Maisse father explained before giving her some cash.
"But father..." Maisse started.
"No buts. Put that money to good use." He said harshly.
The twins knew not to interfere when their father was talking as he had one day threatened to hit them with his belt. They had tried defending Maisse once when their father had stolen her money. He had turned against them. Now, they stared at Maisse with pity filling their rosy cheeks.
"And you two, you better behave or I will ship you off to the furthest children's home. You will never see Maisse or talk to her. I will make sure of that if you utter a single word to anyone about this." He threatened them.
"You cannot do that. I pay this house." Maisse protested.
"Watch me. If you don't get yourself fixed and ready by Thursday, I am taking them away from you." He said before banging the door on his way out.
"I don't want to go to a children's home." Emmy cried.
"I want to stay here with you." Emily
She had struggled so hard to take care of the twins single-handed at that and now he was threatening to take her way. She did not know what to do so she did the only thing she could think of; she brought the twins closer and hugged them.
They cried together. They shed tears for the unknown and dangerous future ahead of them. They sobbed for their mother who had left them in this world alone. They mourned for the father that they longed for, a father who could love and cherish them and not a drunkard who gambled his days away.
She was going to lose on both ends. If she married the stranger, the children would stay with their father because he was their legal custodian. This meant that their father would not take proper care of them. She was afraid he would even take them out of school. If she refused, their father would take the twins to a children's home and leave them there. That meant there would be no contact between them and they would be lost forever.
They sat their like that for so long and were only interrupted by a knock on the door.