Story Title: AUNT ROSE 🔞

Episode Two.

Soon the aroma of noodles wafted from the kitchen and I sniffed in and reveled in it.

I wondered for a split second if the milk in my tummy will digest fast enough so I can eat. I glanced at the sleeping Jeremy who was sleeping without a care in the world.

" Such a lovely baby." I thought.

After a while my aunt hailed me and I hurried over.

There on the dining table were two bowls of noodles with a flat plate full of scrambled eggs. The bigger bowl of noodles was being set aside for me.

My mouth watered at the sight and I sat down gingerly. My aunt was still smiling.

" The way this woman is smiling, she can poison your food and you wouldn't know." I said in my thoughts then pushed such thoughts away.

My aunt held my hands and said the grace before we started eating.

When it comes to eating noodles I always prefer a spoon to a fork.

My aunt didn't ask any question about it.

She tried to engage me in small talks but I was just too nervous to talk back.

At this my aunt didn't press. She knew it was a crime of highest order to talk while eating back home.

We finished the meal in silence.

I offered to clear the dishes but she wouldn't allow me.

I walked to the sitting room and settled on the couch.

Jeremy was still sleeping. my aunt soon came out and joined me on the couch.

" Joe you seem afraid nowadays to take your phone out and use it."

I shrugged and smiled nervously as I didn't have anything sensible to answer her. She was staring at me fixedly though still smiling but it was bothering me. I glanced at the sleeping baby. My aunt craned her neck to look at the boy too maybe thinking he had woken. He wasn't awake and was still sleeping peacefully. 

I decided to change the topic.

" Auntie, there's something that bothers me." 

" What's that Joe?" She asked lowering her eyes to look at me.

" You know I learnt that you are about three years younger than my mother, but how come you don't have children that are mates with any of my sisters?"

My aunt cackled at this and then shifted nearer to me much that her thighs were touching mine so was her arms and shoulders. " No I didn't solicit for this." I said in my thoughts.

" The simple truth there is that your mother got married very early.

She gave birth to you when she was still sixteen." She said sweetly in her sing song voice.

" She got pregnant for your father while she was still in secondary school SS3 to be precise.

Your father just started working newly in the offshore at that time.

Her pregnancy came as a surprise to everyone as we had never caught her with any guy before neither had anybody admitted being her boyfriend. Worst of it all her WAEC was just a term away and her belly became visibly big by this time. The teacher planned to cover her through the examinations since pregnant girls weren't eligible to take the examination. But the students shocked me. The way they treated your mother made some other students ache to get pregnant.

" I don't understand." I said with a puzzled face.

" I had expected the students to mock your mother and call her names. But everybody treated her with respect. Students will bring her fruits like banana, mangoes, pineapples, oranges and sugarcane.

They always have a bottle of cold water on hand in case she is thirsty. They can claw out your eyes for you if you dare disturb her while she is sleeping in the class. Each of her female classmates would take turns copying her notes or they will get a junior student to do that and it will be done without complaints.

During break, the junior students will crowd around her and ask her questions on how it is to be pregnant. Your mother will answer them patiently. She was quite different that time. She is not the bully you grew to know. During the examination period her belly had ballooned. So the teachers always employed a student to write for her except mathematics because she is a mathematics wizard."

" Unbelievable!" I exclaimed. " She's good in maths yet that's my worst subject."

" It's because you are afraid of your mother that's why." My aunt said.

" So auntie, where you jealous of how she was being treated by the students?" I asked shyly.

" Of course no, but I was surprised. Your mother wasn't the students favourite so what happened was kinda surprising but jealous, No.

The last thing I wanted was to get pregnant while in secondary school."

I shrugged.

" So as I was saying. It was your mother that wrote maths exams many of her fellow candidates copied from her. The result was nice. Everybody passed with flying colours. The students came to visit her when she gave birth to you.

They brought her gifts. I think the teachers did think your mother will still want to further her education despite the pregnancy but she had made up her mind to marry instead. Since your father had cash on hand. He paid her bride price and she was officially a married woman at the age of sixteen.

Marriage wasn't my immediate priority and so I saw everything as nonsense. I furthered my education. I studied Chemistry. Your mother did help a lot by sending me foodstuffs.

My trip through university was successful, I went for my IT program, I came back, then went for my youth service and graduated with second class major.

I learnt seamstressing while still at the university and was planning to use it to start my life but i found out that I didn't like the work, moreover I had no money to do anything. So I learnt beads making from one skill acquisition program that was being organized close to where I lived. I learnt that alongside decorations.

That was what I was living on when I met Phillip. He was looking for somebody who will be decorating his sister's wedding venue so somebody directed him to me. He was pleasantly surprised that I can also make beads. So he hired me and paid me well. I did all my best at the wedding so much that nobody went home without commenting on it. After that i couldn't get to see him for a while.

The next time I met him was in a burial I attended. Funny enough I dressed in the exact colour and material which he dressed in. Many people that saw us thought we were a couple when we were nothing. It was after the burial that he approached me and asked me out. I accepted and we began dating. After like six months of dating he proposed to me and I accepted.

He wasn't that rich then but he had enough to take care of himself and me. He gave me money to expand my bead-making business and within six months, I've gotten a dozen of apprentices and loads of cash in my bank account.

There was something dodgy about him though. He always seemed evasive on the issue of children, whenever I bring it up he will ask me to let's talk about it some other time.

After two years in our married life, he brought an idea to my notice. He wanted to start a car dealership and so wanted to know my take on it. I encouraged him immediately. So he started selling cars. He was lucky the business boomed just like mine. As with that he also started a cement depot.

So the money was now flowing in.

Then Phillip changed, he was no longer the Phillip I grew to know and love. He began slapping me at the slightest provocation. In my life I made sure that I don't do or repeat anything that will make my husband angry. Phillip will just look for an unreasonable excuse to start beating me, like you didn't pick my call on time. You forgot that I wanted tea with cold water and not hot water.

I became afraid of him."

Well this was true. I remembered many times she had came home to report of being beaten by her husband. I had always wondered within me if her husband thinks that my aunt is a child because I felt that it is only children that should be beaten.

" So I began to feel if it is because I haven't gotten a child for him." My aunt continued. " So I continued my good behavior and after a while he seemed to change and go back to normal. I was happy at this but it didn't last.

He became worse this time around.

