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Modified....

This is a short story format which
I pasted online as little picture stories...
But, I have started posting it in prose format.

It is turning into a delicious adventure and I am quiet sure you will salivate till the very end 😉

I will try as much as possible to post here at least twice in a week.

Enjoy 🤗

SYNOPSIS

Lianate and Ike had no desire to employ an help when they got married. But when the babies started to arrive and the burden of their jobs pressed in, they knew they needed to make a compromise. But nothing in the whole wide world could prepare them for the castrophe that besieged their lives. Will their marriage survive the damages? Will they be able to pick up the pieces of their broken lives and move on? Or will their challenges turn them into enemies and end their blissful world?

Chapter 1

"Kill her!"
"Let's burn her alive!"
"She killed her parents!"
"She killed her siblings!"
"She is a witch!"

The noise and the teeming crowd attracted Vero. She found her way through the crowd till she got a glimpse of a dark skinned, very thin girl, who looked not more than fourteen years.
She was surrounded by four stern looking women. They poked, slapped and cursed her.

"What's going on here?"
No one paid any attention to the brown skin middle-aged woman.
"Why are you hitting her, what's her offence?" Vero approached them.
"This is none of your business..." one of the
women eyed her.
Vero pulled the girl to her side.
"Who are you?" One of them glared at her.
"Give us back out neice!"
"She is a witch!"
"She must pay for her crimes!"
The women shouted at her.

The thin girl held unto Vero as if her life depended on it.
"Where are her parents?" Vero looked from one to the other.
"They are dead!" they retorted.
"She killed them, along with her siblings!"
"She must die!"
The women fired back.

"You all want to partake in a criminal act..." Vero pointed at some people in the crowd. "I am calling the police..." she reached for her phone. And in less than five minutes, the crowd dispersed.

"Give us back our neice!" The women
surrounded the middle aged woman.
"You want to end the life of an orphan.." She eyed them.
They kept quiet.
"When you all spend some time in the police cell, maybe then, your brains will reset."

The girl's aunt fled when the woman started making a call.
"Please help me..."
Vero looked down at the malnourished teenager.
"What is your name?"
"Amina Haruna."

"Where are your parents?"
She bit at the bottom of her lip. "They died in the fire..."
"Is there any other family you can stay with."
"There is no one else, except my aunts, they will kill me," her eyes grew wild with fear.

Vero nodded and glanced at the corner she parked her vehicle.
She knew that the sooner they left the area, the safer the girl will be. "Come with me, I will find a safe place for you to stay."

Amina broke down crying.
"Hey..."
"Th-thank you, ma."
"It's fine. Let's go."
Vero led the girl away. Amina kept looking back at intervals, hoping that her evil aunts wouldn't return and snatch her away from her saviour.

Chapter 2

Amina felt safe in Vero’s home. The woman had been kind to her. She bought her new clothes, took her to the salon, made sure she ate three times a day, and told her that if she needed anything, she should ask promptly. This was more than she expected from someone she hardly knew. What more could she ask for?

Initially, Vero thought Amina was fourteen years old, but was shocked when the girl told her that she clocked sixteen years a few weeks ago. The girl also looked too skinny for her liking. She couldn’t imagine what she must have passed through while living with her aunts. It must have been dreadful.

She reached out for her phone when it started to ring.

“Mummy…”

The sound of her daughter’s voice made her smile. “Lianate, how are you? How are my babies?” she remembered the last time she saw the twin boys.

“They are fine. Mummy, Nonso and Dozie will be starting school next week. But, I don’t know how Ike and I are going to cope. Most days, I return from work at 6 pm and Ike comes back at 8pm. Who will take care of the twins when the school bus drops them at 1pm?” Lianate complained.

Vero thought about what her daughter was saying.

“We do not want to employ an help, but with the way things are right now, we don’t have a choice anymore. I love my children, but I am not ready to resign from work just yet. Mum, do you know any agent that can help us to get a good maid?”

Vero’s gaze darted in Amina’s direction. The girl was watching a soap opera on the television. “I know an agent that can help you.”

“Thank God. I have been worried sick. My predicament almost gave me an heart attack."

The girl's laughter filled her ears. “I rescued a young girl some days ago. She is an orphan and is also hardworking. She would be a good fit."

“You did what?!” Lianate’s voice rose a notch higher.

“It is a long story, but I think Amina will be able to take care of the twins.”

“Mum, she is a complete stranger! Can you vouch for her?” she sounded troubled.

“I have watched the girl. She is godly and respectful. I think you will like her too,” Vero leaned against the chair and relaxed.

“O-okay. We trust your judgement. Ike and I will come over this weekend to meet her,” Lianate sighed heavily.

“Beautiful. I am so happy that my grand kids are starting school,” Vero grinned. She could still remember how little they were when they were born.

“Those boys are terrorists…” Lianate groaned.

Vero hissed, “Like mother, like children."

“What?! What's that supposed to mean? You cannot compare me with those vampires."

“Says who? You were way worse."

“That’s impossible!” Lianate screamed. Then she started to laugh.

“If your father was still alive, he would concur,” Vero chuckled, then fell silent. Even though it had been almost a decade, she still missed her husband every single day.

CHAPTER 3

Lianate was happy with her new help.
The girl was very hardworking and respectful.
She was willing to sponsor her education to whatever level the girl dreamed of. It was the least she could do for the girl.
She was glad she listened to her mum. Amina was indeed the best fit for them.
Her husband was also impressed with the girl. He once said jokingly that their twins were behaving like little chicks, following Amina to and fro, all over the house. He was glad that their children were comfortable with the girl. They saw her like a big sister.

