THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 11 – 20
EPISODE 12
“Stick to the plan. We would go in there, talk about the good old days. Talk about business, politics and football, and then go see a movie. After the movie we leave.” Pete reiterated in case Ken had forgotten the plan.
“Simple thing that you will do and tell her you’re not interested in a relationship with her, you’re here talking plenty talk. Abeg let’s just go inside and get this done with.” Ken said with a scowl.
Pete looked at him, but said nothing as he took out his phone and set his timer alarm. They both walked into the busy Ikeja mall and looked around for her, “Abeg call her make we know where she dey (Give her a call lets find out where she is).” Ken muttered. He really wasn’t in the mood to see anyone today, not after running into Ella like that. All he wanted was to go home and chill with a bottle of wine while playing PS. He needed to clear his head.
“If you complain again I’ll injure you. You dey crase? (Are you mad?) Who is the cause of all this nonsense? Will I be here had you not hooked me up with her?” Pete asked under his breath, careful not to raise his voice so as not to attract attention.
“Guy, you should stop blaming me already. I didn’t ask you to smash her. She asked about you, I told her you were in the country, I arranged for you both to meet. When did I ever ask you to smash her?” Ken asked angrily.
“If you knew you were right this whole time why didn’t you say this in my house so I’ll punch your face? You’re trying to justify yourself now that we are in public, nonsense.”
“Abeg call her!” Ken reminded him.
“Hello gentlemen! I suppose you’re waiting for me?” Kimberly asked from behind them, while both men turned to look at her. She was standing with a very beautiful dark young lady.
“I figured since Ken is joining us I get him a partner. Meet my friend Prisca.” She said making Ken’s face to split with a smile.
“Wow! This is so thoughtful of you.” Ken said as he looked Prisca over. She was wearing a skimpy sleeveless yellow gown which clung to her body emphasizing her tiny waist and wide hips. She was the true definition of black is beautiful, and she had a lovely diastema to complement her perfect dentition as she smiled at him.
“Wow! You’re beautiful.” He told her making Prisca smile even wider, “Ah! You even have dimples? I’m a goner!” Ken exclaimed making Prisca fan her face like she was blushing.
“It’s nice to meet you too Ken, I’ve heard quite an earful about you.” Prisca said, as she extended her hand for a handshake.
Pete realized their plan had failed even before it started when he saw the look on Ken’s face. Fking womanizer! Pete thought with a shake of his head. He felt sorry for any girl who would end up falling for his fkboy of a friend.
“Hey handsome! So what’s the plan?” Kimberly asked as she linked her arm with Pete’s arm in a possessive way, but Pete discreetly detached his arm from her. The last thing he wanted was for more pictures of them to reach his family members. He wasn’t scared of his family, but neither did he want their attention. He knew just how nosy his family members could be, and that was one thing he couldn’t stand.
“We should get something to eat and then catch up on each other’s life.” He suggested as he led the way further into the mall. He remembered he had met Kathleen there the last time he had been there with Amanda.
“We could have easily done that at other more exciting and private places. People of our social class shouldn’t be seen where every other person is seen, you know?” Kimberly complained with a pout.
“I think here is good enough.” Pete said as they walked into one of the fast foods. He turned around when he didn’t hear Ken’s voice, and frowned when he noticed Ken was still far behind with Prisca talking and laughing. He made a mental note never to rely on Ken for anything next time.
“So… On a scale of one to ten how would you rate last night’s experience?” Kimberly asked the moment they were seated.
“I beg your pardon?” Pete asked, clearly startled by her question. Why was that the first thing she chose to ask about?
“Come on, I’m asking for review. Did you enjoy the sx?” Kimberly asked again, eager to hear his answer.
“You’re weird you know?” Pete asked with a shake of his head, letting her know he meant weird in a bad way.
“What’s so weird about asking you to give me feedback on the sx we had? Have you had better or was it worse?” Kimberly pressed.
“Can we just talk about something else? What do you want? I should get us something to drink.” Pete said as he stood up, while Kimberly kept watching him.
