Why didn’t I think that waking up would be a different issue? Okay, so before the morning chaos and no not my usual life chaos that have become very well anticipated happenings to my brain. But a different chaos altogether. One that I have never dreamed to see even in my wildest dreams and when it comes to wildest dreams I deserve an Oscar’s award.
Okay, so I wake up normally, maybe not normally because I usually don’t wake up feeling someone’s absence in the bed. I feel so well rested and fresh. I will figure out the reason for this new good sleep result and cage it in an alabaster box with a pad lock and key.
I climb out of bed and rush to the bathroom to splash water on my face and pull my coarse hair into a bun. I give up on my hair and leave it as it is. I will deal with it later. Right now I need a good glass of water. So I decide to find the kitchen. My tour of the house is pretty hazy I guess last night I was dead on my feet without even realizing it. My thirst increasing by the second I increase my pace and I almost slip on the smooth tiled floor because of the socks that I am wearing. I don’t remember wearing those. And why do I think it’s so cute when I imagine Tylor wearing socks on my feet? I should not soften up to him
Oh please you have already missed that bus. Sense and logic roll eyes at me. I run a hand over my face and yawn loudly as I step into the grand room with couches. Hmmn must be the living room.
I shuffle past the elegant room and my thirst becoming urgent as I near the kitchen. I take advantage of my slippery socks, feeling like I’m five again. The floor is nice too as I slide on it with a skateboarding stance and even open my mouth as a loud childish weeeii comes out. My next childish giggle gets stuck in my throat as I reach the kitchen threshold and four pairs of bulging eyes land on me.
My legs spread to a halt and I hold on to the wall for support as I stare back at them.
What the duck are four pairs of eyes doing in the kitchen this time of the morning? So it’s the yes I see first and four sets of agape jaws before I make out the faces.
‘What are you doing here?’ Celine is the first one to speak and I blink back at her in response. I should be asking her that. Father and mother’s expressions mirror Celine’s as they look at me like I just crawled out of a chicken egg or something.
I remove my eyes from them to the man sitting at the other end of the kitchen island.
My own jaw drops open for the first time. He is the older version of Taylor. A darker version of Taylor. A certified photocopy.
Crap, its Taylor’s father. The mafia king known as the prominent evangelist. Somebody delete my existence!
His bronze brown eyes are soft and kind of like ‘ah so this is her?’ as they regard me. I take a step back when I feel like I have regain my equilibrium.
What are they doing sitting silently in the kitchen without even refreshments like ghosts that hunt the house? And the way they are looking at me they do seem like a set of assassins who are here to kill the same target.
What can I do this moment? I can’t say that I am happy to see my parents. The two kicked me out of the house like a rebel. I am not thrilled to see Celine either. I had hoped to never set my eyes on her again. and I am not about to greet and exchange pleasantries with Taylor’s father while I’m in a huge t-shirt and my hair looks like I have just been dropped by a large tornado.
So I do the only thing that a girl can do in a situation like this. I raise my eyes to the ceiling and I turn around slowly before I dash out of the kitchen like a bat out of hell.
In a second I register Taylor materialize out of nowhere, rolling the sleeves of his long sleeved polo shirt before my face crashes on his hard chest. He catches me in his arms. I look up at him and before I could even blink he lands his lips on mine in a passionate kiss and I can actually feel four pairs of eyes bulging out even more at the back of my head.
‘Good morning!’ he whispers when the kiss is over
‘Taylor--.’ I finally manage to say when I catch my breath and wits back together, ‘there—there--.’
He rakes his fingers into my wild hair, ‘you look really well than yesterday. Sleeping with me agrees with you.’
I feel heat go to my face because four pairs of ears have just heard that and of course interpreted it wrongly. Someone drops a glass and it crashes on the floor the same moment heat increases on my face and I think my skin is going to burn.
Taylor quickly reacts by pulling me behind him before both our eyes turn to the kitchen. Taylor cocks his head to one side also surprised to see the people here.
He then sighs resignedly, ‘come on.’ He turns to me and begin to push me towards the passageway.
‘What are you going?’ pointless question. ‘What are they doing here?’
He doesn’t answer me until we get to the bedroom and he shuts the door.
‘Your clothes are in the closet there—change and then come out,’
I blink at him, ‘what?’
He pets my head like I’m a little kid then he’s out.
