THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 11 – 20
EPISODE 13
As soon as Prisca parked the car in front of the big mansion, she turned to look at Kimberly who was fiddling with her bracelet nervously, “You should get down now.” She reminded her.
“Could you cover up for me? Please?” Kimberly asked fearfully.
Prisca raised a brow, “I wonder why you keep doing this to yourself and the family if you’re so scared of facing your father’s wrath!” Prisca said with a scoff.
“I don’t know what to do anymore. You think I don’t try? I keep trying but it’s not working!” Kimberly said almost close to tears. Maybe someone else would have fallen for the act she was putting up, but not Prisca. She had been with her long enough to know Kimberly was all talk without action.
“You should go in, he’s watching us.” Prisca said when she noticed the window blind move.
“You’re coming with me, right?” Kimberly asked fearfully. At least if her father was going to murder her, someone should be there to bear witness to her death.
“I’d rather wait for you in the car.” Prisca said with a shudder. She remembered the last time she had gone in with Kimberly and how she had almost gone blind when the Senator had tried to hit his daughter but ended up hitting her eyes instead.
“Please. For friendship sake.”
“Which friendship? Me that is more like your house girl abi personal handbag? Abeg say something else.” Prisca said with a roll of her eyes.
“Okay I’ll buy you that human hair you were showing me on Instagram.” Kimberly begged as she took hold of Prisca’s hand.
“That’s more like it. Oya let’s go in. I suppose I can bear whatever happens in there for human hair sake.” Prisca said as she got out of the car. Although she had originally intended to go in with Kimberly despite her fear, but she was glad she had struck a good deal. That human hair was over a hundred and fifty thousand naira.
“You finally decided to Grace us with your majestic presence?” Kimberly’s stepmother greeted them sarcastically as they walked into the house.
“Please don’t even start.” Kimberly snapped at her stepmother, and quick snapped her mouth shut when she saw her father descending the stairs.
“What did I tell you about my political plans the last time you were home?” He growled at her angrily when he got to the foot of the stairs.
Kimberly wriggled her hand nervously, “You… you said….”
“Go on before I’m forced to tear you apart!” He roared angrily, making Prisca take a precautionary step backward. The last thing she wanted was to leave here in a different form than she appeared.
“You said you’re running for the office of the governor…”
“Oh! So you remembered? Yet you deliberately decided to give my opponents an excuse to get me ruled out from the primary election?” He asked as he advanced towards her, while she took several steps backward.
“I’m sorry. Please I’m sorry. I will…”
“Shut your mouth! I’m already used to your senseless lies and empty promises of change!” He snapped at her.
“I have had it up to here with you. I’m giving you a week to bring a man home! I don’t care who he is or what he does, just bring someone who you’ll get married to, or you can consider yourself disowned. No daughter of mine will bring disgrace to me!” He spat out angrily with clenched fists, making it obvious that he was trying his best to restrain himself from beating her up.
“I’m sorry.” Kimberly pleaded as she went on her knees and kept weeping.
“You’re lucky your mother here has been pleading on your behalf, just get out before I’m tempted to murder you. I’d rather live without a daughter than have a disgraceful daughter like you. You’re an embarassment to me and this family!” He yelled at her, and raised his hand to his chest which was beginning to hurt.
“Honey please you need to calm down so you don’t aggravate your heart condition. And you, I think you should leave now.” Mrs Abamba said to Kimberly.
Kimberly didn’t need to be asked twice as she quickly hurried towards the door with Prisca.
“That wasn’t so hard now, was it?” Prisca asked as they both got into the car.
“A week? How am I supposed to get a man to marry me between now and then? Perhaps I should patronize Jaruma empire for one of those her love potions?” Kimberly asked thoughtfully.
“I don’t think that is a wise idea. Besides with your money I’m sure you can afford to get yourself a good-looking young man.” Prisca suggested.
“You mean I should pay someone to stand in as my husband?” Kimberly asked in disbelief.
“I don’t see why not. Your dad did say he doesn’t care how you do it as long as you bring a man home. Plus that kind of marriage could eventually be what you need since it would afford you the freedom you so desire.” Prisca said matter of factly.
“I think that is a brilliant idea!” Kimberly said with an excited smile.
“Does that mean you won’t be needing Pete again?” Prisca asked hopefully as she turned on the car’s ignition and reversed the car.
“He isn’t my type anyway, so what is the point? Let’s just work on getting me someone I can present to my father instead.”
