The hope to carry on (3)

I was so grateful we were in February purely because it was short and I could get paid early. I got close with the manager at the restaurant I worked for. She was really nice. When everyone was scolding me when I made a mistake she understood. She was pretty much the only person who liked me there. You see it’s not that I didn’t want to do the job well. I just wasn’t used to that kind of stress. The restaurant was small but the customers came in frequently and we were just two waitresses there. Anytime the cook said I was slow, Mrs. Forson explained that I was just being careful. 

“Fafa, could you come to my office with me?” Mrs. Forson said one day after work. I was just about leave after a very tiring day. I walked as quickly as I could behind her. She signaled for me to have a seat and begun talking. “Are you ok?” She asked. I managed to smile and nodded. “Mr. Wilson told me something very disturbing. He said you should be fired because your papers are fake. I wasn’t even supposed to discuss it with you but you don’t seem like a bad girl. Is that true? I know the money we are paying you here isn’t much but lying to us is not the right thing to do.” She went on. She wasn’t smiling. I almost choked with shock. “Madam I never did that. I told him I only had a Junior High School Certificate and he said it was fine. I even have the original at home. It’s probably because he just…” I started but stopped myself. Mrs. Forson looked at me sternly. “He just what?” She asked. “He asked me to go home with him. When I refused he gave me forty Cedis and kicked me out.” I confessed with tears rolling down my cheeks. “My goodness, Fafa are you sure about this?” She asked. I wiped the tears off my face and nodded but they kept forming. 

The next day was so hectic. Saturdays were the busiest. By the end of the day my feet were killing me. The only thing that kept me going was that the next day was Sunday and I didn’t have to go to work. I planned on spending the whole day with my brother. He was the only person I loved with all my heart right now and if I didn’t show him that love, who would? Mrs. Forson caught me right outside the restaurant like the day before. She was in her small blue car. “Fafa, where do you live?” She asked. “Around Maxima.” I replied with a feeble smile. She opened the door for me. “Have a seat, I’m going in that direction. I’ll give you a ride. Wow, this woman was heaven sent. I rushed into the car like I was competing with someone. 

I wanted to get off at my junction but she insisted on bringing me home safely. When I got home I said thank you and tried getting out of the car. “Wait, I want to talk to you about something.” Mrs. Forson said. I turned to look at her. “It concerns what you told me about Mr. Wilson. What he did was unacceptable, trying to take advantage on a young girl. The manager of his recruitment company is my friend. She had been suspecting him of a lot of things but never has enough proof. I want you to do something for me.” She said. She turned off the ignition and turned back to me. “We have to expose him. Who knows how many people he treats like this? Once things work well, I’m sure the company will give you some money too. I know you need it.” She added. She was right but somehow I had a very bad feeling about this.  

To be continued...