Nice.

‘Auntie, you’ve not eaten anything since morning. Please eat something.’
Zizi was plaintive.

‘I’m not hungry.’ Janet remained unmoved. Truly, she had no appetite.
She was sad and indignant over the treatment her father gave her. How
could he be treating her as if she was a baby? At her age, was she not
matured enough to have a relationship, and with whoever she desired?

How could he place her under ‘house arrest’? Yes, that was the way to
describe her situation: she had been placed under house arrest!

Not only that, he collected her car keys and phones. The man simply
wanted to render her incommunicado! That was very wicked of him. Very
wicked!

Janet believed her dad was taking things too far. What was the crime in
having a relationship with someone that was from a ‘lower status’? What
had love, real love, got to do with status?

It was like there were more to the whole thing. It was more like her
father was seriously moving against her when he realized that she could
end up having a permanent relationship with Raphael. But shouldn’t her
father be happy for her? Shouldn’t he think of her happiness and do
things that would promote it?

One of the mistakes she made was not to have copied Raphael’s numbers in
her hard copy phone book. Now, she didn’t know any of his numbers off
hand. If she did, she could borrowed Zizi’s phone to call him. She was
sure he would have made spirited efforts to reach her.

A brilliant idea finally came to her towards dusk. Since she had a
laptop and a modern in her room, why couldn’t she borrow Zizi’s sim
card, load it and go on the internet? Wouldn’t she be able to get his
number from his Facebook page?

She brightened up a bit and went downstairs.

‘Oh, thank God.’ Zizi was happy to see her. ‘Please go to the dining
table while I get your food.’

‘Not yet, Zizi.’ She managed to smile at the maid. ‘Can you do me a
favor? I want to borrow your sim card. I’ll load it but I actually want
to use it browse the internet.’

Cool.

‘Not yet, Zizi.’ She managed to smile at the maid. ‘Can you do me a
favor? I want to borrow your sim card. I’ll load it but I actually want
to use it browse the internet.’

‘Why not? Anything you want.’

She removed the sim from her phone and handed it over to Janet.

‘Thanks. Here’s the money for the recharge. Please get it for me.’

Zizi went to buy the recharge card and returned to give it to her.

‘I will also need your phone.’ Janet wasn’t done. She went to her room
and started the laptop. Gosh, why didn’t she think of this before?

She was able to get his number. She then used Zizi’s phone to call him.

An unknown number called his line.

‘Hello.’

‘Hello, this is Janet on the line.’

He jumped up in excitement. ‘Oh, thank God. I’ve been trying your lines
since morning. How are you?’

‘Dad said I’ve been suspended from work and he grounded me in the house.
He took all my phones. That’s why I could not reach you.’

‘I’ve been worried about you. Thank God you’re hale and…’

Before he could finish, she interrupted. ‘I’m not hearty. As a fact I’m
very displeased. How could dad treat me this way, as if I’m a child?
It’s so unfair. I finally got your number on your Facebook. This is the
house maid’s phone I used in calling you.’

‘Oh, sorry my dear, for all the troubles. This morning, I was summoned
to Mrs. Kweku’s office right after the assembly. I met your dad in her
office and he told me I’ve been given the sack.’

‘Yes, he told me early this morning that he would do that. So, he has
finally done it.’

‘Yes, he has. He also said I must never have anything to do with you
again. He gave me over three million naira to forget about you.’

‘But why is daddy so desperate? What will you do now?’

‘I need to get his account details to send the money back to him. I’m
not going to touch that money.’

Go on.

Go on.

