THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 81 – 90

EPISODE 90

Pete lay on the sun lounge by the swimming pool looking around at the people who were swimming while trying to imagine Kathleen sitting beside him. He wondered if she would ever be bold enough to wear a bikini, and chuckled at the thought. She was just too decent to do something like that. Ladies like her could only wear shorts and singlet to swim.

Going to his family house that morning before his trip had been to have a brief meeting with his father to discuss some of the business proposals he had told him was going to be discussed at the conference, and to put him in the know as to what was expected of him.

“I’ve been told you’re quite popular among the ladies in the office.” His father had said with a chuckle after they were done with the business discussion.

“I had no idea you still find the time to gossip with your employees. Since you’re that strong, why not return to work?” Pete had asked dryly.

“Don’t change the subject. Are you really dating Kathleen?” His father had asked, taking Pete aback.

“You know Kathleen?”

“She is a member of my staff, so why wouldn’t I know her? There is hardly a person who works for me that I do not know. You should know everyone as well.” He had suggested as he opened his vanguard news paper of the previous day and flipped through the pages.

“I’m not dating her yet. But I intend to.” Pete had finally said, making his father raise his head from the news paper on his lap.

“She is quite pretty and intelligent.”

“Who is?” His mother had asked as she joined them in the living room still dressed in her sleeping clothes.

“The lady you came to the office to harass.” Pete had said grudgingly.

“Harass ke! I didn’t harass anyone. I only asked her if something was going on between the both of you since you were being tight-lipped about it.” His mother had said defensively.

“I’m interested in her.” Pete had announced to his mother.

“Didn’t I tell you?” Her husband had asked her with a smirk. They had both argued about whether or not Pete was interested in Kathleen. His father had been of the opinion that Pete was probably interested in Kathleen or on his way to doing so since she was living under the same roof with him, while his mother had been of the opinion that Pete was probably just helping her out of pity and because he needed a nanny.

“So why didn’t you just say so when I asked you in your office?” His mother had asked irritably.

“Because it’s not your business. I’m just telling you now because I’ve officially asked her to be in a relationship with me. So please do not harass her…”

“Why do you keep saying harass as though I threatened her or something?” His mother had snapped at him angrily.

“Calm down honey.” His father had told her gently.

“You should tell him to stop doing that. He’s making me sound like I’m Patience Ozokwor and I don’t like that.” She had said angrily.

“That’s not what I mean. I’m sorry.” Pete had apologized.

“It’s fine. What are you going to do about your secretary though? It seems she likes you.” His mother had asked.

“She told you about Kathleen and I didn’t she?” Pete had asked suspiciously.

“She sent an anonymous text with a different line from the one I have, but I checked it out with true caller and her name came up.” His mother had said as she extended her phone to him.

The text read, ‘Are you aware that your son is sleeping around with one of the ladies at the office? Her name is Kathleen Okorie and she is a golddigger.’

Pete had sighed after reading the text, “I hope you know I’m going to fire her after this trip?” He had asked his father who shrugged.

“You’re in charge. Do whatever you deem fit.” His father had said, giving him the go-ahead he hadn’t really needed, but appreciated.

“So what do you want with the girl? You want to marry her?” His mother had asked curiously.

“I’m still thinking about it.” He had said making his mother sigh.

“I guess I’m just going to have to find a way to matchmake your brother with Tolu, since you’re out of the picture now.” His mother had said with a sigh.

THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 81 – 90

***********

Meanwhile In Clara’s hotel room; After thinking about the mess she had just put herself for a while, Clara decided it was probably best if she informed Pete of Kathleen’s call before he found out by himself. She would have preferred to just delete the call from his call log, but unfortunately his phone was locked, and she couldn’t unlock it to do that. So this was her only option. That way Pete wouldn’t be very mad if he found out she had taken his call. She would just play it out nicely by informing him that Kathleen had called to say his daughter was sick. Any other thing Kathleen would say would be her word against hers. Having made up her mind she slowly made her way towards the swimming pool section of the hotel where he had said he was going to.

She saw him resting on one of the sun lounge chairs by the pool. His eyes were closed and he had a glass of wine on his hands which told her he wasn’t sleeping, but was probably deep in thought, “Sir…” She started making Pete’s eyes open immediately as he looked at her with annoyance wondering what she wanted this time.

“You had a call… From Kathleen. She wanted…”

“You answered my call?” He snapped at her, cutting off the rest of her sentence. He would have been excited that Kathleen had called, but knowing she had answered the call wasn’t good at all.

“Yes. I’m sorry. She called more than once so I assumed it was urgent. She said your daughter is ill.” Clara quickly explained before Pete could go from upset to full blown anger.

