THE CAIRO HOUSEMAID

"Mama!" Joy quickly lowered the handkerchief and attempted a smile. "Why are you looking at me like that? I'm fine." Zara knelt beside her. "You've been coughing all night. You said yesterday that you were feeling worse." "It's only a cough, my daughter." "Then why are you shaking?" Joy looked away. That was when Zara noticed the empty cup beside her mother's feet and the untouched bowl of pap on the table. "Mama, have you eaten?" Joy nodded. Zara knew she was lying. Mama, I need to find work today," she said. Joy's expression changed. "Again?" "Yes. I cannot keep sitting at home while you are getting weaker." "I never asked you to carry the whole family on your head." "But someone has to!"The words escaped before Zara could stop them. Joy stared at her. Zara immediately regretted raising her voice. "I'm sorry, Mama." She took her mother's hand. "I didn't mean to shout." Joy squeezed her fingers. "I know, my child. I know." For a moment, neither spoke. Then Joy remove a strand of hair away from Zara's face. "You have always wanted to save everyone, even when you have nothing left for yourself." Zara swallowed the lump in her throat. "Because I love you." "And I love you too. That is why I am afraid." "Afraid of what?" Joy looked toward the doorway, where the morning sunlight fell across the dusty floor. "Of what desperation can make a person do." Zara frowned. "I don't understand." "You will, one day. Just promise me that you will think carefully before trusting anyone who promises you an easy life." "How do you manage to lose something every morning?" "I didn't lose it. The sandal disappeared." "Ah, so now sandals can disappear by themselves?" Tobi grinned. "Maybe it has found a better owner." Zara laughed, and for a brief moment, the heaviness in her chest eased. She reached beneath the wooden bench and pulled out the missing sandal. "Here. And please, try not to lose your entire school uniform tomorrow." Tobi accepted it, then noticed the small bowl of pap on the table. "Is that all we have?" Zara's smile faded. "Eat before you leave." "What about you?" "I have already eaten." He looked at her suspiciously. "You are lying." "And you are going to be late for school." Tobi lowered his eyes. "I can stop going to school for a while. I can find something to do and help you." "No." "But, Zara" "No, Tobi." Her voice was firm enough to silence him. She held his shoulders and looked directly into his eyes. "You are going to school. You are going to study, and you are going to become something you can be proud of. I didn't struggle this much just to watch you throw away your future." "But I don't want you to suffer alone." Zara's eyes stung. She pulled him into a hug. "You are not making me suffer. You are giving me a reason to keep trying." Tobi held her tightly for a moment before stepping back. "One day, I will buy you a big house." Zara smiled. "Make sure it has a kitchen big enough for Mama to cook whatever she wants." "And a room for you with a television!" "And a very comfortable bed for you, so you will stop sleeping like a folded chair." Tobi burst into laughter. Joy watched her children with a smile that did not quite reach her tired eyes. For a few minutes, their little kitchen felt warmer than it had in weeks. Then Tobi left for school, and the familiar silence returned. Zara washed the cups, swept the floor, and changed into her cleanest blouse and skirt. She tied her hair neatly and checked her appearance in the small mirror hanging beside the door. She had no university degree, no wealthy relatives, and no influential friends who could secure her a job. But she had two hands, a willing heart, and a determination that refused to die. That morning, she would try again. "Mama, I'm going out to look for work." Joy stood slowly. "Where will you start?" "Anywhere. A shop, a restaurant, an office. Even a small cleaning job will help." Joy approached her and adjusted the collar of her blouse. "Listen carefully, Zara. If anyone offers you a job that sounds too good to be true, ask questions. Find out where you will work, who you will work for, and what you will be paid." Zara smiled faintly. "Mama, you worry too much." "That is a mother's privilege." Joy kissed her forehead. "May God guide your steps, my daughter." "Amen." "Please," she whispered. "Just one chance. That is all I am asking for." Her phone vibrated. For a moment, she hoped it was an employer calling her back. Instead, it was a message from her mother. Have you eaten anything today? Please don't forget to take care of yourself. Zara stared at the message until her eyes blurred. Her mother was sick, their cupboard was nearly empty, and Joy was still worrying about whether she had eaten. She typed a reply. Yes, Mama. I have eaten. Don't worry about me. Then she put the phone away, ashamed of another lie. She was about to stand when a woman stepped out of the nearby shop. "Young lady, are you looking for work?" Zara rose immediately. "Yes, ma. Any kind of honest work." The woman studied her. "I know someone who is looking for a domestic worker. The family is wealthy, and they pay better than most employers here." Zara's heart quickened. "How much do they pay?" "That depends on the arrangement. I will have to speak with the agent." "Where is the job?" The woman hesitated briefly before answering. "Abroad." Zara blinked. "Abroad?" "Cairo, Egypt." "Would I need to pay anything?" she asked. "The agent will explain the details. "Zara remembered her mother's warning. Ask questions. Find out where you will work. Find out what you will be paid. "When can I speak with the agent?" "Tomorrow, if you are serious." "I am serious," she said. The woman gave her a phone number written on a small piece of paper. "Call this number tomorrow morning. Ask for the agent handling the Cairo job." Zara accepted the paper carefully. "Thank you, ma." As the woman walked away, Zara looked down at the number in her hand. It was only a piece of paper. It was only a possible job. "Did you find something?" Zara opened her hand and showed her the piece of paper. "Not a job yet, Mama. But I found an opportunity." Joy read the number, then looked up sharply. "What kind of opportunity?" "A domestic job in Cairo. The woman said the family is wealthy and that the agent will explain everything tomorrow." Joy's smile disappeared. "Cairo?" Zara nodded. "Mama, I know it sounds far away, but what if this is our chance? What if I can earn enough to pay for your treatment and send Tobi to school without worrying about every naira?" Joy remained silent. Zara knelt beside her. "I don't want to leave you because I don't love you. I want to go because I love you so much that watching you suffer is breaking my heart." Joy's eyes filled with tears. "And what if something happens to you there?" Zara took her mother's hands. "Then I will be careful. I will ask questions. I will make sure I understand everything before I agree." Joy searched her daughter's face, looking for the little girl she had once carried on her back and the young woman who now believed she had to save the entire family. Finally, she pulled Zara into her arms. "I only want you to come home safely." Zara closed her eyes against her mother's shoulder. "I will, Mama. I promise." Neither woman knew how much that promise would cost. That night, Zara lay awake listening to the rain strike the old roof. Tomorrow, she would call the agent. Tomorrow, she might take the first step toward a future beyond Lagos. She held the piece of paper against her chest and whispered a prayer. "Please let this be the beginning of something good." Outside, the rain continued to fall. And somewhere beyond the familiar streets of Lagos, a door was waiting to open. Zara had no idea what lay on the other side. End of Chapter 1.