Nina* is from the Philippines.
She is extremely pretty with rosy red lips, long needle-straight hair, and full cheeks.
She works as a maid in Muscat, dresses up like a teenager, and is generally happy.
She sometimes passes by our house in the evenings when she takes her employer's dogs for a walk. We exchange notes about flower arranging and how to care for cats.
Then suddenly, I didn't see Nina for a month.
"Hey, Nina, hope all is well," I texted.
"Madam, I am not well. That's why you did not see me for long" came her reply.
The next day, as I passed by her employer's house, I saw her outside. She was wearing a grey hooded jacket and watering the plants.
"Nina, how are you?" I waved to her.
She kept the watering can down and came closer.
"Madam, I am pregnant. I do not think my boyfriend wants to take responsibility for this baby. I will go to Thailand with my employer's family next week. From there I will go to Philippines. Maybe I will not come back."
Her tone was neither sad nor happy.
It was Christmas time and we were going home on a holiday too. We thought of giving her some money as a gift. She couldn't thank us enough and promised to keep in touch.
A week after we came back in the New Year, I saw Nina watering the plants. She wore a bright pink t-shirt and white tights.
"Hello, Madam! How are you?" she asked.
"Nina, is everything ok with you?"
"Yes, Madam, I am busy right now. I will come to meet you in the afternoon."
S and I were having lunch when Nina rang the doorbell. We told her to join us at the table which she gladly did. She expressed appreciation for our simple rice and curry fare.
"I lost my babies. They were twins."
We consoled her and told her to go on with her life. She had stoically accepted the pain already so she just nodded.
She gave me a big hug and handed me a plastic bag.
"Here is something for you all. Consider it as a New Year's gift."
Inside was a purple blouse, a Thai massaging tool, a handmade soap, a purse with two cheerful elephants on it, and a heart-shaped souvenir.
"Nina, why?" I asked.
"Madam, I like to give too" she said as she waved goodbye.
We saw Nina again on the evening of the total lunar eclipse. She stood with us for a while waiting for the moon to set aside its earthly veil.
Then she climbed a bottlebrush tree and sat on its branch.
The light of the moon reflected on her full round face.
*Name changed to protect privacy
She is extremely pretty with rosy red lips, long needle-straight hair, and full cheeks.
She works as a maid in Muscat, dresses up like a teenager, and is generally happy.
She sometimes passes by our house in the evenings when she takes her employer's dogs for a walk. We exchange notes about flower arranging and how to care for cats.
Then suddenly, I didn't see Nina for a month.
"Hey, Nina, hope all is well," I texted.
"Madam, I am not well. That's why you did not see me for long" came her reply.
The next day, as I passed by her employer's house, I saw her outside. She was wearing a grey hooded jacket and watering the plants.
"Nina, how are you?" I waved to her.
She kept the watering can down and came closer.
"Madam, I am pregnant. I do not think my boyfriend wants to take responsibility for this baby. I will go to Thailand with my employer's family next week. From there I will go to Philippines. Maybe I will not come back."
Her tone was neither sad nor happy.
It was Christmas time and we were going home on a holiday too. We thought of giving her some money as a gift. She couldn't thank us enough and promised to keep in touch.
A week after we came back in the New Year, I saw Nina watering the plants. She wore a bright pink t-shirt and white tights.
"Hello, Madam! How are you?" she asked.
"Nina, is everything ok with you?"
"Yes, Madam, I am busy right now. I will come to meet you in the afternoon."
S and I were having lunch when Nina rang the doorbell. We told her to join us at the table which she gladly did. She expressed appreciation for our simple rice and curry fare.
"I lost my babies. They were twins."
We consoled her and told her to go on with her life. She had stoically accepted the pain already so she just nodded.
She gave me a big hug and handed me a plastic bag.
"Here is something for you all. Consider it as a New Year's gift."
Inside was a purple blouse, a Thai massaging tool, a handmade soap, a purse with two cheerful elephants on it, and a heart-shaped souvenir.
"Nina, why?" I asked.
"Madam, I like to give too" she said as she waved goodbye.
We saw Nina again on the evening of the total lunar eclipse. She stood with us for a while waiting for the moon to set aside its earthly veil.
Then she climbed a bottlebrush tree and sat on its branch.
The light of the moon reflected on her full round face.
*Name changed to protect privacy
