The Apartment

The beginning : Esther’s Story

“Hello?” a voice said on the other end of the line. “Who am I speaking too…”

“Uh mmmm….Es..Esther” She answered, getting nervous.

“Well, Esther,” went on the radio Anchor, “Congratulations, you are today’s winner.”

“Yesss…Thank you….” Squeaked Esther jumping up and down.

“And you get to take two people with you to the spa. Who will they be?”

“Two people…?” She asked surprised “I will take… My friend and My mum” she answered.

“Very good Esther, Congratulations once more. Please stay on the line so we can advise you on how to get your tickets.”

***

Later on, that day, Esther, her mom and her friend Leah, left for the spa. It was a lovely day too. They had a massage, a facial, pedicure and manicure scheduled.

“Ouch! That hurt” cried Leah.

“My apologies ma am,” said the masseuse, “I will do it gently”

“He he he,” Laughed her mom, “You young ladies of today are so sensitive. How will you handle childbirth, if you can’t even take a little massage…”?

“Ha ha ha” Laughed Esther, “Stop it Mom, you are embarrassing everyone.”

The three of them lay on narrow stiff beds in a triangle, with their heads facing the centre. Their Masseuses, worked on various limbs as they chatted along happily.

“We should have lunch first before they do our faces, I hear Facials are painful” suggested Esther’s mom. The girls nodded.

By the time, they made all the stops, it was already five o’clock.

“Oh dear, we had better hurry up and head home” Said Esther’s mom, a little concern was evident in her voice.

“I wouldn’t mind staying a little longer. Besides, it is not dark yet” Leah said.

“Well, we need to go,” Esther added firmly, “you can stay if you want though…”

Leah pouted “If you are both leaving then I can’t stay.”

***

By the time, they got home, Dad was already there. A chill ran down Esther’s spine as they walked in. He was seated in the living room with a belt in his hand.

“Close the door” He said in an angry voice

“Good evening dear….” Her mother started, smiling gently at her husband and stepping forward to shield Esther

“I said, close the door” He repeated standing up. Before they knew it, He was upon her mother, swinging viciously

“I will not have prostitutes in my house.”

” Dad, stop..” Esther begged while trying to pull him off her mother.

“get off, you silly girl, I will deal with you soon enough” He shouted and shoved her with his left hand. His right was on her mother’s neck.

Esther fell backwards and passed out.

***

When she came to, she was lying on the sofa, the house was in disarray and her mom was rubbing her face with a damp cloth. She had a split lip and swollen eyes and her left arm looked funny.

“Mom, we should get you to hospital” she cried out, shocked.

Her mom sobbed….

“Mom!” she said again reaching out to shake her.

“Ouch!” Her mom winced at her touch. “Never mind that, you father is throwing me out. He said to leave before he gets back….” Her mother explained. “I can’t pack like this, please help me” she tried to say it with as much calm as possible.

Esther nodded and got up to start packing.

“Where will we go?” she asked as she gathered her mother’s things

“I don’t ‘know dear, but I will figure it out.”

In short order, Esther was done with her mother’s suitcase and dashed off to pack hers.

“What are you doing?” Her mother asked her shocked.

“Don’t worry mom, I will only pack a few clothes”

Her mother shook her head. “You can’t come with me” She said sadly.

“your father only wants me out and I can’t… take care of you like this.” Her voice broke

“But mom, you can’t leave me with him. You know how he is.”

Her mom nodded. “But he is your father and he loves you.” She added sounding unsure of the last part. “I will come for you as soon as I can.”

So Esther, with a lot of tears and hesitation, lead her mother downstairs carrying her suitcase and handed it over to the neighbour. Her mom had called him and he had agreed to take care of her for the night.

Esther remained behind. Her father did not return for the rest of the night. When he came in later that day, she was asleep. She heard him bang the front door, then his room door. Eventually, all the lights went out and they fell asleep.

***

The next day, she got herself ready for school. On her way, out, she popped in at the neighbours and knocked on the door…

“Hello, is anybody home?” Esther inquired.

“Hello,” said the house girl opening the door.

“Um…Hi” said Esther, “Is my mother here?”” Her heart Thumped.

“Oh, that was your mother last night?” said the girl, a look of sympathy crossing her face.

“Someone picked her in very early this morning. I think it was her brother”

“Oh, Ok…thank you” said Esther feeling dejected. She had expected her mother to be there waiting for her. To think that she left without even saying goodbye. She sniffed, then walked away from the door. A tear fell down her cheek as she walked to school.

***

That was six months ago, since then she had started to write a diary. Mostly because of her father’s behaviour. He had begun sneaking into her bed at night. It was terrifying and painful. She could talk to no one, so she sought out her counselling teacher.

Over time they became friends and then the relationship morphed into something more. Her grades slipped.

***

“What is going on here?” stormed in her father in a full rage.

Esther scrambled into the bathroom to escape his wrath

“So, this is what you are doing with my daughter” Her father shouted. “Is this the education, I sent her here to get?”

“Sir, please let me explain.” Tried the teacher…

Esther struggled to dress as furniture crashed on the other side of the door.

“Esther, Esther” shouted her father, “Get out here right now”

“Sir, let me go, let me go I can’t breathe” cried a chocking voice as more thumps and thuds were heard

She could not face him. She climbed out the small window and ran out of school cutting through an opening created by students on the fence behind the teachers Quarters. She made her way into town and spent the rest of the afternoon there.

As it got dark, she became worried. Afraid of going home, she instead decided to drop in on the neighbour. She knocked gently on the door, sniffling and crying.

The house girl again,

“Can I please speak to Mr. John” she whispered, her body trembled from cold and fear.

The door shut again and she hear whispering behind it.

“What does she want now? ” Asked a harsh whisper.

“She says she wants to speak to Mr. John, madam” answered the house girl’s voice

“Nkt” The first voice responded. “Go and call him.”

A curtain lifted slightly to her left as Mr. John appeared at the door.

“Can I please, stay here tonight” Esther begged, her voice breaking.

“Why? What happened?” Inquired Mr John.

“My Father… My father is angry with me.”

“That is no reason to run away from home.” Answered Mr John. “Tell me why he is angry”

Esther looked away, her face flushed.

She couldn’t.

An uneasy silence ensued.

“Send her home, she can’t stay here.” The same harsh voice whispered from inside the door.

Mr John cleared his throat, trying to camouflage the message. Her heart sunk.

“I have nowhere else to go. I must go home now. Dad will kill me…” she thought to herself.

“I will walk you home and talk to your father” Announced Mr. John. He stepped forward and pulled the door behind him.

“Let’s Go”

They walked home. She waited outside while the two men talked. There was no shouting. She felt hopeful. Then,

“Esther, Esther” her father’s voice called sounding calm

“Yes dad,” she answered running into the living room. “Never stay out this late again,” He chastised. Now go and change and prepare supper”

Relieved, she passed a thankful glance at the neighbour then headed to her room. Behind her, the front door Slammed shut.

***

Months later, her father walked in with a woman who was closer in age to her than him.

“This will be your new mother. Respect her.” He told her.

She nodded quietly, thanking God that he would finally leave her alone. Unfortunately, the new wife wanted to reign supreme.

“…I am not your slave”

Was her favourite phrase. She did not like it when Esther joined them at the table, or ate food she had prepared or otherwise breathed in that house.

Life was unbearable. Eventually, Esther decided to run away.

She found out from the neighbour which uncle took her mother, then used her saved pocket money to buy a one way ticket to his home in Sifa town. She Arrived and discovered that her mother wasn’t there but her uncle took her in.