The poor widow - S01 E05

Story 2 months ago

The poor widow - S01 E05

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 5

The Poor Widow Episode 5

After Jecintha moved into the DPO’s house with her children, something unexpected happened. The DPO didn’t touch her for weeks. Instead, he gave her and her children everything they needed. New clothes, good food, clean beds, and even a nurse to check her health. For the first time in many weeks, Jecintha could sleep well. She was surprised by the kindness. Her body was still healing from the pain of detention, and she was still emotionally weak, but little by little, she started to feel like a human being again. The suffering she went through slowly began to fade.

The DPO took her shopping one day. He bought her fine clothes, shoes, and even a new handbag. “You must not look like a beggar,” he said. Jecintha looked at herself in the mirror and didn’t believe her eyes. Her skin was beginning to shine again. Her hair was neat. She was no longer the dirty, hopeless woman who once slept in the market. The DPO spent a lot of money to take care of her. But she knew deep down that he was doing all this to prepare her—to enjoy her when the time came.

Her children were also doing well. They were enrolled in a private school close to the house. They wore clean uniforms and carried lunchboxes to school every morning. The same children who once begged for food now had breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. Junior smiled more now. The younger ones played freely and laughed again. Jecintha felt thankful. She was happy to see her children doing well. That alone gave her the strength to carry on. Even though she didn’t like the deal she made, she told herself that her children’s happiness was worth the sacrifice.

One morning, the DPO called her and said, “I just sent N500,000 to your account. Buy more clothes and take care of yourself. You’re a fine woman, and you deserve to look good.” Jecintha thanked him, but deep inside, she had other plans. She didn’t want to continue living like a decoration in the house, wearing makeup and fine clothes just to please a man. She wanted something more meaningful. Something that would give her peace. Instead of buying more clothes, she quietly kept the money aside. Then one day, she decided to start a business.

She noticed that the estate where they lived had no shop that sold foodstuff. People always went far to buy tomatoes, onions, garri, rice, and pepper. An idea came to her. She found an empty shop directly in front of the DPO’s compound. She went to the estate manager and paid for it with part of the money. Then she used the rest to stock the shop with food items. She didn’t tell the DPO immediately. She was afraid he would be angry. But she was tired of staying idle all day, just looking fine and doing nothing.

When the DPO found out, he was surprised. “I gave you that money to enjoy yourself,” he said. “Why are you turning yourself into a market woman?” Jecintha knelt down gently and said, “Oga, I’m sorry. But it’s difficult for me to just sit and do nothing all day. I feel useless when I’m idle. I love selling. It gives me joy and peace of mind.” The DPO looked at her for a while and then sighed. “Okay. Do what makes you happy,” he said. “But just know I didn’t bring you here to open a shop.”

Soon, her shop began to grow. People in the estate loved buying from her. She was always polite, always smiling, and her food items were fresh and affordable. Neighbours came in the morning, in the afternoon, and even in the evening. She kept her shop neat and clean. The business grew so fast that she had to add more items. She started selling bread, soft drinks, eggs, and even tissue paper. Some customers would say, “Madam, we like buying from you. You’re a good woman.” Every time someone praised her, she felt proud and fulfilled.

With the money she was making from the shop, she didn’t need to depend on the DPO for everything anymore. She still lived in his house, but now she could buy her own things. She even started saving again. She opened a small savings account with a microfinance bank and deposited money every week. It gave her hope. Her children were growing fast, and she wanted to give them a better life. Even if her time in the DPO’s house didn’t last, she wanted to be strong enough to stand on her own again. She was slowly planning her future.

Every evening after closing her shop, she would sit outside and watch her children play. “We’ve come a long way,” she would say to herself. Her children looked healthy and happy. Their uniforms were always neat, and their school bags were always full. The pain of the past didn’t disappear, but she was healing. “God, thank you for not letting me die in that cell,” she whispered one night. She still remembered how close she was to losing everything. Now she was beginning to rise again. She was becoming the mother her children needed.

Even though the DPO still had plans for her, Jecintha’s mind was now focused on something else—freedom. She didn’t want to be a kept woman forever. Her plan was simple: save enough money, rent a small apartment, and move out quietly with her children. She didn’t know how long it would take, but she believed it was possible. Her life was far from perfect, but at least now, she had a dream again. A goal. A reason to keep waking up every morning. And that dream, no matter how small, gave her strength to keep pushing forward.

To be continued