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 11 – 20
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“What did you guys do at your Aunty’s house yesterday?” Pete asked Amanda who was lying down on the couch with her head resting on his lap.
“Ate, checked out Kat’s new clothes, and then watched movies.” Amanda said distractedly as she kept busy with her phone, checking out Instagram pages of her favorite celebrities.
“They didn’t talk about me?” Pete asked making Amanda drop her phone as she sat up to look into her father’s face with a confused frown.
“Why would they talk about you? Is there something you want them to talk about?” Amanda asked, looking at her father suspiciously.
“Nevermind.” Pete said as he abruptly stood up and headed for his wine cabinet. After pouring himself a glass of wine, and getting a glass of juice for Amanda, he returned to the living room.
“Thanks.” Amanda said as she took the glass of juice from him, and returned her attention to her phone, “Aww, she is truly on Instagram!” Amanda exclaimed.
“Who? Your caretaker?” Pete asked curiously.
“Yeah.” Amanda said as she went through Kathleen’s Instagram page excitedly. On their way back from Ella’s place they had been talking about social media, and then Ella had asked Kathleen for her social media handles, so they could be keeping in touch. She had pretended not to pay attention, but she had searched out both their handles as they talked.
“Let me see.” Pete said as he moved closer to his daughter to see the screen of her phone.
“You seem awfully curious about her today.” Amanda noted with a hint of amusement in her tone.
Before Pete could say anything in his defense his phone started ringing so he quickly picked it up when he realized it was a call from his favorite cousin, “Chido!” He hailed him with a wide smile on his face as he excused himself from where Amanda was seated and headed for the porch.
“Guy! You fk up big time! So you mean to tell me you returned to this country and I’m the last person to find out? Haba nau!” Chidi exclaimed, making his displeasure very obvious.
“I know I fked up, but honestly things have been mad. Like one minute I was making burger in my restaurant over there in the states and the next I’m picking up whatever I can reach to take the next available flight down to Nigeria. And from there everything has been going on in a flash. Running this company is a different matter entirely and…”
“Abeg save those gists for someone else. You’re claiming busy yet I heard you were out with a girl two nights ago.” Chidi says with a scoff.
“You heard about that too.” Pete said with a resigned sigh. This was the thing he hated most about being back in Nigeria. Your business was everybody’s business, but when you really need them in your business like taking care of Amanda in his absence, everyone suddenly have their own business to deal with.
“Yes I did. You couldn’t even ask after me o. What if I had died?” Chidi continued.
“Stop sounding like a nagging girlfriend abeg. Besides I did ask after you and I was told you’re working as a programmer in Abuja now. You’re living the big boy life now!” Pete went on with a chuckle.
“Wash! I big pass you? Anyway that’s why I called. See I’m having a kind of issue with my boss and he fired me. I need a job, abeg now that you’re running the company, anything for me? I don’t mind relocating o, abeg help your brother.” Chidi pleaded making Pete roar with laughter.
“Wait o, you called to beg me for a job yet you were dragging me like I was owing you money?” He asked in disbelief.
“Don’t just insult me because of ordinary job o, I still senior you with two full weeks.” Chidi warned him jokingly, “But check am nau, you fucked up big time! So just see this as me giving you a chance to make it up to me.” Chidi explained with a grin.
“Okay. I’ll see what I can do.”
“Oga don’t see what you can do. I need you to do something abeg. You can do this thing nau. Abi are you not the boss?” Chidi asked impatiently.
“But what happened between you and your boss?” Pete asked curiously.
“My brother, na woman matter o (It’s because of a lady) His fiancee started showing interest in me o, based on my fine boi doings, and then man became upset and started frustrating me.” Chidi explained making Pete choke on his drink as he laughed.
“No wahala. I’ll just find something for you at the company. Just let me know when you’re coming down to Lagos.”
“Please find it and let me know. I don’t mind coming today sef, if you assure me of the job. But I hope you know I’ll squat at your house before I get my own place? We need to catch up on a lot of things.” Chidi said excitedly.
“You know my house is your house. Its always open to you. Just come quickly, even if it means leaving my office for you, I’ll gladly hand over.” Pete said with a grin.
“No wahala. When I come you’ll tell me about the babe(s) you banged.” Chidi added and hooted with laughter when Pete hissed.
“I didn’t…”
“Story for the gods. I’m going to church jare, let’s talk when we see.” Chidi said before disconnecting the call.
Pete had a smile on his face as he returned to the living room to join Amanda. He was looking forward to having Chidi under his roof since they both got along so well, and he definitely was going to be in need of his company.