He stopped eating my food and refused to sleep with me. Some nights I will be so horny that I have to use my fingers to relieve myself."

I'm not sure I understood what horny means or what she used her fingers to do.

" Even when I informed him that I was pregnant, he only said "congratulations" nonchalantly and never asked any question anymore about it.

But his harsh behavior towards me intensified even though he knew I was pregnant. But this time I had gotten fed up with him and began to fight him back. I remember using a frying pan on him the day he pushed me in the kitchen and I almost got burnt by the hot plate of the gas cooker. The nearest thing to me was the frying pan. I picked it up and dealt a critical hit to his face. I thank God it wasn't a kitchen knife I would have been in jail by now over murder. He tried to fight me but couldn't withstand hits from the frying pan. Seeing that he couldn't do anything he left.

For a full week I didn't see him but I couldn't miss him because he has deleted the love I had for him from my heart.

After about two weeks he came to the house and got his chequebook. I could see a girl in his car.

I wanted to do something silly but I remembered that I am pregnant.

He stayed outside for another week before he came home. I stormed up to him and told him that if he doesn't change his attitude towards me that he will never see his child.

He laughed and was like, " which child are you even talking about? How am I sure that pregnancy your carrying is even mine? The child doesn't even look like me."

I was shocked at his silliness. " Do you see how silly you are? I haven't even put to bed yet but you know it doesn't look like you."

At this he put on his clothes and said " let me leave, I thought you will allow me to rest in my own house. And for your information I don't have anything to do with that pregnancy because it is not mine. Go and look for who impregnated you." He walked out on me, got into his car and zoomed off.

I went to his car depot the following day only to learn from his boy that he had gone to Cotonou to buy some fairly used cars that was being auctioned out.

I came back and spent every night that followed alone in this house.

I didn't know the Thompson's yet and it wouldn't have made any sense for me to go their house to sleep. All through my antenatals, Phillip never for once asked how I was doing. I was in the second month of my third trimester when a truck crushed the car he was in alongside with his girlfriend.

The truck was a stolen one with the driver unaware that the truck had faulty brakes. As he tried to slow down at an intersection the brakes refused to cooperate and unfortunately for Phillip he was the unlucky one.

I was sitting down here when the police rang the doorbell and informed me that he was dead. I just took the news lightly because his death meant freedom. I accompanied the policemen to the mortuary to see his body.

Within a week I arranged for him to be buried and that was all about. The following month I gave birth to Jeremy. I was glad that he didn't bear much striking resemblance to his father because I didn't want to hate my baby. She resembled me the most.

I'm just happy that I did gain something from him which is Jeremy. After Phillip's death. I packed all his photos and set fire to it as I didn't want anything to remind me of him. I wanted to do so to his clothes but I remembered that you can make use of them. I can swear you never opened that closet up till now."

I smiled shamefully and didn't say anything.

" And you never unpacked. Anyway I'm going to my room, if you need me you call me." She said stroking my cheek lovingly before getting up.

" So Auntie, all those time your husband didn't treat you well did you still continue to smile?" I questioned.

My aunt sat back down and smiled more.

" Of course I never stopped to smile. Smiling has became a part of me and I can't do without it. Though it wasn't a happy one, you how a nervous smile look like right?"

I nodded.

" Yes it was mostly like that. Except when I'm angry then the smile will disappear. No one smiles when he or she is angry."

With that my aunt got up and moved to her room. I haven't been inside my aunt's bedroom but I knew I might see inside of her room sooner or later.

I stared at the television and decided I didn't want to watch it now. I took out my phone and logged on to Facebook but couldn't concentrate. I logged out and then my eyes settled on the sleeping Jeremy. I think I enjoyed watching the baby sleeping in his cot. His face looked rosy and his chest rose and fall with easy breaths. Then his hand that was still began moving and I felt he was trying to wake up.

He finally opened his eyes which didn't look that of a person that just woke up but look like he was wide awake all this while.

His eyes roved about and then settled on me. I felt he will soon begin to blow alarm so I hurried to my aunt's bedroom to call her. I hesitated at the door. She had asked me never to knock.

" I hope she doesn't get offended if I go in there and see her naked." I said in my thoughts.

I opened the door and quite disappointingly there was no creak as all the hinges in the house were oiled.

Inside confirmed my worst fear.

There my aunt with her back to me was completely naked. Her bare white butt looked shiny.

She was standing at the foot of the bed trying on some bra.

Her room was big and the bed was gigantic so was the closet.

The floor was covered with thick mint green carpet. Mint green drapes covered the window and a crystalline chandelier suspended from the ceiling. Everywhere looked cosy and befitting for somebody as beautiful as my aunt.

I quickly looked away and cleared my throat to get her attention.

She didn't seem to hear, so I cleared my throat again.

" Can't you talk?" My aunt asked startling me.

" Uh Jeremy has woken." I informed trying hard not to raise my eyes and stare at her ass.

" Is he crying?"

" No he is not, he just woke and I came to call you because I feel he might start to cry."

" He won't cry. He doesn't have much problems and doesn't cry much. Go and stay with him, if he cries then you come and call me. Okay?"

" Okay Auntie." I replied and turned to hurry out before I begin to harbour any dirty thoughts about my aunt.

" Joe! come!" She called and I turned walked back to the spot I stood doing my best to keep my eyes off her body.

" Come closer I didn't ask you to stop there." She said turning and flashing me a smile. 

" Uhh!!!! Now it will be hard not to stare." I thought regrettably.

I walked near and stood behind her. A strategy i thought will help me not to look directly at her naked body. I reveled in the fragrance of her body spray.

She picked up a bra and turned to face me. My eyes involuntarily glanced downward. My aunt was shaved smooth down there. Her pussy mound was prominent and lofty as a mountain. Her lips were large and distended.

However I didn't have any other to compare with because that was my first time on seeing pussy in real life. I quickly glanced up as my dick has began receiving unwanted messages from the brain and was rising to the occasion.

If my aunt saw me staring, she didn't show it or react in anyway.

" This is what I wanted to show you." My aunt said with her usual smile holding up a purple bra " It's a special type of bra for nursing mothers. I felt I have to let you know about it so you can buy it for your wife when she is delivered of a baby. Feel it." she said handing me the bra. 

I collected and inspected it. It had a thick foam sewed into the bra cup. I couldn't give much verdict on bras but I could admit that this one was different. I enjoyed the soft silky feel of the before handing it over.

