??HEART DOCTOR?????
Written by, Rejoice Jeremiah. C
EPISODE 7
[The Secret]
Amanda made Desmond’s dinner and then carried Odeya upstairs to her bedroom.
She knew it was punishment she was going in to face.
Immediately she dropped Odeya on the bed, Odeya said, “Your punishment starts now.”
Amanda sighed. “I’m hungry.”
“You can’t eat when you are on punishment.” Odeya said.
Amanda sighed. “You are so unfair.”
“I know… At least I was kind enough not to tell my dad about it.” Deya said.
“Fine. I will sing the poems.” Amanda said.
Amanda began.
?Twinkle twinkle little star,
How I wonder what you are-
“You sang that yesterday.” Deya cut her short.
“It doesn’t matter. How do you expect me to sing fifty different poems for you.” Amanda said.
“Because it’s a punishment. A punishment is a punishment, it doesn’t matter how unfair it is.” Deya said.
“Why not give me another punishment?” Amanda asked.
“There’s no other punishment greater than this.” she said.
Amanda sighed then an idea popped into her head. “Do you want me to keep your secret?” she asked.
Odeya tilted her head. “What secret?”
Amanda smiled and walked closer. “You like Jeremy.” she said.
Odeya suddenly got scared by that. Jeremy must know that she likes him and want to be his friend.
“No way. What are you planing to do?” she asked Amanda who was surprised to see the sudden fear written in Odeya’s eyes.
She stepped back as her hands went akimbo. “Uhm well I was thinking of telling him about it tomorrow.”
“No way!!” Odeya shouted.
Amanda smiled. “Then what if you stop being a little sassy to me and I will keep your little secret safe with me.”
Odeya scoffed. “Really? Are you threatening me?”
“Of course not. I just want you to stop being a little sassy.” Amanda said.
“I can’t stop and you dare not threaten me. I’m gonna tell my dad to fire you.” Deya said.
Amanda smiled. “Do you think sacking me will keep your secret safe? Oh no dear Deya. I would go right to the school and still tell it to him.” Amanda said.
Deya became speechless as thoughts ran through her little mind.
If she tells Jeremy then the whole class will laugh at her.
She had told Jeremy on Friday and even yesterday that she wouldn’t wanna make friends with a black pot like him.
No, he must find that she like him.
Amanda grinned. “Are you not going to say something Deya?”
“Fine! Don’t! Don’t tell him anything.” she said.
“Then it means that you would stop being sassy to me?” Amanda asked.
“A little.” Odeya said.
“Fifty percent” Amanda said.
“Ten percent.” Odeya said.
“Forty.”
“Ten.”
“Forty.. Or else you don’t care about your secret.”
“Okay fine. Forty percent!” Odeya half yelled.
Amanda grinned from ear to ear. “That’s better. I’m so free from forty percent of your sass.”
“There’s still sixty percent.” Odeya said.
“Well this forty concludes.. No more punishment of hundred poems. No rejection of meals. No insultive words.” Amanda said.
“Excuse me? then what about the sixty?” Odeya asked.
“I don’t know. Just do the ones I said and your secret is safe.” Amanda said.
“Tch.. are you kidding me?” Deya said.
“I’m not dear Deya. Uhm, but don’t worry. I have a nice story to tell you. It isn’t scary at all. It’s very interesting. My mom always tell me folk stories when I was little. I will tell all of them to you.” Amanda said.
“Those would be old stories. I don’t want them.” she said.
“Okay then. I will leave then. Since you don’t want it. Goodnight Deya.” Amanda said and was heading out when Deya stopped her.
“Fine.. I will listen to the folk stories.” she said.
Amanda smiled and walked back. She pulled a seat close and sat down.
Odeya lay down and Amanda covered her with the duvet.
“Here is the story. Once upon a time, In the land of Animals, Tortoise was the wisest among them.
Then one day, A great feast was to be held up in the sky by the sky animals, the birds, the eagles and all the animals that lives up above the sky.
