Ara carried her cross. She went to the washing room which was outside the building. The washroom was built in a way that if ten people were willing to wash together, it would contain them. The washroom was a little bit behind Prince Ire's building itself. You could take the back door or side door. There were enough washing machines and drying machines.
She thought even with the washing machine, her work would be easier and faster, but she was wrong. The curtains were thick materials, long and wide. She didn't complain knowing she couldn't even try it. Hundred thousand naira is at stake here. Knowing the Prince she was working for, she couldn't even try it.
"Ara, why are you here? I've been looking up and down for you. You just left me in the kitchen all alone staying here." Sewa put on a act, pretending she knew nothing and behaving as if she had been looking for Ara truly.
Ara shook her head, still smiling. "I would never do that. I'm sorry I didn't tell you I had to start my punishment." She pointed to all the curtains and clothes on ground for Sewa to see immediately she climbed the steps, entering the building you could see from afar. "This is just the part one out of the punishment Prince Ire gave to me. I actually don't know what I've done wrong."
Sewa shook her head. "I'm really sorry about that. Let me just help to make it faster."
Ara quickly shook her head. "You know how the Prince can be. I don't want him adding anymore to all these. Is too much for me already. Besides, you just finished working too."
Sewa smiled at Ara who knew nothing. Even if she had wanted to assist Ara, she would have rested before coming over to do that, but she couldn't because she knew Prince Ire was somewhere watching. She carried some of the curtains and stood before the third washing machine. "Don't worry, I like helping people actually. And just watch out in case you see the Prince. I will just hide somewhere here and no one will know."
Ara was so happy. She left the drying machine she was operating and hugged Sewa really tight. "Thank you so much. You don't know how happy I am. I want to cry..." She faked a sound that made her look like she was crying indeed before bursting into a small laughter causing Sewa to chuckle a little. Ara continued. "To tell you the truth, I'm tired already. And I can't even believe I'm just spending two days out of many months to go."
Sewa smiled back at Ara's sweetness. She felt for her but she knew Ara would get used to it in time. Just that, she couldn't tell why the Prince had to punish her with all these. The curtains were washed two days ago. Why made Ara do useless work again? Sewa tried to calm her down instead. "It's okay."
Ara was still standing there. Now she was smiling back. She scratched her neck trying to say something. She prayed Sewa's mood wouldn't change because of that, judging by how she reacted to her when she first came. She wasn't sure if Sewa liked her, but judging by the fact that she was helping her, she decided to just ask. Ara coughed, then spoke. "Can I call you sister Sewa? Like. " She quickly added. "I don't feel comfortable calling you just by your name. You
look a bit older than me and I think I'm right about that."
Sewa smiled. Somehow, she was beginning to like Ara more. She was beginning to see more than just her beauty. She could see someone who was willing to respect her and not act and
call people by their names because you work together knowing they are actually older than you. Slowly in her mind, she liked the idea of coming out to help Ara. She was getting to know Ara more than just the pretty face. The first day she saw Ara, she knew within her she saw Ara just like a sister, but one has to be careful because to her some of the youths she had come across were very rude. Like Florence. Even some rich children are respectful. Talkless of a girl brought up from the slum. She turned her attention back to Ara and smiled. "How old are you?" She asked.
Ara smiled at the thoughts growing in her mind before replying. She could only act like that if she was starting to express herself around someone. "My age will shock you." She laughed, making Sewa smiled as she watched her and rinsed the curtain in her hand. Ara continued. "If I tell you I'm clocking seventy tomorrow will you believe?" She joked and laughed about it.
Sewa smiled, then laughed a little because she couldn't help it. "Trust me, I won't believe. But get ready to be known world wide. A beauty who looked in her late twenties claimed to be seventy will be the headlines of all newspapers before you wake up the next day. My sister, everyone is looking for what will sell. Even bloggers won't be left out of it."
Ara couldn't hold the laughter. It might not be that funny, but to Ara it was. She wondered why everyone actually thought she was in her late twenties. Some statures can be deceiving. "Actually, I'm just twenty two," Ara replied. "I'm just a small girl in a big body," she added and chuckled a little. She returned back to the drying machine, bringing out the curtain she put inside.
"I'm thirty five actually. And I have a daughter of nine."
"What!" Ara yelled out, but not extremely loud. The curtain in her hand dropped inside the big bucket she was putting the curtains. She actually thought Sewa was in her late twenties or just thirty. She couldn't believe her ears. Sewa didn't look that old. "You are married?"
"I'm a single mother. I gave birth out of wedlock."
Sewa was supposed to just say I'm a single mother... She couldn't say how she added to rest to it. But somehow, she wasn't feeling bad. She was becoming free to talk about her mistake.