Amina’s joy knew no bounds.
Living with Vero’s daughter was like a dream come true.
Lianate and Ike treated her like a younger sister.
They made sure that she ate as much as she wanted.
They gave her new clothes and was always ready to meet her needs.
They also wanted her to go back to school.
She couldn’t believe that they were
willing to sponsor her university education.
All she needed to do now was to read, pass her exams and maybe in the near future, she might be the first graduate in her family.
She was thankful that God answered her prayers and delivered her from her aunts.

Once in a while Vero visited. Amina was always happy to see her. Sometimes, the woman make silly jokes.
“Amina, you are getting fatter!” she would say, or, “Amina, you are eating all the food in this house!”
She often wondered what would have happened
to her if Vero hadn’t been there that day. Her aunts might have succeeded in terminating her life.

Her parents were having problems with her aunts over a land dispute.
They wanted to evict them from the house they were living, claiming that her father built on the land given to them by
their mother. But her father inherited that same land from his own father.
The dispute continued for years, until one day, Amina and her family woke up inside a burning building.
Their house was on fire! How it started, no one knew.
Her father tried to get them all out of the house,
but, she was the only one that survived.
Her aunts told everyone in the community that she was a witch who wiped out her family. Many people believed them. And no one came to her rescue whenever they were maltreating her.

They often told her that
they will end her life one day. They swore that she would join her family in hell before she clocked seventeen.
She feared for her safety and tried to run away a few times. All to no avail.
Until the day God used Vero to save her. Her aunts most be disappointed by now. They would never be able to hurt her again.

Oh how she wished her parents and siblings were still alive.
She missed them so much.

CHAPTER 4

Three years later

“What are we going to do?” Lianate turned to her husband.

“I am not sure. This is the third time she is failing her JAMB and WAEC examinations,” Ike was saddened.

“Maybe I will take her to another lecture centre. A friend told me about some very good teachers,” Lianate suggested.

“It is hopeless. It is not everyone that will go to school,” Ike's brows came together in a frown.

“But, education is important,” Lianate argued.
She was not ready to give up on Amina just yet.

“Why don’t you ask her if there is something else she wants to do?” Ike crossed his legs and yawned.

Lianate breathed out loudly. She was worried about her help. The girl was growing into a beautiful young woman. She wanted her to be equipped and prepared for life. She was aware that the girl wouldn’t live with them forever. Once her children were old enough, they would be able to take care of themselves. And start doing chores. Then Amina would move on and start her own life. Nowadays, most men want a woman that would bring something to the table, be it a skill or an education.

“I think she likes baking…”

“Baking?” Ike raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, she is always watching cooking shows on Youtube,” Lianate chuckled when she remembered the day the girl tried to make them a meal she saw on Youtube.

“Oh, okay… then we can enrol her into a cooking school or something like that,” Ike picked up his phone when he saw a message icon on his screen.

“I think she will like that,” Lianate got up.

“Great…” his eyes remained glued to his phone screen.

“I will go and discuss it with her…” Lianate was sure that the girl would be very happy.

******

Amina was busy watching a cooking show on her phone when Lianate came into her room.

“You and these your cooking shows,” Lianate sat on the bed.

“Aunty, you need to see how they made their spaghetti. It looks so delicious,” she licked her lips.

“You and food,” Lianate eyed her. She was delighted that the girl had added some weight recently. But, even at nineteen, she still looked rather slim. Maybe it was genetics. Her father or mother was probably very thin.

“Aunty, I am going to open my own restaurant very soon,” the girl sounded optimistic.

“From your mouth to Gods ears,” Lianate smiled broadly.

“Amen!” Amina said out loud.

“Hmm…" she thought of how to bring up the subject. "Amina, will you like to go to a cooking school, or a place where you can learn how to cook like a professional?”

The girl blinked several times and stared back at her employer who was more like an older sister to her. “A cooking school?”

“Yes…” Lianate could see the excitement in her face.

“Somehwere I can learn how to bake snacks and make cupcakes?” she whispered.

“Yes, yes, somewhere you can learn whatever you want. Somewhere you can get the expertise you need to own your own restaurant,” Lianate affirmated.

Amina jumped down from the bed and started to dance. “Yesu! Nagode!”

Lianate started to laugh.

When she was done dancing, she knelt beside her employer. “Thank you so much ma. Thank Uncle Ike for me. Thank you, I am so, so grateful,” the girl started to cry.

“Oh Amina. All glory be to God Almighty. It’s okay,” Lianate patted her on the back. She was happy that the girl was happy.

Thanks for this lovely story

Adeola25:
Thanks for this lovely story

You're welcome. Thanks for reading.

Next chapter will be uploaded this weekend.

CHAPTER 5

The cry of a new born baby filled the Briggs home.
Nonso and Dozie were very excited about the birth of their little sister.
Lianate and Ike were beyond happy. As the date of the naming ceremony drew near, Voke and Ike’s mum, Nkiru, moved in. Hoping to stay for a while and help the new mother.

Amina busied herself with house chores and making sure the twin boys stayed out of the adult’s way. Sometimes, she lured them into the kitchen and taught them how to make pancakes. Most times, the kitchen ended up looking like a war zone. Flour, sugar, vegetable oil and a host of other ingredients could be seen pasted on the walls, by the sink and dancing on the tiled floor.

