How long do we continue?

*YVVONE*

I took a deep breath spreading the last piece of ma'am Elena's clothes on the clothes line outside her house using the clothes peg to hold it firmly.

Finally, I was done with the heaps of ma'am Elena's clothes. How could a young woman in her early thirties be unable to do her own laundry because the washing machine was faulty?

Well, it's a good thing that she's that lazy, how would I have been able to raise three dollars for Vivian's lunch and ice cream today?

Now, all I have to do is to wait up for ma'am Elena to get my pay. My dear Vivian would soon be back from school, she would meet me here and we would leave for home together.

I carried the bucket and headed back to the bathroom, I quickly rinsed the bucket thoroughly in and out keeping the soap back in it case.

I then opened the tap to wash my hands, legs and face before closing the tap.

I returned to the living room and sat on the couch waiting for ma'am Elena, she should be back soon.

After twenty three minutes, I heard some footsteps approaching the living room, that should be ma'am Elena. I quickly composed myself and sat upright.

"You're still here?" I heard ma'am Elena's voice as she entered into the living room and sat on the couch not looking at my face.

"Yes ma'am, I am waiting for my pay." I said looking at her.

"Your pay? Which pay are you talking about?" She asked me.

I was surprised, how could she ask me that? Isn't she willing to pay me after three good hours of washing her piled up clothes?

"My three dollars ma'am, I am done washing the clothes!" I replied giving her a "don't-try-me" look.

"Three dollars for those clothes that aren't clean? You must be such a joker Mrs Yvvone." she said looking down at me.

Did I hear right? I couldn't believe that ma'am Elena had said that to me, I needed to confirm if that speech was really directed to me.

"Sorry?" I asked giving her an uncertain look.

"You heard me right, those clothes aren't clean enough!" She blurted out.

"You don't mean to say that do you?" I asked with rage and anger in my voice.

She gave me a scornful look and said, "I couldn't be less serious, those clothes doesn't meet the standard of my own definition of clean, you should wash them again if you really want your three dollars."

What the hell is this crazy woman talking about? A re-wash after I spent three hours on those clothes? She must be kidding me.

"Re-wash?" I frowned and continued, "If this is a joke, please stop now cause I don't find this funny at all."

Ma'am Elena insulted me with the movement of her eyelashes as she said, "Does it sounds like a joke?"

"Then what could it be? How could you ask me to re-wash the clothes after spending three hours to wash them?" I asked in my shaky voice close to tears.

Ma'am Elena said giving me a sharp look, "I have nothing to say to you, re-wash the clothes if you want your three dollars, period!"

What trouble is this woman trying to create now? Vivian must be on her way back from school, how am I supposed to face her that there's no lunch nor ice cream for her after she had endured hunger yesterday and the day before?

"Ma'am, this is unfair. We agreed on three dollars to do the laundry for you, I already had a budget for that money, why suddenly do this?" I asked with a teary face.

"I don't want you to shed crocodile tears in my house, re-wash the clothes and have your three dollars or you leave my sight!" She replied without having a re-think.

I dried my tear with one of my fingers and said, "Re-washing those clothes means I will have to spend another three hours and I will be paid three dollars in the end? This is so unfair."

"Do you feel offended? Oh don't be my dear. Money doesn't grow at the back of my house, so you should merit your pay!" She said to me bluntly.

I shook my head and said, "Do you mind being in my shoes for once? Let's see if you can do the laundry for someone of your age for three dollars."

"And I am not the cause of your misfortunes! Did I ask the table to turn for you?" Ma'am Elena replied me instantly.

I was shocked, did she know me before? Did she know my past? What does she mean by saying the table turned for me?

"What are you talking about?" I asked curiously.

"Is it not you? Yvvone the one with the perfect life. Everything you wanted was once at the tip of your finger." She said looking down at me.

I was grippen by anxiety and curiousity, what is this crazy woman talking about again? Did she really know me?

I was forced to ask, "Aside from being a person who does your laundry in exchange for money, do you know me from anywhere else? Have we by chance met before?"

Ma'am Elena mimicked me sarcastically before saying, "Who doesn't know Yvvone in the whole of Stamford University?"

The moment I heard her mention Stanford University, I knew she wasn't just blabbing. Was she also a student of my school? I wasn't expecting to be this humiliated by my ex colleague.

I was forced back into the conversation with ma'am Elena when I heard her series of question, "Tell me Yvvone, what happened to your perfect life? Why did you end up doing menian jobs like laundry to survive? What about your perfect boyfriend? Why didn't you ask him for help?"

She even asked of Donald, she must definitely know me well. Why did she choose to pick on me and humiliate me? She must be one of my envier back in school.

I clenched my right fist in anger and frustration, I managed to ask her, "Will you pay me or not? Vivian would soon be back."

"And what business do I have with Vivian or whatever? I think I have made myself clear, I don't have a dime to give you if you don't re-wash those clothes."

I nodded negatively and said, "You can keep the pay but don't forget, the tables do really turn."

I hissed turning my back against her and made for the door.

I opened the door in an attempt to leave only to find Vivian at the other side of the door in a pool of tears. She must have been eavesdropping my conversation with ma'am Elena.

"Vee! What are you doing here? Oh my God! You've been crying a lot, come on, let's get out of here." I said to my six year old daughter calmly drying her tears.

I took Vivian by her arm and took her out. I was about saying something to her when she asked, "No lunch and ice cream for me today again, right mother?"

I bent towards her soothing her long hair and said, "I am sorry Vee, I will see what I can do."

"You said exactly the same yesterday and the day before when I had to skip my lunch. Am I supposed to listen to that same excuse today too mother?" Vivian asked me in a very sympathetic tune.

"Listen my dear, I will d..."

I didn't conclude my statement when Vee cut in, this time, I could feel pure anger in her voice.

"For how long do we continue this mother? I'm hungry! The snacks I took for breakfast didn't help a bit, I couldn't wait to come back so you would get me lunch and the ice cream you promised me, only to listen to the same old excuses again?

"I'm tired! Mother, I am really tired!" She said to me immediately turning her back against me began walking away.

I purely understand her pain, I had promised her that she would never lack but she's skipping lunch and her favorite ice cream, she won't be able to understand me.

I would definitely seem like a bad mother to her now, if not, what kind of a mother gives excuses for her own child skipping lunch? Not once or twice but she does that often.

I was close to tears to see my Vee walking away from me because she's hungry. I'd rather feed her out of her tuition I had secretly been saving at home than watch Vee turn her back against me cause of hunger, I wouldn't be happy at all.

I quickly catched up with her and said, "I am sorry Vee, but I will make sure that you have lunch and your favorite ice cream to your satisfaction today, I promise."

Hearing my statement, she stopped, turned around to face me and asked, "Really?"

"Yes my dear." I replied with a drop of tear on my face.

The tear was nothing compared to the instant relieve and joy I felt as I saw Vee running back to me happily, I opened my arms and she ran into them murmuring, "Thank you mother! I love you!"

"I love you more... I love you so much my darling." I replied her.

I then held her hand as we began walking home. ....