Chapter Nine
774 Words
MARIAM'S POV
My workday has been less stressful today since there weren't many people at the market and my boss was also not there, which made it a more relaxed day.
I had some breathing room without her constant instructions. I arrived home around 5 pm and decided to cook for myself.
I prepared my favorite Ghanaian indomie noodles in the small kitchen attached to my room and enjoyed eating them.
The house was empty when I got home, and I realized I hadn't seen my neighbors around lately.
It's strange that they're moving without notice; I wonder what's going on.
'Great, just what I needed, more mystery.' I thought sarcastically.
Staying in this house can be boring at times, since I have no friends here and stay alone in this chamber and hall room that I have.
I know if I bring anyone here, whether it's a boy or a girl, those neighbors might alert my boss, and I know it won't end well with me.
So, none of my friends know where I live; all they know is that I stay in Dome, a suburb in Accra, but they don't know where exactly.
Dome is where I reside, and I have a sponsor who has been the one supporting my university education. He's also the one who paid the full rent for 5 years for the room I'm staying in.
He said the first four years are for my school, and the last year is for my internship, after which I'll have to pay for it on my own if I want to continue staying here or look for an apartment on my own.
I met this kind-hearted man a year after I completed senior high school when he came to visit my boss at the market where I work.
My boss introduced me to him as a new high school graduate working to support myself since I didn't have anyone to sponsor my education.
Right there, the man asked for my grades, and after seeing them, he said he'd sponsor me to continue my education.
He told me to apply to any school I wanted, and he'd take care of the rest. My happiness knew no bounds. He kept his promise, and here I am, continuing my education with a roof over my head.
He makes sure my school fees are paid and provides any other money I need for school things.
As for eating expenses, I'm expected to cover those on my own, which is why I'm working.
May God bless him wherever he is, and I hope to meet him again to thank him properly.
The ringing of my phone brought me out of my thoughts.
I picked up my phone from the bed, only to see it was my mom calling me.
I waited for the call to end, knowing she wouldn't have much credit, so the call would drop itself.
My mom isn't one for buying airtime. I called her back, and she picked up after ringing for a while.
"Hello, Mom," I said.
"Yes, Mariam," she replied in a smiley voice. My parents are really proud of me and my accomplishments.
Since no one from my family has been to a university before, including my paternal and maternal family, they're especially thrilled.
"Yeah, good evening," I greeted her.
"Evening, how are you?" she asked.
"I'm good, and you?" I replied.
"By the Grace of God," she said. That's my mom - she won't have a conversation without mentioning God's name.
My mom wasn't a Muslim initially, but she became one when she married my dad, so she prefers saying "God" instead of "Allah" all the time.
"Okay, we thank God," I told her, appreciating God's care for us.
"I hope everything is fine; I called to check up on you since it's been almost a week since we last spoke," she said in her motherly concerned tone.
"I'm fine, Mom. You don't have to worry so much about me. School and work are both going well, so there's no need to worry. I've been busy, which is why I haven't called you," I told her.
"Okay, if you say so," she said, and we talked for a while.
Then, she lectured me about not following friends and going to parties, but rather concentrating on my studies to bring a good name to the family and being a role model for my younger siblings.
Have I followed friends to a party before. I wondered.
By the time she was done with her advice, it was almost 7 pm. I freshened up and went to bed after that.
- Writer