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 11 – 20
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Kathy had woken up that Sunday morning with a feeling of gratitude. Luckily it wasn’t Monday and she had the day to herself since she was certain her boss would be indoor and she wouldn’t need to look after Amanda.
She had hugged her pillow to herself with a happy smile on her face as she thought of all she could do with the day. Had she been in her former house she would have been in church already, possibly leading the choir ministrations. But there was no need to rush now since she was yet to find a suitable branch of her church around here. Her former church had been in the mainland, but now she lived in the Island part of Lagos with her boss and the distance was too much.
She sat up on her bed and looked around her bedroom with a smile. So this was her house now? It was even big enough to accommodate any of her siblings who would decide to pay her a visit, unlike her former apartment.
Just then her phone started ringing and she frowned when she realized it was her mother. This was Sunday morning, why was her mother calling her when she was supposed to be in church? “You need to pray. Isioma’s condition is getting really worse. We rushed her to the hospital late last night.”
“What? Why didn’t any of you call me?” Kathy asked, standing up really quickly as though her mother could see her.
“What’s the point? Would you have flown down here or what? She’s stable now, but the doctor said her kidney is getting worse and she needs to meet a specialist. That’s why I’m calling you. Nurse Abigail is suggesting that we take her down to Ibadan teaching hospital or Lagos teaching hospital, so since you’re in Lagos, we think it’s best we bring her down there.” Her mother concluded making Kathy’s heart skip a beat. There was absolutely no way she could allow her family come in here and live with her.
“Ngozika, why are you quiet? Didn’t you hear what I said?” Her mother asked when Kathleen remained quiet after sometime.
“Sorry. I don’t know if you heard about a building that burnt down yesterday in Lagos, but that was my place. Right now I’m squatting somewhere so…” She let the rest of her words trail off while chewing on her finger.
“Blood of Jesus! Why didn’t you call to inform us? Hope you didn’t lose your belongings?” Her mother asked in concern.
“Don’t worry about me. Let’s just focus on Isioma now. What are we going to do about her?” Kathy asked bringing her mother’s attention to the issue at hand.
“I don’t know anymore. Money is going to be another problem. Nurse Abigail was suggesting we put Isioma’s pictures on social Media and ask the public for help…”
“God forbid! Nobody will put my sister’s pictures online. Just don’t worry, let me think about what can be done. I’ll call you back later.” Kathy said and disconnected the call.
How on earth was she supposed to provide the money for her sister’s treatment? What was she going to do? She would have suggested her sister comes to Lagos to live with her, but she had a busy schedule herself and couldn’t stay at home to look after her. Being the first child, in a poor home was really not an easy task whether for male or female children. Kathy thought with a frown before looking around her room. It wasn’t until her stomach rumbled that she realized how hungry she was. Ordinarily as a worker in church she wasn’t supposed to eat to church on Sunday morning, but it seemed her body knew she wasn’t in church, after all she had failed to eat the previous day after returning from Ella’s house.
She looked around the house for something to eat but the whole place was empty. She had completely forgotten to check the kitchen the previous day and now she was going to pay for it. How was she sure she would find a place to buy something within the estate? Going to Pete’s home to ask for food was totally out of the question. Kathy wondered as she pulled out a simple gown from her closet and wore it over the bum short and singlet she had worn to bed.
After walking out of the door with her money in hand she realized that she didn’t even know what she was going to buy. There was no gas or stove in her apartment yet, so there was no way she could even buy Noodles. She looked at the one thousand naira note in her hand with a frown. She really didn’t like to spend out of her budget and for the past week she has been doing so. First the money she had given to Sharon for that movie wasn’t planned for, the one she has given to her former neighbor for saving her certificates also wasn’t planned for. If she used from this one thousand naira to buy ordinary mineral and bread now, it would be very wasteful since everyone in Nigeria knows how one thousand naira gets finished the moment you remove hundred naira from it.
She swallowed hard as her gaze drifted to Pete’s door. She was certain there was food in the house, and even if there wasn’t food, there would be foodstuff to make food at least. As though to tell her she was right, the aroma of chicken and fried ripe plantain drifted to where she was standing, and her stomach rumbled even more.
She bit her lips as she struggled within herself whether or not she could let such a tasty meal pass her by because of pride. She shook her head and decided to go out and look for the bread. “Man shall not live by bread alone.” she muttered to herself and almost laughed out loud when she realized she was actually going to buy bread.
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 11 – 20
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