THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 61 – 70
EPISODE 63
“Hia! This one you’re in my office this morning, and you’re smiling like this, what is going on?” Tracy asked suspiciously when Ella walked into her office.
“Good morning to you too? How was your night? And how is our baby doing?” Ella asked as she dropped into the seat opposite Tracy and took off her shoes.
“Ah! Somebody is excited! Show me way na. What has got you feeling so happy today?” Tracy asked happily since Ella had been quite moody for the past couple of days.
“Well, promise me you won’t be mad at me and you won’t yell.” Ella said with a straight face.
“Okay! It’s obvious you’ve done something you know I won’t like. What did you do?” Tracy asked with narrowed eyes.
“First promise me.” Ella pleaded.
“You know I will be mad and I will definitely yell if it is something stupid. So just go ahead and say it quickly.”
“Well, I had dinner with Ken last night.” Ella said, and paused to see Tracy’s reaction, but Tracy said nothing, “You’re not going to say anything?”
“I have a feeling that is not all. So go on.” Tracy said with a nod.
“Well, we were not alone though. Angela was there with us in his house, so nothing happened. We only ate, talked about general random topics, saw a movie, and then he went to drop us off at home.” Ella explained.
“I didn’t ask you for the details of your dinner o. What led to it?” Tracy asked with a slightly raised brow making Ella sigh.
“Okay, so after our outing yesterday I met him at the office creating a scene…” Ella said, and proceeded to give Tracy the details of her conversation with Ken.
“You’re not telling me about his sad childhood just so I don’t yell at you for agreeing to date him, right?” Tracy asked with a frown.
“Look, in as much as I feel sorry for him and all that, I don’t want you to get involved with him out of pity. What if you help him get fixed and then he returns to womanizing? What if he decides that marriage isn’t his thing later…”
“He won’t.”
“Why are you so sure? Because you love him? Are you sure your emotions are not clouding your sense of judgement? What if you both get intimate again, and then he disappears?” Tracy asked, since she was the only voice of reasoning in Ella’s life.
“He won’t. Besides, things are different now. Kunle is around now, and would kill him if he so much as messes with me.” Ella said confidently.
“Ella, I really hope you’re not about to make a costly mistake.” Tracy said, but before Ella could say anything her phone started ringing.
Ella smiled when she saw Ken’s name displayed on the screen, “Excuse me.” Ella told Tracy before receiving the call.
“Good morning Femi.”
“Ah! Come on nau, Femi ke? Shouldn’t you be more romantic now that I’m your man?” Femi asked, making Ella to laugh out loud, while Tracy scowled at her.
“It’s too early for all of that. When the time is right I’ll pick the right name to call you. How was your night?” Ella asked curiously.
“What do you mean when the time is right? So you’ll be calling me Femi until I marry you? Do you want me to vex and come and pay small thing on your head first?” Ken asked making Ella to laugh louder.
“Small thing ke, abeg don’t start, I’m not in the mood for all this plenty laughter this morning.” Ella said with a shake of head.
“Sorry I didn’t call earlier, I was woken up very early by a client and had to hurry out almost immediately. I just returned to the house now to prepare for work.” Ken said apologetically.
“I hope it was nothing serious?” Ella asked in concern.
“Well, all I can say is, it was resolved before it could escalate into something serious. So how is my gem doing?” Ken asked, making Ella glance at Tracy who was still staring in her direction with a scowl.
“I’m alright. I hope you’re feeling better now?”
“Sure. What are you up to? I suppose you’re at the office now, abi? How is that your bad belle secretary that didn’t want me to see you?” Ken asked, making Ella giggle.
“Something is wrong with you. Abeg leave the poor girl alone. I’m with Tracy right now, I’ll call you once I return to my office.”
“Tracy? That’s the one that was calling me a ba$tard the other time, abi? Did you tell her we are dating now? Don’t let her discourage you o.” Ken pleaded making Ella laugh out loud.
“Let’s talk later abeg.” Ella said, and disconnected the call immediately.
“What was with all the kwakwakwa?” Tracy asked, mimicking the way Ella had been laughing earlier.
“I for say you get bad belle, but pikin dey inside your belle, so I nuh go talk am. (I would have said you don’t mean well for me, but you’re pregnant so I won’t say so.)”
“Just don’t get hurt. Tell him if he won’t keep you laughing like this for long-term, he should leave now while he still has the chance, cause if he hurts you, I’ll come for him.” Tracy warned.
“My Chief defender! Don’t worry, I’ll be okay. I promise.” Ella said with a contented smile.
Seeing how genuinely happy she looked, Tracy decided to let it go. Her best friend was happy and she didn’t want to ruin her joy by being so negative and suspicious.
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 61 – 70
**********
Almost all through that morning Kathleen’s mind was occupied by thoughts of Pete and what he had done to her in the kitchen the previous night. She had spent the night praying for God to purge her and cleanse her from all unrighteousness, but it seemed like the thoughts in her heart were immune to her prayer point.