Op, can you pls check your mail

Op, can you reply my mail, it's been two days now I sent you a mail

next please

As for the money Mr. LaVos paid into his account, he would have nothing to do with it. He would have to find out LaVos' account details so that he could send the money back to him.
Some minutes after seven in the evening, Becky was around to see him.
'It's all over the school that Mr. LaVos has asked you to go.' There was a tone of resignation in Becky's voice.
Raphael sighed. 'Yes, I've been given the boot.'
'What will you do now?'
He appeared to be in thoughts.
'I guess I'll have to look for another job.'
'I have an idea. Why don't you go back and plead with Mr. LaVos?'
'What?' He was shocked, for the umpteenth time that day.
'Yes. Why don't you promise him that you will leave Janet alone, so that you can have your job back?'
'No way!'
'Why not? Is your job not important to you? Must you insist that Janet would be the one?'
He shook his head sadly. 'I can't do what you suggested. It's beyond what you think, and you don't understand.'
'What else is it that I don't understand? I think it's you who don't understand. Her father has made it clear that he doesn't want you around his daughter. Why are you hell bent on having a relationship with her?'
He did not say anything, but was thinking of a lot of things. Becky certainly placed job over every other thing. She didn't say anything about the 'compensation' part. That meant she didn't know about that one. He imagined what she would say if she was aware that substantial sum of money had been paid into his account.
'Raphael.' Her voice was cool as she came over to his seat and sat beside him.
'There's something I want you to feel.' Her face was as cool as she could make it.
He looked at her questioningly.
She held his hand and placed it on the left part of her chest. Instinctively, he tried to withdraw the hand.
'Please, just a minute.' Her plea was yielded to. Still holding on to the hand, she placed it on her chest again and pressed hard.
'Now, you can feel it. You can feel the beat of my heart. It's the heartbeat of love. Raphael, I have great feelings for you.'
He shook his head and removed his hand. 'We don't need to go over this again. Becky, you know what the answer is. My love is already for another lady. I'm sorry but I can't abandon Janet for anything or anyone.'
Her eyes changed immediately from affection to disaffection. 'And where has that love taken you now? What benefits have you got from the so-called love?' Her voice went up, her face bristled in anger.
'Hey take it easy. It's my problem, isn't it?'
'You're not applying wisdom to this thing at all.' She still bristled in anger. 'You claim you love somebody, but all you get is nothing but trouble. Another person is there offering you love, but you shun her!'
He stood up and moved away from her. Silently he paced round the room. She came to him from behind, held him and pressed her body against him.
'Raphael, why're you so stubborn? Why don't you try what I said?'
He freed himself from her. 'I can't. I can't abandon her now.'
'Then, blame yourself for all that is happening to you.' Her voice was full of venom. She hissed.
Raphael didn't say anything. Becky had had enough of him and his stand. Without further ado, she went to her hand bag on the table, picked it up and walked out of his apartment.
Raphael whistled to himself. Now, he had no doubt that Becky cared for no one but herself alone.

Janet had been holed up in her room and she refused to come out even when Zizi informed her that food was ready.
'Auntie, you've not eaten anything since morning. Please eat something.' Zizi was plaintive.
'I'm not hungry.' Janet remained unmoved. Truly, she had no appetite. She was sad and indignant over the treatment her father gave her. How could he be treating her as if she was a baby? At her age, was she not matured enough to have a relationship, and with whoever she desired?
How could he place her under 'house arrest'? Yes, that was the way to describe her situation: she had been placed under house arrest!
Not only that, he collected her car keys and phones. The man simply wanted to render her incommunicado! That was very wicked of him. Very wicked!
Janet believed her dad was taking things too far. What was the crime in having a relationship with someone that was from a 'lower status'? What had love, real love, got to do with status?
It was like there were more to the whole thing. It was more like her father was seriously moving against her when he realized that she could end up having a permanent relationship with Raphael. But shouldn't her father be happy for her? Shouldn't he think of her happiness and do things that would promote it?
One of the mistakes she made was not to have copied Raphael's numbers in her hard copy phone book. Now, she didn't know any of his numbers off hand. If she did, she could borrowed Zizi's phone to call him. She was sure he would have made spirited efforts to reach her.
A brilliant idea finally came to her towards dusk. Since she had a laptop and a modern in her room, why couldn't she borrow Zizi's sim card, load it and go on the internet? Wouldn't she be able to get his number from his Facebook page?
She brightened up a bit and went downstairs.
'Oh, thank God.' Zizi was happy to see her. 'Please go to the dining table while I get your food.'
'Not yet, Zizi.' She managed to smile at the maid. 'Can you do me a favor? I want to borrow your sim card. I'll load it but I actually want to use it browse the internet.'
'Why not? Anything you want.'
She removed the sim from her phone and handed it over to Janet.
'Thanks. Here's the money for the recharge. Please get it for me.'
Zizi went to buy the recharge card and returned to give it to her.
'I will also need your phone.' Janet wasn't done. She went to her room and started the laptop. Gosh, why didn't she think of this before?
She was able to get his number. She then used Zizi's phone to call him.

