THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 71 – 80

EPISODE 80

“Are you okay?” Kimberly asked Eric with a concerned frown as he drove the car.

“Yeah.” Eric said distractedly as he kept his eyes fixed on the road. He couldn’t understand why he was partially feeling relieved despite the fact that his father had just succeeded in messing up his plans. Where was he to start from? He had just two weeks to find out how Kimberly felt about him, and to tell her the truth about who he was. Hopefully he could keep hiding his true identity from her until the two weeks was over.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Kimberly asked, turning in her seat to look at him, “Did you even hear anything I said?” She asked, since she had been telling him what the lady had said about Wumi and her step mother, but it seemed he wasn’t paying attention.

“Sorry. I was distracted. What did you say?” Eric asked, turning to look at her.

“What is wrong? Did something happen? Is your friend okay?” Kimberly asked in concern making Eric smile.

“Everything is okay. I was just really distracted. I never knew you cared about me so much.” He said with a teasing smile making her scoff in embarrassment.

“So what were you saying?”

“I was telling you what the lady at the salon was saying before you left. According to her sister In-law’s friend, someone happened to overheard Mimi’s conversation with my father’s wife.” Kimberly explained, making Eric’s heart skip a beat. What had the person overheard? What had Wumi said to Amaka? Wumi hadn’t taken his call earlier, so he had no idea what they must have talked about. The way his heart was beating fast, he only hoped he wouldn’t die of high blood pressure before the end of this two weeks.

“Are you listening?” Kimberly asked impatiently.

“Sure. Go on.”

“You said Mimi’s brother isn’t married, right? Because from what the person overheard, Mimi seemed to be warning Amaka to stay away from her brother and his marriage. Or does she have another brother?” Kimberly wondered thoughtfully while Eric raised a hand to his head which was beginning to ache. Was God trying to punish him for all his lies this period? Was that why they were trying to kill him with hypertension?

“Hm?” Kimberly asked again.

“Maybe the person overheard wrongly. You know how gossips behave.” Eric said dismissively.

“I don’t think so. Maybe Mimi doesn’t know Amaka is my father’s wife… Or maybe she does, who knows? Can we push our date to tomorrow, please? I want to invite Mimi over so that Prisca can meet her, then I can also find out what is going on between her and Amaka. I’ve always known Amaka had cockroaches in her cupboard. I wonder if she is having an affair.” Kimberly said excitedly.

“Why do you seem happy about that?”

“Because she always pretends to be nice and acts like she cares about me, but I know she doesn’t. And I also know the low-key wants my father to disown me so she and her son can have everything. I’d like to see her exposed.” Kimberly said with a smirk.

THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 71 – 80
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Back in the ladies’ room, Kathleen tried to fix her makeup which was ruined as she thought about Pete’s story. She never would have guessed that he had gone through such a trauma, and as much as she felt sorry for him, she didn’t know what to think about that. It was obvious he had loved his wife very much and her death had left a void inside him, but could she be the one to fill that void?

She was grateful that the restaurant had been arranged in such a way that there were fancy demarcations between each table, that way all the patrtons had privacy, so no one had seen them cry.

THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 71 – 80

Immediately she was done fixing her face, she took in a deep breath before walking out to join him again. She noticed they had cleared the table in her absence and it seemed like Pete had settled the bills already. He smiled at her when he saw her walking towards him, and Kathleen smiled back.

Looking at them now, one would never guess that they had just cried together, “Are you ready to leave?” Pete asked immediately she got to the table.

“Yeah. I’m feeling so hot, I need to take this wig off.” Kathleen murmured making him smile.

“I didn’t say we are going home yet.” He pointed out before standing up, “Let’s go then.”

“Where are we going to?” She asked curiously as she followed him out of the restaurant.

“You didn’t think I’d just take you out to eat with you, did you? I want the whole of your day. Once we get home we can’t be alone, so I want to be alone with you.” Pete explained as they both headed for the car.

“Oh!” Kathleen murmured.

“Yeah.”

“So did you enjoy the meal?” Pete asked after they were both settled in the car and he was driving away.

“It was nice, but too expensive. In fact everything there was expensive.” Kathleen complained.

“Thank God every one is not like you.” Pete said with a shake of his head.

