A Street Romance
THE WRITER
DAISY YAWSON
A STREET ROMANCE
The sun shone bright, and the constant interference of her sleep got her tossing and turning. Aku was preparing for school. In her attempt to avoid being late, she rushed. Bumping into things and stepping on them. You could only see the shadow of a girl moving about.
“Ohhhh. Must you disturb every time you wake up?” annoyed Mavis mumbled.
“Sorry sorry…I will leave soon,” the rustling only got louder and more irritating. Mavis was surprised at how Lisa wasn’t bordered.
She gets up and joins her younger sister in preparation to go out. Her short hair was a mess from the rubbing of her pillow.
“Throw the urine away before you step out.”
The urine in the small pale at the corner of their sleeping place gave off an awful smell. It was the only one they had and can use. Mavis turned on the light in an attempt to see to it that, Aku will do as ordered.
An hour was gone when Mavis stepped out.
“Taxi,” she stopped a cab by the busy road of Madina.
The driver pulled over.
“I’m going to Abeka. How much?”
“Make it 15 cedis,” his eyes looked her over. She wore a skimpy skirt and a top barely covering her body.
She paid no attention to the pervert who called himself a driver and let him take her to her destination.
“You came at the right time, my love,” a young dark complexion man came out to greet her.
She smiled. She liked the little things he said to her. It made her happy.
“Come,” he ushers her in. “You haven’t paid last time’s debt. Do you not know how we do this?”
She sat down in his already worn-out chair which looked like it will break any moment.
“You mean my rent?
He raised an eyebrow.
“Of course, what else.”
“You know, sometimes I feel that we are not dating. In fact, you’re using me,” she confessed bitterly.
He laughed out loud.
“Nothing comes for free, love. The house you live in with your family, do you not remember who helps you pay?”
“I do but…”
“Shushh,” he whispers in her ear. “You’re looking sexy today” She got startled by his sudden words.
Tucking her loose hair behind her ear, he picks her up in his arms and lowered her unto the red carpet that lay in the hall.
Her breathing raced, and she felt something weird in her stomach. Something she feels whenever he touched her. Her eyes never left his. He kissed her passionately, hands roaming over her body. He managed to get her out of her clothes while playing with her bouncy breast. She moaned out loud, biting her lips to suppress her moans.
His big hands kept teasing her already damp panty.
He let out a laugh.
“Ouu, you’re already wet. How fortunate.”
He kissed her again and made her his for the umpteenth time.
She woke up in his arms. She looked at him. He was beautiful for a boy. His dark skin, visible under the sun the curtain let in. Curiosity taunted her mind. Curious about who he really is. Her first thought about him was a douchebag and plain stupid for sleeping with her in exchange for money. But the man lying next to him is pleasing to look at. Maybe for the moment.
“You’re awake” he rubbed his closed eyes. Catching a glimpse at her body, he confessed.
“You’re amazing Mavis.”
This time, she was eager to know more about him than listen to his sweet, kind words.
“How old are you? His face hardened at her sudden question.
He sat upright with the gaze that told her to mind her business. The little things about him mattered. Like his age and what he does for a living.
She sat upright with him.
“I asked you a question.”
“What about you? Are you comfortable telling someone your age?” he retorted like a seven-year-old. He felt cornered like she’s asked a very serious question.
“I’m 20. I don’t mind telling someone my age. Look, you’re a very weird person. Did I ask you how much you make for a living?”
She resorted to leave. “Fine, I will take my leave now.”
Alarmed, he held her waist in place. Not letting her move an inch.
“I’m 25.” He turned his head away.
She was greatly amused. “You really are weird. Is this something hard to say?”
She did not understand but for him, one thing might lead to another therefore, he decided to avoid all questions she might ask in the future. She knows his age now but the truth about his 3 kids should be kept in the closet for as long as he lives. Her body turned him on, her pretty face makes him never want to stop staring at her. What more could he want other than this girl?
“Let me make us something to eat alright?”
He wasn’t listening.
“Fiifi! She called out. Confusion written all over her face “Ah!”
And tapped him on the shoulder.
He turned to look at her, startled at the sudden interruption. He was lost in his own thoughts.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“Are you alright?”
“Always,” he flashed her a smile.
Without waiting for his answer, she got moving, Wore one of his T-shirts and started preparing a dish for them in his small kitchen.
The next day is a Sunday, propelling her to go home early. She had to cook, clean and help her co-worker at the saloon. As busy as he is, he did not want to let her go.
“Call me tomorrow.”
He gives her a kiss on her cheek.