“You didn’t like it, did you?” She asked with a frown.
“What is wrong with you? Is that all you think about? Is that all you talk about? Just sex? Is that all there is to you?” Pete asked, feeling very irritated by her stupid question. He had wanted to take it easy with her and let her go without hurting her pride, but she was making it difficult.
Kimberly looked away from him and blinked rapidly to get rid of the hurt in her eyes before looking at him again, “You’re just like them. You’ve had me, and now you don’t want me anymore, isn’t it?” She asked in a flat voice making Pete return to the seat beside her.
“You really want to play the blame game with me? Fine. Whose fault is it that I had you within few hours of meeting you? Tell me, who touched who? who offered to leave the club and have sx instead of talking? Who wanted to have sx by the roadside?” Pete asked in a derogatory tone.
“Really? Tell me you didn’t come there wanting to have sex with me in the first place. Tell me that a small part of you didn’t hope and pray that the sex would happen?” Kimberly asked in a challenging tone, “Tell me if I hadn’t made the move you wouldn’t have made the move.” She continued.
“I gave you what I know you wanted from me. So tell me how is that my fault?” Kimberly asked, her voice increasing with each word she uttered.
“What is going on? Are you both fighting?” Ken asked as himself and Prisca joined them. Prisca gave Kimberly a knowing look, and shook her head.
“We’re not fighting. Just having a normal discussion like adults do.” Pete said, glaring at Ken angrily.
Kimberly’s hand was itching to dig into her bag and take out her shisha pen. She needed to take a puff and relax her nerves. She hadn’t been counting on Pete being this annoying and ungentlemanly. She had thought he would try to take the gentleman’s approach, while she looked for other means to keep him. Now she seriously wasn’t sure she had the patience to try and win his favor. It would probably be best if she took Prisca’s suggestion. Prisca had advised that if she saw any sign that Pete wasn’t in the least bit interested in her that she should just let him be and try finding another means to please her father.
“Why don’t you gentlemen get us something to eat and drink?” Prisca asked with her pretty smile. She could see that Kimberly was in a very bad mood, and she needed to calm her down.
Prisca often wished she wasn’t friends with Kimberly, since she didn’t want to be associated with Kim’s lifestyle, but unfortunately there wasn’t much she could do about their friendship. Her father had been the senator’s personal driver for over fifteen years before his death. Himself and the senator had been involved in a fatal automobile accident and he had died in the process, but the senator had fortunately survived. The senator had taken the role of her guardian, and had asked her to move in with them since she was still a teenager then and there was no way she could be allowed to go and live with relatives who might maltreat her. The senator had sent her to the best of schools along with Kim, and she had lived in Kim’s shadow. She had moved out of the family house with Kimberly later on to the apartment they now shared. The only reason she was able to put up with Kim’s wayward lifestyle was because she knew that underneath it all Kim was kind-hearted.
“Yeah. Let’s do that. What do you both want?” Ken asked, looking from one lady to the other.
“Please get us both two glasses of Chapman. Thanks.” Prisca said before turning to look at Kimberly.
“Babe how far? What were you both quareling about?”
“It’s nothing abeg, let’s just do and leave. He’s getting on my nerves.” Kimberly muttered angrily.
“Ahan! Already? You both haven’t even started yet and he is already getting on your nerves? You don’t want to take him home to your father anymore?” Prisca asked with a raised brow.
“Please I’m not sure I’m ready for his stress. Can you imagine he’s trying to call me cheap simply because I had sex with him on our first date?” Kimberly hissed in annoyance.
“If I remember correctly it wasn’t a date. You were just meeting him for the first time since you both finished from high school, and you threw yourself at him. Didn’t I tell you no man would want to have anything serious with such a woman? What did you tell me? You said he has been abroad for long and you’re certain he doesn’t think like the average Nigerian man.”
“Come wetin dey worry you sef? (What is wrong with you?) Are you on my side or his side? Did I invite you here for this?”
“I’m sorry if I sounded harsh, I care about you. I don’t think he has any right to tell you to your face that he thinks you’re cheap though. I keep telling you, you need to go for counseling. This thing you’re doing is not ordinary at all.” Prisca said with a worried frown.