" The pad here." My aunt said tapping the foam. " Is designed to catch the milk from the nipples. If you are going on a long journey that wouldn't give you a chance to breastfeed your baby or milk yourself you can still go without fearing your clothes being ruined. But you have to be mindful because once it get overfilled it will still ruin your outfit especially people like me that have heavy flow."

" It's nice and thoughtful of the producers." I commented.

" I bought these bras two days ago and didn't have time to try them on." She said putting on the bra.

" Help me with the clasp." She asked and I did that. The bra did kick up her boobs and made them look bigger than they really were.

" Do you like it?" She asked with a wide smile. 

"Yea. I love it." I replied with a smile. I wonder how she will feel if I tell her that I don't like it.

" If so why not feel them." She drew closer and offered her bra clad boobs to me. I quickly put my palms underneath it and felt the warm globes. " They're heavy." I commented. My aunt cackled quite unexpectedly.

" I love your hands on them, they feel so good." I knew I have to escape quickly before I lose the battle with my dick.

" Auntie I think I should go to Jeremy before he starts crying." I said hastily. My heart was beginning to pound in my chest. Why? I had finally lost the battle. My dick was now at full mast.

" Ugh!!!" My aunt grunted. " I thought you will stay lemme model these other bras for you, but anyway go check on the boy."

" Okay auntie." I replied and turned making sure to hide my erection before going out of the door."

Fortunately Jeremy wasn't crying. At first I thought he was asleep so i walked to the cot to investigate, he wasn't sleeping.

His beautiful eyes stared up at me fixedly and his hands were clasped together as if he was about to say a prayer.

He stared at me calmly.

" Can't you talk? Say something!" His little face seemed to say.

" Hey!" I said and waved to him.

He raised his hand as if trying to wave back.

The corner his mouth was beginning to curl in a smile.

I lowered my head closer and said " tah!!!!" The boy giggled. His smile was now full similar to his mother's.

I did again and this time he cackled. I did it the third and it was a full laugh. I repeated it over and over and had the boy laughing hysterically in a short time. 

I was enjoying myself.

" Oh no, don't do that." My aunt's voice roused me out of the euphoria of playing with a baby.

I immediately kept mum and wondered where I went wrong.

" Make him smile don't make him laugh, his ribs aren't strong enough for that yet."

" Okay." I said nodding vigorously. I watched her pick up the boy out of the cot.

The boy strained for me instead. I extended my hands for him but his mother had other plans.

She sat down on the couch and bared her breasts before inserting a nipple in the boy's mouth. Jeremy began to suck and I watched her in silence. She was still smiling and seemed to be thinking about something. I felt like sneaking away to my room to play games on my phone.

Soon Jeremy stopped sucking. My aunt sighed. He tried to make the boy feed more but he has already had enough and shook his head from side to side. He used his hand to brush the offending nipple from his face and instead looked longingly at me. 

I offered to carry him but my aunt shook her head. She turned him over and rubbed his back. He burped loudly and my aunt giggled.

She placed him in his cot and beckoned on me. I went to her already aware of the reason of her summons. She took a wet wipes and wiped her nipples before shifting closer so much that I didn't have space to move. She inserted her nipples between my lips romantically unlike how she did to her son minutes ago.

 

She moaned almost immediately and it made my body react in a way I didn't wish.

I recalled her exposed thighs in the car as we were coming to the city and her naked body moments ago in her bedroom.

It didn't help my dick as he rose to the occasion again and this time my aunt noticed. She extended a hand and touched it to confirm. My face flushed with shame and embarrassment.

I expected my aunt to query me about that. But she didn't.

I emptied both nipples of its milk and aunt sighed before giving me a hot passionate kiss.

This was my first kiss of my life.

I didn't know that people's mouth has taste maybe it's because of the milk. The kiss was sweet.

We snogged for about a minute we we detached our lips to take a breather. 

" You're a virgin right?" She asked softly and I nodded. " I will love to help on that." She whispered and held my hand and we got up together.

I hesitated and she stared at me.

" What's wrong?" She questioned.

" Jeremy." I said and glanced at the boy who had fallen asleep in the cot.

" Don't worry he's alright but I'll bring him along if that's what bothering you.

She let go of my hand and picked the baby out of the cot and moved to her bedroom.

I followed closely behind. I watched her drop the boy on a cot which I didn't notice. This particular cot looked bigger and seemed to be immovable. She walked towards me and extended her arms for me.

I walked to her and she engaged me in another kiss.

" All this things I'm doing to you is what I wished I could do to Phillip but it didn't work out. I want to feel loved, I want to feel good. Do want to make me feel good?"

I nodded.

I compared it to my mother saying, " Firewood is exhausted, Joe can you go and fetch some firewood from the farm?" The last that should come out if your mouth is " No I can't" you will go to fetch the firewood on empty stomach and will be doing that everyday for a week. I was always ready to anything even if she asks me to go to hell and bring charcoal I am always ready.

I felt at that moment that it was my mother saying that

.

My aunt removed her housecoat and threw it on the bed.

Truth be told i was clueless on what to do.

I felt my dick rise but this time I didn't feel embarrassed.

Come sit beside me. I want to teach you many things about the female anatomy so you can be able to make me feel good.

If you had a girlfriend before now this wouldn't have been necessary.

I nodded. " Where do I start?" I asked.

" We'll start with the thighs." She whispered softly and then laid back and opened her legs.

" Step one is."

STORY CONTINUES...

(Source-IBB MEDIA) 

Story Title: "FARIDA"

PART 3.

A new tenant moved into the compound. Christopher who preferred to be called Chris claimed to be a bachelor and worked as a clearing agent at the port. He was light in complexion and in the eyes of most of the tenants, very handsome. He was tall, averagely built and had a gap tooth. All the ladies in the compound were interested in him. They dropped by his room to collect one thing or the other. Before long, fights began in the compound.

Iya Farida the caretaker called for a meeting about the continuous fights in the compound.

“Oga Chris, is it that you enjoy the fights amongst these girls? Why don’t you choose one girl and leave the rest?”

