A WIFE FOR HIRE
Episode 2
By AMAH’S HEART
“Good morning sir” I heard a soft familiar voice from the back as I stood facing the gas cooker, wondering what to prepare for Angie this morning.
I turned shocked on seeing Oge standing at the kitchen door, I kept wondering how she got into the house without me opening the door for her
Then my memory reminded me of how I gave her one of the house keys before she left my place yesterday. I gave it to her just in case the need to use it arises.
I checked the time on my wrist watch and it reads 8:35am
She is actually late on her first day at work, but either ways I smiled as I replied to her earlier greetings
” Good morning Oge.. how are you today?”
” I’m fine sir, I wasn’t expecting to see you at home by this time.. are you not going to work today?” Oge asked smiling widely as she moved her hands upwards to adjust her hair.
That’s when I actually noticed she made a new hairstyle from the one I saw yesterday
” Yes Oge I am off work today.. I see you made a new hairstyle, it’s beautiful” I complimented and briefly scanned her dressing to see that she is smartly dressed in a flowery mini gown with a pair of black sandals
” Thank you sir… Hope you slept well?” she replied blushing, moved to a stool in the kitchen while trying to strike a conversation with me without even bothering to first ask or check on her patient, Angie
” I see you are cooking.. what are you cooking?” She asked as she sat down on the stool, still smiling
” I’m yet to decide that.. Angie says she wants to take something light excluding tea, golden morn, cornflakes or custard..”
” ..initially I was planning on making Irish potatoes with sauce for her but then her doctor advised against anything tomatoes, yam or potatoes” I continued wishing she could actually suggest something since she is Angie’s nurse
” oh! too bad.. So what’s your favorite food sir? We could prepare that instead” She asked
” It’s chicken stew and rice but that isn’t an option too” I said frustratingly
” Why not? I love chicken stew too.. lets prepare it please” she said and I looked at her wondering if she is suffering from few minutes amnesia
” Did you read the manual I gave you on all of Angie’s medical dos and don’ts? and where you even listening at all to what I said earlier about the doctor’s advise against tomatoes for Angie?” I asked looking intently at her
” Oh! you did?” Oge asked feigning surprise as she continued
” .. I’m sorry sir.. I was just too carried away when I heard chicken stew since it has actually been a while I ate that, and I was also overwhelmed that coincidentally we share the same favourite food!” Oge said remorsefully or so she made it seem
I heaved as I stared at her
” you did not even bother to ask of your patient Angie whom is your main purpose here.. and to be honest I’m not impressed at all Oge” I told her with all sincerity
” Oh! about that.. I checked on her before coming to see you in the kitchen and she was soundly asleep!” She replied but I knew deep down that she was lying because my Angie is in her gym house that is erecteed at the backyard. I personally took her there few minutes ago before I came to make breakfast for her
” Really?” I asked hoping to hear the truth from her
” Yes sir!” She answered still lying confidently
“Okay” I said as I turned to face the gas cooker to put it on after finally making up my mind to prepare noodles for Angie
” Sir I think I will go back to check on Angie again.. hopefully she will be awake by now!”
” No problem Oge.. Feel free” I said gently. As I watched her leave the kitchen to Angie’s bedroom, I kept wondering if I am not making a mistake entrusting Angie’s care to someone who is so nonchalant and tells irrelevant lies too
I continued with Angie’s noodles preparation and I was almost done when I heard footsteps followed by Oge’s worried voice
” I can’t seem to find her in the bedroom sir.. I have searched everywhere inside the house but I still can’t find Angie anywhere” Oge said as she moved closer to where I stood beside the kitchen cabinet
” That’s because Angie is in her gym house.. she sometimes loves going there every morning before breakfast and I personally took her there shortly before you came!” I told her and watched as her mouth open agape in shocck that her lies about checking up on Angie earlier, was long detected
” I’m so sorry sir, I lied about checking up on her earlier.. I just didn’t want to create a bad impression on my official first work day, please forgive me sir” she said apologetically
I heaved as I responded
” Oge it doesn’t change the fact that you just created a bad impression of you and as her personal nurse.. it’s quite discouraging!” I gently said to her as I dished Angie’s food into a flat plate and placed it on a food tray
” I’m sorry sir.. please pardon me this once” she continued pleading almost kneeling but I stopped her midway
” It’s okay Oge.. I did already that’s why I didn’t discharge you immediately.. but please note that Angie is your main priority here so try to be more intentional about it, okay?” I asked to be sure what I am saying is sinking in
” Yes sir! Thank you so much” Oge said and slowly took a sit on the kitchen stool
” can you help me take Angie from the gym house please? It’s erecteed at the backyard directly facing the pool.. I want her to come eat her food before it gets cold” I humbly requested from where I stood staring at Oge
” No problem sir” Oge said and wanted going before I halted her with my question
” I forgot to ask.. are you a fan of noodles? or would you rather drink tea and bread instead? Sorry it skipped my mind earlier”
” It’s okay sir.. I would prefer to take tea.. thank you for asking” she said formally, I guess she still felt bad over what happened
” Okay Oge.. that makes the two of us then.. I am a tea fan but not the noodles fan” I replied smilingly in an attempt to brighten the tensed atmosphere between us, I sincerely don’t want her still feeling bad about what she did
I felt happy when she began laughing heartily before replying
” Ah sir! we are both tea fans then, it’s only remaining to be the bread fan.. okay I should get going to Angie’s destination now before it will turn to Chelsea fan” She said laughing and then left to bring Angie.
