Hey NL! I've always been interested in writing fiction because I use it as a method of escaping the realities of my existence. I wrote this recently and I was wondering If I could get feedback on it. Please don't be too harsh lol! I don't exactly have names for the locations because I only just recently came back to Nigeria and am not very familiar with all the areas so its a general story, but still set in Nigeria somehow. I've always been fascinated by housegirls and their various lives so I decided to write a story about a girl who becomes a housegirl. Hope you like it and I haven't made too many mistakes :

THE SECRET LIFE OF A HOUSEGIRL

My future was decided on the day a strange woman came into our home, sitting amongst us while discussing business with my mother under the low light of our dark green kerosene lamp. I sat in the bedroom with my younger brother and sister finishing off our dinner of beans and garri. The hot meal had been placed on one large silver plate and the white garri had swelled up and swallowed our two sugar cubes causing it to be a bit tasteless, but we had to manage.

I was attentive to the food, eating it so It wouldn't get cold but at the same time my ears were highly attentive, listening for snippets of their hushed conversation at the other side of the thin curtains which we used as a door. I watched as my siblings ate, my younger sisters sluggish movements as she lifted the spoon to her lips with the same effort as it took to lift a bucket of water. Ruth was not the biggest fan of beans but knew she would be in trouble if she skipped out on dinner. On the other side of me David was eating quickly, taking advantage of Ruth's sluggishness as he planned on filling his stomach. They were both young and exposed, exposed to the struggles which came with an underprivileged life but still unaware of their surroundings. They didn't feel the unease in the air, the uncertainty that this strange woman had brought along with her.

Having enough of the hot beans, I stared out into the other room where my mother and the woman were seated. I took in her appearance which was partly shielded by the darkness but some parts were illuminated by the lantern. Her body was covered up by a dark blue top, wrapper and a head wrap which sat atop her curly black wig. Time passed and they all went to sleep, I stared out of the window as a slight breeze brought in a coolness to fight the heat in the room along with the familiar high pitched buzzing of mosquitos eager for victims.

My mother had said this woman was an important visitor, that she was the key to a better life for all of us and thus should be regarded highly. The woman did not come empty handed and brought gifts of a small bag of rice and vegetables, something we looked happily at because it was nearly christmas and all we had in the kitchen was a small nylon bag filled with weevil infested beans and a small jar of salt. We would've had to manage this until the end of the year, because mama had to pay for Ruth and David's school fees. With the introduction of the rice we would be able to have a good end to the year.

In the morning my mother revealed to me what had been discussed. The mysterious woman had been long gone but it was revealed that she would be back soon, but she would be taking me with her the next time. I was going to have the opportunity to further my education in exchange for working for a family in the city and the woman was a family friend who had come to know of my plight. My mother was a widow as our father passed away from an illness several years ago and his death had opened up the wickedness in the hearts of men, characterised in the form of the ill treatment we received from his side of the family.

We couldn't access much help from my mothers side as most of her family had deserted her due to the man she had chosen to marry, amongst other issues. My mother had fought like a lion, her will to survive awakened by the hardships she faced to this day. The soft exterior was gone and she pushed all of us to do our best at whatever we put our hands to. She had done everything she could to get us all an education, ignoring the people who said that educating female children was all futile because marrying us off would get more money. She had hawked, sold her most valuable items, begged and borrowed just to be able to keep us alive and educated.

I was to go along with this woman to the city just before the New Year began and although It pained me that I would be leaving the life I knew behind I saw that it would be a chance to help my family and lift up the financial burden from the slumped over shoulders of my mother. Staring into her tired eyes which had dark bags under them, I caught a glimpse of the woman buried within, she let out a small smile. I took in her lanky appearance which resulted from skipping on a few meals, her brown skinned face characterised by worry lines and frown lines at the sides of her full lips.

