HER NEW BEGINNING

How I love new beginnings!

A new environment. A new relationship.....and a new ideology towards life.

Those were all I needed if I truly wished to follow my dreams.

These where what I got from my safe haven, my grandmother.

I also got......

Three months of labour as the new househelp.

Don't pity me. As you already know, I brought this upon myself. And now, I couldn't dare go back on my words. My grandmother would not let it slide.

I was a good househelp anyway.

It was something entirely new and I got to learn a lot about myself.

Who knew I could cook and clean and still have time to read and watch TV?

Well I didn't because I always gave excuses while I stayed with my parents.

"Mom, I have an assignment to do"

That was the excuse I gave every time I got back from school, like I was the first to go to school.

Now I've discovered that I'm actually very hardworking.

Although I would feel pain all over my body from time to time, I eventually got used to it.

So, three months had passed and I felt my entire world crashing down before my eyes.....

I went to school just fine. So, being the househelp didn't affect me.

But external exams were around the corner at that time. I knew if I didn't make a move immediately, I would not be able to focus on my forthcoming exams.

So I patiently waited for the perfect time to bring this topic up.

"Good afternoon grandma", I said as I walked in from school one day.

"How was school today dear?" , she asked.

One lesson I have learnt staying with her is that,

Do not assume people know what you want when you have not even mentioned it to them.

As she would say......

"Ask and it shall be given unto you....."

That was how I summoned up courage and decided to ask if I may retire from this strenuous work.

"Grandma, it was revealed to me on my way back from school today that I am holding on to someone else's blessings"

What a lie!

That had to be the most spontaneous lie I had ever told anyone.

"It was revealed to you on your way home?"

She definitely looked surprised. She probably believed me.

"Yes grandma."

I was starting to enjoy this conversation.

Only God knew what would become of me if this plan failed.

"So who is the person? What is the person's name dear?"

"A madman", I said.

I knew I shouldn't form a name that didn't exist if I wanted to get through this.

"What?! The person's name is madman?"

"No grandma. The person is a madman"

"But I asked for the person's name"

"I wouldn't know the name of a madman ma"

I didn't know if she knew I was lying but wanted to tease me or if she's actually interested in a madman's name.

"You see the madman simply staggered to my front and told me I was holding on to someone else's blessings. He didn't introduce himself ma"

I lied again!

Now, I was even talking crazy. Why would a madman introduce himself?

"Grandma, I think the madman was referring to Mary"

"Which Mary?"

Grandma was definitely feigning ignorance to frustrate me.

But I decided to play along.

"The same Mary I asked you to lay off three months ago ma. The original househelp"

"Oh, so you're the fake househelp? Anyway, what do you want me to do about it? "

"Grandma, please let Mary come back"

"I asked her to leave already. Do you think I don't have important things to worry about. You too ask her to come back now."

"But grandma...."

"My friend, go and change this uniform you're wearing. There's a lot to do in the kitchen"

I thought to myself that I had to take my grandmother's advice. I had to bring Mary back to the house.

I had to........