OH LIFE "I MUST SURVIVE" (EPISODE TWELVE)

STORY SERIES

…Thirty naira gain in a day was more than she ever made in one month.

She kept following her friend and she kept making much gain. She was now sure that she and the children will not starve.

Abebi got her a shop not far from her’s. Adia was afraid at first because the rent was high and she had

to pay for a whole year. But the landlord was kind. He asked Adia to pay every month until she could get enough money for a whole year.

Adia settled in the shop. Her trade grew and grew until her shop was filled. She was no longer a poor woman. She made fine dresses for her children and for herself.

One day she went to her stall in the market. She was surprised to see the stall filled up with rubbish. She knew that the women in the next stall, Doja and her daughter, Rafa had done it.

They refused to answer her as they had done many times. They were neighbors in the market and they were neighbors at home. Adia had not quarreled with them. They were simply jealous of her. They did not know that Adia had a shop in the town centre. They only knew she was not coming to the stall anymore. They therefore thought that she was spending her one hundred and thirty naira.

“When she finishes spending that money, we shall see how she is going to manage,” said Doja

“She will ask her little witch to make her money,” Answered Rafa.

They laughed and called Adia bad names. They laughed at her too when they knew that her husband wasn’t coming home any more. But they did not laugh long.

One day, Rafa went to the shops to buy some cheap material for her dress. She entered a shop and there in front of her sitting on a soft chair was the owner of the shop. She thought it was Adia. She looked again and indeed it was Adia. Tesa came in from the side door bringing in a dish of rich food. A ceiling fan was blowing fresh air.

Rafa nearly fell down. She had to hold on to the counter. Adia saw her and got up to help her “Leave me alone you..,” she couldn’t say it.

When she had steadied herself, she rushed out of the shop. She did not go into any other shop. She did not buy the material for her dress. She ran back to the market stall where her mother was selling all sorts of leaves, roots, shells and bones. When she arrived she was breathing hard. She told her mother what she had seen.

Doja got up and quickly went to the shopping centre. Adia saw her coming and got up Doja stood outside peeping.

“Come in and make your choice,” Adia said.

Doja entered and looked at the place up and down. She could not hide her jealousy. It showed on her face. She saw Tesa in a corner and eyed her badly.

“That is that beggar’s daughter,” Doja said unkindly.

“No this one is my daughter,” Adia answered.

“Tesa, come here and say hello to her,” Adia said.

Before Tesa could get there, Doja had left. Adia heard her talking to herself but did not hear clearly what she.. to be continued on Tuesday.

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