Four

    Faith Smith turned from side to side as she was sleeping soundly on a Monday morning. She had turned off her alarm when it had gone off since she was so tired from the previous day's night party.

She had sneaked in at dawn when her mother was probably still asleep. Her prayer was for her mother not to notice that.

Stirring, Faith opened her eyes after much hesitation and used her left hand to shade herself from the morning sun that whispered through her window. She yawned and stretched as she sat up on her bed.

In shock, she screamed as her eyes strayed to the alarm clock. Just a few minutes to ten. She jumped out of bed and rushed to her bathroom. She had totally forgotten she would be going to work. 

Was there still a twenty - seven year old as forgetful as she was? She should not have gone to the party when it was a Sunday. She was left to ponder on her to confront her strict and mercile boss. She was the type that did not tolerate any negative attitude to work and had always warned Faith several times against resuming late to work.

She was a teacher and expected to resume school as early as seven a.m, but she had failed that. What excuse was she going to give? None. She could not possibly confess where she had gone to.

She hurriedly got into her official dress and practically ran out of her room into the living room to see her mother serving breakfast on their small dining table. 

"Good morning and goodbye, mum," she said as she rushed her way toward the door. 

"Faith, wait. I thought you're not going to work today so I didn't bother to wake you up when I went to your room, since you were so sound asleep as if you had spent all night out," her mother said. 

"Of course not. But, I really have to go now," Faith said and dashed out. Too bad she did not have a car. If she did, she would have gotten to school earlier. 

Thirty minutes later, she was standing before Madam Nita, the proprietress and founder of Our Future Foundation group of schools. Her breathing was not even as she awaited her judgement. 

The woman eyed her with disappointment. She had refused to tear her gaze from her l through her explanation on the reason she was late that time around. It was not her first time of being late and giving her lame excuses. She did not buy her excuse, anyway.  "So, you're saying that you are almost three hours late because you were reading all through the night?" 

Faith reluctantly nodded, not looking at her boss' eyes. 

Madam Nita nodded, knowing what to do. "Okay. You may go." 

Faith grinned and thanked her before taking her leave. She had been scared she would not forgive her and would have even sacked her, but she was wrong. Who said her boss was not nice? She immediately promised not to do that again. 

———

Mrs. Smith exclaimed in shock as she heard the news her daughter had brought home to her from work. The news was in a well-packaged envelope. 

Faith said nothing as she read the shock in her mother's eyes. She'd had no idea that the merciless woman of a boss would have fired her from work after she had told her to get to work. She had worked extra hard that day, almost having her lungs out from explaining topics to her students. She had hoped for forgiveness and did not receive it. 

She got sacked instead. It was not like the woman paid her handsome salary. But how was she going to survive with her mother? Her petty salary was what they had been using to take care of themselves and their expenses. To say life had been easy without her father would be an irony. 

Nevertheless, she cheered herself up, smiled and reminded herself to look for a better job. She just hoped to find one, given the situation of their economy. No connections, no jobs. But still, she assured her mother that she would get a better paying job. 

Her mother started crying and Faith was shocked. She did not see that coming. It was all like, who got sacked? Who was crying?  But she understood her mother. "I will find a better job, mum. It's okay," Faith assured  with faith. She believed she was going to get a better offer. 

"But when? And how soon? That woman is not even ready to pay your accrued salaries," Jane cried without hope. 

"Come on, mum," she rose from her seat and went to sit beside her mother while patting her back soothingly. "I will do any decent job available and earn a living for the mean time. And mum, do I have to scream the name of the person who got fired between us?" 

Jane looked up at her daughter,trying to comprehend what she was saying. 

"I am the one that's supposed to be moody and you're supposed to be telling me to stop crying, why are we switching roles?" Faith broadened. 

"Had it been your father was here? I wish he had not left us—," Jane was saying in tears before her daughter cut in. 

"Stop, mum. We are doing well without dad and we will continue to do well. We don't need his help whatsoever," Faith said in annoyance, then hugged her mother. 

Her mother should just forget about her father. He had made his choice. She would make sure her mother would live well without him. He should just remain with the woman he had left them for without turning back. 

How cruel of him! And he never looked back. Did he perhaps think she and her mother were going to ask for his help or the help of his rich woman? Over her dead body would she allow that to happen. She would rather search any nooks and crannies to get herself any job to cater for her mother. 

It was just a pity that most Nigerian graduates were out there roaming the streets with their certificates, but without any job. 

She just hoped she would be lucky to find one.