“Iya Farida, I am not dating any of them. They are just neighbours. Let any of them come out and say I have ever touched her or kissed her before. I haven’t. I have a girlfriend, she is at university. When she comes, all of them will leave me alone. I don’t have any interest in them”

“Have you heard him? Mothers here talk to your daughters. They are the ones throwing themselves at a man who doesn’t want them and they are fighting a lost cause. He is not interested in any of them o. Ladies, have you heard? If you go and meet him you are an ashawo, a prostitute. Leave the man alone”

There were laughter and grumbles but the matter was settled. Everyone departed to their apartments while talking amongst themselves. Iya Farida had dropped a bomb which didn’t go down well with some of the ladies involved but then what could they do?

Farida, now twelve going on thirteen, was fascinated by Chris. To her, she was the most handsome man she had ever seen. She had feelings for him. Whenever she saw him, she shied away. Farida was dark and had never seen a very light complexion guy before except the ones who had different shades of fairness due to use of inferior bleaching cream. Bro Chris was very clean. His complexion was so shiny that she admired it. When he smiled at her, her heart melted and she ran away. He always dropped something for her and her brothers anytime he clears goods from the Port. He brought back toys, plates, biscuits, pasta, can foods, drinks, chocolate, clothes, slippers, shoes and so many other things. He gave other neighbours too but the bulk was always to them because he liked maami.

Farida had begun to run errands for other people apart from the tenants. She goes to the market and buys things for them. She washed clothes, swept compounds and got paid. Her brothers joined her to work too. Their income over the weekend tided them until the next weekend. Public holidays were also a blessing. The new income had helped them a lot. Maami started house lesson in the compound. Her pupils came three times a week. This was another source of income for them too.

Chris asked maami if she knew anyone who could help him with cleaning his house for a token. 

"Farida cleans for people. Ask that useless Ade, Farida used to clean for him before he got married.”

“Why did you call him useless?”

“My dear, you won’t understand. Tell him I said he is useless”

“Ok, ma. So, what can little Farida do for me?”

“Let her work for you tomorrow then you will know”

“She can come. She should come by 10am. Let it be 10am please, I don’t wake up early on Saturdays”

“She will be there”

When maami mentioned it to Farida, she was reluctant to go. Her reason was the way she felt about the man but maami thought it was because of what happened with Ade. 

Eventually, maami taught Ade a bitter lesson. She summoned him to her room and in the presence of Farida warned him never to have sex with her daughter again otherwise she will call the vigilante group for him and make sure they burn him alive. He was also to continue paying Farida for her work. "Anytime she’s in your room and the curtains or the door are closed she will raise alarm for the compound people to gather and call you a rapist". Brother Ade was scared for his life and never touched Farida again. Any young girl that goes near his room, Iya Farida will shout at her to leave there. She didn’t want what happened to Farida to happen to anyone else. 

 She also had a conversation with Farida. “You are now a woman. You became a woman too early but it doesn’t change anything. Do not allow anyone bribe you into using you like Ade did. Do not enter any man’s room and allow him shut the door. Tell him to leave it open, your mother is watching. In as much as I refused to do anything against Ade, I want you to know that it is because of your future. Nobody needs to know what happened; it is our secret. But when it happens again then we are the fools. If anyone touches you in a way you don’t like, my child, shout for the whole neighbours to gather. He will never try it again. From now on you will be wearing mainly trousers; before they can remove the trousers, people have gathered. No matter where it is please, my dear, shout”

That year, Brother Ade got married. Ten months after the wedding, his wife had a daughter for him. During the naming ceremony, Iya Farida walked up to and said in a low voice, “I do not want to curse this beautiful baby girl but if at anytime you touch any small girl like you did my Farida, men will rape your daughter continuously even in your presence”

Brother Ade was startled by her words but quickly regained his composure. He began to make plans to leave the compound before his sins find him. It took him several years to leave.

Farida was smitten by Chris. She loved the way he looked and smiled at her whenever he saw her. He was her first crush. She talked about him to her friends in school that they came around to catch a glimpse of him. They were not disappointed. She was to start work with him with him the next day, how would she cope.

Farida was worried about meeting with him one on one and being alone with him while she did the household chores. Early the next morning, she got ready and wore her best clothes to his house. It was about 7:00am she boldly knocked on his door. There was no reply. She knocked severally before she heard someone grumble and then the door opened. Brother Chris was topless and had on only shorts. He had several black curly hairs on his chest. She thought she would faint at that sight but surprisingly, she kept a straight face. When she looked at his face, he didn’t look happy to see her. “I thought I told your mother you should come by 10:00am. Why did you wake me up from sleep?” he asked.

Farida calmed down inwardly and said, “By 10:00am, the sun will be out and most people would have occupied the lines. I might have to go to the market for you and the freshest items are best bought in the morning. If you give me a list of things you want me to do, I will start from the things that wouldn’t disturb your sleep”

Chris looked at her. He could see she was quite sharp. She was also very beautiful even more beautiful than her mum. She was still a small girl but she was tall for her age and a bit robust. She was a black beauty. This was the first time he was observing her. He liked her. He asked her to come in and take the instructions.

Farida was marveled when she entered his apartment. Her crush on him vapourised and was replaced by the apartment. No wonder all the ladies wanted to kill themselves over him. He occupied a room and parlour self-contained. He had a blue light in the parlour. The walls were painted white with gold shimmery designs. He had a big fluffy brown rug on the floor, three bin bags, a round glass centre table. She was shocked to see a room divder which was white and coffee brown in colour. It housed a 27” coloured television, a stereo, a CD player, and loudspeakers. The door to his bedroom was ajar. It had red light. There was a massive bed on the side of the wall with an equally big mattress, there was a blue rug on the floor and by the side a wardrobe. She couldn’t wait to get in to investigate further.

“Sit down. I can see you came prepared” he said pointing at her notebook and pen she had in her hands. “I needed you to help me clean up the house and wash a few things for me as I send my clothes to dry cleaner. You can go to the market for me. Can you cook?”

“Yes, sir. I can cook very well”

“I am not too sure of that but I wouldn’t mind you making stew for me and maybe something simple like Egusi soup. Can you make that?”

“I can cook any soup. My friends are Igbo, Calabar, Hausa and I help their mothers cook at home so I can cook. Trust me”

Truly, she was sharp. He told her to write the list of things she would need to cook and clean so she could buy them at once. He estimated she would be back after an hour so he could nap a bit more.

