If Only I Knew...

IF ONLY I KNEW....

    Story By

Asma'u Sada

The door creaked open, a young lady in her middle twenties, fair in complexion and average of height. Came out of the bedroom wearing a pink gown, her head covered with a small pink veil. She wore a light make up. And darted towards the stairs, shouting the house help's name rudely,"Tani! Tani!!"
 Tani the house help answered and came out of the kitchen swiftly holding a small kitchen towel on her hand. She approached the stairs quickly and bent respectfully as the lady reached the end of the stairs. " I am here Ma," she said.
  "Mts! How many times will I have to call you before you answer? I have seriously warned you about that. Haven't I?"
  "Yes, you have. I'm very sorry Ma," she said apologetically.
 " The next time you repeat that. You will be long gone from this house. I won't tolerate this nonsense. By the way, I told you to iron my blue gown yesterday night but because you are a duffer, you ironed pink gown. What language do you want me to speak to you?"
  ""I'm so sorry Ma. I thought you said pink gown," Tani explained.
 "Will you shut up? don't you dare argue with me. You are such an idiot! Is pink colour the same with blue? I will soon send you away from this house. You have been giving me headache. The lady opened her fashion hand bag and brought out some money, one thousand naira notes. She threw the money on the floor and said to Tani, " I want you to cook spicy pepper soup for me before I come back from the office. Buy the ingredients for the pepper soup." she passed Tani and brushed her shoulder. Tani staggered and nearly fell down, but she tried to maintain her posture. As she nearly reached the sitting room door, she turned and said to Tani," if you like don't finish on time and if you like add too much salt in the pepper soup." she reached for the door and flung it open and walked majestically as if she is a model.
  " It will be ready before you come back Ma," said Tani respectfully as the lady, Safrah banged the door.
 "Hmm... Tani sighed. What kind of lady is this? she is so rude, arrogant, disrespectful and unfriendly. God! She raised her head up and looked at the ceiling. Help me get a better job and leave this house. I am old enough to be her mother but see how she disrespects me. I have a daughter her age. But I lost her as a result of a car accident. She was no where to be found. I don't know if she is dead or alive. Hadn't been she is here, I won't suffer like this." She may be rich. Tani bent down and picked the money. And went to the kitchen to finish washing the plates.
  In the evening, Tani and the gardener were gisting in the garden. She went to pluck fruits in the garden. He asked her about her family. She narrated her story to him. That she was married to a farmer and had one daughter. They were on their way going to their village Muricci in a bus, when suddenly they had an accident. The bus hit a large rock which was by the side of the road. So many passengers died including her husband but her one year old daughter was no where to be found. She searched everywhere but couldn't find her. Tani was lucky because she had few wounds and bruises. The injured passengers and those that died were rushed to the hospital in a nearby town. Tani was in dilemma, she lost a husband and her daughter was missing. She cried bitterly. And was helpless. She later went to a nearby police station and reported about her missing daughter. The police promised to help her find her daughter. Tani was an orphan, and her relatives are living far away from the town she lived. She has no one to help her and she is poor. So she moved to the city in search of work so that she will fend for herself. And in the process, she went to Safrah's house to seek for work as a house help and was accepted by the owner of the house Alhaji Salim, who was kind and love helping people. But he is a business man, he always travel abroad. He hardly stays at house. He left his only daughter with the house help Tani, the gardener and the security guard. His wife died many years ago as a result of an illness. Tani has been taking care of Safrah for 3 years. But Safrah has been maltreating, disrespecting her and make her work all day. Tani wondered the kind of a girl she is without home training. But she was patient enough to bear the difficulties in the house.
   "So up till now, you have not heard any news about your daughter?" asked the gardener showing concern and worried about her plight.
  " No. I haven't heard any news about my daughter. She was at the age of 1, when she was missing. But I made a sign on her right hand when I gave birth to her. I wrote the name of our tribe with a liquid of a black fruit, that will never be erased when it dried. I will recognise her, if I see the sign in her hand.
 "What is the name of your tribe?" asked the gardener.
 "Pulaako" Tani replied.
"Aah!" They had a scream very close to them. They quickly turned to see who that person was. And to their surprise they saw Safrah. She fell on Tani's body and hugged her. She burst into tears and wept profusely. Both Tani and the gardener were surprised. They don't understand what was going on. They looked at each other.
 "What is the matter, Safrah?" Tani asked.
 " Mother!" Safrah said and bursted into more tears and she hugged Tani again.
 "Mother?"asked Tani shockingly.
 "You are my mother! Father told me how they found me close to Muricci village when I was one year old. I have pulaako written on my right hand. Father told me, they found me with it. Pls forgive me mother for all that I have done to you. If only I knew... If only I knew you were my mother I would not have maltreated you," said Safrah sobbing.
  Tani was extremely happy to find her daughter and she hugged her happily. And thanked God. "I forgive you, my daughter" she said shading tears of happiness.
   The End...
(c)Asma'u Sada
Copyright protected. No part of this story should be copied or transmitted in any form or by any means without the consent of the copyright owner(c)Asma'u Sada