Even though she had to clean the wreckage multiple times, she didn’t mind. Immediately after the naming ceremony, Lianate and her husband began to prepare for the twins’ fifth birthday party. They wanted a big party, mainly because they had been celebrating the boys’ birthdays on a low key in the past.

They sent out invitations to their family and friends and the twins made sure they also invited every single child in their class.
Amina barely slept a wink for days. She had so many errands to run, but she didn’t mind. She loved the twins and was ready to make their birthday bash worthwhile.

On D-day, so many people filled the Briggs’ home. There were several children running around, while the adults ate and drank. Nonso and Dozie were ecstatic! It was their birthday party and Amina made them the biggest pyramid of cupcakes they had ever seen in their young lives. Their parents also got them some delicious cakes, but Amina’s cake was the best of them all.

The party ended well, and when the last guest left, Amina took a stroll while the hired hands cleaned up the house and tried to get everything back to the way it was.

It was a breezy evening and she often enjoyed talking walks around the estate.

“Hello…”

She heard a voice behind her. When she turned around, she saw a very tall dark young man standing a few feet away. He looked familiar, but she couldn’t recollect where she had seen him.
“Hi…” she responded, wondering if she should keep walking.

“My name is Deji, I stay with Mr. Kola Williams.”

That name sounded familiar. Mr. Kola lived in the estate and she had seen him once or twice talking with Ike.

“He is actually my older brother…” Deji continued, he looked rather anxious.

Amina nodded. “I know Mr. Kola.”

“Okay, good. What’s the name?” he sounded relieved.

She raised an eyebrow, contemplating whether to walk away or respond.

“I am a Youth Corper serving here in Abuja. And instead of renting an apartment, I decided to stay with my brother. It’s better, you know… the cost of things and all that.”

The girl blinked several times. Why was he giving her information about himself?

“I have seen you around, a few times…”

She stared at him, long and hard. She noticed how his thick dark eyebrows made him look more handsome. She wasn’t sure she had seen him before.

“You often take walks around the estate. I do it too. It helps me to unwind,” his lips spread in a smile.

“Oh…” maybe that was why he looked a tiny little bit familiar.

“I told myself, the next time I see you, I will introduce myself.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

He looked away. “I wanted to get to know you… maybe, we can take walks together sometimes.”

She shrugged and looked towards the house. The twins must have slept by now. Lianate and Ike might still be hanging around, probably gossiping with Voke and Nkiru. She wondered if the baby was still awake. The girl was beautiful.

“So, what’s the name?”

She glanced back at him. He seemed harmless, and very friendly too. And if she was being truthful to herself, she wouldn’t mind getting to know him too. “Amina, my name is Amina Haruna.”

“Pleased to meet you, Amina.”

Their gazes locked and held.

Thanks for the update

CHAPTER 6

Amina stood outside the gate, chatting with Deji, her new friend.
Time seemed to fly by, as she enjoyed every moment of their conversation. Almost every single day, they meet up in the evening and take a stroll around the estate. Sometimes, he talked about the secondary school he was posted to and how he couldn’t wait to end his service year. He wished he was serving in a bank or a federal parastatal. Other times, he asked her about her catering school and how long it would take before she gets certified.

“I enjoyed the cupcakes you gave me some days ago,” a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Amina brightened. She had been waiting for him to say something about it.

“You should start your own cake shop soonest,” he leaned against the gate.

The girl shrugged.

“Or you could make some cakes and distribute them to all the supermarkets in the area.”

She sighed heavily. “I have thought about that.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” he looked her up and down. He liked the way her flowing gown cradled her slim frame.

She shrugged again. “I don’t really know where to start from.”

“Jesus is Lord!” he stared at her bewildered.

Amina started to laugh. A vehicle halted in front of the gate and her laughter stopped when Lianate stepped out. She glanced at Deji quickly, then back at her employer. She had no idea how the woman would feel, seeing her outside, talking to a boy. She had never been in a situation like that before.

“Good afternoon, ma. Welcome ma,” they both chorused.

Lianate waved at them and walked into the house.

“I think I should go in, she might need me to do one thing or the other.”

Deji paled. He always enjoyed spending time with his new friend. Every second away from her always made his heart ache with longing.

“See you in the evening…” she backed away slowly.

“See you soon, Yarinya (young lady)…”

Amina started to laugh again. “Who is teaching you how to speak Hausa?”

“The students,” he chuckled.

She nodded her head, “Interesting.”

“It was supposed to be your responsibility, but, you have failed woefully.”

The girl clapped her hands and placed them on her curvy hips. “I don’t teach for pennies.”

“You see, you see what I am saying?”

Her laughter rang out like the sound of a dozen nightingales. Deji watched her in awe, noticing how her smiles beautified her dark smooth face. Then it occurred to him that he was falling hard for her.

Amina looked up at him and saw the change in the way he was staring at her. Like he was seeing her for the very first time. His eyes told a story of their own. A story that made her heart to flutter.

******

Lianate kicked off her shoes and joined her husband on the bed. He drew her close in a warm hug.

“How was your meeting?”

“Nasty…”

He chuckled.

“I saw Amina at the gate with Mr. Kola’s younger brother.”

Ike smiled. “I have seen her strolling around the estate with him a couple of times.”

Lianate sat up. “What?!”

He looked up at her. “What?”

Her brows came together in a frown. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

He eyed her. “There is nothing to tell. The girl is nineteen. She is old enough to spend time with the boy she likes.”

“Deji is like twenty-six! Who told you that she likes him?”

“He is just seven years older. He is a fine young man, if you will ask me.”