Pete glared at her before standing up very quickly. Amanda was ill? Since when? He had spoken with her twice already and she had seemed okay. Perhaps she had eaten something which wasn’t good for her? Pete wondered as he walked away without sparing her another glance.

Clara glared at his back as she watched him leave. How could he talk to her like she was his house girl? How could a person be so ill mannered? She wondered with a hiss.

THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 81 – 90

Immediately Pete got into his room he picked up his phone and checked his call log. Kathleen had called twice, and he could only hope that she wouldn’t make any false assumptions or jump into conclusions simply because his secretary had taken his call. He dialed her number and she quickly accepted the call before it could even ring twice.

“Is Amanda ill?” He asked anxiously.

Kathleen could hear the worry in his voice as he asked the question. And she wished she hadn’t had to lie to Clara using Amanda’s health, “She is okay.” Kathleen said grudgingly.

Pete let out a sigh of relief, and then felt his lips twitch in a smile now that he realized she had called him to hear from him, “So how are you doing? You missed me I suppose?” He asked with a smile in his voice which quickly transformed into a frown when he heard a hiss followed by the disconnect tone.

What just happened? Why did she hang up like that? He wondered as he dialed her number again, but Kathleen didn’t accept his call. She was angry with him? Why? Pete wondered with a frown as he dialed Amanda’s number instead.

“Hey pumpkin! Are you close to Kat?” He asked immediately she took the call.

“No. She is in her house. She left after preparing me for bed.” Amanda said distractedly with her eyes fixed on the television, while the others in the living room looked in her direction wondering what Pete was saying.

“Can you take your phone to her? Tell her I want to speak with her.” Pete instructed, and Amanda stood up and headed for the door.

“Where are you going to?” Isioma asked her curiously.

“Daddy wants to speak to aunty Kat.” Amanda called back as she left the house.

“I thought you said you asked him not to call her?” Kathleen’s mother asked Chidi with a puzzled frown.

“I don’t even know what he is doing right now. Maybe Kathleen is angry with him.” He said with a chuckle as he returned his attention to the television.

“Go and listen to what they’re saying.” Kathleen’s mother said to Isioma who didn’t need to receive the order twice before rushing out of the door.

“Aunty Kat?” Amanda called as she tried to open the door, “Aunty Kat, daddy wants to speak with you.” She called as she walked into the house looking around for Kathleen.

THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 81 – 90

Kathleen who was in her bedroom watching a video on YouTube, turned to the door when she heard Amanda’s voice as she knocked once before opening the bedroom door, “My daddy wants to speak with you.” Amanda said, extending the phone to her.

Of course there was no way she could ask the kid to tell her father she was sleeping or that she didn’t want to talk to him. It would definitely passa wrong message to the kid, so she reluctantly took the phone from Amanda, “Thanks darling, you can leave, I’ll bring the phone when I’m done speaking with your father.” Kathleen said, in a polite way of asking Amanda to excuse her.

Pete who was listening to all they were saying in the background could only hope she wouldn’t hang up after Amanda leaves.

“Hello SIR?” Kathleen asked in her most polite tone, making Pete want to strangle her.

“Okay, it’s obvious you’re upset with me. What did I do?” He asked with a frown.

“I never said you did anything. You are the one who wants to talk to me, so go on SIR. I’m listening.” She said with a scowl.

“If it’s about Clara, I promise you nothing happened. I was by the poolside and she was in my hotel room using my laptop.” Pete hurriedly explained.

Kathleen swallowed, “Even if anything happened between the both of you it’s none of my business. You don’t owe me any expla…”

“Kathleen can you just shut up and stop trying so hard to be annoying?” Pete asked irritably.

“Annoying? I’m very sure I can never be as annoying as you are. One minute you’re acting like I mean something to you, and the next you’re doing the exact opposite. Had I been the one who traveled the way you did without even a call or a text, would you stand there and be saying this right now?” Kathleen hissed at him.

“I’m lying down, I’m not standing.” Pete corrected making Kathleen hiss, “Okay, is that why you’re mad? I’m sorry. I was only trying to give you time to think about my proposal.” Pete explained.

“Really? Like my heart is supposed to grow fonder if you disappear?” She asked still fuming.

“My babe. I’m very sorry. I knew I shouldn’t have taken Chidi’s advise. That guy obviously wants you to get angry and leave me so he can have you to himself.” Pete said, sounding so serious than Kathleen’s lips twitched in an involuntary smile. Kathleen said nothing and just listened, waiting for him to apologise some more.
“But you self! You could have just called to say you miss me instead of trying to pick a fight naw.”