Her hands once soft were hardened by work, and her skin bore the marks of hardship, scars from injuries both inflicted by my father and by the intensity of her work. Her baggy pink top was faded from too many washes with Omo detergent, and so was the blue patterned wrapper which was loosely hanging off her waist, thin hair braided into cornrows which were becoming messy and half covered by a head wrap. She was my mother, and now I had the responsibility of making sure she never had to worry too much.

In the last few days I spent with my family I took in our village with a renewed appreciation. I would miss the small houses with chickens and goats walking freely around, the farms full of corn and cassava amongst other things. I had taken my first steps as a child on the orange earth, and could replay my laughter with my friends as we climbed up the large mango trees that seemed to be in every second compound. I would miss my house the most, the place I had known all my sixteen years of living. Our home was a faded blue boys quarters building we co-owned, with a large mango tree in front, further decorated by purple hibiscus bushes which served as a border around the house.

Behind the house was a large plot of farming land, a small portion which belonged to our family while our neighbours owned the rest. I could picture myself sitting outside with my mother as the sun was setting and her hands made intricate braids in my hair preparing me for another few months of school. She would sing to me and sometimes tell stories and we would laugh while David and Ruth played with the other children from the community just outside our compound. I would miss the days where I would return in my blue and grey uniform from school to my mother who would be waiting for me, the smell of food permeating through the air.

I sat under a mango tree discussing with my friend Chichi who hung unto every word I said, jealousy flashing in her eyes as she wished she was in my position.

"I've heard many things about the city. It's not like this place where the roads are bad and the only fast thing we see are bicycles and sometimes okadas (motorcycles). It has big buildings taller than palm trees and there are a lot of people there. You're so lucky! So one day you'll come back to the village and I won't even recognise you," Chichi said with awe and longing in her voice as I simply smiled. I was going to be leaving the next day, and a boulder of nervousness was resting in the pit of my stomach.

Inside, my bags were already packed because I didn't have much in the first place. I just had a small pink Ghana-must-go which held three skirts, five tops, two scarves and three pairs of shoes, two of which my mother had bought using the money the mysterious woman had given her. I was given a lecture about how I should always be a good girl and hold unto God so that this opportunity wouldn't be wasted. This caused my nervousness to further grow. So many of my schoolmates and neighbours visited and gave me things if they had any as a farewell gift and I gave some of the stuff to my mother and siblings.

Later that night as I looked at my last moonlight through the old wooden windows in our room while David's light snores broke the blanket of silence, Ruth crawled up next to me and rested her skinny arms on the window sill, sadness clearly on her face.

"When are you going to come back sister?" I looked at her young worried face, smiling slightly. Ruth and I were very close and had shared a lot of memories together, our relationship strengthened by the hardships life had thrown at our family.

"I don't know, but I hope it will be soon," I said trying to reassure her when really I struggled to convince myself about what the future held. She let out a sigh and slumped her shoulders.

"I wish I could come with you to the city, I don't want to be in this village suffering. I'm tired of everything,"

"Don't say that, just keep praying and focusing on school and everything will be good at the end of the day," We sat in silence, both staring out at the moon and its ability to throw a blanket of silence over our neighbourhood apart from the occasional bleating of goats.

The next morning the woman came at dusk but I was ready for her. I had been shaken out of my sleep at 4 by my mother who urged me to take a bath then prayed for me after giving me some bread and tea. I walked next to the woman who was still covered up, the cool morning breeze hitting my face as I stared back at the last memory I would have of my home for a while. My mother stood at the front of the house just at the gap in between the hibiscus bushes with my brother and sister by her side, waving as a tear slid down her cheek.

We continued to walk until we reached a big road where we caught an okada to a small bus park which was already busy with people who were about to travel to different states seated at different areas. I walked with the woman towards the one scheduled for the big city and we sat in the plastic chairs in silence. I took in the environment, the sky gradually getting lighter and the silhouettes of young hawker children trying to sell food to the travellers who were about to embark on a 9+ hour long trip. We finally boarded the small white hilux bus where we were seated all the way at the pack in a tight space taken up by other passengers and large bags holding goods. I was next to the window, and stared out at it just as someone said a short prayer. The bus began to move just as the sun began to rise, and I said goodbye to the life I had known, moving further and further into uncertainty.