Farida was back in 40 minutes. She stayed outside and prepared everything she would need to cook. When she was set, she knocked again. Brother Chris responded grudgingly but this time he made himself decent. She entered into the kitchen first. She tidied up everywhere including mopping the floor. Then she put the meat on fire and started working in the sitting room. She opened the windows and door before she started. She was working and cooking. Brother Chris watched her in amazement. She swept the rug in the parlour and cleaned the room divider and all the electronics. She used soapy water on the windows, left it to dry and then used old newspaper to shine them. She took out the things for washing and soaked them. She changed the bedsheet and pillowcases and asked for a replacement. She poured harpic into the toilet and continued her work. Before 11 am, she was done with everything including the cooking. The quantity of soup and stew she made with the money he gave her surprised him because he gave more to other ladies and he would only get half of what he got and not even as tasty. She boiled rice for him to have with the delicious stew she made. He was so impressed by her that he gave her N2000 and asked her to go with some soup and stew. 

“Maami, you need to enter brother Chris house. It is very fine. His kitchen is like the kitchen we watch on telly. He has something that holds plates, another one that holds knives and another one he hangs his frying spoons and kitchen spoons. His cupboard is not like our own. Each one has a door. That is where he put his fine pots and some plates that have a cover. They are very beautiful. He put his foodstuff in another side. The rice he eats is not like our own. The bag is like semovita bag but the colour is brown” Farida went on and on. She was impressed with what she saw. Then she told her mother, “One day, maami, I am going to live in a big house and have everything brother Chris has and more. Even Nkoyo that is living in a flat doesn’t have what brother Chris has. Maami, I want to be very rich”

“It is my prayer for you my daughter. I want you to be very rich. That is why I push you to work hard in school so you will get good jobs and make plenty money”

“Maami, you went to school, how come you are not rich?”

“I didn’t finish school that is why”

“I am not looking at going to school to be rich. Aunty Chioma is always going for interviews, she still hasn’t gotten a job. I want to marry a very rich man. I will be his only wife. He will take very good care of me; not like Alhaji. He will be young, handsome educated and very rich. He will make me happy”

Maami was perplexed at her daughter’s heart desire. That wasn’t what she wanted for her. She calmly tried to make her understand. “My daughter, it is not as easy as that. Ok, what will you offer him?”

“My beauty of course. He will not be able to resist me”

“Farida, what beauty? See you, you are fat. You eat too much. You refuse to rub cream on your body every morning and night as I instruct you. Look at how white your legs are. You walk around on bare feet, look at the sole of your feet how chipped they are. Apart from that, if he is educated and you are not then you do not match. Can’t you see the men that come for Chioma? See the cars they come in and how they look. They know she is educated but you, you have nothing to offer but the beauty only you can see”

 Maami’s words left Farida sleepless. Farida pondered deeply on her mother’s words. She knew she had something apart from her beauty. She was hard working and she learnt things very fast. This should also be a plus for her. But she realized her mother was right. She was twelve and didn’t take care of herself. She was going to be a teenager in a few weeks and she still dressed and behaved like a child. Maami made them rub ori (shea butter) on their body to moisture it but she hated the smell and the way it made her sweat. She and her friends spent most of their saved money on buying things to eat and show off when they went to school. She resolved to change all that. If she wanted to attract a very rich man, she had to take better care of herself, wear clean uniforms and socks, always make her hair neatly every week and stop eating junk so she could lose weight. She also resolved to walk to and fro the market instead of taking a bike (motorcycle) as she does. She didn’t want to rub ori. Auntie Chioma uses very nice cream, soap and body spray. She always smells nice. What she would do is to negotiate with her. She will work for her and in return, she would buy her a nice cream and soap. Her school bag and sandals were tattered. They did not suit a girl who wants to attract a rich husband. She decided to talk to bro Chris concerning them. He could see at his place of work. This long vacation, she will spend less time with her friends and more time working to make extra money to transform herself. Also, she had to study hard. She will get maami to help her with her academics. She was going to be writing her Junior WAEC examination next session so she needed to sit up. She had it all planned and mapped out.

Farida put all her plans into actions. Immediately after her examinations, she went to all her customers and mapped out the time she would work for them. It helped her know how much she would make in a week. She earmarked how much goes to her contribution at home while the rest went to her saving which she put in a wooden ‘kolo’ also called the piggy bank. She met brother Chris and talked to him about the school bag and sandals.

“What is your size and those of your brothers? I have a customer importing school items, I can get some things for you. What else do you need? Water bottle, math set, pencil holders? Just name them, I will get them for you once his goods arrive”

“Brother Chris, God will bless you. I will work for you for free for …..”

“No, you don’t have to. I am getting them for free. He is bringing them for sale and I am entitled to some as his clearing agent. Once his container lands I will bring for you. What is the colour of your school sandals?”

“Brown sir”

“No problem. You will cook Ogbono soup for me tomorrow. You can cook it at your house and bring it when I get back. I enjoyed the last one you cooked”

“Thank you, sir. I will collect the money in the morning”

Farida was ecstatic. She was going to get new sandals and school bag. Even mathset and water bottles. Her brothers too will have new school things. She was excited but contained it in order to keep it a secret for now. She didn’t want others to know about it and then disturb bro Chris for the same thing thereby jeopardizing her chances.

Next was her uniform. She went to check the price of the material in the market; it was affordable. The sewing was the problem. So, she went to the tailor, told her she would come every morning to sweep her shop and then come in the evening to help run errands in exchange for her to make uniforms for her brothers and herself. The woman was amazed that such a young girl could come confidently with such an offer. She agreed, she took her measurement and the measurements of her brothers who were entering JS1. She told her the number of materials she would need for two sets. She swept the shop every morning and stationed her brothers at the shop to run errands for the woman. She took up extra jobs and within two weeks, she was able to buy the materials. 

She needed soap and cream. Auntie Chioma was a nice lady but she was also snobbish. Farida had to look for a way to get her attention. She observed that Chioma stared at Chris whenever she saw him. It used to prick her heart but now she knew what she wanted, the rich husband wasn’t brother Chris. If getting Chioma close to him will get her what she wants then she would use it to penetrate Chioma. She hacked a plan. She approached Chioma.

“Auntie, brother Chris likes you. He said out of all the ladies in this compound it is you he likes best”

“Are you serious? Farida did he really say that?”