I smiled relieved that the tensed atmosphere is clear now.
*********
In a short while, the three of us; Me, Angie and Oge were done with breakfast and moved to the sitting room.
I sat relaxing on the couch with Angie sleeping on my laps, while Oge sat on the opposite couch viewing a television program that is been displayed on the large plasma screen on the wall
I checked the time and realized that it was 10am which is the exact time for Angie’s medication.
I turned expecting Oge to take a move for Angie’s medication as her personal nurse but it seems that she is fast forgetting things.
And here I am thinking that nurses are actually suppose to be more intentional and cautious about people’s health.
I cleared my throat to get her attention and thankfully I got it as she turned to look at me
” Any problem sir?” Oge asked as she turned her eyes to the television screen yet again
” Mmm.. Oge it’s ten minutes past 10am. We both know that 10am is actually Angie’s schedule time for medication, or weren’t you informed by the doctor?”
” Oh! that’s true” Oge answered alarmed, she abruptly got up from the couch and made her way to Angie’s medication box which I kept secured lockedd in one of the sitting room cabinets
” ..oh my God! the keys!” I heard Oge talking to herself
Concerned I asked her
” Any problem Oge?”
” No.. I mean yes sir! I’m sorry but I think I have forgotten the spare keys of the cabinet you gave me in the house, I guess it’s because I was so much in a hurry” Oge apologized for the umpteenth time today
God! I can’t believe this lady is actually playing with my daughter’s health, I thought as I stood up and laid Angie on the couch gently to avoid waking her up.
I walked over to where she stood confused and opened the cabinet with my set of the cabinet keys, took out the necessary medicine for Angie without saying a word to Oge
I guess it’s because I didn’t even know what to say to her
Her performance was not commendable and I knew without a doubt that with such display of nonchalance, she will need to be replaced as soon as possible
Heaven knows I can’t imagine leaving my daughter with her even for a day let alone for subsequent days to her eye surgery.
After successfully helping Angie take her medication, I carried her to my room so we could both take a nap leaving Oge alone in the sitting room
*******
Towards evening, I was awoken by a knock on my bedroom door, Oge’s voice followed afterwards
” Please may I come in sir?” Oge’s voice requested from behind the door
” No Oge! Angie is sleeping and I wouldn’t want our voices to wake her up.. just wait in the sitting room and give me few minutes I will join you” I said and turned besides me to check on Angie, thankfully she was still sleeping soundly
I turned towards the wall clock in my bedroom and the time showed that was few minutes to 6pm
I yawned feeling so hungry, I can’t believe I slept for so long
I gently got up from the bed careful not to wake Angie. I felt pressed so I made use of the convenient room to relieve myself.
After I was done, I opened the bedroom door with the intention to meet Oge at the sitting room, only to see her still standing in front of my bedroom door
Obviously she never left, as she saw me she knelt down immediately
” I’m sorry sir for my attitude today.. I really don’t want to lose the job you’ve entrusted to me.. give me a second chance sir please” Oge said to me already crying
” Oge I never said I was going to sack you or did I?” I asked quite surprised that she mentally figured out that I was planning to replace her
” You may not have said so in words but your countenance shows that you will sack me for everything that happened today.. please sir I am sorry, it won’t happen again”
” Are you sure Oge?” I asked and she nodded in the affirmative while I heaved before giving a reply
” okay if you say so Oge, I will give you a benefit of doubt this last time.. please you can get up now, it’s weird seeing a fellow human being kneeling before me” I said and helped her up
” Thank you so much sir”
” You’re welcome.. and Oge for today you can go early before 8pm since I am home”
” Does that mean I can go now?” She asked happily
” Sure Oge! you can go if you want to do so now.. see you tomorrow then” I said and turned to go back into my bedroom but I halted when I heard Oge’s request
” How about I stay for a while and we talk over a drink at the bar.. I mean to get to know ourselves beyond the work and medication talks” Oge offered as I stood considering the offer
” It’s not a bad idea.. okay no problem let go then!” I said and made to follow her to the bar but I couldn’t continue as I kept hearing Angie’s voice call out to me from my bedroom
” Daddy! Daddy.. where are you?” I heard Angie’s soft voice calling for me
” Oh! My daughter is awake.. I’m sorry Oge you know I can’t leave Angie alone because of her condition.. we will do this next time, I promise” I said apologetically to Oge
” It’s okay sir, I understand” she said forcing a smile but I cared less, my daughter comes first to me
” Thanks for your understanding Oge!” I said and left to join Angie in the bedroom.
As I left, I heard someone hiss behind me or maybe it’s just my subconscious hearing things
I just hope Oge is really sincere with her apologies because as it is now, I am beginning to nurse doubts about her competency to fit into the hired wife I need to fulfill my promise to Angie.
Anyways, I believe that the subsequent days will tell if she is fit for the role of a hired wife or not. For now I can only wait and observe.