“Miss you? Who said anything about missing you?” Kathleen asked grudgingly even though it was true. Going to work and returning without him was boring. Even the office was boring. She missed the smell of his perfume.

“If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have called. You even had to lie that Amanda was ill, ehn? Child of God.” Pete teased.

“I was only worried about you.” Kathleen said with a frown.

“Kat if you say you miss me, shey you know you won’t die sha?” He asked with a chuckle.

“Who said you can laugh when I haven’t forgiven you?” Kathleen asked in a slightly annoyed tone making him stifle his laughter with his pillow.

“Come on now, don’t forget that you’re a Christian. Besides, shey I already explained what happened to you nau. It was that Chidi that deceived me into not calling or texting. Take your anger out on him and have mercy on my poor heart.” Pete said making her smile.

“So why was she in your room? Are you both sharing a room?” Kathleen asked hesitantly.

“But I thought you just said it’s none of your business and I don’t owe you any explanation?” Pete asked with a chuckle. She was really full of drama.

“Whatever. I’m going to bed goodnight. And just so you know, tomorrow I’m going to have lunch with my friend.” Kathleen threatened.

“You won’t even try it. I will make sure your head of department keeps you busy.” Pete said with a scowl.

“If you like go and charge your phone in her room. Good night.” Kathleen said before hanging up.

Both Isioma and Amanda who were standing behind Kathleen’s door held their hand over their mouth as they giggled at Kathleen’s end of the conversation. Although they couldn’t hear what Pete was saying, but from the way she sounded, it was obvious something was going on between the both of them.

THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 81 – 90
___________

“Why are you so quiet now?” Eric asked Kimberly after they had eaten silently without saying a word for sometime. She had been unusually quiet since they started eating, and they were halfway done with the food yet she had just kept her eyes on the plate.

“Maybe I have nothing to say.” She said in a small voice as she kept eating.

“Well, you could tell me about all you talked about with Kathleen, as well as with Tunde.” Eric suggested.

Kimberly thought about her discussion with Kathleen and decided it wasn’t in her place to tell Eric that Kathleen had been abused too in the past. That was Kathleen’s own personal business, “Well, she was very friendly and I found myself opening up to her about a lot of things I didn’t think I would be able to say to anyone. By the way do you know who Joyce Meyer is?” She asked Eric curiously.

“Yes. She is a preacher and a writer, but I like to think of her as a motivational speaker.” Eric said as he picked up his turkey and bit into it.

“She said the lady was abused by her own father. Can you believe that?” Kimberly asked in disbelief.

“Worse things happen everyday. I like this Kathleen, and I think she will be good for you.” Eric said with a pleased smile. He was glad she had met someone like Kathleen who was a Christian and who was understanding of her.

“Yeah. I think so too. I actually enjoyed my conversation with her.” Kimberly said with a small smile.

“So what about Tunde? What did you both spend so much time talking about?” Eric asked as he kept eating, trying not to make his curiosity too obvious. Even though he knew he was going to hear everything from Chuka, he wanted to also hear from her and know what she was thinking.

“I have to admit he was quite talkative. But it was okay since he knew how to maintain the conversation. We talked about different things. His relationship with my Amaka, where I come from, his own village, his friends, and then he talked only a little about work. He seemed really down to earth.” Kimberly said with a small smile.

“I guess you like him?”

“Sure I do. Don’t you?” Kimberly asked innocently, not understanding what Eric was trying to find out from his questions.

“Yeah.”

“By the way, how come himself and his sister doesn’t look alike? Like there is no iota of resemblance between them.” Kimberly asked curiously.

“You will have to ask them that yourself.”

“I guess I will ask Mimi when next I see her. That reminds me, I was wondering if it would be wrong of me to ask Prisca to represent me when next I’m to be with him. What do you think?” Kimberly asked making Eric look at her curiously.

“Why?”

“For starters Prisca has a crush on him…”

“Prisca? How can she have a crush on someone she has never met? Does she even know how he looks?” Eric asked in amusement.

“Does she need to? She knows what his money looks like. And that is good enough. Plus now that I know what he looks like, I’m sure Prisca is going to fall completely in love with him when she sees him.” Kimberly said with giggle.

“Really? What about you? You’re not interested in him? He is rich and handsome.” Eric said making Kimberly look at him with a frown.

“Sure he is a spec, no doubt. But I’m not ready for any of that.” Kimberly said with a shake of her head.

“Why not?”

“Are you seriously asking me that? You of all people know I need to focus on therapy. And even if I was interested in him, I’m married to you so how do you expect me to get into anything with your friend.” Kimberly pointed out.