Chapter Eight

It was a really chilly evening, Mrs. Kute, also known as Rachel, hurried home to get the house in order so the wind doesn't affect her kitchen specifically. She had a loose covering at the top and tried to manage it as much as she could till she could take hold on some cash to give it the repairs it desperately needed.

"Oh no, not again. Please, give me a little more time and I will get you fixed alright. I know I have promised you that a lot of times, but this time it is special." She mumbled audibly to no one in particular but to the ceiling like it had ears.

She placed a chair and climbed on it, so her hands could get to where she wanted. She kept muttering words to herself and hissed lightly.

Luckily, she was able to tame it and the wind also subsided a little bit, which made it very much fairer for her. She climbed down slowly and sat on the chair for a while.

She complained to no one, soliloquizing. "How can I do this alone. I am really tired of all these mess. What I had something very important to do, I'd come home to see my house in disarray." She paused for a while, then continued. "Perhaps, I should move out? She said loudly. "I can't even do that. Not when the rent out there is enough to give me an attack. I really wish the owner of this house could give me a break and repair all these."

She got up from the chair and took it back to where she had gotten it from. She returned to the kitchen to prepare dinner before her sons return home, as they had gone for their part-time jobs after school. All went to school from home since there wasn't enough money to rent an apartment or a room for any of them.

She tried to hurry up because she hated to see her sons complain about being famished. They worked daily after school to save money for schooling and books, while she took care of their feeding and any other expenses. She was glad they could get a job as that made her work less difficult.

She started to remove the items she had gotten from the grocery store on her way home. She had a kiosk where she sold used household items which fetched little or no money. Her kiosk was quite small that she hardly had enough goods, since most items were too big to be contained.

She would loose out when her distributor comes around as she didn't have enough space to arrange her goods.

Each time she thought about her situation, she tried so much not to break down in tears, but to keep believing that someday, things would finally turn around to be just fine. She was an ardent believer of the Christian faith and she wished and held on to it like no other.

Thinking about her daughter as she washed the vegetables in a bowl of water and started to dice them, she prayed and hoped that she would find a good job. She held so much pride in her daughter as she was at that point the only university graduate she had, except the fact that her daughter hadn't found a good job.

She hissed when she recalled the time she found out that her beloved daughter was working in a restaurant as a waiter. It hurt her pride so much that she felt so bad and reprimanded her, also asked her to quit the job with utmost effect.

Each day, she would pray for her children and hope that some day, she would have a reason to smile again, on their behalfs.

Her first daughter and child Erica, had gotten missing without a trace few months after she graduated from school some years back and nothing was said or heard about her till date.

Her husband had left them when the girls still were in high school and the boys in lower grades, in search of a better job and never returned. She found out from someone later on that he had gotten entangled with a very affluent woman who refused him to go and he accepted and never spoke of his family. She heard that he eventually died during a plane crash and that was the end of his life. She didn't see his body and there was no proof of actual death, but what could she do.

It hurt her to realise that people could change in a twinkle of an eye and become a totally different person altogether.

She formed the habit of talking to herself frequently, especially while reminiscing on her past ordeals with people she felt she trusted.

She put the pot on the lighted stove and started to make dinner. She was going to make rice and vegetable sauce with some meats, so her boys could have something nourishing when they returned.

She had just put the sauce down when she received a message on her phone. She quickly turned off the stove to check what it was.

"$200! She said in shock, confusion and great shiver. "What could this be? She wondered, her hands trembling in fear as she held the phone.

She dropped the phone quickly and sat down on the chair, trying to understand if it was only a trick or her mind playing mind games with her. Still in deep thoughts, she got a call which brought her back to reality.

She picked up her phone and realised it was her daughter, Daisy. She became quite relieved and almost forgot about the incident that just occured.

"Sweetheart, how are you doing? She asked in deep concern.

"Hello momma, I am doing just fine. How about you? You do not sound so well, are you alright yourself?

She smiled dryly before responding. "Actually, I am better than yesterday."

Daisy chuckled lightly then continued. "I can tell you have received the parcel now."

"What parcel? Did you send a gift to me? Mrs. Kute asked, a little surprised.

"Yes ma, I did few minutes ago, to your account, it is..."

Mrs. Kute cut her short "you sent the money I just received? $200 Daisy? That is not a small money young lady, how did you get that?

Daisy cleared her throat in excitement. "Guess what momma?

"What? Mrs. Kute asked impatiently.

"I got a job! Daisy exclaimed in happiness and so much excitement that the phone started to vibrate.

"Oh my goodness sweetie. I am so so happy to hear that. Oh, that is so much you sent to me there. Hope you didn't send all your earnings to me?

"No momma. You'll receive more often from now on. We will have a lot to work on currently, you needst not fear."

"Wow! Mrs. Kute exclaimed in amazement and tears started to drop from her eyes. "Sweetie, tell me about this new job of yours."