Luckily for her, Pete had let her prepare breakfast without any distraction that morning, and it had almost seemed like nothing had happened between them the previous night. Although she had been a little disappointed, but she had been grateful he wasn’t trying to pressure her. Thankfully the drive to the office had been easier with Amanda in the car since they had to drop Amanda off at school that morning because Chidi wasn’t around.
Was this what lust really felt like? Why would God give us such crazy emotions and sex drive if he didn’t want us to do anything till marriage? Why didn’t he just keep all these feelings locked up inside us so it can be only unlocked in marriage? Kathleen wondered.
“Kat?” She heard Dave call her quietly, so she turned to look at him.
“Hm?”
“Are you okay?” Dave asked since he had noticed how she was just sitting on her seat looking so unhappy.
“Yeah. Thanks.” Kathleen said with a small smile.
“Can I ask you something? I know it’s not my business or anything but I’m just curious. The guy that came here yesterday, is he your boyfriend?” Dave asked, making the ears of the others in the office perk up.
Ordinarily Kathleen would have told him it wasn’t his business so he should not be curious about it, but he was her only friend in the office who really had her back, so she didn’t want to offend him.
“Well, he is actually just a friend.” Kathleen said, and Dave nodded. She could tell he wanted to enquire about her relationship with Pete as well but didn’t want to seem like he was intruding and asking too much. She was at least glad that he knew it wasn’t his business, and as such she owed him no explanation.
“Good afternoon.” Someone greeted from the doorway making them all turn towards the door. A man who looked like a logistics delivery man who standing there, carrying a huge box in his hand.
“Please who is Miss Kathleen Okorie?” The man said, looking at all the ladies as though he was trying to figure out who was Kathleen amongst them.
“Who is asking?” Kathleen asked, shifting her attention to her.
“I suppose you are Miss Okorie? I have a package for you.” He said as he approached her desk with the box.
“From who?”
“I have no idea. My job is to make the delivery.” He answered politely as he laid the box on her table before turning to leave.
“Thank you.” Kathleen called out as he left before looking at the box in front of her. She couldn’t help wondering who could have sent her something like this.
“You’re hotting these days o.” Dave said with a teasing smile, making Kathleen giggle.
“Me sef I tire o.” Kathleen responded with a smile. Her heart skipped a beat when her phone started ringing, and she saw Pete’s name displayed on the screen.
“I suppose you have received your package?” Pete asked in a husky voice.
“Oh!” Kathleen exclaimed when she remembered he had asked her to let him pick her gown.
“Yeah. That’s the outfit you would be wearing on our date tomorrow. It means you can’t change your mind about having dinner with me tomorrow.”
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 61 – 70
______
If Kathleen had thought that was all the surprise Pete had up his sleeves for her, then she was in for an even bigger surprise when another delivery man showed up in her office just before lunch, and brought her a well packed plate of food and chilled pulpy orange drink to go with it.
Kathleen couldn’t meet the eyes of her colleagues as they all trooped out for lunch, while she sat there looking at the plate of food in front of her. It seemed like the more she tried to get him out of her mind, the more he kept trying to remind her that he was existing. What was she supposed to do if he kept acting this way?
She had not opened the nylon pack because she hadn’t wanted her colleagues to see what was in it, but now that they were gone, she opened it and placed the plate on her table. There was a small plate of fried rice, another plate of Jollof rice with dodo (fried ripe plantain), a plate of salad, a plate of moi moi, then there was chicken, turkey and fish. How was she expected to eat all of this by herself?
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 61 – 70
As though to answer her question, Pete chose that exact moment to ring her line, “I suppose you’ve received our lunch, right? Bring it over to my office.” He said immediately she picked the call, and dropped the call before she could say anything else.
“Our lunch?” Kathleen repeated to herself before standing up and picking up the bag. Just what was he doing? A couple of days ago he had little or no interest in her, so why all the attention he was giving her all of a sudden? She wondered as she made her way to his office carrying the food pack.
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 61 – 70
She completely ignored the secretary who was busy eating a bigi sausage roll and drinking a cold bottle of Pepsi, as she walked over to the door and knocked on it.
“If it’s Kat, come in.” Pete said, and smiled to himself as the doorknob turned. He stood up to take the food pack from her and set it on the table. He couldn’t exactly explain why, but he was feeling very excited seeing her. He had been tempted to stop over at her office all morning, but had to refrain himself since he didn’t want to seem like he was all over her or embarrass her. Somehow in the week since Kathleen had started working for him, he had started looking forward to going to the office more.
He had the lunch delivered to her office rather than his own office because he hadn’t wanted her to make any lunch plan with someone else.
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 61 – 70
Kathleen noticed that he had cleared all the documents off his desk, as he dropped each of the plates on the desk, “I didn’t exactly know your preference hence I bought them this way. I hope you don’t mind?” He asked without looking at her as he arranged them.
“This is your office.” Kathleen told him softly.
“So?”
“I don’t think it’s appropriate. Besides you said we should leave out our business at home from the work at the office.” Kathleen reminded him.
