ASABE.....Episode One

Asabe stood by the window in her room and wept bitterly wondering if she would have been going through all these if her mother was alive, she watched as the rain washed away the dirt on the street and wished God would wipe her tears that way, she brought down a box where she kept her favourite wears ,she equally hid a jewellery which used to belong to her mother and now hers ,quite expensive and then sat on her bed to think about all that has being running through her pretty mind, she resolved to sell it off so she could pay for her JAMB exams, since her step-mum(Madam Lydia) seized the money her father gave to her to pay, Madam Lydia always told Asabe she was going to amount to no good in life so there is no point wasting her husband’s hard earned funds on her, Shortly Asabe heard footsteps ,the person seemed to be coming towards her room, and then she remembered her step mum had told her  she was going to wash her children’s clothes that morning ,she immediately returned the box to its place and just as she tried to get out of the room to get  the clothes, she bumped into Madam Lydia, and of course Asabe knew the next thing was a slap on her beautiful face (SHE WASN’T DISAPPOINTED) madam Lydia went on ranting ‘ were you waiting for me to come  wake you up, useless child, good for nothing, you are just like your mother, very lazy’ Asabe wept as she continued to insult her, she instructed Asabe to finish washing in one hour and go ahead to clean her children’s room.

Ever since the death of Madam Beatrice (Asabe’s mother) Madam Lydia has virtually being treating her like a slave, Asabe’s eats after her children must have all eaten, Asabe does all the domestic work, Asabe’s father is a politician and is hardly around, but whenever he is, Madam Lydia treats Asabe nicely, so Mr Dan finds it difficult to believe Asabe’s tales most times.

On Asabe’s way to the market that  day, she remembered to take the jewellery along with her, she made a stop at  mallam Tanko’s shop, Tanko who has always admired Asabe and once asked her to forget about going to school and marry him since no matter how educated a woman is ,she has to end up in a man’s house was elated to see Asabe in his shop, he quickly gave Asabe his seat (since it was more comfortable) and sat on the wooden chair, Asabe never liked Tanko but she had to keep a smiling face just because of her predicament , she got comfortable and told Tanko why she was there, Tanko asked to see the jewellery ,upon seeing it he exclaimed…’wayo Allah, haba why I wan sell am, this is pure gold fa’ ,Asabe didn’t want to tell him she’s selling it because of her JAMB exams,Tanko might not help her, so she told him, she wanted to raise money to pay for her Uncle’s hospital bills, as soon as Tanko heard this , he decided to buy it from Asabe, since he buys from customers to sell as well, he bought it for N45,600, Asabe was shocked, she never envisaged it would sell that much, she went round to get the things she came to buy and headed home joyfully. Madam Lydia noticed Asabe dancing in the kitchen and was wondering if she won a lottery, she went on to ask, what’s the celebration for? Asabe knowing very well that Madam Lydia is a ‘kill joy’ said, nothing ma, I am just praising God ,if not for anything but for the gift of life, madam Lydia hissed and made her way out of the kitchen and said, ‘as if there is anything good about your miserable life’.

Asabe took JAMB that year and failed, she was so disappointed and felt like the whole world was on her shoulders, but she decided not to give up and immediately applied for a teaching course at the Federal College of Education ,her father  paid her fees to the school directly, madam Lydia this time couldn’t manoeuvre the funds, Asabe secretly applied for Jamb while she started her teaching course, she never gave up on her dreams of having a BSc, her father told her to stay in the hostel and come home only weekends, Asabe was so happy, it felt like an angel reveal to her father what she has being going through.

Madam Lydia had three kids, two girls and a boy (Laraba,Ladidi and Daniel who is usually called Junior) her girls were only good at boiling water ,so madam Lydia had a tough time, all they do is come back from school and ask for their food, watch African magic and then sleep, madam Lydia however pleaded with her husband to ask Asabe to come home, that she could be going to school from home, Mr. Dan refused and said  he wanted Asabe to concentrate on her studies, at this point madam Lydia flared up                                   

‘is she the only one schooling? My kids are  also in the university, what is she studying? Medicine? She has to come back home or you get me a house help! Can’t continue this way! ‘

Oh yes! A house help you shall get! That girl needs to study, your kids are in the University, she is just in Federal college of Education, and you are still not happy, why do you despise her so much? Thought you promised to treat her like your own daughter,Mr. Dan angrily retired to his bedroom and madam Lydia stood there shaking like a toad that suddenly bumped into hot water, as soon as she calmed down she went to the kitchen to see if Laraba had cleaned up the kitchen as she instructed, but to her disappointment, she met it same way…still unkempt, she angrily called out…..L.A.R.A.B.AAAAAAAAA.

…………………………..//TO BE CONTINUED.