The changing tides episode 2

The changing Tides
Days and weeks past with Maria experiencing the same things each day. Every day that came and
went by, she lost hope of ever leaving the streets.
She was doing her work of collecting cabage one day when she met her friend Doro who was
looking all washed up.
“hey! How are you doing my friend you have changed so much in months..” Maria exclaimed
looking at her friend from head to toes. Her short dress going on top of her knees and some flat
sleepers that she could tell she got from Kamwala, Since had seen similar slippers and the dress
on the streets.
unfortunately for Maria, that was beyond her reach. ” if my friend could afford buying a dress for
K40 and shoes for K25 it meant she is doing better by far.” She thought to herself.
What Maria could afford if there was to make a change in her clothings were salaula clothes which
were selling at K2 or K5.
“Yeah, am okey Maria and am doing great too. I got myself a one roomed house for rent in
Kanyama. I told you lets leave the streets and find ourselves business with men but you refused.
Just look at how you are still struggling here,” Doro expressed herself proudly.
“You are even more beautiful than I am if only you can dress up a little, am sure you can make
yourself good money with some guys out there” she added raising her hands.
Maria looked at Doro, her statement seemed convincing but selling her body wasn’t going to be
an option.
“There must be another way out Doro, am not going to do pr-stitution in order to survive, no thank
you” she shrugged sadly.
“Well my friend suit yourself, as for me I found my way out and am not coming back to sleeping in
the streets. Never!” Doro insisted and walked away leaving Maria watching amazed.
She looked at how Doro was shaking her tight behind and lifting her chest as she walked passed
some men and she shook her head.
“Am not going to sell my Body mmmmmh no, ” she murmured and grabbed up the cabbage bag
she had put down. walking away to go and damp it.The following day, the owner of a shop in freedom way where she usually stood for resting as she
awaited for someone to give her things to lift during the day, walked out and looked at Maria for a
while.
“Maria, come here” she called her to her car. She opened the door and sat down in the driver’s
seat as Maria waited to hear why the lady had called her.
“Yes mam” she said, her hands held behind her back in anticipation.
“Maria, how old are you?” The woman asked her finally.
“Am turning 15 next week” Maria answered with grinn which revealed her dirty teeth.
“Maria I have been watching you walk around my shop. Do you have a home or something. ?
Where are your parents? ”
Maria raised her eyes to look at the lady who spoke to her calmly, wondered why that lady was
being concerned about her life. Most people never even bothered to know anything about her. It
was like she didn’t exist and she had gotten used to that. Now being asked some questions which
herself never got to think or ignored cause everytime she did, the pain in her heart raised.
She instead of answereing, sobbed silently in front of the lady..
“Maria, stop crying and answer my question” the gentle woman told her extending her hand from
the car and holding hers.
Maria in her tears looked at the clean hand holding her and went up to the face of the lady
shocked that someone had truly touched her dirty hands.
“No mam.. i dont have a home neither do i have parents. In fact, I have no family ” she said
sniffing.
Madam Margret, the shop owner looked at her and felt compassion. All this while she had thought
the girl she saw outside had atleast some place to stay and probably her parents where poor so
they sent her begging and working in the streets. The new revelation got to her and her heart
sank in sadness as she heard the story that Maria narrated to her. At the end she sighed and
wiped the tears from her eyes.
“Maria, I have no maid at home, if you can please come and work for me and I will pay you every
month. we have a spare room in my house and am sure you will be more comfortable there” she
added with a smile to cheer Maria up.
“Seriously? ” Maria asked her mouth open. She couldn’t believe her ears, her day to go out of the
harsh streets had come and she hoped things would change forever.
That afternoon Maria was taken to madam Margret’s home and was introduced to the family.
Margaret was a widow with 4 children. The oldest son was in the university studying Law and her
second born was also in the university studying some business course that Maria couldn’t
remember so well, the third born a girl was doing her grade 12 and the last born another boy in
grade 10.
After the introduction that evening, Maria was shown her room.
“Am sure you will be okey here. Here, take these clothes go in the bathroom and take a bath and
change.” Madam Margaret said handing some clean clothes.
“thank you Madam” Maria smiled holding the clean clothes she was handed. She presumed shemust have gotten them from her daughter she was calling Muma.
She remained standing when Margaret left and looked around the room. A single bed in the
corner made with clean sheets and a bed cover.
She walked slowly towards the bed and sat on it. It’s softness making her body feel relaxed even
before she could lay in it. Not that it was so much of a fancy bed. But as compared to the card
boards under the bridge, that was so much better.
She went to bath and took her time scrubbing her dirty as the warmth of the water made her feel
so good. She had not had a good bath in a long time. Only the ones she would do from the public
bathrooms at intercity whenever she could find some extra money to pay.
Maria walked in front of the mirrow in the bathroom and looked at her self.
Her rough skin looking much better. She touched her kink hair which was still dripping water and
run her hand down to her face.
She sighed, she had never felt so much clean in a long time and even though the Tooth brush she
was given to use for her mouth left some cuts in her guns, she could feel her fresh breath.
“Maria! Come out now we are going to have supper” madam Margrett called her out bringing
Maria to her activeness.
“Yes mam! ” she answered and quickly grabbed her dirty dress after she wearing a clean one she
was given.
“Throw that one in the bin outside will you? ” Margret asked when she saw Maria come out holding
her old dress.
“Hey guys I have introduced you all to Maria. I want each one of you to be kind to her and help
her to cope as she will be helping us with house work.” Margaret informed her children and the
person who just walked in that evening who she told Maria he was her young brother Paul.
“You are welcome” Muma answered first smiling at Maria and went back to typing something on
her phone.
They all welcomed her and none said much except the youngest child Joshua who asked Maria
where she came from and what grade she was doing.
“Josh, come on eat your food and stop asking so many questions ” Margret scolded her son.
Maria ate her food shly. She was really hungry but all the faces glancing at her made her
uncomfortable she ended up stopping.
Later on Margret, gave her an extra plate in the kitchen and told her to eat. After which Maria
started her work right away.
She went to her room that night feeling postive .
“There’s a God out there after all” Maria whispered looking up the ceiling. she had at least shelter
and food that night and it was more than she had wished for that day. she knelt down to pray and
thanked God for her new home and blessed Margret for her kindness.
A different tide had just passed her life and she was greatful it was a good one. Hoping that
tommorow would turn out even better, Maria fall asleep.