*

Ride on rookie

joefredd006:
Ride on rookie

is that good or bad?

Hmmm!! Yummy!! Yummy!!, I want some more. Just following

solaceseeker:
is that good or bad?

good it seems.

NYC story...not bad, you are trying.. ride on Abeg

Woow
..pls continue

Good job..following.

Thankyou so much for showing interest!

CHAPTER TWO

I arrived at the Kalu residence in the late evening following a 9 hour long trip that was filled with stopping and also traffic. It was a tiring experience of many of the passengers who had grown accustomed to this method of movement but for I who had rarely ever left the boundaries of my village it was exhilarating.

Everything was observed with the eye of a tourist, from the pit stop we made four hours into the journey to the mannerisms of people on the highways. The lady who I was travelling with had introduced herself as Madam Cecil while we sat at the pit stop. I was able to purchase some water and plantain chips with a small portion of the money given to me by my neighbours as a farewell gift, and I noticed her eyes watching me while I ate slowly.

"You must be well behaved if you want anything good to come to you, being sent packing will bring shame to you and your mother," She said with a cautious tone as I nodded, letting her words sink into my mind.

Travelling was interesting, from the wide road which was sometimes tarred and sometimes bumpy. On each side of the bus were tall green vegetation coated in dust with red soil underneath and sometimes a group of houses would appear signifying there was a community. I wondered how people living in such a remote area could survive, and I noticed how at several intervals especially where there was traffic young and old people would rush after the cars holding trays filled with goods such as plantain chips, water and grilled meat.

It was plantain season, so plantain was the dominant product being sold by these hawkers. I imagined what it was like to be in their shoes, scurrying after cars and standing at that interval while billows of thick black smoke were blown from large trucks and dust was kicked up by the several small cars. I took in their appearances, faded clothing coated in dirt coupled with a determined facial expression as they showed no signs of tiredness from how chaotic the place was.

The pit stop the bus made was similar to this but with slightly more order. There were several stalls, from a large building with a restaurant to a smaller makeshift restaurant under a canopy. Also around were stalls selling clothing and jewellery, and a few men selling suya. We mostly sat down in the makeshift restaurant, most going into the building in order to access the toilet. Our bus was just one amongst many as this was a well known stop spot.

Once we were back on the road, I noticed as we went through several cities, each one more exciting than the other. One thing was constant however, the hustle and bustle of the citizens. Crowds walked on both sides of the road, some going to catch public transport in order to go to their several destinations while others milled around hawking goods balanced perfectly on their small heads.

I saw several buildings and companies, a welcome change from the village setting which was scanty when it came to buildings. Nothing could have prepared me for the big city. Even though I'd seen the several cities we'd gone past when we came to the large city the atmosphere was different, the weather seemed to be different.

My face was pressed against the window and eyes wide open as some passengers looked at me with amusement because I barely could hold back my excitement. This was the place I would have to grow accustomed to now. My eyes darted in all directions taking in the mass that was the city. We passed several tall buildings all in a row, and I noticed that the way people dressed was different.

They mostly wore expensive looking, well looked after clothing as they all rushed to their several directions. The traffic was welcomed as it enabled me to take in my new environment, to breathe the hectic city air which was laced with fumes from cars in comparison to the fresh breeze we got at the village. There were so many bright signboards and dots of shops all over the place. I prayed in my heart that I would be able to survive and move forward in this foreign place.

The bus came to a park owned by the bus company and parked as people alighted fast, ready to move to their next destination. In a matter of minutes the bus was empty and people were already claiming their luggages in a rush as it was getting darker by the second. I slowly grabbed my Ghana must go and placed it on my head while walking briskly to catch up to Madam Cecil who was already on her way.