“He did. He said he likes the way you behave. You mind your business and you don’t quarrel with anyone”

“Chris said that? Anyway, he is right. I am not on their level now”

“I said let me tell you”

“Thank you”

“Do you have any work for me to do for you?”

“I don’t have. I just got a job I am managing now. The pay is small but it is better than nothing”

Farida thought for a while. Then she said, “I will ask bro Chris if he can find work for you since I know he likes you”

“Will you? If you help me, I will give you whatever you want”

“Whatever I want? Is that a promise?”

“It’s a promise”

“Ok. Consider it done but you must keep to your promise”

“I will”

Farida waited for bro Chris outside the gate to come back from work. He was surprised when she dragged him to a corner to talk to him.

“Farida, what is it?”

“Brother Chris, I need a favour from you”

“Is that why you had to wait outside? What is it?”

“Sister Chioma needs a job and I know you know people that can employ her”

“Does she really need a job? I was under the impression she was comfortable”

“She’s not o. She needs a job and she said she would have asked you herself but she’s shy. Since I am close to you. she begged me to ask you”

“Ok, I know a maritime company that is recruiting. Let her give you her CV, I will submit it for her. She should have come herself”

‘She is shy. I will get it”

“Is that all?”

“That’s all for now”

“Farida, you can disturb. I will do it for you”

Farida jumped excitedly to sister Chioma’s room. She requested for her CV which she gave her with a look of curiosity. Farida took it to brother Chris. To her it was mission accomplished. She just had to wait.

Sister Chioma came to their house three weeks after to thank Farida. She got the job and she was very happy. She wanted to rush out when Farida stopped her and reminded her of her promise.

“I remember. So, Farida, what do you want?”

“I want a good bathing soap, cream and body spray. You will buy them for me. That is all I want.”

Iya Farida was dumbfounded at her daughter’s request. “Farida, how do you make such demands because you helped someone?”

“Maami, we had a deal. I am not asking for too much”

“Truly, you are not asking for too much. Tomorrow, I will get you the soap, cream and roll on. You don’t need a spray for now. They are not expensive. I will also buy you packs of sanitary pad so you will stop using tissue paper. I can see you are becoming a lady and you are self-conscious. I will gladly supply you the items every month. You are like my younger sister”

Farida’s joy knew no bounds. She ran and hugged sister Chioma. She was happy she understood and didn’t back down on her promise and to always supply them made her even happier.

When Chioma left, maami called Farida and asked her what happened. She explained how she used brother Chris to get a job for sister Chioma and they agreed she would do anything for her if she succeeds. 

“Did you use a rich husband to do this?”

‘No o, but I need those things to attract a rich husband”

Iya Farida was speechless. Her daughter baffled her. She still didn’t get the message. She was still transfixed on getting a rich husband. If attracting a rich husband would . her lose weight and take better care of herself, then she would not discourage her. She never knew there was more to come.PART 5

A new tenant moved into the compound. Christopher who preferred to be called Chris claimed to be a bachelor and worked as a clearing agent at the port. He was light in complexion and in the eyes of most of the tenants, very handsome. He was tall, averagely built and had a gap tooth. All the ladies in the compound were interested in him. They dropped by his room to collect one thing or the other. Before long, fights began in the compound.

Iya Farida the caretaker called for a meeting about the continuous fights in the compound.

“Oga Chris, is it that you enjoy the fights amongst these girls? Why don’t you choose one girl and leave the rest?”

“Iya Farida, I am not dating any of them. They are just neighbours. Let any of them come out and say I have ever touched her or kissed her before. I haven’t. I have a girlfriend, she is at university. When she comes, all of them will leave me alone. I don’t have any interest in them”

“Have you heard him? Mothers here talk to your daughters. They are the ones throwing themselves at a man who doesn’t want them and they are fighting a lost cause. He is not interested in any of them o. Ladies, have you heard? If you go and meet him you are an ashawo, a prostitute. Leave the man alone”

There were laughter and grumbles but the matter was settled. Everyone departed to their apartments while talking amongst themselves. Iya Farida had dropped a bomb which didn’t go down well with some of the ladies involved but then what could they do?

Farida, now twelve going on thirteen, was fascinated by Chris. To her, she was the most handsome man she had ever seen. She had feelings for him. Whenever she saw him, she shied away. Farida was dark and had never seen a very light complexion guy before except the ones who had different shades of fairness due to use of inferior bleaching cream. Bro Chris was very clean. His complexion was so shiny that she admired it. When he smiled at her, her heart melted and she ran away. He always dropped something for her and her brothers anytime he clears goods from the Port. He brought back toys, plates, biscuits, pasta, can foods, drinks, chocolate, clothes, slippers, shoes and so many other things. He gave other neighbours too but the bulk was always to them because he liked maami.

Farida had begun to run errands for other people apart from the tenants. She goes to the market and buys things for them. She washed clothes, swept compounds and got paid. Her brothers joined her to work too. Their income over the weekend tided them until the next weekend. Public holidays were also a blessing. The new income had helped them a lot. Maami started house lesson in the compound. Her pupils came three times a week. This was another source of income for them too.

Chris asked maami if she knew anyone who could help him with cleaning his house for a token. 

"Farida cleans for people. Ask that useless Ade, Farida used to clean for him before he got married.”

“Why did you call him useless?”

“My dear, you won’t understand. Tell him I said he is useless”

“Ok, ma. So, what can little Farida do for me?”

“Let her work for you tomorrow then you will know”

“She can come. She should come by 10am. Let it be 10am please, I don’t wake up early on Saturdays”

“She will be there”

When maami mentioned it to Farida, she was reluctant to go. Her reason was the way she felt about the man but maami thought it was because of what happened with Ade. 

Eventually, maami taught Ade a bitter lesson. She summoned him to her room and in the presence of Farida warned him never to have sex with her daughter again otherwise she will call the vigilante group for him and make sure they burn him alive. He was also to continue paying Farida for her work. "Anytime she’s in your room and the curtains or the door are closed she will raise alarm for the compound people to gather and call you a rapist". Brother Ade was scared for his life and never touched Farida again. Any young girl that goes near his room, Iya Farida will shout at her to leave there. She didn’t want what happened to Farida to happen to anyone else. 

