Emily raced to her work place, she was twenty minutes late she hope madam Lisa doesn’t notice her absence it was hard getting the job and she does not want to lose it at least don’t when she doesn’t have another alternative, she got there breathing hard she got to the dressing room and change to her uniform and move out packing her hair in a bun she hurry to the counter to attend to customers she greeted Lovett

“you are late again madam Lisa was so angry the customers had to wait a long time” she mouthed sorry as she attend to the customer that came in front of her.

soon she got busy attending to customers, but then she noticed Lovett arguing with a customer causing distraction, she move closer to her and ask what the matter was

“He refused to pay for what he brought” she said really upset

Emily turn to face the customer, it was a guy in his late twenties she ask Lovett to switch places with her Lovett move to the another counter and continue to attend to the customers while she faced the man.

“What can I do for you” she asked politely the man sighs showed her the things he brought

“I forgot my wallet and I need the stuff and I promise to come back and pay for them”

“Am sorry but there’s a rule here, we are not allowed to sell to customers without them paying"

"Unless you have something you could put down as a guarantee that you will surely come back with the money” He searched his body for anything he could put down

“Can I put down my coat I don’t seem to have anything on me” he said taking off his coat

“That will not be necessary” she said, she checked the total amount for the goods brought it was $120

“It seems you really need the stuff but please make sure you are back before today ends to pay the money she pleaded and hand over the goods to him

“thank you so much I really appreciate this” he said and leave in a rush he come back again

Emily wondered what else he wanted he pick a paper from the desk and ask her for a pen she gave him one from her pocket he wrote down a number and handed it over to her

“this is my number” he said and left.

“You just allow him go without paying?”

“Am sure he will come back to pay the money he seems to be in hurry to somewhere important” she explain to Lovett who doesn’t see her decision as a good one

“I hope you know what you are doing” she said and they both continue their work they close for the day but the guy hasn’t come back

Emily managed to escape madam Lisa for the account details for the day but she hopes by tomorrow he would come and pay the money, if madam Lisa founds out she will definitely lose her job.

She walk to the subway the bus already arrive and was picking up passengers she ran quickly to join the group of people entering she sat down tiredly she brought out her phone and check for messages from her younger ones there was none

“they must be doing find then” she thought and put the phone now to rest a little before she reaches her destination

she got down and walk the remaining distance home dragging her feet she got to the fast food restaurants close to her house the light was on she went in and met Steve and Louis, both were busy as usual serving customers, she went and join them.

it was past ten when they were free enough to have dinner they all settle down on a table at the corner of the shop they laugh and talk as they eat after their dinner they close up and walk home together.

when Steve got to his doorstep he wave them goodnight Emily and Louis also went in they met Lucy lying down watching the TV, Louis pull her leg down and sit down relaxing Lucy hit him and sit upright as she pick up the bottle on the table to have a drink, but Louis beat her to it they both fight over the bottle they both ended up spilling it all over the floor.

Emily watch them argue she left them to take a shower she came out and met Lucy waiting by the door she quickly run in

“We seriously need to move to a place with two bathroom” she shouted

“Then you should start working instead of lazing about all day” Emily replied her she walk to hers and Lucy’s room she lie on the bed taking a rest from the day’s work, her mind went to the guy she sold on credit for at the store she really hope he comes back tomorrow and pay up she doesn’t like getting scold by Madam Lisa, she’s quite abusive and hot tempered

she remember the guy writing her a number she stood up and check her bag the note wasn’t there

“Maybe she left it at the store she will just look for it tomorrow” she lie back and sleep hoping to get enough rest for tomorrow.

~

The car came to a halt, Aiden pick up the stuff he brought and quickly run into the house he check his time and speed up his pace, he saw Monica cuddling Kelvin he walk to them, Kelvin sighted him and went to hug him

Aiden hugged him back burying his face on his chest

“its fine uncle is here now” he said to calm him down he seems sacred and was sad, Aiden faced Monica and ask her what happened

“I just step out to dispose the bin and met her trying to kill herself and Kelvin, I was able to stop her and snatch Kelvin away from her but before I could do anything further she ran inside her room and lock herself up I try opening the door but I can’t I was scared she was going to hurt herself that’s why I called you” she narrated

“Do you hear any sound from the room since she lock herself up?”

“No” she replied

Aiden moved to the door and knock gently

“sis it’s me open up” he said and knock again still no response he took a brunch of keys from his pocket and unlock the door he move inside his eyes searching for her

“Sis I brought you…….” He stop his sentence when he saw her sitting on the floor with blood stain beside her

“you even have the keys to my room now sounds like I don’t even have my privacy anymore your family seems to be in control of everything you are our life dictator now aren’t you” she said and laugh weakly.