We walked into a large crowd, as it was just after 6pm and a multitude were still returning home. Black bodies stood on the side of the road, hands out and eyes working like that of a hawk in order to hail any public transport they could get their hands on. In one corner was a congregation of okada riders while on the main road several congested keke napeps (tricycles), taxis and buses came to pick up people.

Expertly hailing two motorcycles Madame Cecil ordered me to get on one, and I balanced my bag on the space in-between I and the driver while she also sat down carefully. Her okada led the way as we zoomed through the highly congested road, having to stop at intervals due to heavy traffic. Finally we alighted at a junction then caught a taxi which would take us to our final destination.

I noticed first how big the Kalu residence was in comparison to our blue boys quarters back in the village. The large building was shrouded in darkness and so its true size was obscured, but the place had a strong atmosphere of affluence to it, and as we alighted the taxi I was overcome with nervousness. I faced the tall black gate that was twice my height while Madam Cecil knocked determinedly on it. After a few seconds came the voice of a man mumbling while sounds of a radio reached my ears, and a small square on the gate was opened to reveal an eyeball.

"Who you be?" He inquired while his eye darted between Madam Cecil and I as the woman huffed impatiently.

"My friend you better open this door before I deal with you, the madam is expecting us!" Madam Cecil said with a tone of dismissal, fanning herself lightly with her hand as the man hissed before the eyeball disappeared. Footsteps were heard becoming distant, and a few minutes later the eyeball returned accompanied by the sounds of a padlock being unlocked. The gate opened and he mumbled out a greeting which was ignored by Madam Cecil who simply breezed past, pulling me in tow.

I greeted the gate man and he let out a small smile, crooked teeth shining in the light coming from the light fixed on the wall of his small house. He then jogged in front of us and led the way, ushering us through the spacious compound and into the big two story house which was cool as air was blasted from the standing air conditioner just at the entrance. We took off our shoes and I clutched my bag even closer to the side of my body while looking around.

"Madam, I have brought them inside,"

"Thank you, you may go now," Came a regal sounding voice from above as we looked up to see its source. In the next few seconds a woman descended down the stairs wearing her sleep wear which consisted of a silk blush pink dress and what looked like a matching jacket on top. She was thick and curvy, her ebony skin was almost flawless under the lighting in the living room. She took each step gracefully before finally getting to the bottom of the stairs. Her face was heart shaped, she had full lips which had a natural pink to them, big doll eyes and long hair which fell freely to the sides of her face.

"Good evening, Madame Cecil,"

"Good evening to you too Madam, I hope you had a nice day,"

"Good evening," I quickly said but stuttered as I felt her scrutinising eyes on me, scanning the length of my body cautiously.

"This is Hope, I feel she is best fit for what you are looking for,"

"I'll be the judge of that, come with me to see the rooms you'll be staying in," She led the way while we followed behind and I took in the beauty of the house interior. From looking around I also knew the maintenance would not be easy. We were shown two rooms, the first being the guest room where Madam Cecil would stay and the other being my room. My room was the same size as the one in the village but this time I wouldn't be sharing it with two other people. There was a wardrobe, a small table where there was a mirror and an air conditioner which I had never had in my room before. It was a room I'd typically see in a Nigerian movie hotel setting or in the house of someone rich.

"I trust you like the room,"

"Yes ma, thank you," I said with a small courtesy as she nodded. I dropped my bag then Madam Cecil went to freshen up in her own room while my new madam showed me around the house. The house had living rooms upstairs and downstairs, two bedrooms downstairs, five upstairs with bathrooms in each and an extra toilet just at the entrance of the house. The floors were all tiled and white and the walls in the hallway and living room were a beige-cream colour. The kitchen was a large upgrade from the open fire and occasional kerosene stove which we used at home, and I missed my family already. It was all well furnished with two large fridges, a large deep freezer and two big gas stoves that looked brand new due to how clean they were.

"I expect this house to always be spotless as I like it that way. We have a gardener who comes in every two weeks to tidy the outside, and he also does the laundry so all you have to do is collect the dirty clothes then set them aside. Your duties involve cleaning and cooking, and also tending to the needs of the children," She said children with a tired tone.