"I'm really sorry about that." Ara sounded a bit worried, feeling for Sewa. All of a sudden, Sewa broke into a quiet laughter. The look Ara gave was quite funny to her. Now she realized Ara could switch looks so easily. She decided to let Ara know she wasn't feeling really bad. "What's there to be sorry about. I've learnt my lesson. I was blinded by love, pregnancy came and I realized he doesn't want to commit. He wasn't ready. He was just around when I thought he was there all because of what he was getting. When pregnancy entered, he left. I should have left before he did. I met guys who were really passionate about setting down and becoming a father soon, but I chose to be with someone who had never told me his plan for the next five years."
Ara still felt sober knowing Sewa was just using the laughter to cover up. She could see the pain she had experienced through her eyes. They were speaking... I shouldn't have ended here if I had known. I crave for a home too. Ara had never taken a step in Sewa's shoes, but being a single mother, she had seen a lot. She was totally into the conversation that she switched off the socket of the washing machine so as not to wash more than the two times it was supposed to wash the curtain. She faced Sewa. "That's really personal. Why are you sharing it with me? I mean your mistake. Many are ashamed to talk about it. Besides, you didn't act as if you liked me when I came yesterday."
Sewa finally looked sober, but covered up with a smile. "I don't hate you Ara. I'm just tired of caring. Many girls act like they know too much already and wouldn't want to listen to the olders advice. And when you stay under the old ones, that is when they get to share their experiences with you."
"Just a look at your face, you are extremely beautiful and I'm sure you are getting a lot of suitors already. I don't want any one to make the same mistake I made. I was just twenty six then. I was thinking he would propose, he would propose but that never happened. When I became pregnant, I was happy thinking things would turn to my favour and he would have a change of mind, only for him to tell me he was not ready. He wanted me to abort the pregnancy, but because I didn't, he left. Assuming I aborted it, I would have aborted more because that time I realized he was never going to be ready. The mistake I made was, I jumped into the relationship without knowing where he was heading to. And even while we were dating, he was always dogding questions related to marriage."
Ara switched the socket back and put another curtain inside the washing machine. She was learning. She was starting to like Sewa more. "Thank you so much for sharing that. But Momma," Ara called and Sewa smiled. The name was okay for her since it was born out of respect for her. She allowed Ara to continue. Ara stopped what she was doing to speak. "There are many cases of Single mothers today who were once married, but they now carry the responsibilities. There is no difference."
"Firstly," Sewa said. "You need to know that there are women out there enjoying their marriges. Be on that positive side always and you will attract the best man for it. And you should also know that no woman out there wants to carry the responsibilities alone. It came to that point because they realized some of them got married to beasts and decided to run for their lives. That's the mistake you shouldn't make. And the time you must do that is now. Married ones who gave birth legitimately, some don't get support from their separated husbands despite the Court's instruction for them to support talkless of you who gave birth out of wedlock. Ara I'm telling you this is the time you choose a responsible man excited about his dreams, about his marriage to come and what the future holds." Sewa paused.
"After I gave birth, I told myself I just wanted to concentrate on my child which I did till I was thirty one. I started dating back, but a man who is just starting his life wouldn't want to date someone with a child already. Would you love to date a man with a child or even two as well?" She threw the question at Ara.
Ara couldn't reply because she knew her reply might hurt Sewa even though Sewa knew what her reply would be already. It was just the plain truth. She was just starting her life. But ladies
can still choose the option and that can only happen if the man is extremely rich or someone very important with money enough to take of them. Without that, a girl just starting her life might never try that. Also for men, even if he wants to, his family would never allow.
Sewa continued. "Now that I'm thirty five, I can only get married to men older than me. May be from forty and above who have tried relationships many times but futile or someone who lost his wife or a man who is divorce. It might be a little hard getting a man who is just starting his life. Assuming I'm just starting mine too, it's a different case. This is why you must know what you are doing at your very young age and choose rightly. If you realize your relationship isn't going anywhere, the best is to get out if you want something more."
Ara left what she was doing and went over to Sewa, hugging her. "Thanks Momma." She released her. "Do you like your new name already?"
Sewa laughed shortly and shook her head. "That makes me sound and look old my daughter."
Ara burst out laughing. "You are my momma from now on." She started sending kisses to Sewa's face but she was kissing the air instead, acting totally dramatic. Sewa couldn't help the laughter, laughing hard at Ara's drama but slowly, her sound faded away staring at who stood quietly behind Ara.
Ara suddenly noticed Sewa's attention had been divided and immediately he looked behind her. The killer smile melted her heart and she smiled. "Mr. Ayo. You are here?"
Sewa saw how suddenly Ara became elated. Her smile were more prettier and she just smiled. She had been through that stage before. Looking up, Sewa knew someone had been watching them since. The moment she decided to lift her eyes up, she saw Prince Ire walking in. She finally realized even though she wasn't too sure that Prince Ire seemed to like Ara. But Ara liked someone else.
She saw Ara laughed at Ayoola, replying with all her happy smiles. "With you, this punishment can go on forever because I know you will always help me. Right?"
"Forever helping." Ayoola replied and the two laughed as he walked up to join her. Without wasting anymore time, Sewa picked up the bucket of rinsed curtains and left immediately using the opportunity to spread them.