Aiden bent down beside her and check her left arm it was bleeding he brought out the stuff he brought bandage, disinfectant and many others and start applying first aid to her wound

“my husband, there is no way he won’t do that he is innocent and was framed he will never hurt a fly he’s innocent he didn’t do all what they said he did”

Aiden continue treating her arm trying not to let his tears fall after he was done he pull her into a hug

“I believe brother and I believe he’s innocent” he said but was push away forcefully by her making him fall on the ground hurting his bones

“you don’t believe him you are just deceiving me to believe you do you think my husband is a criminal he’s your brother how could you”

she shouted raising her voice too high that Kelvin has to hold Monica tightly due to fear of his mother he hates it when she behaves like this

Aiden stood up ignoring the pain he was feeling and move close to hug her again consoling her, she burst into tears letting herself rest on him after consoling her for more than thirty minutes she finally calm down he led her to her bed and ask Monica to change her dress and make comfortable to be able to sleep while he goes attend to Kelvin

he lead him to his room and tuck him in bed, he wanted to leave since he has to go to office tomorrow but Kelvin begged him to wait till he sleep he pick up one of his bedtime storybooks and read to enable him sleep

“Do you think mum will ever regain her senses and grandfather will accept us back?”

Aiden stop reading the story not knowing how to reply him not wanting to lie or hurt him

“I just hope things go back to normal again I miss our old home” he said and fall asleep shortly too tired to drive home.

Aiden lie down beside Kelvin in bed and before he knew it he slept off forgetting all about the counter girl he promise to come back and pay money to.

He woke up the next day founding himself sleeping on his nephew’s bed he left them quietly and drove back to his house to prepare for the day, he texted Monica and ask her to be extra attentive and make sure such never happens again.

when he got home his secretary was already waiting for him he greeted him as he hurry to the shower to take a bath after two hours he was done dressing up, he sat down to eat breakfast as his secretary read the day schedule to him, he nodded at every word he says not really paying attention

he got to the office and started the day work their company just about to launched their new product and there was much work to do although he had less work to do since they just need his signature to approve documents, unlike his secretary who had loads of work he just came back from a meeting with a business partner when his mind went to Erica and kelvin he dialed Monica number she pick up at the first ring he ask about the two and she told him they are doing fine

“that’s good” he said and end the call

he tried recalling something and it seems like he was missing something but he could not remember what it was, he called his secretary and ask him if there anything he forget to tell him about he answered negatively.

Aiden was sure there is something he was forgetting until got home and pull his tie off at the living room he was about pulling off his shirt when he saw the nylon of the stuff he brought yesterday then he remember promising to come back to pay

"that’s was it” he said, suddenly remembering he quickly buttoned back his shirt, pick up his car keys and wallet he zoom off to the store hoping he was not too late.

The students troupe Into the class trying to get there before the professor, Emily also rush in with them she try getting a seat at the front but it was already filled she look around to see if she could still see a good seat at the front, she sighted an empty seat at the fourth seat she quickly rush to sit there the lecture was sure interesting and at the end of it they were giving an assignment after the professor move out everybody followed.

Emily went to the school cafeteria and met Angel her only friend in school and her house owner’s only child, although they both claim to be friends they don’t have good relationship with each other

Angel always show off the fact that her parents are building owners, she sees Emily as a subordinate who is lowly than her rather than a friend, although Emily doesn’t want to befriend her but it would not be good for her to get on her house owner bad side making friends with her enable them to always pay their rents later than the other occupants she sit beside her and greeted her with a smile, but Angel doesn’t seem to be in a good mood

“Did Neil do something wrong again?” she asked and Angel nodded positively

Neil is her boyfriend of six years but he always cheat on her with different girls anytime it happens they broke up for a short period of time and come back together again,

Emily always wondered what her friend saw in him she has advise her dear friend to let go of the cheat but she refused and claim she was just jealous of her relationship since she doesn’t have boyfriend

speaking of the devil Neil came to join them on the table he peck Angel’s cheek as he sat down in front of her

“Hi Emily” he greeted throwing flirty smiles at her

“I lost my appetite” Emily said and gave him a disgust look before leaving with her plates she drop and look back at the two giggling as Neil kiss her all over.

she walk out and enter an empty class she sat down and play games on her phone she would just stay here until it’s time for her to head to work she stop playing with her phone and think about her life unlike the other girls in their mid-twenties whose goal is to chase after their dreams, find love and probably travel around

she has no such thing as her dream or love rather she wants the best for her twins siblings, she had promise their father on his dead bed she going take care of them she never imagine earning a living could be this hard.

It took two years break from school to enable her siblings stay in school to finish high school and to raise enough money for her last year in college.

It is really hard but still bearable she hope once she graduates she gets a well-paying job, she check her time again she has twenty minutes to arrive at work

she quickly gathered her things and leave hoping to catch the bus before it leaves the station she arrive at work at exactly 4:30pm.

she met Lovett in the changing room just changing her dress she joined her and they both walk out together, they got to the counter and saw Madam Lisa with the two other workers they work the afternoon shift they were standing with their heads bow and their hands crossed behind them

they both quickly walk to them and join the other two “my money is missing and I can’t seem to find it anywhere I check the record and some goods were not paid for, does anyone of you have something to say about this?”

Emily raised her hand and explain yesterday event to Madam Lisa she told her the customer promised to come back to pay up

“so you gave a good worth $1460 goods away” Emily was confused for a minute the goods was not up to a thousand dollars yesterday she calculated them before handling over the goods yesterday

“I think there is a mistake somewhere the money was not anything close to that” she argued but Madam Lisa won’t hear any of it.