"There are four children, the oldest is 17 and the youngest is 8. They are all in school so you'll have to get their school things prepared for them. Your stay in this house depends on your behaviour, the moment you make any stupid mistake you will be out of this house, am I clear?"

"Yes ma," I said nodding my head with exaggeration as she looked at me, satisfaction on her features but with underlying suspicion.

"Any questions?"

"Yes madam, what about my education?" At this she let out a mocking laugh.

"You haven't even worked for one day and you're already asking for things. Is this what you were brought here for?"

"I'm sorry ma, I was told that I would be allowed to further my education,"

"Once we have seen the quality of your work, we'll talk about school. You should go to sleep because you have to wake up early tomorrow," She sneered at me before leaving me in the kitchen. I busied myself with the sink where I washed the multiple dirty dishes which were all over the place. They had eaten rice and tomato stew for dinner as evident in the oil stains on the breakable plates. After the sink had been cleaned I went to my room and said my prayer then laid on my new soft bed thinking of how my family were faring back in the village.

Tomorrow was the start of a new chapter, I would fully meet the family I would be living with for at least a few years until a better opportunity came along.

NYC..ride on

Interesting! Keep it coming.

Interesting, ride on. Didn't notice the character's name.

Fire on. But it will be much interresting if you can mention names of some places, atleast to make it more real. Nice story line though

wow

Good one

Thanks for the comments. Will try to incorporate more names and names of places!

CHAPTER THREE

I woke up late the next morning at around 8 as I was abruptly shaken. Opening my eyes I came face to face with my Madam who looked less than pleased as she clapped repeatedly in my face, manicured red nails jamming together then separating.

"What are you doing? Where do you think you are?" She shouted at me as I scrambled up, running to slip my shoes on before turning around to see she had disappeared. I ran out into the hallway, past the guest room which I saw was empty as Madam Cecil had left already. I could hear the hustle and bustle downstairs as several voices echoed around the house, mainly coming from the kitchen.

"Who is this?" Came a sneer from the table in the middle of the kitchen as I came face to face with a dark skinned older looking girl who was giving me a dirty look. She took in my dishevelled appearance then let out a hiss. She had her hair in box braids which were black, and looked just like her mother except for the darker skin complexion which made her even more beautiful.

"This is the new house girl, clearly she doesn't know what time she is meant to wake up at," My Madam was standing near the sink with her hand on her hip, eyeing me distastefully.

"Good morning," I managed to let my voice be heard only to be met by a hiss.

"Keep your good morning to yourself, make us breakfast now! We all have appointments today and you have work to do!" They left me in the kitchen as I scrambled to think of what they would have for breakfast. I was able to bring out bread, butter, jam, eggs and everything needed to make milo and tea. I fried seven eggs and put two slices of bread each on five plates while I boiled some water on the fire. Balancing everything on three white trays I took one tray at a time to the large dining table then set them down carefully.

Madam came to the dining table and sat down, eyeing the food suspiciously while being joined by four other people who were dressed up. Instantly the room was filled with complaints as I wanted to disappear into thin air.

"What kind of eggs are these? I like my eggs with tomato and onions, and my bread slightly browned," The girl from the kitchen said with shock like she had been slapped in the face.

"I don't like crust on my bread, and I like my egg with tomato no onions, definitely not plain," Another young girl said with a whine to her voice.

"I like my egg fried with butter and milk, not just this salty soggy thing, mummy I'm not eating breakfast this morning!" A younger girl said in a huff while crossing her arms and pouting.

The youngest child which was a boy started reaching out for the eggs, buttering his bread with clunks of butter before putting the egg on top and eating it satisfactorily, I almost let out a sigh of relief.

"You have been here for a few hours and have wasted nearly a dozen eggs, just look at this nonsense!"

"Ma I did not know what type of breakfast everybody likes to eat,"

"So? You couldn't ask? Or you don't have mouth again?"