“Ikechukwu…” she groaned with worry.

“What?”

“Amina is naive and that boy is way out of her league. She is like a chick beside a fox.”

Ike’s mouth opened in disbelief.

“I don’t want her to get into any boy-trouble.”

“Leave them alone, Lianate. They are both believers. They won’t cross any boundaries.”
She started to shake her head. “Can you vouch for him?” she climbed down from the bed.

“Lianate…”

“Have you seen the way he looks at her?”

Ike groaned inwardly. His wife tend to make a mountain out of a mole hill at times.

“Amina is a pretty girl. And any boy who sees her will definitely find her attractive. I don’t think she is ready to start dating yet. And that boy is too matured for her, when it comes to boy-girl matters.”

“So when do you want her to start dating? When she turns forty, right?” he eyed her again.

“Of course not.”

“Put them in prayers, babe. And give the girl a word of advice now and then. She will be fine.”

Lianate folded her arms across her chest. She wanted to go back to the gate and drag Amina into the house. She wanted to protect the girl from every wolves in sheep clothing out there. But she knew her husband was right.

“Come back to bed, babe,” he beckoned at her.

“If you promise to also put them in prayers…” she met his pleading gaze.

“I promise!”

Lianate is overreacting 😂😂😂😂
Thanks for the update Ma’am

Mama, I've missed youuu It's been longggg. Welcome back, Mama.

Bam17:
Mama, I've missed youuu It's been longggg. Welcome back, Mama.

Baby girl 🤗

YoungBruzzy:
Lianate is overreacting 😂😂😂😂
Thanks for the update Ma’am

😂 her blood pressure is high

YoungBruzzy:
Lianate is overreacting 😂😂😂😂
Thanks for the update Ma’am

😂 her blood pressure is high

SheWrites:
Baby girl 🤗

It's really good to have you back!

CHAPTER 7

Lianate got back from work and went straight to the kitchen. She found Amina washing some of the beef they stored in the refrigerator.

“Have you grinded the tomatoes?”

The girl turned to see her employer standing by the door way, still in her work clothes. “Welcome ma, yes, I am already steaming the tomatoes. I have also started cooking the rice,” the girl responded.

She sighed with relief. She was happy that dinner would be ready before her husband returned from work.

“The twins are done with their homework and they are watching the television. The baby is asleep, she ate a while ago,” Amina closed the tap and poured the washed beef into an empty pot.

Lianate strode into the kitchen, checked the tomatoes, then walked over to the refrigerator to get herself a drink.

“Mrs. Nkechi called about thirty minutes ago. She wanted to know if you got her the cheese you promised.”

“Oh! Yes I did. Leave what you are doing. You need to get to her place immediately,” Lianate took over the cooking.

“Okay ma,” Amina took off the apron.

“The cheese is on the dining table. You need to hurry. I think it is going to rain soon,” she glanced back at the girl who was already at the door.

Amina cringed. She detest getting wet in the rain. Mrs. Nkechi’s place was a street away from the estate. If she walked fast enough, she should be home in less than fifteen minutes.

The girl picked the packaged cheese on the dining and dashed out of the house. When she got to the estate gate, the clouds became darker and from nowhere, fierce breeze danced around her.

“Oh God…” she groaned inwardly.

“Where are you going, Pretty?”

The familiar voice made her smile. She turned her head and got a glimpse of Deji, standing a few feet away from her. The blue short-sleeve tee-shirt he was putting on gave him a soft aura.

“I am running an errand.”

He looked up at the darkened sky, then back at her. “It’s going to rain.”

The girl shrugged. “This cheese needs to get to the owner,” she tapped the package.

“Where exactly are you taking it?” he sounded concerned.

“The next street.”

“Let’s take a bike,” he collected the package from her.

She gaped at him.

“I am coming with you. I don’t trust this weather,” he waved down a motorbike.

“You don’t have to…”

“Yes, I do. Come on, it’s going to rain,” he reached for her hand.

They boarded the bike, delivered the package and by the time they got back to the estate, the rain was pouring.

“We need to find a place to hide,” she whined.

“Okay…” he looked around, then sited an uncompleted building afar off. “Let’s hide in there…” he pointed at the building.

Amina followed the direction his hand was pointing to. It was one of the few uncompleted buildings in the estate.

“Let’s run!” he held her hand and began to move.

She marched his speed and ran.

But, by the time they got into the building, they were dripping wet!

Amina felt like crying. she never liked been soaked in the rain. Even as a child. While others played in the rain, she would hide inside her house and watched them through the window.

“Are you okay?” the sad look in her eyes poked him right in the heart.

She shook her head.

Dejl surveyed the damp space. He saw what looked like a makeshift bed. An old blanket was spread over some cement blocks. He wondered if someone had slept there a night before.

“Let’s sit over there.”

Amina followed him and sat on the old blanket. She sighed heavily and looked outside. It was raining heavily. She wished she was home.

“How are you feeling?” he placed a hand around her shoulder when he noticed that she was shivering.

“I am feeling a bit cold,” she dropped her gaze and stared at her wet fingers.

He drew closer. “We will be fine. Once you get home, make sure you change into dry clothes, then drink up some hot beverage. You will feel better.”

“Yes, doctor…”

They both started to laugh.

Deji was happy that she was smiling again. He also liked the way the warmth of her nearness penetrated into his system. If he had a choice, he would stay right beside her for the rest of his life.

