THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 21 – 30
EPISODE 28
By the time Pete got out of bed the next morning, Kathleen was already busy in the kitchen. He was startled to see her standing over the gas cooker preparing what he suspected to be breakfast. He didn’t have to ask her how she had gotten into the house since he had included the house keys in her own bunch.
“Good morning sir, is there something you want?” Kathleen asked with a polite smile when she saw him standing by the door, staring at her in confusion.
She looked directly into his face and tried not to let her eyes drift from there since she didn’t want to focus on what he was wearing, or rather on what he wasn’t wearing. He wearing just his boxers and even a damn shirt.
Oblivious to her struggle, Pete walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator to get a bottle of water, “It’s barely 5 AM.” Pete said, as though he didn’t understand what she was doing there. Judging from the look of the place, and how sweaty she looked, he could tell she had finished cleaning up the house already.
“Yes sir. Amanda told me you wake up really early, so I wanted to get a head start on the chores before you get out of bed.” Kathleen explained as she wiped the sweat from her forehead using the back of her hand, “I saw the food table by the refrigerator so I’m preparing spaghetti for Amanda’s lunch and maybe Chidi can have that for breakfast.” She added, pointing to the refrigerator.
Pete said nothing as he gulped down the water, while Kathleen looked everywhere else but at him, “I see. Thanks.” Pete said not knowing what he was expected to do now. It had become a daily routine for him to do all the chores very early in the morning.
“You’re welcome sir. You can just go back to bed while I wrap up here sir. What time do you start preparing Amanda for school?” She asked sounding like they had always been best of friends and having this conversation wasn’t awkward in the least bit.
What was with the whole ‘Sir’ thing? Was she being this way because she had truly changed after their argument last night, or was she being this way because she had woken up on the right side of bed? It definitely couldn’t be because of Chuka right? She had a boyfriend, so that would be very ridiculous. Pete mused as he kept watching her. He noticed she was dressed in a leggings and the polo top she had been wearing the previous night.
He looked into her face in embarassment when Kathleen cleared her throat to get his attention. He hadn’t realized he had been looking her over while she asked her question, “Sorry. Did you say something?” He asked trying not to look guilty.
Kathleen tried not to pick offense at the way his eyes had been roaming all over her, “Yes sir. I wanted to know the right time to wake Amanda.” She repeated.
“Oh! You can do that by 6 AM. Are you sure this whole thing isn’t too much? You don’t have to do it all, you know? It’s good enough that you’re here to split the chores. You can just stick to the chores while I prepare Amanda for school.” Pete offered.
“If you say so sir.” Kathleen said without hesitation. Of course there was no need killing herself with excess work when she could easily split it.
“Okay then, I’ll just return to my room…” Pete said, turning around to leave, but Kathleen quickly stopped him.
“Excuse me sir.” She called politely making him look at her with a frown. It was beginning to sound to him like she was taunting him with the ‘sir’ thing, and it was grating on his nerves.
“Is there something you want?”
“Yes sir. I was hoping I could leave work early… I need to pick my mother and sister. You don’t have to worry, my mother will be here for just a couple of days….”
“I never said I was worried. And this sort of things, shouldn’t be what you tell your direct superior at the office? Our relationship in the house doesn’t in anyway have anything to do with our relationship at the office, unless Amanda is directly involved. So I’d appreciate it if you follow due process henceforth.” Pete said politely before turning to leave.
Kathleen glared at his back and raised her hand in a threatening manner as though she was going to hit him but pointed her five fingers at him telling him, ‘Waka’.
Pete frowned when he saw her reflection in the mirror by the dining which was just across the kitchen door. As though he couldn’t believe what he was seeing, he turned to look at her, and raised a brow when he saw her five fingers directed at him, “What do you think you are doing?”
“Me?” She asked, laughing awkwardly as she dropped her hand to pat her hair.
“Of course we are alone here, so you’re the only one I’m obviously talking to. Did you just do what I think you were doing?” He asked narrowing his eyes suspiciously.
Kathleen swallowed, “No. I was just trying to dry my hand…” She said, and grimaced at the stupidity of the response.
“Yeah, right. What do you think I thought you were doing anyway?” Pete asked folding both hands across his chest, with a smirk on his face.
“I… I.. don’t…” Kathleen let her words trail off when she saw the way he was looking at her in amusement.