"I'm sorry ma," I pleaded for forgiveness, my eyes welling up with tears.

"Take this out of my sight, at least Samuel is eating something this morning. I hope you took note of what everyone likes because If you're going to last here a week I expect you should make yourself well acquainted with each demand! I only eat the wholegrain bread and expect lipton tea with no milk or sugar added waiting for me, along with some fruits. Didn't you people eat proper food in your house?" At this question I remembered for breakfast we would have anything from akara and akamu to agege bread and margarine or sardines.

"Mum look at her, does she look like she would be eating wholegrain bread?" The oldest girl said exasperatedly while looking at her phone, "We're all running late, lets just get something as takeaway," At this everyone got up and went back upstairs to grab their bags before moving out the door, Madam saying goodbye to them as the driver took them away in a large car.

After the kids had been taken away she turned to me and ordered me to go and tidy up the rooms while retrieving all the dirty clothing before the laundry person came. I held a large plastic basket then walked from room to room, starting at the room closest to the staircase leading downstairs. It was now 9.30 and I went into each room, being able to pinpoint the different personalities of the room owners. The first room was an olive green colour with white tiles and I knew it belonged to the oldest one.

She had a computer poised on a desk in the corner of the room and a large wide wardrobe filled with clothes of all types messily shoved in. Her dirty clothes were all in a pile in the corner so it was easy to retrieve. As I bent down to pick up the clothes I noticed her large wooden shoe rack filled with all sorts of shoes in all colours and felt my mouth drop in surprise. I had only ever owned three pairs at the least - school shoes, church shoes and slippers for the house, while it was like she had a shoe to match every outfit.

I also stripped the bed and pillow of their coverings then dumped the sheet into the basket.

The second room was a light pink colour and also had a wardrobe filled with clothing. The bed was big and had a lot of pillows on it. Her dirty clothing was strewn all over the place so I had to do a few laps to get all of the clothes but in the end I succeeded. The two last rooms were harder because they were messier, especially with the room belonging to the youngest having dirty clothes mixed with the clean ones in the drawers and wardrobe.

My hands ached from the weight of the basket by the time I had done my rounds through the rooms. I took the basket to the kitchen then set it there next to the back door. Though I was exhausted I had only completed a fraction of my work for the day, so I set to clearing up the kitchen and the dining table followed by dusting the whole living room, sweeping the floors and then mopping. By the time I got to the mopping it was just after 11. Just as I stopped to catch my breath for a few seconds Madam appeared at the bottom of the stairs, changed from her pyjamas to some casual wear which was a dress and high heels paired off with a large bag that could fit my head in it.

"I'm going to the salon to check on things, don't forget to clean my room. After the gardener comes to wash the clothes and hang it out, you will bring them in when they're dry and sort them out. The kids are coming back by 2, so I expect lunch will be ready,"

"Ma, what should I make for lunch?"

"Make rice, bring out the stew which is in the freezer and let it defrost before warming it in the pot. Make sure the rice is well done or you'll eat the whole thing until it is finished." Her voice had a warning tone to it as I nodded once again before she left in a hurry. I let out a long sigh, finishing off the mopping before going to clear her room up. In the room I saw a picture in a frame above their bed, seeing the madam and her husband who I had not met yet.

They seemed like they complimented each other and were complete opposites. He was smiling while she had a stoic facial expression. I also noticed the glint of a gold bracelet on top of a table which had makeup and perfumes taking up half the space. I picked up the bracelet, staring at its beauty while wondering how much it would have cost. The room was lowly lit and smelt of perfume which had recently been sprayed, there was also a coolness to it as the air conditioner had been turned off not too long ago.

"I hope you're not planning to steal it," I froze, dropping the bracelet to the ground instantly before turning around slowly, seeing a young guy I hadn't seen before standing at the doorway.