 She also had a conversation with Farida. “You are now a woman. You became a woman too early but it doesn’t change anything. Do not allow anyone bribe you into using you like Ade did. Do not enter any man’s room and allow him shut the door. Tell him to leave it open, your mother is watching. In as much as I refused to do anything against Ade, I want you to know that it is because of your future. Nobody needs to know what happened; it is our secret. But when it happens again then we are the fools. If anyone touches you in a way you don’t like, my child, shout for the whole neighbours to gather. He will never try it again. From now on you will be wearing mainly trousers; before they can remove the trousers, people have gathered. No matter where it is please, my dear, shout”

That year, Brother Ade got married. Ten months after the wedding, his wife had a daughter for him. During the naming ceremony, Iya Farida walked up to and said in a low voice, “I do not want to curse this beautiful baby girl but if at anytime you touch any small girl like you did my Farida, men will rape your daughter continuously even in your presence”

Brother Ade was startled by her words but quickly regained his composure. He began to make plans to leave the compound before his sins find him. It took him several years to leave.

Farida was smitten by Chris. She loved the way he looked and smiled at her whenever he saw her. He was her first crush. She talked about him to her friends in school that they came around to catch a glimpse of him. They were not disappointed. She was to start work with him with him the next day, how would she cope.

Farida was worried about meeting with him one on one and being alone with him while she did the household chores. Early the next morning, she got ready and wore her best clothes to his house. It was about 7:00am she boldly knocked on his door. There was no reply. She knocked severally before she heard someone grumble and then the door opened. Brother Chris was topless and had on only shorts. He had several black curly hairs on his chest. She thought she would faint at that sight but surprisingly, she kept a straight face. When she looked at his face, he didn’t look happy to see her. “I thought I told your mother you should come by 10:00am. Why did you wake me up from sleep?” he asked.

Farida calmed down inwardly and said, “By 10:00am, the sun will be out and most people would have occupied the lines. I might have to go to the market for you and the freshest items are best bought in the morning. If you give me a list of things you want me to do, I will start from the things that wouldn’t disturb your sleep”

Chris looked at her. He could see she was quite sharp. She was also very beautiful even more beautiful than her mum. She was still a small girl but she was tall for her age and a bit robust. She was a black beauty. This was the first time he was observing her. He liked her. He asked her to come in and take the instructions.

Farida was marveled when she entered his apartment. Her crush on him vapourised and was replaced by the apartment. No wonder all the ladies wanted to kill themselves over him. He occupied a room and parlour self-contained. He had a blue light in the parlour. The walls were painted white with gold shimmery designs. He had a big fluffy brown rug on the floor, three bin bags, a round glass centre table. She was shocked to see a room divder which was white and coffee brown in colour. It housed a 27” coloured television, a stereo, a CD player, and loudspeakers. The door to his bedroom was ajar. It had red light. There was a massive bed on the side of the wall with an equally big mattress, there was a blue rug on the floor and by the side a wardrobe. She couldn’t wait to get in to investigate further.

“Sit down. I can see you came prepared” he said pointing at her notebook and pen she had in her hands. “I needed you to help me clean up the house and wash a few things for me as I send my clothes to dry cleaner. You can go to the market for me. Can you cook?”

“Yes, sir. I can cook very well”

“I am not too sure of that but I wouldn’t mind you making stew for me and maybe something simple like Egusi soup. Can you make that?”

“I can cook any soup. My friends are Igbo, Calabar, Hausa and I help their mothers cook at home so I can cook. Trust me”

Truly, she was sharp. He told her to write the list of things she would need to cook and clean so she could buy them at once. He estimated she would be back after an hour so he could nap a bit more.

Farida was back in 40 minutes. She stayed outside and prepared everything she would need to cook. When she was set, she knocked again. Brother Chris responded grudgingly but this time he made himself decent. She entered into the kitchen first. She tidied up everywhere including mopping the floor. Then she put the meat on fire and started working in the sitting room. She opened the windows and door before she started. She was working and cooking. Brother Chris watched her in amazement. She swept the rug in the parlour and cleaned the room divider and all the electronics. She used soapy water on the windows, left it to dry and then used old newspaper to shine them. She took out the things for washing and soaked them. She changed the bedsheet and pillowcases and asked for a replacement. She poured harpic into the toilet and continued her work. Before 11 am, she was done with everything including the cooking. The quantity of soup and stew she made with the money he gave her surprised him because he gave more to other ladies and he would only get half of what he got and not even as tasty. She boiled rice for him to have with the delicious stew she made. He was so impressed by her that he gave her N2000 and asked her to go with some soup and stew. 

“Maami, you need to enter brother Chris house. It is very fine. His kitchen is like the kitchen we watch on telly. He has something that holds plates, another one that holds knives and another one he hangs his frying spoons and kitchen spoons. His cupboard is not like our own. Each one has a door. That is where he put his fine pots and some plates that have a cover. They are very beautiful. He put his foodstuff in another side. The rice he eats is not like our own. The bag is like semovita bag but the colour is brown” Farida went on and on. She was impressed with what she saw. Then she told her mother, “One day, maami, I am going to live in a big house and have everything brother Chris has and more. Even Nkoyo that is living in a flat doesn’t have what brother Chris has. Maami, I want to be very rich”

“It is my prayer for you my daughter. I want you to be very rich. That is why I push you to work hard in school so you will get good jobs and make plenty money”

“Maami, you went to school, how come you are not rich?”

“I didn’t finish school that is why”

“I am not looking at going to school to be rich. Aunty Chioma is always going for interviews, she still hasn’t gotten a job. I want to marry a very rich man. I will be his only wife. He will take very good care of me; not like Alhaji. He will be young, handsome educated and very rich. He will make me happy”

Maami was perplexed at her daughter’s heart desire. That wasn’t what she wanted for her. She calmly tried to make her understand. “My daughter, it is not as easy as that. Ok, what will you offer him?”

