The malice period ended earlier than I thought. She called on the second day and I took her out over the weekend. However, Ireti continued to taunt Sandra and I tried to take charge of things. Ireti didn’t have a job but she is living large due to her Papi’s wealth, her Papi gave her all she wanted and I also made sure she lacked nothing too. She was really living the life. I would have loved to spend more time with her during the week but I have busy schedule; I work everyday of the week and I barely had time for other activities aside office work whenever I’m less busy , I helped my dad in updating his agricultural products on his websites and for follow up too. Though, mum’s school was in good hands but I made sure to pay a visit once in a while and she sometimes call me to do some school signing on her behalf. Being the next of kin and signatory to her account, while she was away in Georgia, I represented her as the proprietor. I always have alot to do for both my Mum and Dad during my spare time and also for myself. I run my own company and made sure that I attended to everything according to how important they come and I speak with my parents almost everyday, giving them updates and they don’t fail to fill me in on their activities. Most a times, it’s during the weekend I have time for myself to rest and be with Ireti. There was a time, Ireti wanted me to take her out during the week but I was too busy to do that. Ireti refused to understand even after explaining my busy schedule, she complained about terrible Sandra’s cooking was and wanted to eat at a restaurant. ” Your maid is a terrible cook, she doesn’t know how to cook or do anything. Her food is tasteless. I will rather eat out than to eat that her hurrible food.” I listened to her as she complained I had to leave office early to do her biddings. I drove her to a restaurant and watched as she ate to her fill, there she told me she would be away for awhile that she was traveling with her Papi and would return after two weeks. ” Traveling to where..”. I asked while picking at my food. ” Papi is going for a business meeting in Dubai so he wants me to go with him. That’s the advantage of being a daddy’s girl. He enjoys having me around and I can’t say no to him…” I smiled, looked up at her before saying. ” you hardly mention your Mom and sibling, why? Your Dad sounds interesting and lively. I wish to meet your Papi and the rest of your family members soon and to also know your place…when will that be? ” Maybe when I return from my Dubai trip with Papi. I will invite you over to my place… you will get to meet him and also know where I reside. I’m the only child of my parents. Though they are separated, Mom remarried and left me with Papi. So it’s just me and him for now. I have good news. Well, I’m letting go of cigarette. I’m breaking free from that addiction. I understand how much you hated it and it’s dangerous to my health, so I’m quitting… for real but I’m a friend to alcohol.” ” I’m so happy to hear that…I care about you and I love you…did you know that? She looked at me and smirked her face. ” I’m serious… you are a beautiful lady, smart and classy you shouldn’t be smoking, is really dangerous. Back in London, during my school programme, that was the only time I tasted cigarette and it was because of cold. A friend gave me the tip to have a taste but it was just for a day and I have never tried it again, I’d rather go for a cup of coffee. Yours have become an addiction which is bad. I tried talking to you about it different times but you refused listening and I’m happy that you are finally calling it quit. She smile and said. ” I love you too Mart… everything about you. Your handsome face, the way you speak, act and dress. I love your high taste. just imagine that beautiful aquarium and your Burgundy shoe…it clearly shows that you are also classy like me. But aside all this…I love you and I have quit smoking because of you. I don’t even have any cigarette with me. I trashed everything I had before.” I was happy and relieved to hear that. I drove back home with her and saw that Sandra had already set up the dinning for dinner but I told her we were not eating dinner because we ate out.. Ireti interrupted that she was going to eat dinner. ” The restaurant food wasn’t enough and it was not what I really felt like eating. I was quiet, looking at her as she moved to the dinning and instead of dishing out the food to a plate she was eating it directly. I looked at Sandra’s straight face as she watch Ireti spilling food and oil all over the place and creating more cleaning job for Sandra to do that night I remembered Ireti saying that Sandra’s food was terrible but she was filling her mouth with it, munching it as if her life depended on the food I left her and went to the room to freshen up for the night. Ireti did not shower, she flew into the bed