A Weakness Called Love: Memoirs of an African Housemaid

CHAPTER 19: Rabi, A beacon of Hope

Time flew, before I knew it I was sitting beside Rabi, we were on our way back to town. Laraba was taking us to town. This time I do not know where she will be taking me. I know we were not going to Hajiya Kulu's  residence. I was anxious. For the first time in a long while Mudi was not on my mind. I wonder where I will be taken, will I end up like Azeemah or Ubaidah? What will become of me? Who will I work for? Who was going to give me my next ass-whopping? I could only wonder. I was morose.

Rabi was not as sad as alI,
she was chatting with zulfah concocting strategies of men hunt. They even have their love portions tugged at the edge of their wrappers. They were not going to town to play, the girls mean business. It is good they are formulating strategies, the last house Rabi worked for, threw her out, there was so much scandal and chaos. When Laraba took Rabi to Hajiya Hassana's House, Rabi was glad and excited. It was the house she also dreamed of working it. Apart from the rich houses we crave working for, these were the kind of houses girls like me like working for. For the simple reason that the husband was young, He was her kind of man. Coupled with the fact that hajiya and her husband were only married for 4years. As fate will have it, hajiya had recently given birth to her second child and so she requires a maid to help her with the chores and the baby's laundry. Fate was on Rabi's side. Rabi has a golden opportunity to get the husband. Naturally, you will expect hajiya Hassana to be young. But she was a town girl and town girls wait until they are aged before they get married. Hajiya's husband had recently had an abrupt increase in wealth and provision. It is believed that hajiya was the source of his luck because ever since the two were wed, he had been thriving financially. Hajiya was his good omen. So he takes good care of her, after all she was linked to his good fortune. Hajiya felt like an empress and behaved like it. She knew she was Alhaji alkhamis lucky charm and so she made sure she took advantage of her status. She do as she pleases. She behaved like a true new-money, pompous, ignorant and had an exaggerated self importance. Of course she demanded a maid.Alhaji Alkhamis complied gladly, she invited her impoverished  elderly second cousin who cooks and nurse the baby and Rabi who does the rest.
Rabi tolerated hajiya very well, she even praised her and acted like her faithful servant. Hajiya Hassana gave her some of her old used clothes because Rabi had been hardworking and very much responsible. The clothes cling to her body perfectly, especially the top, Rabi is a very busty girl. The blouse were smaller than her but she forces them on, you can see enough cleavage hanging out, she puts on her hijab and hajiya never noticed. She will wake up as early as 5:30 and made sure she finishes all her chores. She took extra care of the husband. Rabi was naturally a neat girl, her few clothes were well Taken care of and she bathe regularly. Hajiya does not wake up until 12 noon. She does not want to be disturbed. Most times Alhaji went out before seeing her and he left messages for Rabi to deliver to her.

Early in the morning Rabi will wake up, make breakfast for the husband while the elderly woman tends to the baby. She will remover her hijab, and take breakfast to him, making sure she nudges or grazes him in the process while averting his gaze. When she talks to him she will bit her fingernails to make herself look innocent, her voice always soft, sweet sometimes even childlike. No matter easy a chore is, Rabi will not allow him to do it, she rushes to relieve him. As if she was his wife, She will bathe and put on some perfume and await his arrival from work. On his arrival, Rabi will go to the door and unveil herself, she ties the veil around her waist and tugs it in her wrapper. She was the first person to welcome him,  She will collect the things he carry and take them to the sitting room. Hajiya and the elderly women were always in hajiya's room.

On one of the days Rabi wore her most fitted blouse that was given to her by Hajiya. She ran to the gate to welcome him, it was that moment that Rabi noticed Alhaji's eyes roaming her body, she pretended not to notice and moved closer trying to collect the nylon that he held, as always, she made sure her hand brushed his while she bows in the process, giving Alhaji a much better view. Alhaji said nothing. Rabi smirked and turn to leave. Her plan was in motion, time to intensify her efforts.
For the next few weeks, the Alhaji treated her differently. He looked at her as if she was something to eat and she loved it.
So, when Alhaji came back the next day, Instead of collecting the nylon bag he held, Rabi Removed his cap and put it upon her head, while she maintains eye contact, Alhaji kept looking at her without a word, He let his eyes feast on her curves hungrily. Unknown to them Hajiya, the acclaimed source of his good fortune was behind them, watching in terror. She was holding a jug filled with cold water for the Alhaji. She splashed the water on Rabi
Without warning, yanked Rabi and threw her on the floor. She wailed and cried while she gave her the beating of her life. "Munafuka, Yar iska"( hypocrite, immiral girl) she shouted. " whore, filthy dirty foul smelling pig" she continued. " help, she shouted" all the while she was beating Rabi. 
" This girl will not kill me before my time"
"Nothing happened, what are you insinuating, shhh! Shhhh!" The Alhaji spoke. His voice came out guilty with an undertone of fear rather than authoritative.
"Please, shhh! The neighbors may hear you" he pleaded
But it was too late, the houses in that area are small and the walls thin. They have no courtyard only very thin duplex buildings to utilize the small lands. If you own any vehicle bigger than a motorcycle you have to go to a public parking ground where you pay an amount to park for the night depending on the arrangement. Everybody in that neighborhood Is  in everybody's business. Even A creak draws attention. Women peer through the window to eavesdrop. Gossip is all that goes around. Every neighbor knows what is in his neighbors pot. So much so that when someone cooks a delicacy the whole neighborhood will be expecting, he will get a generous amount of visitors that day.
The whole neighborhood had assembled in their home, all asking what happened? Alhaji was looking at hajiya pleadingly, hajiya was too angry to care.
Alhaji started, "Rabi spilled water which enraged hajiya"
"She tried to rape my husband" hajiya retorted bitterly.
Well to cut the long story short, Laraba was summoned with immediate effect to take the dirtbag out of the household. The dirt bag being Rabi, insults were hurled, Laraba condemned Rabis behaviors in the presence of both Alhaji and Hajiya. Alhaji was the forgiving victim of attempted rape.
Outside the house, Laraba consoled Rabi. Laraba confessed that she always knew Alhaji had a thing for Rabi, but hajiya being a dedicated visitor to magicians had bewitched Alhaji, hence she had prevented him from following his heart.

In the village, Rabi was seen differently. She was looked at with admiration. Everyone knew was it not for hajiya's dedication in witchcraft Rabi would have married Alhaji by now. She was a beacon of hope to all girls in our Village. She had proved all those Hausa and Indian  movies right, a girl from humble background ends up with a wealthy poise, educated and high class man. She was a hero. A soothsayer in one village professed that Rabis destiny was tied to the city. That this setback was part of her way to a greater future in the city.
Perhaps this will be Rabis chance, well only time will tell. one thing was certain Rabi was on the road trip to her long awaited destiny.