"No, I swear I wasn't" I said in a panicked voice as he let out a short laugh. He was tall and his skin was the same colour as chocolate, with kind looking eyes and lips that made him look like he always was smirking. He wore a blue t-shirt along with some cargo shorts and slippers making me wonder who he was and where he was from. He was handsome, not in the

"I know you weren't. She puts the bracelet out every time there is a new maid as a test for the maid,"

"Oh," I said picking up the bracelet before placing it back on the side table, "How come I haven't seen you before?"

"I'm the gardener, I come every Saturday weekly to do the laundry and on Wednesday every two weeks to do the gardening. I haven't met you before, and since you're here and Efua is not, I assume you are her replacement,"

"Efua?" I couldn't believe he was the gardener, he looked if not my age but a year older. I moved towards the door taking the dirty clothes with me and he moved away then walked next to me as we went downstairs.

"Efua was hired three months ago but then she stole things and was fired once Madam found out," He said while looking at me. I averted my gaze and focused it on the clothes. We walked into the kitchen then he carried the basket which had the clothes and bedsheets of all the children while I kept carrying Madams clothes. I walked behind him now as we were out in the side of the house from what it seemed. There was a tree leaning over the high fence and flower bushes all over the place with clothing lines suspended over them. The ground had a tiled path in the middle leading to the other areas on the outside of the house with low cut grass on each side.

"Have you had a chance to look around?" He said with a smile, noticing how my gaze towards the beautiful flower bushes.

"No, but I'll do it later," I placed the basket down. We had come to a place which was very beautiful, and also there was a tap conveniently located next to where he was standing. He had already brought out two large basins and now was filling them up with water, a large pack of Omo on the ground ready to be used.

"It won't take that long," He dismissed my excuse then led the way to the back of the house. The backyard was spacious and also had several trees and flower bushes bordering it. Half of the backyard was shaded under a large structure and there was a large glass table with several chairs with a large barbecue in the background.

"This is the biggest house I have ever seen!" I said with amazement as the gardener laughed. We were looking at the backyard from behind another fence, as the house had been built in a way that the backyard was only accessible through the house. We then went to the front of the house which was also tiled with pink and white tiles. To one side was an undercover area with structures that had four spaces like a car park, and to the other side was the smaller house where the gate man sat in front, listening to his radio while moving his head to the rhythm. The smaller house was also a slightly faded beige colour and had doors on the left and right. Next to the house was a hoop which was attached to the wall.

"How can all this belong to one family?" I said in wonder

"This family is very wealthy. The Oga has a high position in an oil company, his family are all very successful doctors, lawyers and journalists,"

"What of Madam?"

"She's a very hard woman to deal with but you look like you will survive. She owns two big salons and a successful baking and catering business. Madam is very picky about things and has high standards so you have to stay on alert and take note of whatever she says. The children are also people you should be careful of because If they say anything about you their mother will believe them instantly," He warned me before we began walking back to the side of the house. I was about to step back into the house after saying thank you when he stopped me.

"You know, you're the most beautiful house girl they ever hired," At this I struggled to reply and made faster moves to get into the house.

"I'm Silas," He said before I shut the door, hearing his deep chuckle as he went to wash the clothes. Quickly I got to washing the rice as I saw it was nearing 1pm. Though he had made me feel flustered and at loss for words I liked Silas, and I hoped that he would help me survive the demanding Kalu household.

Nice. Bring it on!

good job more pls

Nice story. I'm with you.

Interesting, keep it coming.

Nice story and more mb 2 your date.waiting 4 next update

U must survive oo

Very very intresting story. Anoda Adichie in d making , kp it up.
Plz feed me morrreeee...

You must survive to have told us your story. Where there is Hope, there is survival.

wonderful story, op. Kwantinuu

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Here comes another Frank 3:16

I love your story

I love you

I really like this, especially how well you use words.

Am really enjoying dis story# oliver twist# moreeeee

Following. Nice work op

Omoalhaja7:
Very very intresting story. Anoda Adichie in d making , kp it up.
Plz feed me morrreeee...

Biggest compliment! She's my favourite

Updating soon guys sorry for the wait

Nice one please bring it on.

I love this #THUMBS up