“My beauty of course. He will not be able to resist me”

“Farida, what beauty? See you, you are fat. You eat too much. You refuse to rub cream on your body every morning and night as I instruct you. Look at how white your legs are. You walk around on bare feet, look at the sole of your feet how chipped they are. Apart from that, if he is educated and you are not then you do not match. Can’t you see the men that come for Chioma? See the cars they come in and how they look. They know she is educated but you, you have nothing to offer but the beauty only you can see”

 Maami’s words left Farida sleepless. Farida pondered deeply on her mother’s words. She knew she had something apart from her beauty. She was hard working and she learnt things very fast. This should also be a plus for her. But she realized her mother was right. She was twelve and didn’t take care of herself. She was going to be a teenager in a few weeks and she still dressed and behaved like a child. Maami made them rub ori (shea butter) on their body to moisture it but she hated the smell and the way it made her sweat. She and her friends spent most of their saved money on buying things to eat and show off when they went to school. She resolved to change all that. If she wanted to attract a very rich man, she had to take better care of herself, wear clean uniforms and socks, always make her hair neatly every week and stop eating junk so she could lose weight. She also resolved to walk to and fro the market instead of taking a bike (motorcycle) as she does. She didn’t want to rub ori. Auntie Chioma uses very nice cream, soap and body spray. She always smells nice. What she would do is to negotiate with her. She will work for her and in return, she would buy her a nice cream and soap. Her school bag and sandals were tattered. They did not suit a girl who wants to attract a rich husband. She decided to talk to bro Chris concerning them. He could see at his place of work. This long vacation, she will spend less time with her friends and more time working to make extra money to transform herself. Also, she had to study hard. She will get maami to help her with her academics. She was going to be writing her Junior WAEC examination next session so she needed to sit up. She had it all planned and mapped out.

Farida put all her plans into actions. Immediately after her examinations, she went to all her customers and mapped out the time she would work for them. It helped her know how much she would make in a week. She earmarked how much goes to her contribution at home while the rest went to her saving which she put in a wooden ‘kolo’ also called the piggy bank. She met brother Chris and talked to him about the school bag and sandals.

“What is your size and those of your brothers? I have a customer importing school items, I can get some things for you. What else do you need? Water bottle, math set, pencil holders? Just name them, I will get them for you once his goods arrive”

“Brother Chris, God will bless you. I will work for you for free for …..”

“No, you don’t have to. I am getting them for free. He is bringing them for sale and I am entitled to some as his clearing agent. Once his container lands I will bring for you. What is the colour of your school sandals?”

“Brown sir”

“No problem. You will cook Ogbono soup for me tomorrow. You can cook it at your house and bring it when I get back. I enjoyed the last one you cooked”

“Thank you, sir. I will collect the money in the morning”

Farida was ecstatic. She was going to get new sandals and school bag. Even mathset and water bottles. Her brothers too will have new school things. She was excited but contained it in order to keep it a secret for now. She didn’t want others to know about it and then disturb bro Chris for the same thing thereby jeopardizing her chances.

Next was her uniform. She went to check the price of the material in the market; it was affordable. The sewing was the problem. So, she went to the tailor, told her she would come every morning to sweep her shop and then come in the evening to help run errands in exchange for her to make uniforms for her brothers and herself. The woman was amazed that such a young girl could come confidently with such an offer. She agreed, she took her measurement and the measurements of her brothers who were entering JS1. She told her the number of materials she would need for two sets. She swept the shop every morning and stationed her brothers at the shop to run errands for the woman. She took up extra jobs and within two weeks, she was able to buy the materials. 

She needed soap and cream. Auntie Chioma was a nice lady but she was also snobbish. Farida had to look for a way to get her attention. She observed that Chioma stared at Chris whenever she saw him. It used to prick her heart but now she knew what she wanted, the rich husband wasn’t brother Chris. If getting Chioma close to him will get her what she wants then she would use it to penetrate Chioma. She hacked a plan. She approached Chioma.

“Auntie, brother Chris likes you. He said out of all the ladies in this compound it is you he likes best”

“Are you serious? Farida did he really say that?”

“He did. He said he likes the way you behave. You mind your business and you don’t quarrel with anyone”

“Chris said that? Anyway, he is right. I am not on their level now”

“I said let me tell you”

“Thank you”

“Do you have any work for me to do for you?”

“I don’t have. I just got a job I am managing now. The pay is small but it is better than nothing”

Farida thought for a while. Then she said, “I will ask bro Chris if he can find work for you since I know he likes you”

“Will you? If you help me, I will give you whatever you want”

“Whatever I want? Is that a promise?”

“It’s a promise”

“Ok. Consider it done but you must keep to your promise”

“I will”

Farida waited for bro Chris outside the gate to come back from work. He was surprised when she dragged him to a corner to talk to him.

“Farida, what is it?”

“Brother Chris, I need a favour from you”

“Is that why you had to wait outside? What is it?”

“Sister Chioma needs a job and I know you know people that can employ her”

“Does she really need a job? I was under the impression she was comfortable”

“She’s not o. She needs a job and she said she would have asked you herself but she’s shy. Since I am close to you. she begged me to ask you”

“Ok, I know a maritime company that is recruiting. Let her give you her CV, I will submit it for her. She should have come herself”

‘She is shy. I will get it”

“Is that all?”

“That’s all for now”

“Farida, you can disturb. I will do it for you”

Farida jumped excitedly to sister Chioma’s room. She requested for her CV which she gave her with a look of curiosity. Farida took it to brother Chris. To her it was mission accomplished. She just had to wait.

Sister Chioma came to their house three weeks after to thank Farida. She got the job and she was very happy. She wanted to rush out when Farida stopped her and reminded her of her promise.

“I remember. So, Farida, what do you want?”

“I want a good bathing soap, cream and body spray. You will buy them for me. That is all I want.”

Iya Farida was dumbfounded at her daughter’s request. “Farida, how do you make such demands because you helped someone?”

“Maami, we had a deal. I am not asking for too much”

“Truly, you are not asking for too much. Tomorrow, I will get you the soap, cream and roll on. You don’t need a spray for now. They are not expensive. I will also buy you packs of sanitary pad so you will stop using tissue paper. I can see you are becoming a lady and you are self-conscious. I will gladly supply you the items every month. You are like my younger sister”

Farida’s joy knew no bounds. She ran and hugged sister Chioma. She was happy she understood and didn’t back down on her promise and to always supply them made her even happier.

When Chioma left, maami called Farida and asked her what happened. She explained how she used brother Chris to get a job for sister Chioma and they agreed she would do anything for her if she succeeds. 

“Did you use a rich husband to do this?”

‘No o, but I need those things to attract a rich husband”

Iya Farida was speechless. Her daughter baffled her. She still didn’t get the message. She was still transfixed on getting a rich husband. If attracting a rich husband would . her lose weight and take better care of herself, then she would not discourage her. She never knew there was more to come.

STORY CONTINUES...

(Source - IBB MEDIA)