"... and this one, it looks beautiful but will look more beautiful on you, " Michelle brought a dress and laid it on the bed. She was oblivious of Kamsi who had a brim of tears gathered around her eyes ready to fall anytime, anytime.
"I still love this gown. I bought it early this year," she said as she brought out another one.
"look at all these shirts, you can wear them to work as you modify." She brought out shirts on different hangers. Kamsi laughed that she used, 'modify' to describe her growth as a pregnant woman. As she laughed, tears rolled down her eyes.
Michelle turned to look at her, hearing her sniff. She stopped bringing out clothes and walked to the bed where Kamsi was seated.
"Kamsi, you are crying, " she said.
" I don't like what you are doing. I can not accept those clothes. You are pitying me," Kamsi said as she wiped tears off her face with the back of her hand.
Michelle laughed, "Pitying you? Why do you think I should pity you? Are you unfortunate ? "
She stood and closed the door to her bedroom then leaned on it while looking at Kamsi.
"Kamsi, I have tried to be understanding and let you mind your business but I can not anymore especially right now you want to introduce a pity party and refuse what I'm offering you . You are where you are because you chose to be. You chose not to work.
You forgot that we are for reformation. You can not stay without a source of income as a woman . You need to be working no matter how rich your husband is . Even if you don't work for the money, work for dignity. "
Kamsi rolled her eyes, "Please stop. It's not one of those your talks in school "
Michelle was sometimes invited to churches and schools to talk on certain issues. She was good at teaching values in relationships and personal values.
"Stop saying I pity you. I don't, honestly, " she said. She unfolded a Ghana must go bag and began folding in the clothes she wanted to give Kamsi. Kamsi tapped her feet on the floor to a song she hummed, her eyes going round the room. She admired the stack of shoes that resembled a rack for shoes on sale.
"Will you give me a shoe? " she asked, chewing her finger nail.
Michelle nodded while folding the clothes. Kamsi's eyes continued to roam all over the room. Her eyes landed on the wooden cabinet which had different sizes of jewelry box on it. She imagined owning all of that and how she would look wearing things that are expensive. In her mind's eyes, she already saw herself in one of the gowns Michelle gave her , a silver watch that was on the stool and the jewelries Michelle was wearing presently. She smiled subconsciously, revelling in her imagination.
It was like God was paying attention to the wild imaginations in Kamsi's head. Michelle picked out some flat shoes she still used and also packed it.
"Then this," she said, picking a magenta jewelry box from the cabinet, "It's for getting your first job after many years of being unemployed. "
Kamsi laughed as a fresh set of tears threatened to fall. They were tears of remembrance. She remembered how needy was in the past years, how useless she felt staying at home seven days of the week.
The door opened and Ella came in, rubbing her eyes. She went to her mother and buried her face into her mother's leg while hugging the leg.
"Greet God Mummy," Michelle reminded her.
"Good evening, God mummy," she said, hiding her face.
"How are you ? " Kamsi asked.
Instead of a reply, Ella shook her head up and down then left and right causing Kamsi to follow her every move with confusion. Kamsi also imitated the girl's movements.
"It's a lie! You can not say no and yes one time !" Ella shouted. Her sleepiness was now off.
"But you did it, " Kamsi challenged.
"It's only me that can do it. "
Michelle finally zipped the bag she was packing for Kamsi. Tired of hearing the exchange between the two she walked out of the room after saying,
"Both of you better come down and eat."
"She's calling us both of you. It's what she calls Daddy and I too," Ella whispered.
Kamsi nodded with a smile as if she understood what the girl said when she actually did not.