Sarah (not her real name) is a girl I met on Facebook. Coincidentally, we leave close as she's just a street away.
One morning, she called me and said she needed my help. She needed a place to clear her head.
“What's wrong? Are you ok?” Why I asked her these questions, I did not really panic because she did not sound like someone distressed.
She responded, “It's not really something I would want to talk about on the phone, are you home? Can I come over?”
“Sure I am home, you are always welcome.” I said to her in a reassuring tone. The call went off, and I proceeded to waiting for her.
After several hours of waiting, I was already losing my patience, I mean, she's just by the next street what could be keeping her? Well, that was when panic started for me, especially when I tried her number, and it wasn't reachable.
I did not even know whom to call concerning her well-being, I had no choice but to keep my cool and just wait.
By past 4pm, she came with her baby, who is the same age with my daughter. With a smile on my face, I opened the door as I ushered them in.
“So, what did you say you want to talk to me about?” I jumped at her.
“Ahn ah?? You can't even offer me a seat first?” She said with a smirk.
“Oh, where are my manners?” I said to her laughing. I continued with a chuckle and told her to feel at home.
We had barely sat down for 2 mins when I urged her again to speak up.
“I can see you are anxious” she said, laughing.
“Yes! I am anxious because I have a very wild imagination. I need to be certain you have not killed anyone, and about asking me to help you hide a dead body.”
What followed my response to her was loud laughter, she laughed so hard and loud that I couldn't help but join in because her laughter was contagious.
After we've had a good laugh, it was finally time to let the cat out of the bag.
She took in a deep breath and exhaled sharply, then she said she needs a place to stay for a couple of weeks.
“How long is a couple of weeks?” I asked with a creased brow and a slightly bent lips.
“Oh, not that long, maybe two weeks….”
“Two weeks? What happened to your house?” I questioned with a slightly raised voice.
“Well, I just need to give my partner a break because he seemed to be tired of the whole relationship thing”
“Did he ask you to leave the house?”
“No he didn't, he doesn't have to, his attitude says it all”
“What attitude?” I questioned.
“He's always irritated with every little thing I do, always yelling and quick to anger”
“So, is that why you want to leave your home? Does he beat you up?”
“No, no…. He doesn't, he has never even attempted it”.
“Is he threatening you?”
“No, it's just his nagging attitude and.....”
“Go back to your house” I cut in sharply and said to her authoritatively with a straight face
Immediately, her mood dropped, and I started getting a depressed signal from her. I had no choice but to let her stay for just the night, hoping to talk some sense into her.
The moment I told her she could stay for just that night, her eyes lit. She kept thanking me and in split seconds, she called her sister on the phone to bring her belongings.
Imagine my confusion when her sister came in with her luggage, about two big boxes. Like she knew what was going through my mind, she started explaining how she and her baby have been away from home for over a week now.
She went from a relative's house, to her sister's hostel in school but since her sister has vacated for the semester, she needed to go home.
Sarah couldn't go home with her because she's not speaking with their mother, who cut her off for having a child out of wedlock.
I became her only hope and her last resort. I breathed heavily, looked to high heavens and quietly begged God not to let me regret my actions before I finally granted permission for her luggage to come in.
Later that night, Sarah and I had a long talk, what really prompted the talk was that by 8pm, her 10 months old baby at the time was already calling papa.
Apparently, that's when her father comes home and spend sometime with her. After Sarah explained this to me, I got really emotional and told her she needs to go back home, at least for the sake of the child.
“You need to realize that it's no longer about the both of you, but the child involved.” I advised her calmly.
I continued, “For the fact that he doesn't beat you up, or cause you any harm, he takes care of you and the child, I don't think there is any other disagreement you guys can't work out. Couples fight, and they settle, you don't run away with his child, you can see she's already homesick and misses her father.”
I do not wear the shoe and certainly won't know where it pinches.
I was ready to be patient with her if she doesn't listen to me at first, and of course, she didn't as she was still defensive.
“If he cared about us, he would have at least called to know our whereabouts, but it's been over a week since I left the house and not once has he called, instead he asked his sister to be keeping track of me.”
She continued, “He knows how expensive it is to take care of Mirabel (not the baby's real name), but not once has he sent money since I left the house. I am literally struggling here but no, he wants to punish me.”
I smiled as I completely get the whole thing that's at play, their ego was getting the best of them at the expense of the child.
I was already getting tired of the plenty talk so I made her understand that by tomorrow when her stay in my house ends, she will become homeless so let her just use the night to think about her next move and plan well.
Furthermore, I bid her good night, but I couldn't even sleep well because all through the night her phone kept ringing, but she refused to pick up or even silent it.
By morning, we had breakfast, and she started getting ready to leave. I did not bother to ask her where she would be going, but out of curiosity, I asked her if she was aware her phone rang all night, she said yes that it was Mirabel's father calling.
I got confused again, then she said not to mind him, that he's only calling because she did not pick his sister's call all through yesterday.
I smiled and said to her, “hope you now see even when you are away, he's still keeping tabs of you?”
She didn't respond to me, but I felt a calmer energy from her end.
Mirabel's father soon called again asking her whereabouts, she directed him to my house and when he drove down, she and Mirabel went to see him.
They talked things out, and she came back with an improved mood, all smiles and a happy mood as we rolled her luggage to the car.
She got in the car and as they drove off, I waved her goodbye.