There was something he wanted to ask her, but he was a little scared. Would she say yes, or a blunt no? If she said yes, he would be the happiest man on planet earth. But, if she said no, he would ache for days and weeks and probably years too. He breathed out loudly. What would her answer be? There was only one way to find out.

“Amina…”

“Hmm…” she lifted her eyes to meet his.

“I… I wanted to ask you…” he froze.

“Ask me what?” she looked on, eager, wondering.

He swallowed hard. He needed to finish what he started. “I… I like you.”

The girl blushed. Her shy eyes found other things to watch. “I like you too.”

Her response made his heart to miss a beat. The affirmation boosted his esteem. “I really, really like you.”

She pressed her lips together and smiled. It wasn’t news to her. The truth was that, she felt the same way.

“I… I want us to… I was wondering if you will like to go out with me.”

She began to feel warm all over, from the crown of her head, to the tip of her toes.

“Amina…” he became aware that she was avoiding his gaze.

She focused on the dark clouds. “Hmmm…”

“Will you like to date me?”

She nodded.

Deji breathed out loudly. “Is that a yes or a no?”

She met his smiling gaze. “It’s a yes.”

He chuckled. He felt like jumping and dancing at the same time. He would do that once he is alone in his room. “Beautiful, that’s wonderful.”

She looked away again. She couldn’t believe that she was now officially Deji’s girlfriend. Sometimes she often wondered why he decided to get close to her, rather than the undergraduate girls and fellow youth corpers in the estate. Many of them have been giving her envious looks in the past few weeks.

“Will you be free on Saturday? I want us to go to Jabi Lake.”

She nodded again. She had been there a couple of times with Lianate and her family. But, it would be a totally different experience with her boyfriend. She was looking forward to spending time with him outside the estate.

“Amina…”

“Yes…”

“Can I kiss you?”

Her heart beat accelerated.

“I believe in no sex before marriage and I would never, ever try to pressure you to do anything contrary to our belief system…”

She relaxed a bit.

“But, I have been tortured for weeks, dreaming of kissing you.”

She bit at her lower lip. She wanted to say yes. But she had no experience. The last and only person she kissed was her childhood friend, Audu. They were barely six or seven. She remembered playing with him and other children at the back of her father’s house. They hid in the same corner, hoping that the girl who they were playing ‘tag’ game with, won’t find them. The boy brushed his lips over hers briefly and swore that he would marry her. That was just a child.

“Amina…” he leaned closer.

Deji was a full grown man. She liked him and he was now her boyfriend. He had promised that they wouldn’t do anything stupid. Maybe she should allow him. She had also been dreaming of the day he would kiss her.

“Okay…”

Her consent made his heart to inflate.

She closed her eyes, waiting. She could literally hear her heartbeat banging against her eardrums.

The moment his lips met hers, the rain stopped and the clouds began to clear.

Bam17:
It's really good to have you back!

😘 🤗

Happy New month everyone 🤗
The story continues...

CHAPTER 8

Lianate sauntered behind her almost nine months old baby girl, who was trying to walk on her own. Adanne was heading for the vehicle parked at the gate. Her brothers and father were already in the car, waiting.

“Da-da, da-da, da-a…” the light skinned girl babbled.

“Adanne slow down!”

The baby halted, glanced back at her mum, then accelerated her steps.

“Adanne! If you fall, you will hurt yourself,” she warned, but the girl paid little or no attention to her.

Lianate hoped she wouldn’t fall. It rained a night before and the grounds were still wet. If the girl tripped, her dress would get ruined. She dreaded having to change the girl’s clothes all over again.

“Da-da, da-da, da-da,” Adanne continued till she got to the front seat of the car.

Amina stood afar off, watching from a corner. And the moment Ike drove off with his family, she bolted and headed out of the compound.

“Are you going out too?” the security guard called out to her.

“Yes,” she glanced back at him and waved.

The man closed the gates and locked it.

Her face brightened at the thought of seeing Deji. They planned to meet at the uncompleted building about an hour ago, after she intimated him that Lianate and her family were visiting some friends that evening. He would have come to her place, but, Lianate didn’t want her having male visitors when no one was around.

Amina straightened her dress when she got to the entrance of the building. She plaited her hair recently and had gotten dozens of compliments from many people. She wondered what her boyfriend would say when he sees her.

The thought made her heart to skip a beat.

She found him resting on the make-shift bed. Was he sleeping? How long had he been waiting?

“Hello…” she walked up to him.

Deji opened his eyes and beamed when he saw her. “Hello to you too.”

She chuckled.

“How have you been?” he made space, so she could lie right beside him.

She shrugged. “I am okay.”

She felt warm all over. She always feel this way whenever she was around him and the butterflies in her tummy were on rampage.

“I will be rounding up my service year pretty soon,” he placed a hand around her. “My brother wants me to stay in Abuja, whether I get a job or not. But, I will rather go back home.”

She blinked. “Home? Lagos?”

“Yeah.”

The girl bit at her lower lip. She wasn’t sure how a long distance relationship would work. If she had her way, she would rather have him close by.

“If I go back to Lagos, I want you to come with me.”

Her breath caught in her throat. What was he talking about?

Deji turned and lay on his side, so he could see her face. “I don’t think I can bare living a day without you.”

She held her breath and watched him. He sounded so sincere and passionate. She doubted if she would be able to live without him too.

“Amina, I am in love with you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

The girl opened her mouth, but no words came out. His confession took her unawares.

“I will get a job as soon as I am in Lagos. And I know a lot of eateries and bakeries that will be willing to employ you. Or you could start your own cake business. We will get married and start our lives together.”

