Chapter 16
The first time I met Madam Tess was at a very low point in my life. She left quite the impression but I couldn’t be bothered by it, I was desperate at the time.
When I found out about David and Mikalya, it was very messy. I was living with Mikayla at the time so I had to pack out of her house, taking the last shreds of my dignity with me..
I was the one that felt shamed when they should have been the ones bowing their heads in shame wherever they went.
Being pregnant made things even worse, I took out a chunk of my savings to be able to stay in a dodgy motel for some
months.
When one of the hotel guests drunkenly tried to break into my room one night, I knew I had to get the f***k out of that place. But I did not have enough money for all the apartments 1 was seeing.
It felt like the house prices suddenly sky-rocketed to push me or something.
I was going into my room when my eyes caught a newspaper on a table in the reception, I was bored and did not have a lot of things to entertain me, I grabbed the paper and went into my room,
I finally found an advertisement for a vacancy in the back of it. The price was obscenely low compared to the others I had seen so I eagerly called the number.
I met Madam Tess later in front of the building for a short interview. At first, when I saw the building, I wanted to turn back but I realised I did not have a better option so I walked up to her
She wasn’t smiling. She stared at my swollen tummy and frowned
“My room is not big enough to accommodate an entire family. I don’t want any one dying of heat stroke. Tell your husband to look for somewhere better.” she turned to walk away and I panicked.
“I don’t have a husband.” I say shakily, “I am alone. It’s just going to be just me and the baby.”
She looked over her shoulder and studied me, then she turned away and lit a cigarette. She exhaled and turned to face me fully.
“Come with me,” she said and I followed her into the building. We went up to my would be room and she opened the door, letting me go in first. It wasn’t pretty, and it stank of something stale.
“The last occupant did not clean up well after himself so you might find some gunk here and there.” she said with an air of indifference.
I felt nauseous so I stepped out of the room, she closed the door with a grim expression. “Are you still willing to take it?”
I wanted to say no because it seemed like staying there would probably cause me and my baby to be exposed to diseases not yet known to man but I did not have a better option so I nodded, “I am.”
She spread her hands, “Your funeral. Pay up.” she said with her and stretched out toward me.
I gave her the rent for a year and I watched as she counted it. When she was done, she looked at me with satisfaction on her face.
“Good Welcome to your new home. Just to be clear, I never tolerate late payments on rent.” she said with a look that warned me not to ever find out what she was like when she was angry.
I did not think much of it since the rent was really cheap and I thought I would find a job within the year to be able to pay
the next rent
11 26 Wed, Oct 16
Chapter 16
B
After staying in the building for a couple of months. I heard rumour of the atrocities Madam Tess’ minions committed in the neighbourhood.
There was a time it was rumoured that they cut off the hand of one of my neighbours for owing rent. I am not sure how true that was but I never saw the man again.
I did not get a job as I thought I would and I unfortunately became so broke that I could not afford Madam Tess extremely cheap rent.
She had been lenient with me because she claimed she had a soft spot for children and she did not want to throw a child into the cold streets.
“I agree that I am not a good person but I am not a monster,” she had said.
From reading her text now, I can tell she doesn’t give a f***k about whether or not she is a monster anymore.
I groan quietly into my hands so I don’t wake Candace. I need money and I need to g
-90
get it now but how do I ask Aaron for it.
The only money we agreed I would be getting is my payment after the 90 days are over.
Maybe I should ask him to give me a job? Nah, he would probably laugh in my face and say something like, “You are my wife, you don’t have to work
1 grab my phone and slowly walk out of the room, my brain muddled with thoughts of how to get some money.
I glance at the gold vase in the hallway, maybe I can sell that. Aaron is probably not going to miss it anyway.
I face-palm, “You can’t resort to stealing Aurora.” I mutter to myself. I walk into the kitchen where Beatrice is cleaning the china, I smile at her absent-mindedly, she stops to look at me.
“You can continue Beatrice, I’m just going to stand here.”
“Okay ma’am but are you okay?”
“Uha”
“You have been chewing on that nail since you entered. I am afraid you might bite it to the bone.” she says with a teasing
I glance at my finger which was in my mouth and quickly drop it, there goes my perfect manicure.
“I am sorry to pry but is something worrying you?”
“Beatrice, are you married? I don’t think I have asked you about that” if yes, how do you ask your husband for money.
Her face brightens at my question, “Yes I am ma’am but he doesn’t stay in this country. He is in the Philippines, that’s where lus work is
“Oh, why aren’t you there with him. Is it like a long distance distance marriage or something?”
She chuckles and drops the wash cloth in her hand on the table, My job is here. It pays better than the jobs in the Philippines Mr. Scott is very generous.”
“Can he generously give me some money? I almost cry out but settle for smiling instead. “He is, isn’t he?” I grudgingly remark
She nods eagerly with a wide smile, “So, my husband says I should stay here while he works there.
“What about your kids? Do you have kids?”
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Chapter 16
“They mostly stay with my husband. So I go to see them… before you judge me for being a bad mother or..”
I scrunch up my face. “No, why would I do that?” I am sure you have a good reason for it.”
“Thank you. I do, education in the Philippines is not so bad and if they stay there, the money I send is enough to give them access to the best education the country has to offer.”
“That’s actually really smart.”
She looks down with a smile, “Thank you ma’am, I hope whatever you were worrying about isn’t too serious” it is.
I shake m head with a reassuring smile, “No, I will take care of it. Thank you Beatrice.”
“No problem.”
“Let me leave you to it” I say and walk out of the kitchen.
I suddenly realise the amount of expensive items in the house, even the throw pillow can fetch me more than enough. money for Madam Tess.
Will Aaron miss it? I shake my head to ward off the tempting thoughts. I decide to ask him, even though doing so will kill my pride.
I stand in front of his study nervously, “What if he is not in?”I slowly raise my hand and knock on the door.
No answer, so he is not in. I turn to walk away when I hear him, Come in.” he says. I exhale heavily and open the door. “Hey.” I say brightly, he **ks his head at me, “Is there an issue?”
I wear a look of complete innocence “What? No.”
“So, why are you here? I am busy right now.”
“Uh.” I scratch my cheek as I try to come up with a reasonable explanation for why I am in his study.
“Aurora if you have nothing important to say, please leave,” he says dismissively and I bristle at his tone.
I calm myself down, ‘You can’t get annoyed right now Aurora, you need him, his money!
1 clench my fists by my sides, “I need money.” I blurt out with my eyes closed.
I slowly open my eyes to see him watching me with an amused expression
“I am owing rent and my landlady is not a very patient person. So, I can’t wait till the 90 days are over to pay her. Just loan the some money and you can deduct it from my pay.” I ramble.
He scoffs, “You are owing rent? For what apartment?”
I stare at him coolly, “The one I packed out from, obviously.
He actually looks like he is in utter disbelief, “No, it’s not very obvious Aurora How were you so broke that you could not afford the rent of a dump like that?”
He continues talking about how unbelievable it is for me to owe rent for a dilapidated apartment while I resist the urge to disappear from embarrassment.