“Don’t talk to any guy,” he playfully pinched her chin, and hugged her, before letting her leave.
She was back to hell. Car honking, sellers yelling and the foul smell of the market enclosed her the moment she alighted at her destination. She longed to live right but to do that, she works equally hard. Not making his siblings’ matters hers and trying her best to stay out of trouble. At least her mum thought her that. When her mum had no one to lean on, she was present. Her siblings getting ill, and she was present. All her mum’s misfortune has been witnessed at a tender age.
Years ago,
He used to come home every night till he stopped coming. Her mum sobbed almost every night, cradling a sleeping Mavis in her arms.
The next time her mum saw him was unfortunate for her. She used to cover the bruises she received from him with makeup. One question from her earned her a slap, therefore, keeping mute throughout their time together. He makes up with her only to disappear again. Maa Julie as people call her got pregnant the second time, they spent the night in an unending passion. He left the pitiful woman not knowing a thing about the child they have created.
“He’s gone!” she screamed in agony not knowing her fate and that of her younger one. A three-year-old Mavis understood nothing to help her mum out
It was not until he came back again.
“How did you get pregnant again!” Fist folded, belt in hand.
Shuddering she answered.
“We made this together. Why do you ask me this question” She never wanted to cross him. Her self-esteem was falling apart slowly because of him.
Her head began to ache badly minutes later he hit her. A maniac, violent and difficult man to please. That’s what he is. The painful birth of his second daughter did not wake up the violent man. He remained stubborn, not appreciating the little things done by the girl he once promised the world to.
He surprised them one night only to ask why it was a girl and not a boy. Like he has ever appreciated anything she did for him. Again, promises were made, vowing never to leave only to leave her disappointed. Three years later and she still felt the need to wait for him to return. Mavis was old enough to understand something’s propelling the girl to hide, anytime, he visited.
The third time she got pregnant welcomed his anger. Calling her name’s such as a prostitute and a hangover, adding hurtful words like useless and stupid. Meanwhile, she did not conceive on her own. She decided that she had had enough when she took a hard decision of driving him out one time he visited. She found her worth.
“Where’s my dad?” Little Lisa bawled her eyes out crying one morning she woke up. Something seemed to have struck the little girl that she cried. Some friends in school had made fun of her for lacking a fatherly figure at home. Maa Julie used the case as an excuse to get her child out of the school but truth is, paying fees at a preparatory school was hard. She took Lisa out when she got the chance.
***
If you take a chance to visit a deprived area, chances are you might enter a person’s room without warning. The houses are built together, no one really has any privacy and everything is done in the open. Even private moments between partners. It is a struggle for people living in such places. Those who have lived there enough have gotten accustomed to it.
Mavis reached home exhausted. Licking her almost dry lips, she reached for a tap of water. To wash her face and take a sip of it. How fortunate. She could sleep for a while before dropping by the saloon. She needed to pick up a parcel delivered by an unknown person. Sleep soon located her.
The sound of rapid knocking woke her up hours later. It was not until she got to the door that she realized how dark it was outside.
“She’s not here,” she retorted after taking a glance at the person who had persistently woken her up.
Felix had come to see Lisa himself because she asked him to. Not seeing her worried him.
“You have a phone. Call her,” she managed to say despite still feeling sleepy.
“I will check if she’s at a friend’s place.”
She nods before slamming the door right in his face.
The clock on the blue-painted wall made that swishing sound you never want to hear.
The time on her phone read 8:30 pm. How long has she slept?
“A little touch to my hair will do,” telling no one in particular.
She looked herself over in the broken mirror attached to a wobbly nail on their window. She felt she looked her best after changing into a flowery straight dress.
Soon, she left for the saloon. Picking up the parcel and leaving right back. Today being an exceptional day for her granted her the opportunity to go about her duties.
She dropped her purse and proceeded to unwrap the parcel in the presence of her siblings. Their eyes followed her every movement. They were just as curious as she was.
Out came a picture frame of three kids. Different in age. A boy and two girls smiling sweetly in the picture. She picked up a note and read to herself.
“If you really have dignity, leave Kojo alone. The three kids you see in the picture are his. He’s lying to you about being single. I still feed him and his kids. This is a warning.”
“Nonsense!” she dumps everything in the bin. The curious two went about their business.
Gone were the days when the three siblings supported each other. Beliefs changed, they loved different things and seeing things differently created a bridge between them.
A bridge which can be broken by love. Love has always been the greatest and ever will be.
The night passed rapidly, each mind occupied but sleep took away the worries for a moment.
How can Kojo do that
This promises to be very great.