Her heart hammered against her chest thunderously. Everything he said made her feel wonderful and excited.

His eyes bored into hers. “Amina, will you marry me?”

She closed her mouth and swallowed hard. What would Lianate and Ike say? Will they think she was too young to marry? Girls younger than her marry all the time in her neighbourhood. But, they were her guardians and they always do what was best for her. Her own family didn’t care what happens to her.

“Amina?”

“Yes…”

Their gazes locked and held.

“Will you marry me?”

The girl thought long and hard. She believed that if they trusted God and worked together, they might make it work, no matter the opposition they might face from both families.

“Yes, yes I will marry you.”

Deji breathed out loudly. Everything he was feeling in that very moment couldn’t be expressed in words. He was beyond happy.

He leaned closer and claimed her lips. She kissed him back, marching his eagerness with wants of her own.

Their desires took over, leading them to passionate borders they shouldn’t ever think of crossing just yet.

SheWrites:
CHAPTER 8

Lianate sauntered behind her almost nine months old baby girl, who was trying to walk on her own. Adanne was heading for the vehicle parked at the gate. Her brothers and father were already in the car, waiting.

“Da-da, da-da, da-a…” the light skinned girl babbled.

“Adanne slow down!”

The baby halted, glanced back at her mum, then accelerated her steps.

“Adanne! If you fall, you will hurt yourself,” she warned, but the girl paid little or no attention to her.

Lianate hoped she wouldn’t fall. It rained a night before and the grounds were still wet. If the girl tripped, her dress would get ruined. She dreaded having to change the girl’s clothes all over again.

“Da-da, da-da, da-da,” Adanne continued till she got to the front seat of the car.

Amina stood afar off, watching from a corner. And the moment Ike drove off with his family, she bolted and headed out of the compound.

“Are you going out too?” the security guard called out to her.

“Yes,” she glanced back at him and waved.

Their desires took over, leading them to passionate borders they shouldn’t ever think of crossing just yet.

Good to have you back with your writings. I suggest you make an abridged version of your writings like "kayo80" does with his, this way you keep people aware of your current writing and save yourself any pressure.

TAYO124:
Good to have you back with your writings. I suggest you make an abridged version of your writings like "kayo80" does with his, this way you keep people aware of your current writing and save yourself any pressure.

How does that work?

The story continues this week 💃

SheWrites:
How does that work?

The name of the writer is Kayode Odusanya, present a shortened version of your literature work. The version you present here can be a variant of your actual story in a shorter form, afterall it's a matter of modifying and shortening your original story.

Beautiful.... thanks

TAYO124:
The name of the writer is Kayode Odusanya, present a shortened version of your literature work. The version you present here can be a variant of your actual story in a shorter form, afterall it's a matter of modifying and shortening your original story.

CHRONICLES OF THE HELPS

CHAPTER 9


Amina lay face down on the bed, feeling as if a truck ran over her. Her temperature shifted between hot and cold every thirty seconds. Her tummy hasn’t been able to hold down any food, be it solid or liquid, for three days straight. What’s wrong with her? She missed Deji. She hasn’t seen him in days. And Lianate has been watching her like a hawk. Due to her malady. There was no way she would be able to sneak out and see him. Even if she succeeded, she could barely walk ten steps without feeling like sitting down. Her total body system felt alien to her. She wished everything could go back to normal.  
 
“Oh…” she said out loud.
 
“How are you feeling now?”
 
She heard Lianate’s voice. She thought the woman left the room hours ago. She didn’t even notice her return.  
 
“I don’t feel good.”
 
Lianate sat on the bed. “I have a meeting this evening with some clients. My husband will take you to the hospital… hopefully, this isn’t something serious.”
 
The girl turned on her side. She liked the way the woman’s brown trouser suit hugged her body. She looked pretty and smart, like one of the female CEOs she had seen in a Korean TV show.
 
“I will take Adanne along, while the twins will stay with our next door neighbour.”
 
“Okay…”
 
“You will be fine. This is probably malaria fever.”
 
Amina watched her leave the room. Her tired gaze drifted to the wall clock hanging above the cabinet. It was a quarter past two. She wondered what Deji was doing at that very moment. Since the day he completed his service year, he had been job hunting. He didn’t fancy teaching jobs. His eyes were glued to offers from financial institutions and the likes.
 
“Can you get up?”
 
Ike’s voice brought her out of her reverie. He stood by the doorway, watching her with a worried look.
 
“I think so…”
 
She mustered all the strength she possessed and pulled her weight up.
 
“Let me help…” before he could finish the sentence, the girl slipped while trying to alight from the bed. “Amina!”
 
xxxxxx
 
When Amina opened her eyes, she discovered that she was in a strange room. Her initial panic weaned when she saw Ike a few feet away, talking to a woman in a white coat.  
 
“She is awake,” Ike met her gaze.
 
“That’s good. You can take her home whenever you are ready.”
 
“Thank you doctor.”
 
The woman grinned and walked out.
 
Amina wondered how she got to the hospital. The last thing she remembered was falling from her bed.
 
“You do not have malaria or typhoid or any other sickness,” Ike came to sit by her side. “Thankfully, you are not sick at all.”
 
The girl blinked in confusion. If she wasn’t ill, then why was she feeling as if her body system was rioting against her very soul?
 
“Amina, you are eight weeks and a couple of days pregnant.”
 
