“Claim or assert that someone has done something illegal or wrong, typically without proof.”
Diana scrubbed the floors vigorously, jerking her body with every move. Her back ached, her fingers were cramped, and her nails chipped from the work. The solution in the water irritated her skin. She started using gloves the week before, but the only ones that fit her ripped, and the ones left in were too small or too big for her. So, while the manager ordered replacements for the day, she had to suffer through the burns.
The grass was greener on the other side.
She had to escape this hell hole and make a better life for herself. Months of cleaning, cooking, and taking crap from one ill-mannered person to another was making her look older than her twenty-two years. Her hair was tied into a battered scarf that had seen better days. The clothes she wore were worn and ugly. Granted, she owned better, but she never had a chance to wear them as she moved from one home to another. She couldn’t remember the last time, save for Sundays, that she dressed decently and went out to enjoy the day.
Diana grumbled as she stood from the floor. She dunked the scrub in the bucket and wrung out the mop. The house was spotless. The fridge was stocked, and the pool was cleaned.
The grass was greener on the other side.
She left the room and washed her hands under the tap. The restroom was back to being breathable, but it was only four in the evening. She scrubbed her hands raw under the cold water and applied some lotion to save what was left of her skin. After stashing the cleaning supplies away, she tied up her hair and grabbed an apron from the hooks of the kitchen door. The bell rang incessantly, the cook yelled orders at the staff, and waitresses poured in as much as they poured out.
The grass was greener on the other side.
Meeting her high school friend on Sunday evening was the highlight of her day. But Miracle wasn’t someone she wanted to meet as she was. So she took the time to brush her hair and style it. But then it looked too simple. So she added decorated pins and jewels. She laid her edges and sprayed until it glistened. Unable to spare some money for the salon, she painstakingly took care of her nails. She filed, treated and spread nail polish to cover the imperfections. The best clothes she had were a well-pressed button-up and flare trousers. She wore them well.
The grass was greener on the other side.
Plate after plate she carried out of the kitchen and to various tables. Someone wanted a burger, and another wanted fries and fish. There were orders for spaghetti and meatballs. There were orders for rice and grilled chicken. Diana spent the hours on her feet. Her only “break” was when she took the trash outside to dispose of them. Gratefully, they didn’t break when she hauled them above her head to toss them into the bin. She leaned against the wall, her body aching and barely able to stand. Work was to be done, but she remained for a few minutes to watch the stars in the sky. It was almost ten. Soon her shift would end, and she could get home to sleep. Or maybe she’d stay in front of the television instead and watch whatever was on until she fell asleep. The possibilities were endless, she thought dryly.
The grass was greener on the other side.
That was what Miracle said when Diana asked her how living abroad was. Her friend gushed about the weather, her lovely apartment, the job that paid three thousand dollars a month, her gym membership, and the hair stylist she preached was a godsend for what made her hair so healthy. Diana said her job was alright and the hours were good to her. Miracle congratulated her and laughed, saying she wished her hours were as agreeable. Miracle talked about getting a new job. One where she could work from home. She said possibilities were there. She only needed the right time and the right start.
Life back home had been difficult, Miracle had said. She envied how things worked out for Diana, and she had everything figured out, but things hadn’t worked out for her. The economic situation was hell, and the landlords were as corrupt as the governors. Everyone was always finding ways to take advantage of others to better themselves. Miracle said she was always on the losing end. That was until she went abroad. Life over there was so much better. The landlord was a sensible man. Her neighbours were much like her. They liked to keep to themselves and lived peacefully in their apartment.
The grass was greener on the other side.
The lights were out when Diana arrived home. She used her phone to find the keyhole and let herself into her apartment. The family on the right were mercifully quiet. She wasn’t sure she could deal with their rowdiness, especially on a night when she had run out of Panadol. She opened her windows wide and hooked them with a piece of wood. What little air could come in from the windows, she welcomed. The fridge was nearly empty. She needed to scrape around what she could by the weekend and see what she could buy at the farmers market.
Without the lights, she warmed her meal on the stove and hurdled on the floor to watch videos on her phone. She sat on the worn carpet until exhaustion stole over her and she stretched out on the sofa.
Tomorrow was another day.
She would call home when she woke up. She’d be turning twenty-four after all.
The grass was greener on the other side.
Was what she told her mother when she called. Moving had been good, she assured after the hail of birthday wishes. It had been the best decision she ever made.