The king of the birds invited the some land animals to this great feast. Tortoise was among the animals that were invited.
To this land animals, the birds lend wings to fly up to the sky for this great feast.
Tortoise was very excited because he knew he is going to have a lot to eat and drink.
The day for the feast came and all the land animals that were invited flew up the sky with their borrowed wings.
They reached the venue and all sat down on one table.
The king of the sky animals welcomed them warmly and asked each of them their names. They all said their respective names but because tortoise was wise and had plans, he lied that his name is ‘All of you.'”
“Why would he say that?” Odeya asked, getting interested and curious on why tortoise would say that his name was All Of You.
“You will get to know now” Amanda said and continued. “..When the time for eating and drinking came, different types of food and drinks were brought to their table and the birds who brought them said to the land animals. “This is for All of You, please enjoy.”
Tortoise immediately rushed the food claiming it was all for him since he’s name is all of you.
He ate and ate all the food. drank and drank all the wines.
The land animals were very angry and went to the king in complain.
The king became enraged and asked for Tortoise borrowed wings to be taken from him.
His borrowed wings were taken from his body and there was no way he could fly down to land.
He looked down from the sky and called unto his wife with a loud voice. “Dear wife, bring out all the soft property we have in the house. I am going to fall down from this sky because my borrowed wings had been taken from me. But the wife didn’t hear what he said. She thought he said to bring out all the plates, pots, spoons and basins in the house because he’s flying down with excess food and drinks.
When Tortoise saw her bring out all the things. He thought it was actually the soft things so off he fell from the sky and when he landed on the hard, iron things, his back broke leaving him with shattered back.
That is why every tortoise have cracked backs.” Amanda finished and Odeya laughed.
“That was so stupid of tortoise.” she said.
“Yes it was. And the story teaches that greediness isn’t a good character.” Amanda said.
“Did you enjoy the story?” She asked Odeya.
“It wasn’t interesting.” Odeya lied.
“Really but I saw you smiling and laughing.” Amanda said.
“I was only laughing at tortoise stupidity.” Odeya said.
“If you did that means you enjoyed the story.” Amanda said.
“I didn’t.” she said.
“Okay then. I would leave you to sleep, tomorrow is school.” Amanda said as she turned on the bedside lamp.
She stood up. “Goodnight Odeya.” she said then walked to the switch and switched off the lights before walking out and closing the door.
At the corridor as she headed downstairs, she met her boss walking towards. His room is before Odeya’s.
She admired the way he walks and the way he dresses even at home.
His built body makes her wonder how long he spends at the gym.
‘He’s totally handsome in all ramification’ She thought.
She bowed when he passed her and when did, she stopped and glanced back at him before turning towards the staircase.
“I shouldn’t admire too much.” Amanda mumbled to herself.
Her stomach grumbled. “Ahh I’m so hungry.” she said, rubbed her crying stomach as she hurried towards the kitchen.
She was happy that idea of ‘Keeping your secret safe’ came to her mind if not, she probably would have still be singing poems by now.
She smiled happily.
?
Desmond opened Odeya’s door and peeped in to see her covered well on the bed. He exhaled and closed back the door before heading to his bedroom.
Entering his bedroom, he sat down at the edge of the bed then carried his apple laptop to work on some business forms.
He wore his glasses.
Twenty minutes into what he was working on, his private phone number began ringing.
He checked the caller but it wasn’t saved.
“How possible? I didn’t give anyone this number recently.” he said as he checked the number. It ended at 677.
‘677’ that number look familiar to him. It looked like he had seen it somewhere but can’t remember how or when.
Nevertheless, he picked it up since it’s his private number. He’s super cautious of it.
He placed the phone to his left right ear and a soft feminine voice spoke from the other end.
?”Hello Mr Desmond Okoye.”
Desmond wondered who it was.
He can’t remember giving any lady his private number recently. He has his business numbers and so he wouldn’t say she’s calling for business.
“May I know how you got my number and your name?” Desmond requested.