If not that she could hear the smile in his voice, she probably would have felt offended by what he had just said, “Why?”

“Because if everyone was like you, then people like me wouldn’t make money from our passion.” He explained.

“Oh! That true. You’re a chef. Don’t worry, if or when you open your own restaurant, I will patronize you. Even if it means using my whole salary.” She promised.

Pete chuckled, “It’s good to know I’ve got my first customer. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Just don’t make it too expensive.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. So what about you? Do you plan on working for someone forever? Or is there something you would like to do for yourself? Perhaps a business you’d like to go into?” Pete asked curiously.

“You need money to do something like that for yourself, and I don’t have that money. I don’t even know when I’m going to have that when I have younger ones I need to take care of. So I don’t waste my time thinking about things like that.” Kathleen said with a wistful smile.

Pete didn’t miss the sadness in her voice, “How many younger ones do you have?”

“Four. Three girls and a boy.” Kathleen said with a small smile.

“I suppose your parents kept trying until they got a boy?” Pete asked with a chuckle.

“You know the story. I wonder why they do that when they don’t even have the means to take care of them.” Kathleen murmured grudgingly.

“So what are their names? And how old are they? Are they in school?”

“Well, you already know Isioma, she is directly next to me….”

“Hold on, she is directly next to you? I know she is a teenager, not over eighteen yet, right?” Pete asked curiously.

“You know? Who told you she’s a teenager?” Kathleen asked with a slightly raised brow.

“Isn’t she?”

“You’re making that assumption because of her stature, aren’t you? Yet you accused me of having an award at jumping into conclusions and making assumptions? Wow!” Kathleen said incredulously.

“Okay, maybe I was wrong. Sorry.”

“Not maybe. You are wrong. She is twenty-three years old. She looks that way only because of her health condition. She was almost always sick as a child, and then now she is having other health conditions. So I guess that’s why she looks so young.” Kathleen explained sadly.

“Oh! Sorry about that.”

“No problem.” Kathleen assured him.

“So why the six years age difference between the both of you? Why did your mother have to wait for so long, and then gave birth to more children after her?” Pete asked, turning to look at her with interest.

“How did you know my age?” Kathleen asked with a frown.

“You don’t think I would have checked your file at the company before employing you to watch over Amanda?” Pete countered.

“Oh!”

“Yeah. So tell me.” Pete urged her on.

“Hmmm. Actually Isioma’s father is my mother’s second husband.” Kathleen said, not knowing how to explain it.

“Really? You mean Isioma is like your half sister?” Pete asked with a frown since he hadn’t been expecting that.

“Something like that. Yeah.” Kathleen said with a shrug.

“So what about your father?”

“He is late. She was married to him first, and then after his death, she remarried four years later.”

“Oh! Sorry about that.” Pete said, wondering how it must feel for her to be working her ass off for her half siblings.

“It’s fine. I didn’t really know him anyway.” Kathleen said with a faint smile.

“So what exactly is wrong with Isioma?” Pete asked, not wanting to dwell on any sad topic.

“It’s her kidney. That is the reason they came to Lagos. She needs to see a specialist doctor.”

“How bad is it?”

“We will find out within the week after their appointment with the doctor.”

“You could take the day off if need be, so you can go with them. Just inform your head of department about it.” Pete suggested.

“Thanks. I will.”

“Good. So what about your other siblings?” Pete asked as he drove into the parking lot of a film house cinema.

“We want to see a movie?” Kathleen asked in surprise.

“Yes. Hopefully by the time we are done, it would be dark, and then we will have dinner at any place of your choice before going home.” Pete said with wink.

THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 71 – 80
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“So how did it go with the therapist?” Prisca asked as she sat down with Kimberly in the living room, after Kimberly and Eric returned from the salon.

“It went well. I think he might be able to help. Although he is very expensive.” Kimberly said with a shrug.

“No price is too big, as long as he can help you.” Prisca said with a smile as she looked at Kimberly. She really wanted Kimberly to be fine and get over her childhood experiences, “I’m glad you have someone like Eric helping you.”

“I’m glad I have you too. I honestly don’t know what I could have done without you. Thanks for being with me despite all my shortcomings.” Kimberly said as she thought of that one time she slept with Prisca’s boyfriend.

THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 71 – 80

*Two Years Ago*

Prisca’s boyfriend Jason had come over to the house unannounced to see her, but Prisca had gone to the market, thus only Kimberly was in the house.

Immediately Kimberly opened the door, her first instinct had been to tell him to leave and come back later, “You didn’t call her? She just left for the market few minutes ago.” Kimberly had said from the doorway, not wanting him to get in.

“Oh! I wanted to surprise her.” Jason had said with an apologetic smile.

“Too bad she surprised you instead. You can just go and come back later since I don’t think she is going to return anytime soon.” Kimberly said politely. She had tried her best to stay away from Prisca’s boyfriend as much as possible since Prisca introduced him to her some months ago after hiding the knowledge of her relationship from her.

“I can’t go and come back. I live in the mainland, remember? Why don’t I just wait inside for her? Besides I think it might rain soon. The weather doesn’t look too good, and I didn’t drive down.” Jason had said, looking behind him as though he wanted her to check out his weather claim.

“Let me call her and let her know you’re here.” Kimberly suggested and turned to go in to pick her phone, but he quickly stopped her.

“What is the point? She is in the market and might not be able to take her calls. I just need to sit and wait for her until she comes. I don’t bite.” He said with a grin, and flashed his teeth playfully.

After hesitating for only a moment, Kimberly had reluctantly opened the door and let him in. She then walked over to the living room and pointed to the couch, “Make yourself comfortable. Is there something you need?” She asked politely, trying not to be overly friendly with Prisca’s boyfriend.

“Anything chilled is fine. A cold bottle of beer would be better.” Jason said with a wink as he sat down on the couch.

THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 71 – 80

Kimberly gave him a single nod before leaving to get him his drink. She returned a moment later with two cans of cold Heineken and after serving him she straightened up to leave, “You can change the station to any of your choice while you wait. I will be in my room.” Kimberly said before walking away.

“You’re leaving just like that? I was hoping we could talk.” Jason asked, making her stop, and then she turned to look at him.

“About what?”

“Well, you’re like my girlfriend’s best friend yet we never get to talk. And whenever I’m around you stay locked up in your room. You make me feel like you don’t even like me.” Jason said with a frown.

“I don’t talk to you because we don’t have anything to talk about. It has nothing to do with whether or not I like you.” Kimberly assured him.

“Really? It doesn’t? So if you like me, how come you’ve not made any advances at me? I know about how you sleep with different guys all the time, yet you never look at me twice. Why?” Jason asked as he stood up from where he had been seated.

“You are my friend’s boyfriend. Now you can either sit down and have your drink alone, or you can leave.” Kimberly said and turned around quickly. Wanting to leave fast before she does something stupid. Jason was no doubt a very fine guy. He was light skinned just the way she liked men to be, and he seemed like he worked out a lot.

Jason caught her hand before she could leave “Why are you running away? Are you sxually attracted to me? Is that it?” He asked as he placed a hand around her waist and pulled her closer to himself.

Kimberly only came to her senses sometime later when Prisca opened her bedroom door and saw them both having sx on her bed. How they had gotten into her bedroom, she didn’t really know. But she knew she had done something horrible.

“Derek!!” Prisca had screamed in disbelief, causing them both to spring apart in surprise since they hadn’t heard the door open.

“Oh sht! She seduced me! I swear to you baby, your friend, she seduced me.” Derek had lied as he quickly left the bed.

Without looking at Kimberly, Prisca had turned around and walked out of the room, and Derek had run after her, while Kimberly remained on her bed in shock. Had he just accused her of seducing him? She had wondered. After Derek left that day, Prisca had acted like nothing happened, and had refused to talk about it even when Kimberly tried apologizing and explaining to her.

Looking at how Kimberly was thanking her now, Prisca wondered what Kimberly would think, or how she would react if she told her the actual reason she was still beside her despite everything. At least she had been able to forgive Kimberly for sleeping with her boyfriend since without doubt, she knew it wasn’t Kimberly’s fault. She knew her boyfriend had deliberately visited the house in her absence because of all she had told him about Kimberly and her lack of self control. She had only told him that so he would avoid being alone with her, not so that he could go try his luck.