Kimberly’s phone started ringing before she could respond to Prisca, “Excuse me.” She said as she took out her phone. She quickly sat up and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the caller was her father.
“Your father?” Prisca asked with a knowing look, only senator Abamba could inspire such fear in Kimberly’s eyes.
“Yeah. Give me a moment.” Kimberly said as she quickly stood up and looked around for a quiet place where she could take the call. Luckily she was able to take the call before it disconnected, “Good afternoon daddy…”
“I want to see you at home right now!” Her father snapped at her angrily, while his wife kept trying to calm him down.
“Daddy…”
“Now!” He yelled into the phone before hanging up.
Kimberly didn’t need anyone to tell her that it was probably about last night. Her father must have heard she left the club with a man again last night.
She hurried back to where Prisca was seated and picked up both her car keys and her purse, “I need to leave right away!” She announced, and almost bumped into Ken and Pete who were returning with their drinks.
“Careful! What’s the rush for?” Ken asked with a concerned frown.
“I need to take care of something. You guys can have fun.” She called while Prisca quickly picked up her bag and followed her, she knew that this rush could only mean trouble.
“I’ll drive.” Prisca offered as she took the car keys from Kimberly while they both hurried out of the mall.
“What’s up with her?” Pete asked Ken who raised a brow at him.
“You should be happy she left on her own. At least I’m sure neither of you will call each other again.” Ken said with an indifferent shrug as he downed the contents of one of the glasses.
“Whatever man! What about the other babe? I thought you were both warming up to each other. I asked you to help me yet you were busy flirting.” Pete said accusingly.
“See, it’s like you’re in a bad mood. Let’s meet some other time abeg. I don’t want you to ruin my mood more than you’ve already done.” Ken said as he stood up to leave.
“Good for nothing ba$tard!” Pete cussed Ken.
“Your father! Better come let’s leave here before she changes her mind and comes back.” Ken said with a chuckled as he downed the contents of another glass of Chapman.
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 11 – 20
______
Later that evening as Kathy arranged the clothes she had gotten from Ella in her wardrobe, she couldn’t help but marvel at Ella’s nature. Ella seemed like a pretty decent person despite the way she appeared outwardly.
After showing her all the clothes and asking her to pick as much as she wanted, they had lunch together and then seen a Nollywood movie together, even though they had spent more time finding faults than actually watching the movie. She had found out that they had a lot in common and they both shared similar opinions and beliefs.
“So you’ve been working at the company for how long?” Ella had asked when Amanda excused them and went to the other bedroom to watch Disney movies, after complaining she didn’t like Nollywood movies.
“Almost three years now.” Kathleen had said as she allowed herself relax on the chair and lay down completely.
“Really? You’ve been in Lagos that long?” Ella had asked, unable to believe that she had been in Lagos for long yet was still acting like she was new to Lagos.
“Yeah. I came to Lagos immediately after my National youth service corps (NYSC), why do you seem so surprised?”
“It’s just that you’re still doing like Johnny just come(Newbie) no offense.” Ella had explained, making Kathleen giggle.
“It happens. You won’t believe it took me a long time to know your father had been replaced by your brother at the office. That’s to tell you how occupied I am. I’ve only been to the cinema once, since I came to Lagos.” Kathleen had explained.
“No way! Just once? In three years? I have to correct that immediately.” Ella had exclaimed looking at Kathleen with round eyes like had committed a big offense.
“Not everybody is rich like you people. Some of us have to hustle hard to make ends meet. I told you I have younger ones to take care of. So it’s been basically work, church and more work. All I need at this point in my life is God and money.” Kathleen had said with a sigh.
“I suppose you have a man already?” Ella had asked when she noticed that Kathleen wasn’t talking about a man.
There was no way she could tell Ella that she was single. Not after lying to Pete that she was in a relationship. Even though she trusted Ella to keep whatever she told her to herself, she couldn’t help being careful.