She stared back at him, wide-eyed, shocked to her marrows. She was pregnant! Eight weeks? Her thoughts drifted to the day she shared a kiss with Deji. Things had definitely gone out of hand that evening. He apologized and apologized for one week straight. She wasn’t too happy either because she had always dreamt of getting married as a virgin. They both prayed and asked God to forgive them. Promising him that it would never happen again. Now, she was pregnant!
 
“Amina?”
 
“Sir,” she could barely meet his sad gaze.
 
“Whose is it?”
 
She swallowed hard. “Deji.” She heard him hiss loudly.  
 
“Let’s go home.”
 
xxxxxx
 
Her heart began to hammer against her chest like a locomotive engine when Ike parked outside the WIlliams’ home.  
 
“Get down…”
 
Amina obeyed without saying a word. She followed him into the large compound, prayering a storm.
 
She saw Mr. Kola Williams and his wife, Bisi, sitting at the front porch of the house. Her frightened eyes searched for Deji, but he wasn’t sitting with them. He was probably indoor, or absent.
 
“Ike…” Kola got up to greet his friend.
 
“How is it going my brother?” Ike shook hands with the man.
 
“We are pushing it.”
 
“Are we? And you are adding weight per second?”
 
Kola started to laugh.
 
“Evening madam,” Ike smiled at Bisi.
 
“Evening, Mr. Briggs. How is our wife and the children?” She smiled back at him, then glanced at Amina who was standing several feet away.
 
“She is good, the children are well, we thank God.”
 
“Good evening ma, good evening sir,” Amina murmured.
 
Bisi raised an eyebrow. “Evening,” wondering why the girl looked troubled.
 
“How are you, Amina?” Kola settled back on the sofa beside his wife.
 
“Fine sir.”
 
Ike sat on the chair next to the sofa. “We need to discuss a very important issue and it involves Deji and Amina.”
 
Kola and Bisi exchanged glances.
 
“What is this about?” Kola looked at Amina, then back at his friend.
 
Ike breathed out loud. “Amina is pregnant. And she says Deji is responsible.”
 
Kola frowned. “Is she sure?”
 
Bisi clapped her hands and started to shake her head.
 
“Deji is the only man I have seen with Amina. The girl is a hundred percent sure.”
 
Kola met his wife’s angry stare. “You know these youths of nowadays. You can never tell…”
 
Ike cleared his throat. “Let’s not over flog this issue. Please, let us speak with Deji.”
 
“Are sure that Deji is the only person you have been with?” Bisi eyed the girl. “Hope you are not trying to pin a bastard on the poor boy?”
 
Amina shook her head, hardly able to find her voice.
 
Kola glared at the girl. “I will not tolerate that kind of behaviour. Thank God for DNA tests and other scientific procedures. If you are lying, we will find out.”
 
“I am not lying,” the girl whispered.
 
“She is not lying…”
 
Everyone turned at the sound of Deji’s voice.
 
“I didn’t mean to, but I am the one who took away her virginity. And it doesn’t matter if she is pregnant or not. I have already decided to marry her.”
 
Amina trembled with relief. She was glad that the one who stole her heart didn’t deny her or their unborn child.
 
“What?!” Kola got up immediately. He could hardly believe that his well brought up younger brother had put someone’s child in the family way.
 
Deji walked up to the girl he had grown to love and held her close. “I have already informed dad and mum. They can’t wait to meet Amina, their future daughter in law.”
 
Ike started to laugh. He was happy the issues he anticipated had been resolved.
 
Kola and Bisi stared at the young man as if he had lost his marbles.

CHAPTER 10


“She looks so beautiful…”

Ike glanced at his wife briefly. Her dark brown eyes seemed to glow with unshed tears. He reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Then returned his attention to the newly wedded couple who were dancing with their families. He watched the way Deji held Amina. And the way she looked up at him. They were both beaming and laughing. Their joy was contagious.

“I am happy that she is happy.”

“Me too,” Lianate rested her head on her husband’s shoulder.

Ike groaned inwardly. The massive head-tie on his wife’s head looked like a swan and it was partially obstructing his view.

“Oh my God!” She gasped.

He raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

She sat up straight and turned, so she could face him. “Amina is now happily married.”

He nodded, patiently waiting for her to articulate what was bothering her.

“We are going to need a new maid.”

Ike blinked several times. the realization of their new predicament washed over him. The twins turned six years recently and Adanne clocked a year a few weeks back. The children were still too young to fend for themselves if both parents were absent. His wife’s job at NTA had no specific closing hour frame, due to the department she was working at. Sometimes she returned home as early as two in the afternoon, and other times, she came home around six in the evening. There was a time she came home as late as he did, because of some of the new programs the television station was televising that period. She loved her job and there was no way he was going to ask her to quit. A happy wife equates a happy husband.

Amina had been wonderful and he wasn’t sure anyone else would be able to replace her. She started out as their maid, but she became like their little sister overtime. There was nothing they wouldn’t do for her. All she needed to do was ask.

Lianate got up slowly. “I need to find mum. She helped us before. I think she will be able to help us again.”

“Okay…” Ike hoped the new maid would be as godly and hardworking as Amina.

xxxxxx

Six-year-old Chinonso and Chidozie ran into Amina’s arms. She held them close and fought against the tears that blinded her.

“Mum says you are not coming back to Abuja with us,” Nonso pouted his lips.

“Why don’t you want to come back with us? Don’t you like us anymore?” Dozie added.

Amina felt a lump stuck in her throat, making her unable to speak coherently. “I am going to live in Lagos now, with my husband, and my baby,” she rubbed her tummy.