when she was done eating. ” Baby, you need to take your bath…? I said urging her to go to the bathroom. ” I’m not smelling. I bath this morning and I’m too tired to bath again. Your over neatness is too much, please don’t disturb me with bathing this night. I have been wanting to ask you why are you always locking your wardrobe? Don’t you trust me? “I trust you and I’m not locking it because of trust issue, I just don’t like seeing my personal things scattered. She urged me to always leave it open and promised not to scatter anything in my wardrobe again. I put my hands round her but she asked me not to disturb her until she was done with what she was presently doing. I left her and even apologized for disturbing, she was busy with her phone and went on chatting. It was a good time to check my email for updates. I took my laptop and did the little I could before returning to bed. Ireti was still chatting and laughing. Her phone rang and she spoke for sometime and went back chatting. I went out to the sitting room where I was hearing the television sound. Sandra was watching a movie. She wanted to leave immediately she saw me but I told her to stay. I sat opposite her and we watched together. It got to a kissing part in the movie, I looked at her face and she was looking away like a child maybe because I was present. I smiled at how funny the scene looked. I relaxed my head back on the cushion. I was falling asleep and was deeply gone into the dream land when a heavy bang woke me up. I quickly stood up and saw Ireti, she just slapped Sandra who was standing and holding her cheek. The movie that Sandra was watching was still showing on the TV I rubbed my eyes just to understand what was going on. “Ireti wha… what is it again? ” You are her boss, why will she be sitting down watching television with you. She is very disrespectful and mannerless. Mart, this your maid is very stupid and lazy. You left me in the room and came out to watch TV with a common maid, a nobody. A bastard with no brain.” She slapped Sandra again, harder this time I rushed to her and tried leading her away but Ireti wasn’t done. She pushed the poor girl who was almost falling but had to hold on to a chair. Ireti wasn’t letting go, she was about to hit the girl when Sandra caught her leg and Ireti fell with a heavy tud to the ground. I was shocked as Sandra mounted over her, pounding her like a pestle. She slapped and hit Ireti ignoring her scream. Ireti was on the ground and tries to get free from Sandra’s powerful arms. I had to quickly intervene and pushed Sandra away from Ireti. She was panting angrily as she looked at Ireti who was crying and shouting down curses on Sandra. I carried Ireti up but she wasn’t even ready to stop the fight. Her mouth was bleeding, her eyes was swollen. I took ice from the freezer and gave to Ireti for the swollen eyes but she threw it at Sandra. I held Ireti tight and started leading her to the room. ” Leave me, Mart leave me alone let me deal with that lazy maggot. Let me show this ugly stinking maid the stuff I’m made off. Look at what she did to me, she used that her wretched hand to tear my lips…She is dead tonight…I will kill and bury her and nobody will ask of her because she’s a nobody. She laid a finger on somebody of my calibre, I’m in a high class that she can never attend to. She is not even worthy to be called my servant yet she had the gut to lift her poverty-stricken hand on me. I will beat her before getting her arrested. Mart leave me alone let me deal with your foolish househelp…” I took Ireti inside and lock the door, preventing her from going out. It was obvious that Sandra was powerful and will beat her up if she is allowed to do that. I was angry at everything and everyone. both at Sandra and Ireti. Sandra especially for beating ireti up and making her to sustain injury. Ireti kept jumping up and down the room with different threats for Sandra and even have to transfer her aggressions on me. She took cigarette from her bag, lit a stick and started smoking, puffing out the smoke to my face. She lit up another stick and kept pacing the room with it. I thought Ireti told me she was done smoking and do not have any cigarette in her bag anymore. I was too tired from the lady’s drama. I couldn’t sleep that night. I needed to sleep for tomorrow’s work, which was Friday but Ireti’s anger, cigarette and shout would not let me. She asked me to sack Sandra and I told her I will do that. She kept up with her anger to the following morning before leaving. She saw Sandra on her way out and rushed to her. She slapped and kicked at her but Sandra used her hand to dodge the blow and did not raise a hand on ireti again. I went in between them and lead an aggressive ireti out. I left for work without saying a word to Sandra who stood like a statue by the dining side with her hand in akimbo. She looked pitiable