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The holidays are finally over and everybody is nursing a certain holiday hangover. Apart from these blues, some working mamas are also dealing with another headache- their domestic managers did not return after the long holidays.
Lucky for me, my girl Mwende returned on Sunday, but after giving me a scare. She arrived at 9pm, which is unlike her. Normally, given the short distance she has to travel (Machakos-Nairobi), she normally arrives by noon but on that day she went against her usual script throwing me into panic because she was not picking up my calls.
"That one has eloped with her boyfriend, she will not come back. Just find a plan B if you want to go to work tomorrow," my hubby kept telling me as the time ticked.
The interesting thing is that I was at peace and I knew for sure, my girl would show up. You see, there is a level of respect and trust that we have developed over the years with my domestic worker and there is an unwritten rule that she cannot just go MIA on me without warning me.
"I know my Mwende, if she has quit she would have told me, but if she promised she is coming, she will come," I dismissed my doubtful husband.
And true to her word, my girl arrived. Apparently, the driver of the vehicle she was travelling in had been arrested for speeding and overloading and all the passengers were being held at a police station. The matter was sorted and that is why she came home late. I am glad my wait was not in vain.
Many career mothers waited and waited but their house girls never returned. Funny thing is that these mothers expected the girls to come back after the long holidays, yet the signs were written on the wall that it was over.
To save you that agony of waiting in vain next time, today I will share the signs that your house help may not be coming back:
She carried everything: Yes house helps tend to carry all their earthly belongings when they are leaving for the holidays. But they normally leave those old slippers and a T Shirt. So if you notice even those are gone, she also gone for good.
You were in bad terms: If you noticed that she was always sulky and in a foul mood, she 'ain't' coming back. Perhaps you used to quarrel her all the time or treated her badly.
She never communicated at all during the holidays: If you noticed that since she left for her up country home on December 15 has never communicated - even wishing you a merry Christmas - be warned that she could have left without a bye bye.
Her phone is mteja on return day: It's return-to-work day and on that morning till evening, her phone is mteja. Just move on.
You noticed she stole some things from you: Maybe after she left for the holidays, you notice she disappeared with something precious from the house. That one is gone with the wind.
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