The boys’ eyes fell on her growing tummy.

“Why can’t you live in Abuja with your husband?” Nonso eyed Deji, who was standing a few feet away. He waved at the boy.

The new bride breathed out loudly. “Don’t worry, I will visit as often as I can. And both of you can also visit with Adanne.”

The twins shared a glance.

“I am going to miss you,” Dozie hugged her tightly.
“Me too,” Nonso stepped into her warm embrace.

“I am going to miss you more,” Amina allowed the tears to flow. The boys and their family were going to remain in a special part of her heart forever and ever.

xxxxxx

Adanne started to cry when she saw her mother.

“Cry-cry,” Vero eyed her. “You were fine in my arms before your mother showed up. Now, you are acting like someone kidnapped you.”

Lianate laughed and scooped the girl in her arms. The baby stopped crying almost immediately.

Vero hissed and eyed the girl again. “You better remain with your mother henceforth.”

She pulled a chair and sat beside her mother. “Mum, now that Amina is married, we are going to need a new help.”

Her mother sipped from her drink. “I have thought about that too.”

Lianate brightened.

“I will give you the number of an agency. They are very good at match-making families with good maids,” she drained her glass of champman.

The younger woman leaned against the chair. “I hope they can find us someone like Amina.”

Her mother chuckled. “No two human are the same. Everyone is different.”

Lianate bit at her lower lip. “I know, but…”

Vero placed a hand on her shoulder. “Just pray that God will take care of all that concerns you, regardless of the kind of help you employ.”

Her daughter sighed heavily, lost in deep thought.

xxxxxx

Amina and Deji waved at their family and friends as the vehicle mounted speed. The couple were happy that the ceremony started and ended well.

“Are you ready for our honeymoon, Mrs. Williams?” Deji winked at his wife.

“Yes, my darling, I am super excited,” she mimicked the voice of an American woman.

They both laughed.

“I am so happy that God brought me to Abuja to find you, the bone of my bone and the flesh of my flesh,” his passionate gaze bore into her shy ones.

She wrapped her arms around him. “I am happy too.”

Deji leaned closer and kissed her till they were both out of breath.

The story continues this weekend 🤗

Anticipating....thanks for the update ma'am

CHAPTER 11

Lianate was super happy when the agency called to inform her that they had vetted a lot of girls. And she could come and select one of them and employ as her maid.

She left work early, drove to the agency office and met with the office manager, Mrs. Shalewa Adams.

“We have about a dozen girls. They are from different parts of the country,” the dark skinned woman led her into a larger room.

Lianate nodded her head, eyes darting left, then right, she spotted the girls seated across the room. They were dark, fair, brown skinned girls. Some tall, others short and a few average in height. One or two were fat, while the rest were slim and some were quiet skinny.

“They have been vetted. They can cook, clean and run errands. They are also very good with children. They have all been taken to the clinic for proper check-ups. None of them is pregnant or sick,” the woman watched her.

Lianate remained silent, looking from one girl to the other, till her scrutinizing gaze fell on a slim, fair skinned girl. She had an innocent face and seemed like she had not been eating well for a long time.

Mrs. Shalewa followed her client’s stare and smiled. “That’s Mmesoma. She is twenty years.”

The girl sat up straight and bowed her head when she heard her name. She was beyond happy that the client noticed her. Many had come in that day, but they picked other girls. She really needed the job badly. She had four younger ones to support. Her father was late and her mother sold vegetables in the market. Her daily gains were barely enough to feed six mouths. With a good salary, they would have a better life.

She met the woman’s glance. “What’s her expectations?”

The office manager blinked. “Expectations?”

“Aside from the basic salary?”

The woman’s dark eyes brightened, having caught on, on what her client was insinuating. “Oh! Oh wow! It all depends on your generousity.”

Her gaze returned to the girls. She wondered how long they have all been waiting to be employed. “My husband and I would love to fill in the gaps, educationally, if she wants to go back to school. Or if she wants to learn a handwork, we are ready to support.”

Mrs. Shalewa clapped her hands in excitement. “That will be wonderful!”

The girls began to murmur among themselves. And many cast jealous glances at Mmesoma.

The girl’s heart beat wildly. Everything she heard the woman say was too good to be true. She felt like she had just won a lottery that had multiple benefits.

“I wish we have more clients like you and your husband,” the woman sounded grateful.

“These girls cannot work as maids forever.”

Mrs. Shalewa sighed heavily. “Truly… they can’t,” she didn’t like seeing girls on the streets, jobless and aimless with no future to look forward to.

Her concerned stare returned to the girls. “We are doing our bit, hoping to change one life at a time.”

“Yes, yes, in this way, by the time they stop working as maids, they will be equipped enough to start their own lives.”

“Exactly.”

“God will bless you both.”

“Amen!”

“Please come with me, there are some paper work you need to fill.”

“All right then,” Lianate followed the woman out of the room.

Mmesoma could hardly contain her joy. She would be working for a young couple who will not only pay her salary, but also sponsor her education or pay for her to learn a trade. Her mother would be ecstatic at the news. Her last employer was a shrewd. She paid her a paltry some and was unconcerned about her welfare. She prayed inwardly for the woman that introduced her to the agency. Things were definitely going to change for her and her family.

The girl heard the others whispering. They were obviously gossiping about her and probably insinuating that she didn’t deserve to be employed by the nice client. She was unbothered about the ones who were looking at her with envy. It was her luck and their loss. Her lips spread in a crooked smile.

Nice story please update