“Now, I have to pay back, but I don’t have the money to pay.” Dorothy said in a sad tone because she knew the gravity of the issue at hand and the consequences that followed. “So what do we do Sister Dorothy?” Araba asked immediately.
“The only thing that can give us that kind of money now is the business I do at night. You need to join me so we can raise the money together all else both of us are good as dead when those dangerous people come around.” Dorothy elucidated.
This got Araba thinking. What mess has she got herself into? How can she agree to something she had earlier stood vehemently against? She thought about this for a while, but wasn’t able to come up with an answer. “Sister Dorothy, this problem is too much for me now. Can you give me some time to think about it?” Araba requested. “No problem, dear. I will give you three days to think about it.” Dorothy retorted.
Araba brooded over the issue throughout the day. She was very confused in that, she didn’t know the answer to give Dorothy. “How can I become a prostitute at this age? This is contrary to my goals and ambitions. Come to think of it, what would Mame Pokua and her daughters say when they hear about it. I will be a laughingstock and they will mock and ridicule me. I can’t give them such a luxury. Humph!!! Thinking about Sister Dorothy also makes me sorrowful. If we don’t get this money, these guys will come and attack us. That will also be something I don’t want to experience. Oh God!!! Please lead me out of this situation.” Araba thought.
The heat of the sun was scorching her as she lost concentration. She had made no sale since morning because of the issue on her mind.
After hours of deliberation, she went contrary to Dorothy’s advice. “I can’t pay for her mistakes. I didn’t ask her to take those stuffs from them. Why does she want me to pay for something I knew nothing about? After all, this wouldn’t have happened if she had stayed in the room yesterday.” Araba finally decided.
But, the main problem bothering Araba at the moment was how she would go about the whole thing. Was she going to inform Dorothy she wouldn’t go along with her suggestion or what? Suddenly, a thought occurred to Araba. “I need to run away from her. But where am I running to? I have no one to run to. Anyway, let me take my chances and see what God will do. I will put the things she gave me to sell in the room along with her principal and then leave.” Araba headed to the house while she thought about this.
When she got to the house, she was glad to see the room empty. Dorothy wasn’t around at the time she got to the room. She quickly took her bag and placed the money on the mat. She left the room at once as she didn’t want Dorothy to see her leave.
Araba found herself on the streets again. She didn’t know where to go and was confused. She wondered whether she did the right thing by leaving Dorothy’s place. “Although I don’t know where am heading to, it was better for me to leave Dorothy’s place. I never planned to be a prostitute and I won’t be one.” Araba said aloud.
In the midst of her confusion, she didn’t realize she had drifted into the middle of the street. She was so lost in thought to recognize it.
Meanwhile, a young lady was late to a meeting and was driving at top speed. She needed to get to the meeting in the next ten minutes. Nothing could slow her down. She was making calls too as she was driving and her attention was divided. She didn’t notice Araba had drifted into her lane.
Araba was brought back to consciousness when she heard the screams of people. They had all perceived the impending disaster except the people who were involved. They were all screaming to alert either Araba or the driver. When Araba finally realized what was going on, she was late to take any action. She was at the mercy of the driver.
The lady looked ahead and saw Araba just some few meters from her car immobilized by fear and shock. She wasn’t moving a limb. She immediately applied the brakes on her car and turned the steering in a different direction. The car missed Araba by an inch. The lady managed to park the car on the other side of the road. She got out of her car enraged and headed towards Araba’s direction.
“What is the meaning of this!!!!? You want to put me in trouble? Why would you cross a road like a duffer!! I almost knocked you down with my car.” The lady continued to rant and Araba still kept quiet. Araba was silent throughout the moment. It seemed she hadn’t gotten out of the shock of being nearly knocked down by a car.
“Madam, please come down. Can’t you see the girl is traumatized?” One of the by-standers interrupted. It was then the lady realized she was being mean to the poor girl. “Come to think of it, I don’t even know why she did what she did. Let me ask her. Maybe she is in a difficult situation.” The lady thought as she calmed down.
“Hello dear, what is your name?” The lady inquired. Araba was still unable to speak. All she could do was to allow tears flood her cute pointing cheeks. “Please stop crying. I didn’t mean what I said. Anyway, my name is Rose. Why were you in the middle of the road lost in thoughts?” Rose inquired.
Araba finally stopped crying and spoke. “My name is Araba.” Araba mentioned her name. “Okay Araba, where are you from? Where are you going to?” Rose asked. “I am from Kronkrom and I came to look for my father’s friend, but had since not been successful. At present, I don’t know where I am going. That was what I was thinking about before this incident.” Araba answered.
Rose was moved by what Araba said. She felt bad for scolding her earlier. “There was something more to this girl and I need to find out.” Rose said silently in her head. She really wanted to know more about Araba. She was growing fond of her and was also feeling pity for her. She wanted to help her. “Araba, I am late to a meeting at the moment. I will take you along with me to my work place. You can sit in the lobby while I finish with my meeting so we can talk more.” Rose said.
Araba had none other choice than to accept the proposal. She didn’t have any place to go to, and it seemed God had answered her prayers in disguise.
To be continued….
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