but I wasn’t in the mood to pity her for beating my woman up. Ireti left and I went to work. I slept off doing my working hour because I couldn’t get enough sleep last night. I worked late before going home that Friday. I was happy because it was Friday, enough time to rest. When I drove into my compound, Musa came to meet me. ” Oga, small madam say she wan go. She done pack her bag dey wait for you. she talk say you go sackam because she fight with big madam. Oga abeg, make small madam no go..Na beg I dey beg you. I angrily asked Musa to return to the gate and stop talking rubbish. Immediately I got inside my house, I saw Sandra. Her bag was indeed packed to leave. ” What is this? I asked her angrily while pointing at the traveling bags beside her. ” I’m leaving sir. I’m deeply sorry for fighting with your woman. Anger got the best of me and I apologize for that. I should treat her with kindness and patience despite anything but her continuous slap and kick plus the terrible names she rained down on me…I couldn’t control myself anymore. I descended on her out of annoyance. I’m so sorry sir and thank you for giving me this opportunity… I was willing to serve, to put my best to work but I spoilt it all by fighting madam Ireti and she was injured in the process. Forgive me. This month is almost gone, only five days left. forget about paying me salary for this month. I will get another job somewhere else and you will get another housekeeper. Thank you once again sir… I watched her picked up her bag and made attempt to leave. “Return the bag, we will get to talk tomorrow. I’m going to bed. She did not argue as I walk past her to my room. The following morning I counted the amount for her salary and came out with it. Her bag was at one corner of the house She has cleaned up everywhere and made breakfast for me. She greeted me, I nodded and handed the money over to her. She was thrilled and I could see joy in her eyes as she thanked me. I moved to the dinning for breakfast ” Thank you sir, I’m..going now. God bless you… I watched her in silent as she went back to pick her bag. ” I’m not sacking you Sandra. Return the bag. come and take some money for Saturday’s restocking. The fruits in the fridge are almost empty and you need to buy more food stuff for the kitchen… She looked up at me like I spoke Latin to her. ” I thought after what happened you will sack me… I went back eating and ignored her. she thanked me over and over before returning her things to her room. I know Ireti will be very angry if she came back from her travel and Sandra was not sacked. I’m glad she’s traveling and I will handle the situation when she returned. Ireti was at fault, slapping the innocent girl for no good reason. Sandra was only pushed to the wall and came back at Ireti with full force. I can’t sack her for such reason because Sandra is hardworking and a great cook unlike what Ireti keep tagging her with. Ireti was on malice mood again before she traveled with her Papi to Dubai. While in my room working on my laptop the next weekend, I could hear Sandra singing joyfully in the kitchen as she made lunch that afternoon. She later carried food to Musa. I opened my room curtain and watch Musa smile from ear to ear as he saw Sandra coming. He was happy, exposing his brown set of teeth. I kept watching as Musa began to sing one of his normal Northern music which he usually sing and I’m almost used to the sound and lyrics of the song. Sandra was clapping and laughing while Musa sang for her. My smile suddenly turns into a frown. Why is Musa caring so much about Sandra. What sort of rubbish is that. I felt a pang of jealous while watching her get entertained by Musa. I left my room and went out. Immediately Sandra and Musa saw me they stopped their ‘ministration’. Sandra went back in. I followed behind and hushed her to stop. ” I know Musa is quiet entertaining but stop spending so much time with him. After giving him whatever you want to give him return back inside and stay… your job is in here not at the gate. ” Okay sir, I’m very sorry. your lunch is set on the dinning.” she replied. I nodded. She breathed in and walked into her room. I began to feel sad. Maybe I should have allowed her have a good moment with Musa, who can be quite entertaining. I enjoyed watching her smile and apparently Musa is her one big fan. Why did I even stop their happy moments all because of some stupid jealousy. What is wrong with me? I collected a plate of fruit salad, took the remote control, sat on the three seater and change channel to one of Sandra’s favorites comedy channel which i have seen her watching many times. I increased the volume with the hope that Sandra would hear it and come out of her room to watch and get entertained too. Even though it looked awkward but I want to hear her laugh just as she was doing earlier with Musa.
To be Continued