An unknown number called his line.
'Hello.'
'Hello, this is Janet on the line.'
He jumped up in excitement. 'Oh, thank God. I've been trying your lines since morning. How are you?'

An idea flashed through her mind. She had an aunty married to a timber magnate in Lome. Rhoda remembered that the aunty once boasted that she had the key to retaining the attention and the affection (if you could call it that) of any man that crossed her path. Rhoda smiled to herself again. It was time she consulted the aunty.

Janet woke up around six a.m. Then, she remembered that it was Saturday morning and she would not be going to work. She lazed on the bed for several minutes. She thought of what she would be doing with herself that weekend.

By noon, she would be visiting Emma. He had said he looked forward to seeing her again. Before she would leave, she would just relax and take things easy.

Still in her night wear, Janet went to the kitchen. The big refrigeration there had assorted juices. She poured the drinks generously in a big mug and returned to her room.

She played music on her i-phone as she sipped her drinks. Some minutes later, she decided to have her bath. She was still in the bathroom when Zizi came to inform that breakfast was ready.

After creaming her body, she chose to wear a white t-shirt and a short jeans skirt for now. Her parents were already eating by the time she got to the dining table.

'Good morning, dad, good morning, mum.'

"My baby girl, how are you?' Her father smiled up at her. It was the way he used to address her. At almost twenty-eight, her father still called her baby girl.

Her mother too smiled at her. Julie was a reticent woman. If anyone talked a lot in that house and raised so much fuss, it was daddy.

'Why is Helen not here?' The man looked at the chair on which Helen normally sat. 'Don't tell me she's still mourning that her boyfriend.'
'I think she'll soon be here.' Julie nodded and looked at her husband reassuringly.

The breakfast was toasted bread and beverages. It was one of Janet's favorites. She enjoyed the food and ate to her satisfaction. Truly, just as her mother said, Helen soon came to join them.

'Helen, baby. How 're you?' LaVos expressed delight that she had finally come.

'Fine, dad. Morning, mum.'

'How're you, my dear?' Julie looked at him briefly in I-told-you-so manner. She patted her daughter.

'Life goes on.' LaVos lifted the tea cup to his mouth. 'I don't understand why you should be brooding over him. You're still young, enjoy your life.'

The others did not say anything. Janet sometimes wondered how her father was able to take things as calmly as he did. For instance, the way he reacted to the death of Helen's fiancé was rather too cool, almost as if he was expecting the news.

Janet glanced at her mother. She was sitting calmly beside her husband. As far as Janet could remember, there was no time her mother had any serious argument with her husband, or raised her voice against him. She always seemed to agree with him - both in words and in silence. Mummy was too cool and pliant for Janet's liking.

Later that morning, she was in her room, watching the satellite television. Daddy and mummy had gone out. She suspected that Helen had gone out too.

By eleven in the morning, she was watching Channel O, when Funmi, her friend came to visit Funmi had been her friend since their secondary school days. As a matter of fact, they went to the same federal government girls college. Funmi was the only daughter of the Lawsons and they dotted on her. She was an almost spoilt child.

Cool

She was an almost spoilt child.

Funmi was still with Janet when Emma called her line.

'When are you coming, baby?' There was a sense of anticipation about him.

'By mid-day, I should be there.'

'Have you left home?'

'Not yet, but I'll soon leave.'

'How was your night?' The question was an afterthought.

'It was fine. How was yours?'

'Fine too. I'll be expecting you, baby.'

Janet smiled. 'Alright.' She dropped the phone on the bed.

'Your guy?' Funmi looked at her friend in what looked like envy.

Janet nodded in the affirmative.

'I guess I should be on my way. Have a nice time, Janet.'

With that, Funmi left the house.




Chapter Two

Janet whistled softly to herself as she got up to dress up. Her large wardrobe had scores of clothes, some of which she had no worn from a long time. She checked them one after the other, wondering which one to pick. She finally settled for a designer t-shirt and jeans trousers.

She applied her designer make up and perfume. It was apparent Janet liked designer wears. She liked to look and smell good. Since she could afford the good things, nothing stopped her from having them.

She put her sunglasses on as soon as she got to the porch.

'Happy weekend, small madam.'

Sule always addressed Janet as madam despite the protest of the latter. He walked towards her with his trade mark grin.