“You know, for a judgemental ‘Christian’ *He used his fingers to form a quote* as yourself, I’d have thought something as petty as this was beneath you. But it’s good to see that I’m wrong.” Pete said with a wink before walking away.
Kathleen stared at his back in disbelief. “Did he just wink at me?” She asked no one in particular, and then gasped when she sighted her reflection in the mirror opposite her, “He saw me? Oh God!” she exclaimed as she face palmed herself.
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 21 – 30
***********
Ella was breathing heavily as she jogged down the streets of her estate with her headset in place. It wasn’t even seven in the morning yet, but she was already sweating profusely as she made the return trip to her apartment. She paused to catch her breath few feet from her gate, and that was when she noticed the black Mercedes E class parked in front of her gate.
Her heart skipped a beat the moment she recognized the person behind the wheels. She shook her head, and quickly dashed for her gate, but Ken got out of the car immediately and blocked her path before she could walk past him.
He raised both hands in the air before she could yell at him, “Please Ella. Please just give me a chance to explain.” He pleaded cutting off whatever she wanted to say.
“Femi, it’s too early for all this. Let’s not do this, okay? I guess you’re doing all this now because you’re scared I might tell my brother about our little fling. Don’t worry, I won’t. You can leave.” She said, and made to walk past him, but he placed a hand on her shoulder.
“That’s not it.”
“If that’s not it, what else do you want? PLEASE leave me alone. PLEASE.” Ella pleaded desperately as she fought back the tears which were threatening to drop from her eyes. There was no way she was going to let him know how much his action had hurt her. Her trust had just been betrayed by her boyfriend, and that same night he had used her and dumped her, killing what little self esteem she had left. She had been unable to get involved with anyone else after that experience because she kept feeling they all wanted her money like her ex, or her body like Ken who had been her friend.
Ken hated himself the more when he saw the pool of tears in her eyes, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to leave that way.”
“But you did. And it’s fine.”
“No it’s not. I screwed up and I hurt you.” Ken said, looking into her eyes so she could see how sorry he was.
Ella looked away, since her heart hurt merely by looking into his face, “You’re only being remorseful because I ran into you. You had two years to do all of this, but you didn’t. Do I look stupid to you? Would you be here had you not run into me the other day? Let’s leave things this way, okay? We crossed a line we shouldn’t have crossed, adults do it all the time, right?” She asked with a forced laughter.
“So let’s just get over it. I’ll try to be cordial when next we run into each other in public. I’m still your best friend’s sister, treat me that way. Let’s not talk about the past anymore.” Ella said with a shaky breath before walking past him.
Ken had a sad expression on his face as he watched her walk away. He had been unable to sleep all through the night and had been haunted by nightmares from his childhood. He had thought coming over to her house this early would give him the chance to speak with her, but unfortunately he had been wrong.
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 21 – 30
Immediately Ella got inside her house she collapsed on her couch and dragged in a shaky breath. Why had he come to her house so early in the morning? She hated to admit to herself that she still felt something for him beneath all that anger and hurt, and what she felt wasn’t hatred.
She stood up and walked over to her window to see if he was still there. She sighed when she saw him still standing in the same spot she had left him. Why was he being so remorseful all of a sudden? She asked herself as her mind drifted to how close they had been growing up.
She still remembered the first day he had come home looking for Pete. She had been about ten years old, and he had been fifteen. He had looked so withdrawn and had kept to himself most of the time, barely talking to Pete. Although he never spoke a word to her, but she had taken note of him because unlike Pete’s other friends, this one was more reserved and quiet, and always looked like he was too scared to laugh or even smile. That had gotten him the nickname ‘stone cold’.
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 21 – 30
And then one day she had come out of her room, looking for any of her siblings who could help her with her assignment, but they had all been too busy for her. Pete had been playing games with the other guys, Jide had been on his way out with his new crush, and her sister Tolu had been busy making her hair.
“Brother Femi jowo nau. Please just show me how to do this one, I won’t disturb you again.” She had pleaded incessantly. Growing up their mother had instructed her not to call any of her older siblings by their name, so she had to attach ‘Brother’ or ‘sister’ to all the names of her siblings, being the last born. Of course that had changed after she went to the university.