?”Actually, my name is Gold Benson. Henry Nosa gave your number to me. I’m sorry I had to call at this hour, my apologies.” she said.
Desmond remembered immediately. It was the lady Henry talked about at the office, but how could he give her his private number?
‘I’m certainly going to murder that idiot tomorrow.’
“Excuse me Lady, I don’t know what Henry told you or what you are tryna do.. I gotta tell you this.. I’m not ready for it and I can’t give you that chance OK. I would advise you to delete this number and go on with your life.” Desmond said.
?”I understand perfectly.. I’m not worried about the way you gonna see me or treat me. I’m ready to face all that. You are the kind of man every lady dreams to be with. You deserve true love and I’m ready to sacrifice all my time and attention in loving you and loving your daughter.”
Desmond sighed. “Stop talking about love. You don’t know me, I don’t know you. Why talking about love to me? I’m busy at the moment. I would advise you not to call this number again.” he said and with that, he dropped them call. Flung the phone away and went on with what he was going.
“That jerk, Henry! I will deal with him tomorrow.” Desmond said.
_________________________________________
Gold sighed when Desmond clicked the call on her. Just then, Chioma walked in.
“Babe, what’s wrong?” Chioma asked, seeing Gold’s face.
“He’s pretty mean.” Gold said.
“Who?” Chioma asked.
“My soon to be boyfriend.” Gold said and smiled.
Chioma chuckled and sat on a sofa in the room.
“You are a box of joke Gold. What did he say?”
Gold sat up on the bed and crossed her legs at the center of the bed with a pillow on her crossed legs.
“Some mean stuff like I shouldn’t call him again and all that but damn babe, even in such tone, his voice was sooo romantic.. Oh my.. God. That guy is fire! He’s body is one in a trillion.. I don’t care whatever he do to me or say. I’m going right to his office tomorrow.” Gold said, laughing.
“To his office? Girl isn’t that too fast?” Chioma asked.
“Excuse me babe, I make hay while the Sunshine remember opportunity come but once. Na who race fast dey reach post. I no fit slow down.” Gold said.
Chioma laughed. “I trust you babe. You no dey carry last.”
Gold smiled. “Na so. If he look my front and my behind finish, he go change him mind fast fast.”
Chioma laughed. “Gold.”
“Abeg, tell me wetin happen today. Where did Collins take you too? Show me the bag, make I tap from your blessing.”
“Of course the best boutique in this city. He knows I don’t wear trash.” Chioma said as he threw the bag at Gold.
“The red dress inside is yours.” Chioma said.
“Woahhhhhhhhhh.!.” Chioma exclaimed.
_________________________________________
Amanda finished eating and after clearing the plates in the sink, she switched off all the lights and headed upstairs to her bedroom.
She entered in, closed the door and fell on her bed.
“Oh, I still have to take my shower.” She sighed as she got up and headed to the bathroom.
She had her bathe, changed into her sleeping wears and lay back on the bed. Just then, her phone rang and it was Ekene.
“This guy again this night!”
She switched the phone to flight mode.
“If it means switching my phone to flight mode every night, then I don’t mind.” She said and dropped the phone.
__________________________________________
The next day, Amanda woke up and made breakfast and Odeya’s school lunch.
Then went to Odeya’s room to wake her up.
She opened the door, walked in and turned off the beside lamp.
She tapped Odeya on the arm.. “Wake up Odeya. It’s morning. You have to prepare for school.” she said.
“Odeya.”
“Odeya wake up..”
“Odeya.”
“Just go away!.” Odeya said.
Amanda came to her ear. “Don’t you want to see Jeremy today?” she asked.
Odeya opened her eyes and Amanda smiled.
“Let’s go to the bathroom then.” Amanda said.
Odeya sat up. “I’m going!” she said.
Amanda smiled.
That morning, Odeya ate her breakfast without complaint. Even though she really wanted to complain and yell at Amanda that the food taste horrible, she couldn’t because of the secret.
She ate her breakfast in silence, surprising her dad.
____________________
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