'Good morning, Sule. How're you?'

'We dey fine o. We thank God.' He looked at her in expectation.

'Your car is ready.' He pointed at the car. It had been washed and it was glittering in the morning sun.

'I can see that.' She nodded in approval, smiling at him. He had, as usual, helped her to wash her car. She dipped her right hand inside her clutch bag and brought some money out.

'Here, take this.'

'Ah, thank you so much, madam. This weekend will be very great.'

She entered her car and put the engine into life. He waved at her while Janet honked the horn. The car was still quite new and she handled it carefully. It was a gift from her father when she clocked twenty seven. She had complained that she was tired of jumping from one cab to another and he had gifted it to her.

The traffic was light. From Ota, she drove to Abule Egba on her way to Ikeja. Emma lived on a street off Shodipo Close at the GRA. By a few minutes after noon, she was at the front of the gate of his residence.

The man at the gate came to the side of her car to properly look at the person behind the wheel. 'Ah, good morning. You're welcome.'

Janet smiled at him. She was no longer a stranger there. She drove into the compound.

Emma came to meet her as she was stepping out of the car.

'My baby.' He was obviously glad to see her. He came over to give a kiss.

Cool story.

LoveToRead:

'My baby.' He was obviously glad to see her. He came over to give a kiss.

Thank you LoveToRead for coming back to this story.
God bless you.

Yh

Great

Noce

Ok

Good

Yes

Janet smiled at him. She was no longer a stranger there. She drove into the compound.
Emma came to meet her as she was stepping out of the car.
'My baby.' He was obviously glad to see her. He came over to give a kiss.
Taking her right hand, he ushered her into the expansive sitting room downstairs. Bottles of wine and champagne were already set on the center glass table.
'I was already expecting you.' He felt there was need to explain the scene.
'I can see that.'
When she saw that the bottles of exotic drinks were indeed many, she became curious. 'Are you celebrating anything?'
'Yes.' He laughed. 'Having you around calls for celebration. Take your choice.' He pointed at the drinks.
'Any that is good with the least content of alcohol.' Any where she went, she always showed that taking alcohol was not her passion.
He opened one of them with a plop as if there was need to make a toast. He then filled the glasses and handled one to her.
'To the flavour of a beautiful relationship.' He raised his glass up.
They clinked glasses. She took a sip to sample the taste. It was good. She looked at him with a smile. She had no doubt that the drinks were very expensive. Maybe he was a connoisseur. Janet did not fancy exotic drinks, but would really not mind to have it moderately if the taste was good.
They drank and chatted on this and that.
'Don't you think we should retire to the bedroom? Let me show you one or two things there.' There was a suggestive grin on his face.
'No o. This place is better. No need to go to any other place.' Her soft protest was significant.
'You mean you won't mind having the action here?' He laughed over his bawdy comment.
'I'm not talking about anything like that. Let's just chat for today.'
'Maybe I should try to put you in the mood.' His right hand went to her chest suggestively as he wrapped his left one around her body.
'No. I didn't come for anything like that today. Don't even attempt to do that because the mood won't come.'
'What happens to the mood? Why is it always on flight?' He seemed to be discontent. 'We've done it only once, and that was about three weeks ago.'
'Yes. You should be satisfied, shouldn't you? It's not food, is it?'
Try as much as he did, he could not get her to do what he wanted.
They talked about other matters. She could see that he was not pleased with her refusal, but he should try to live with that, she thought.
When it was after one, she stood up to go. He forced a grin and accompanied her to her car.
'Thanks for the warm reception. You treated me like a queen.' She gave him a peck.
'You're welcome.'
He waved at her and she drove off. She joined the main road and drove towards Maryland. She could have driven straight to join Ipaja road, but she wanted to do a little shopping at the shopping complex in Maryland.
It was the same complex he had met Emma. She bought the laundry items she wanted to buy and realized that her phone was not in her bag. She remembered that she had put it on the armrest of the chair she sat on in his sitting-room. She paid for the items she bought and drove back to Emma's place.
Instead of driving inside the house, she parked by the gate and got down from the car. The security man was surprised to see her again.
'Sorry, I forgot my phone. I've come back to pick it.' She smiled apologetically.
'Your phone?' The question came as if he had not heard her well.
'Yes.'
The man was a bit reluctant to open the gate.

Nice work.