“I said you being Amanda’s caretaker has nothing to do with you working in the HR department here at the office. It doesn’t affect my relationship with you. I’m not having lunch with you as my daughter’s caretaker.’ Pete pointed out.
“Really? I didn’t realize our relationship has changed. So what are we having lunch as?” Kathleen asked before she could stop herself.
“The food is getting cold, and we don’t have all afternoon for lunch, so why not sit down and then we can talk while eating?” Pete asked as he held out the chair for her to sit down before returning to his own seat.
Kathleen said nothing as she lowered herself on the chair and picked up a spoon, “So?”
“Well, let’s say we are here as friends. Like I told you before now, I’m very attracted to you, and I find you interesting. So see it as you having lunch with a friend.” Pete said as he picked up his spoon and started eating.
Friends? Had he just said they were friends? She didn’t know whether to be glad he had said they were friends, and so wasn’t rushing her, or to feel offended he had said they were friends after he had kissed her and touched her so possessively.
“Why are you frowning and not eating?” Pete asked, making her realize he had been staring at her.
“It’s nothing.” Kathleen said before moving the plate of fried rice closer to her, and then took the first spoon.
“Did I say something wrong?” Pete asked with an innocent expression, pretending like he was trying to figure out what he had said to make her frown.
“No you didn’t.” Kathleen said and just kept eating without looking at him or saying anything. She was indeed feeling very offended now, but there was no logical way to explain her annoyance, or was there? What had she been expecting him to say? Lunch between lovers? Or perhaps lunch between an admirer and the ‘admiree’ if such a word ever existed.
“Go on, say it. You’re obviously pissed off about something I said.” Pete insisted as he kept looking at her face while eating his food.
“Who says I’m pissed off?” Kathleen asked irritably.
“Your nose. It opens wider when you’re angry, as though you need more air.” Pete said making Kathleen’s lips twitch in amusement since she knew he was saying the truth. She had been told her nose widened whenever she was upset.
“Come on, feel free to say what is annoying you.” Pete urged her on when he noticed she had relaxed a bit.
“It’s really nothing. Nevermind.” Kathleen assured him. She knew it would sound weird if she told him she was upset because he had said they were having lunch as friends.
“If you say so. As long as you don’t bring it up later to start a fight. You women are fond of saying never mind, only to raise the issue another time and ruin a perfectly good atmosphere.” Pete said and returned his attention to his food making Kathleen raise a brow.
“And I suppose you would know that since you seem to have a lot of experience with women.” Kathleen said dryly.
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 61 – 70
Pete chuckled, “Why does that seem to bother you?” Pete asked, remembering her question the previous night. It was beginning to seem to him like she was looking for an excuse to push him away, and that was the best she could seem to come up with.
“It doesn’t bother me in any way.” Kathleen assured him.
“Then stop telling me about other women. The only woman I’m interested in is the one sitting opposite me.” Pete said with a wink.
“Your friend.” Kathleen muttered making Pete roar with laughter and then he started choking on his food.
“I knew you were going to eventually bring it up.” Pete said in a choked voice as he sipped from his bottle of water, before taking his handkerchief to wipe the tear by the corner of his eyes.
“Bring what up.” Kathleen asked with a scowl.
“The friend thing of course. That was what got up upset, right?” Pete asked making her narrow her eyes. Had he known the whole time?
“Why would I get upset over something like that?” Kathleen asked without meeting his gaze as she started to eat from the fish.
“I should be asking you. So tell me why.” Pete asked with a knowing smile.
“Lunch time is up. I should return to my office.” She said as she stood up making Pete grin. It was beginning to seem like the more time he spent in her presence, the more he got to really like her.
“Sure. I’ll have my secretary clean up, you can leave.” Pete said making Kathleen hide a smile. That silly secretary was actually going to clean up after her? She wished she could see the look on the secretary’s face while she cleaned the desk.
“Okay. Thanks for the lunch.” Kathleen said politely as she headed for the door.
“You don’t have any church program this evening I suppose?” He asked when she turned the knob.
“None, I’ll let you know if any comes up.” She said dryly, since she believed he was trying to tease her.
“Have you ever been to a club?” He asked again before she could leave.
“Never.”
“I’ll like to take you to one next weekend.” Pete said making her frown. She couldn’t deny the fact that she had sometimes entertained thoughts of going to a club at least just once to see how things were done there, but she was a Christian, and wasn’t sure it was right for a child of God to be found around such places.
“I know how spirikoko(religious) you can be, so you don’t have to give a response Immediately. Feel free to think about it. And don’t worry, we won’t be going alone. I could ask Ken to come along, and maybe my sister Ella so you won’t feel like the only lady with us.” He added making her nod.
“Okay. I’ll think about it. See you later.” Kathleen said, and left before he could stop her.
“We are done with lunch. He says you should come and clean up the desk.” Kathleen said with a sweet smile which turned into a giggle when the secretary hissed.
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 61 – 70
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