CHAPTER SIX

The next twelve months proved to be the most trying months of my life. I had taken two jobs to help me raise money, pay the bills and also take care of myself and the children.

I had gone into labor five months ago and the experience had been the worst. I had been at work in my day job at the restaurant when I felt the spasms of pain ricochet through me.

My boss – an elderly woman in her late fifties – had been the first one to notice the signs. She had pulled me into her office and closed the door behind us, then sat us down on a hand-me-down couch and made me take deep breaths in and out while she called an ambulance.

The ambulance arrived moments later and together with the woman, they had moved me to the hospital where I gave birth to twins; a boy and a girl.

Now, as I stared down at the kids as they slept in their cot, a sense of pride washed over me. It had been five months since I brought them into this world and although I was nowhere at making things better for them, I sensed that I had transformed greatly.

I did everything now. I took three jobs while Darby – my boss – helped me look after the twins. I still worked with her, but I was more of a close relative now than a staff member and our relationship had grown over the months.

I heard the door creak open and her head popped through.

“They asleep?” she whispered.

I nodded and tiptoed to the door, closing it behind me.

“Thank God.” She signed. “You have to go now, it’s time for your next shift. I’ll take care of the kids.”

I mouthed a ‘thank you’ and took the towel she had been holding from her then disappeared into the only private convenience the restaurant could boast of.

The shower was cold and I winced as the water bit through my skin. The restaurant could not afford the luxury of a water heater so we had to make do with this. Hints of the cigarette Darby smoked was still in the air and it would remain there for a long time. The small window at the corner of the small room did not allow for much ventilation.

I washed up quickly and I was out of the cold shower in no time. I starved myself in the small mirror – the only decoration the bathroom could boast of – and marveled at how much I had changed in the past one year.

I looked the same, only more mature. My hips and curves hid behind long sending hand skirts I had gotten from the thrift store across Darby’s restaurant. The evidence of poverty was not well hidden but I couldn't care less anymore.

Without combing my wet hair, I held it in a ponytail above my head and walked out of the bathroom.

“You should eat something before you leave. I don’t know what that idiot Elan offers you girls but I can hardly call it food.” Darby said.

I sat beside her and began to gulp down the sandwich she prepared large bites.

“Calm down, child. You will choke yourself.”

I nodded but I did not calm down. Time was not on my side and Elan deducted almost half of our wages if we were late.

I gulped down a glass of juice and stood to my feet then bent down to place a kiss on Darby’s face.

“You work too much.” She quipped, patting me on the back. “I hear there’s work somewhere, you should apply.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m already juggling three jobs, Darby.” I complained. “Plus the kids and helping you out here. I can’t take on another one. You know that.”

I walked to the door and Darby followed. “I know.” She said, leaning on her cane. “But this one is different. It’s all those big city jobs that pay a lot and you’re qualified, you said you had a degree in something. You can quit all these other jobs and if it’s taking care of the kids, I’ll help you.”

I struggled with my sandals. “Darby, having a degree does not mean I’m qualified, especially if it's not in my field or related. And these big companies demand a lot from people, you know how many I’ve applied at. No one ever called me.” I hung my bag. “I’m not experienced enough.”

Darby was not giving up. One thing about the woman was that once she set her mind on something, she never gave up.

“At least give this one a try. You never know. If it works out, you can quit working at all these shabby places and find a better life for yourself and the kids. Your apartment is run down already and it’s only been a year, think of what’s going to happen if you spent one more year there. It gives me the shivers, thinking about it.”

I began to walk away. Darby stopped at the door, she watched me as I left. “We’ll talk when I get back.” I shouted after her and sprinted into the busy street.

Being a bar girl for Elan came with its perks and also its downside. On most nights, I earned enough tips to buy drugs for the twins and save some money and on other days – such as today – my only customers were horny men who could not wait to get me in a room.

I glared at a custom whose eyes stared too long and hit off another whose hand was beginning to move to places they did not belong.

I felt Elan’s eyes following me and I knew I would receive a query from him later on and probably pay a fine or two from my wage.

I thought of Darby and her insistence that I applied at the company she thought had a vacancy. I had not touched my degree since I got it two years ago and I had no experience working with any firm or companies. It was why I never took any of my applications seriously or put effort into getting a better job than the small ones I did.

I huffed and closed my eyes, almost choking at the smell of cheap cologne and cigarette air that hit me. I hand clasped my backside, startling me. I turned immediately, hitting whoever it was on the head with the trey which had been resting on my hand.

Cups flew to the ground, drinks spilled and there was an uproar of voices. The man whose head I had smacked with a trey eyed me bitterly and could see a trail of blood from where the trey must have cut him.

He lurched at me and I blocked him with the trey. People were holding him off and Elan had appeared by my side.

He began dragging me to his office where I knew what would happen after. I yanked my hand from his grip, unpinned the tag from my chest and threw it at his feet.

“I quit.” I spat.

He gave me an incredulous look and for a moment, I thought he was going to land a slap on my face. The moment passed.

“You have to –”

I did not let him finish. I had witnessed so many bar fights that I knew how each one ended. I dug my hand in my pocket and came out with a wad of money. I counted through it, removing the amount which would be enough to replace the items which had been destroyed during the fight and treat the injured customer and threw it at his feet.

I did not wait any longer than I needed. I rushed back to my apartment, heaving a sigh of relief as I got home safely.

Darby was sound asleep on the couch and the cot was beside her, the twins were also asleep.

I locked the door behind me and tiptoed to my room. I noted the newspaper clip which had the news of the vacancy sitting, neatly folded on my reading desk and smiled.

I looked back to where Darby slept with the twins and back to the newspaper clip. I knocked off my sandals and settled myself into the chair, picked up a pen and began to write. Perhaps, it was time to drop this chapter of my life and move on to a better one.