“Kemi go first nau! Is the assignment running? I will show you how to do it later. Don’t allow this idi®t win me.” He yelled at her, with his eyes fixed on the television screen, while he aggressively pressed the game pad in his hand.
She had been close to tears but then her eyes met Ken’s eyes, and then he smiled at her. Her eyes had widened in surprise seeing him smile, and she had turned to look behind her as though she couldn’t believe she was the one he had smiled at.
“Bring your book let me see.” He had offered, stretching his hands for her to hand it to him. She had been reluctant to give him the book since she wasn’t sure if he was very intelligent. The last thing she wanted was for an olodo to help her with her assignment and make her fail.
“Won’t you give it to him? You’re seeing someone that wants to help you, you’re still standing there and looking at him like a small wtch.” Pete had snapped at her irritably.
“Don’t mind him, he is just angry because he is losing the game.” Ken had whispered to her when she finally handed him the book.
“What is that your name again?”
“Kemi.”
“No. The one your mom and sister calls you.” Ken had said.
“Isabella. Ella.”
“Okay. I’ll call you Bella.” He said with a grin before looking at her book. That had been the beginning of their communication or friendship rather. He had helped her with her assignment and she has aced everything. After that everytime he was around, Pete would plead with him to help her with the assignment, since Pete was too impatient to teach her anything. And then gradually as time went by, the once ‘stone cold’ Ken had become the most jovial guy amongst all of Pete’s friends.
She had begun to look forward to his visits and their witty exchange everyday. She grimaced when she remembered he had been in the house the very first day her menstruation started. He had been eighteen and had just gotten his admission to study law in the prestigious university of Lagos, and had come to share the news with Pete, and of course her.
She had been home alone since it was weekend and her parents had left for a burial ceremony in Ibadan. Her older siblings had all gone out, and the maids had gone grocery shopping. She had been lying on the couch because she was having menstrual cramp, but didn’t know what it was then since she was barely thirteen years old.
“Are you okay?” Ken had asked from the doorway the moment he saw the way she was folded like a foetus on the couch and heard her moaning.
“My stomach is paining me.” She had cried pathetically.
“Ahan! Since when? Are you alone at home?” He asked looking around.
He approached her when she nodded, “How is it paining you? Are you hungry? Or you’re purging?” He had asked making her glare at him despite the pain.
How could he say purge like that? “How will I be purging?” She hissed in embarassment. The last topic she wanted to be discussing with her crush was anything ‘sht’ related.
“How will you not purge? Abi are you part of the fine girls that do like they don’t sht? You’re not even fine sef, so how can you not purge?” He asked with a teasing making her stand up.
“My brother is not around.” She said through gritted teeth before turning to leave.
Ken frowned when his eyes fell on the couch, and he looked at the back of her gown, “Bella…”
“What?” She snapped at him.
Ken had scatrched his head in embarassment, how was an eighteen years old guy like himself supposed to tell a thirteen years old girl that her clothes were stained with menstrual blood? “Erm, there is blood.” He said pointing to the spot on the couch where she had just vacated.
“Blood?” Ella had asked looking frightened, “Where did it come from? But I did not injure. Is that why my tummy is paining me?” She had asked looking at her abdomen and touching her body, as though trying to find where the blood had come from.
Could a person be more naive? Ken had wondered. At age thirteen how could she not know her menstruation had started? Wasn’t she supposed to at least feel something between her legs or something? Why did he have to be the one to do this? What kind of bad luck had led him here today of all days? Ken had asked himself in frustration.
“Why are you just standing there? We should find a way to reach my parents before I bleed to death.” Ella had exclaimed fearfully, sounding like she was going to start crying in the next moment.
Ken had taken in a deep breath, “Have you ever heard of the word, menstruation?” He asked, trying not to cringe as the word left his mouth.
Ella’s eyes widened in mortification when it occured to her that her period had just started, and of all people to have seen her in this condition, Ken her crush was with her to witness her humiliation! How could she have been so naive? She wondered as she thought of what to do. Run upstairs? Or pretend to faint?
Ella cringed at the memory, and quickly shook her head to get it off. She sighed when she realized that Ken had driven off. It was probably time for her to get over whatever stupid feeling she had for him. She told herself as she took off her shoes, before heading for her bedroom.
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 21 – 30
Click 9 below to continue reading