“Yeah. It’s a long distance relationship though.” ‘With God’ she had silently added in her mind. It wasn’t a lie after all. If God was the husband of the widow, then he could just as well be the boyfriend of the boyfriendless.
“Oh! Really? What is he like?” Ella had asked, feeling slightly disappointed. She had been hoping she could matchmake Kathleen with her brother, Pete.
“Yeah. He’s a really great guy. Everyone that knows him say he’s good.” Kathleen had said, and stuck her tongue in her cheek at the hilarity of what she was doing.
Ella shrugged it off. It didn’t matter to her whether or not Kathleen had a boyfriend, after he wasn’t married to her yet. If he liked her so much what was keeping him from marrying her? Ella had wondered with a scoff.
“How about I take you out to the cinema one of these days? Wait a moment, what was I thinking, my father’s birthday is coming up soon, how about you come with me as my plus one?” Ella had offered.
Kathleen laughed awkwardly, “You can’t mean that. I’m sure you have lots of friends you can go with, besides I might be too busy taking care of Amanda, I might not be able to come.” Kathleen had said with an embarassed smile.
“Don’t you think Amanda will be at her grandfather’s birthday party with the other kids? Come on, just say yes.” Ella had pressed.
When is the party?” Kathleen had asked with a sigh.
“In a month’s time. But before then we’ll be hanging out together sha.” Ella had added.
“I’m not saying yes, I’ll just think about it. I’m not even sure your brother would like to see me at a family function.” Kathleen had said with a frown.
“You’re my guest, not his. Besides you have a right to go anywhere you want, you’re not his slave.” Ella had pointed out with a frown.
“Tell that to your brother who thinks I owe him my life because I work for him. Your brother is just trying to frustrate me with so many rules. The moment I get another good paying job, I’ll leave both his house and the company for him.” Kathleen had hissed.
“Is it that serious? Where did you school, and what did you study in school anyway?”
“Delta State University. I studied Accounting. Enough about me please, it’s not like I’m here for a job interview or something. Or you want to offer me a job?” She had asked with a teasing smile.
“I don’t mind hiring you to work for me anyway, but I’m sure Pete won’t appreciate it.” Ella had said with a small smile.
“You have your own company?” Kathleen had asked with interest.
“Sure. How else do you think I can afford my expensive lifestyle? My father? He does give us pocket money on a weekly basis sha, but I can’t rely on that alone. I own my personal make-up line, and I have makeup artists who work for me. So based on connection, we only work for wives and daughters of politicians, as well as celebrities and rich people. We don’t do makeup for average people, since they can’t really pay much.” Ella had explained.
“Wow! It’s good to come from a rich family sha.” Kathleen had said in amazement.
“You can say that again. Although these things come with their own downside though. Some families may not allow you do what you want in order to protect the family name.” Ella had added.
“You think average or poor people have the luxury of doing what they like? All we think about is what will give us money. We will choose a career that will give us money over the one we are passionate about.” Kathleen had said matter of factly.
“That’s what you think, until you’re from one of such families. Take my family for instance, once you get to eighteen, my father asks you to think of a business you would like to venture into and give him your business plan, and then he helps you start up if it makes sense.” Ella had said confidentially.
“Wow!” Kathleen had exclaimed in awe.
“Yeah. But the only person who isn’t given that luxury to follow his own dream is Pete, the first born son. He is passionate about being a chef, but our father has adamantly refused. Being the first son of the family he has to take over from our father. It’s a family legacy.”
“He really doesn’t want the company?” Kathleen had asked, looking confused. She couldn’t imagine why anyone would prefer being a chef and standing over pots and fire over sitting in a cool office.
“Yeah. He was a chef abroad, but had to return home when our father’s heart threatened to fail. He said if Pete doesn’t take the company, then none of us would get any inheritance. So you see the downside of it?” Ella had asked quietly, and giggled when she realized she had revealed too much family secret already. It was just that she trusted Kathleen to keep things to herself.
“I think I should take you guys back. I’ll get Mandy.” Ella had said as she stood up and went inside.
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 11 – 20
Click 3 below to continue reading
