Chapter 5 Last time

As expected, I experienced hell from the hands of Bianca and her son, Eric. Although I tried my best to please them for the few days I have to spend in their house. Bianca tried her best to humiliate me while Eric mocked, scorned and insulted. Each time he came close to me, I would end up crying my eyes out.

Christabel, their little girl would always sneak out of the house to comfort me when she sighted me sitting out alone and depressed. When I had nothing to do in the meantime, I had to sit down outside under the blazing sun or drowning rain.

"I have no power, if I had power I would make sure you enjoyed the best out of this house!" Christabel told me, tears flushed out of my eyes. I really get puzzled at how a little girl like her would have an accurate sense of injustice and sympathy towards a mere domestic maid like me.

We continued chatting, she got to be the only joy I had at the moment, and each time we chatted. Though I have no reason to be happy sitting out and spending my afternoon with neither breakfast nor lunch.

"You can always be great no matter what you face today, you know that right?" She asked in a very firm manner like a grown-up adult. I couldn't believe it was a kid saying this. I nodded to her, and she blushed.

What's she saying is really the truth, I can't continue to let myself suffer this humiliation when I can step up to the plate and be counted. Fear swipes across my mind, will I end up living in the street and facing what Arleen warned, what if my money is finished and I don't see any profitable thing to do. Another thought comes into my mind, if I stay here, I might end up wasting my years in a miserable manner. Bianca and Eric would never treat me well, they may never change. It's a complete waste of time.

"But I'll miss you!" I was forced to say on one of her friendly moments with me. I deeply desired to take her mom and brother by surprise but I couldn't hide this from my little friend, just wished she would keep the secret. "Can you keep a secret?" I asked, she nodded. "Even from your mom and brother? Don't worry it's about me."

"Yes," she nodded again.

"Good, I'll be leaving here in three days, I need to find my way although I'm not sure of how my decision will turn out, neither my life but I have to go. Like you said I can always be great, if I don't go out to find my way I may never be great as you wish me to."

She frowned and tears filled up in her eyes. "Sorry, don't cry baby." I wiped off the tears with my fingers. I didn't want her mom to come out and see her crying, she might think I did something wrong to her and Eric would surely accuse me.

"When are you leaving?" She asked in the midst of tears, no matter how hard I tried to console her, she still cried that she would miss me. Though her family were cruel to me, I was always sweet to her and she reciprocated that kindness each time she got the chance to.

"Three days time." I replied.

"Ahh! So soon?" Just then her mother came out of the house calling her name, Eric followed. I was in trouble, no one would believe I didn't do her anything to make her cry. If she had to defend me it would mean spilling my secret which I wish she wouldn't. It's better to suffer punishment than have my little secret spilled.

"What did you do to her?" Bianca screamed when she saw the tears in her eyes.

"She must have beaten her, that's why she's crying." Eric accused. "I mean what would have made Christabel cry if Ava didn't do something to her, she must have taken her aggression towards us for her punishments against my little sis."

Bianca slapped me, Eric kicked at me. I was beaten severely that day, all I faced with great perseverance praying silently in my heart that Christabel won't spill my secret to defend me no matter what they did to me.

It came out as a surprise that on the last day I spent in their house, which no other person knew, she sneaked into the room I was trying to set everything in place and prepare for my departure. "Take, this' for you." She stretched out her hands to reveal a white parcel. "I got this for you."

My joy knew no bound, I opened it to find money inside, a sum of eight hundred pounds, a huge amount of money for me. I jumped up in ecstasy wanting to scream but she quickly gestured to me to be silent. She didn't want her mother to know which if she did might take the money away from me. The salary she gives me is not sufficient enough to start my new life but this would really do. Christabel told me it was her saving money, the pocket money her mom did give her which she saved. "I just want you to take this token and begin a new life with it once you get out of here."

I couldn't thank her enough, I placed the money inside the pocket of my underwear shorts to be really safe. It however came as a great surprise to Bianca and Eric when I announced before leaving their house in the evening that I wasn't working for them any further. They sought explanations but it was my time to get rude to them. They couldn't do anything to me at this point, Christabel stood beside them watching me with encouraging eyes. It's only the two of us who knew our secret. It was my last time setting eyes on her, glad I kissed her goodbye before now.

A greater missing lay ahead, it was Arleen, the friend I had made in my miserable moment who was sharing the same condition with me, or even worse. We met in the evening before I finally went home to prepare for a new life in the city.

"Today is my last time meeting with you." I said with tears in my eyes. Arleen got so frustrated, we had been friends too soon to part at this time. It wasn't my joy but I had to do this to save myself and my future. I want to fight hard and make it in life so I wouldn't be anyone's slave again. I can't see myself enduring the same miserable condition as Bianca and Eric placed me.

"I'm going to miss you but would I ever see you again?" His question struck me as a heavy blow, it was like the piercing of a sharp sword into my heart. My heart bled for him and I don't think I'll ever cope with this.