I stand there for a long moment trying hard no to gnaw at my nails. I am screwed. Double screwed. I cringe when I think of the kiss in front of everyone. And why do Taylor have to pop silly jokes early in the morning?
I manage to find a hair blower and to dry-blow my hair into perfect shape. I look decent now. I nod at my reflection in the mirror. My jaw drops open as I step into the closet.
One way or another I’m going to find out how long Taylor has been watching me like a creep before he came to my shoe box. I bet it was long enough for him to stock the entire clothing store in here like this. Dresses, shoes, hand bags and even jewelry.
This makes my precious bag back in my shoe box seem like a refugee duffel bag. But at least it didn’t give me the creeps like this one. What am I supposed to do in here? I am one of those people who always pick out the worst item on the list when I am overwhelmed with choices.
He didn’t know where they are? I scoff. He just didn’t want me to see this last night because I would have interrogated him about it. The tyrant!
I pull out the first thing my eyes land on after coming out of my haze. A white maxi dress with a layered ended design and blue sandals. It’s comfortable and maybe they can all forget seeing me in that large t-shirt.
I take deep calming breaths as I step out of the bed room. I am past the living room and almost reaching the French door leading outside. They glass doors are open and the gentle breeze tugs at the long lacy curtains, combine that with a steady stream of sunlight and it almost looks like a picture from my best getaway fantasies
‘So you came back.’
I knew down deep in the primitive part of my mind that I would eventually meet some resistance before going out there. But I was hoping for a giant wasp or even a lizard—but not Celine. I turn to look at her with a flat smile, ‘it seems so.’
She smiles, ‘you are a first—they never come back.’
I narrow my eyes, ‘of course they don’t—you and your soldier spies murder them and bury their bodies away.’ I say in a bored tone as if I am broadcasting the weather forecast
She laughs, ‘well I should congratulate you—you made it past the first stage and I don’t mind keeping you—I like your sense of humor.’ She laughs at whatever she thinks about.
‘I can’t say the feeling is mutual.’ I say unflappably
‘oh I know you must hate me for trying to help a girl out—I don’t know how Taylor Managed to bring you back’ pause, ‘uh, I helped him to find you—wasn’t it thrilling to see him so desperate, the man acts like he has everything under control.’
I fold my arms, ‘I’m sure you had your fun.’
A sly smile spread across her pretty face, ‘oh I got a lot more than fun. You should be good to him, it’s not easy to temper with Taylor’s weakness and win.’
Must I listen to this quack woman right now? She is the same lunatic woman who scared the living day lights out of me the last time I spoke to her.
I open my mouth and close it. What can I say to her? I have no idea what she is talking about anyway
‘Oh look at you.’ she purrs, ‘you will learn, it seems like you will be part of the family after all. Now go on out Mr Abiwu is dying to meet you. Also a first or it could be that I put in a good word for you.’ she winks at me before sauntering away from me. She is also in a blue maxi dress, the same design as mine. The fact that I somehow ended up dressing like her should creep me out.
A breeze caresses my face and makes the material of my dress cling to my legs while escaping strands of my hair caress my cheek. I can’t help but stand mesmerized at the backyard garden. It’s all a mixture of total green and dry gardening. Don’t know much about gardens to describe this one. But oh well everything is beautiful here I feel like I have stumbled on an unplanned savannah vacation as I take in the set of garden chairs under large umbrella—are they called umbrellas?—and wooden benches set near flower hedges.
It would be a nice place to relax and kick all thoughts from my mind. Except that the epitome of my present stress is all in the very same place. Mother and father are sitting under one of the umbrellas all dressed up and sipping tea like what society would call ‘new money’. I can’t help myself. Since when did mother wear large straw hats and elegant long dresses as if she wants to attend a ball. Or maybe they want to bring back the Victorian era in Africa. And why is father all formally dressed like that at ten am in the morning? This is just creepy in 24 languages.
I move my eyes from them and my heart skips when they land on Mr Abiwu and Taylor. Not because they are also dressed formally in the same black pants and formal shirts, but because two almost similar set of eyes are gazing at me with the same expression that Taylor has adopted since he kidnapped me from my shoe box yesterday.
I could just do a little bow and turn and rush back into the house. But that would be silly and I’m sure I will cringe at that for the next fifty years. So I do myself a favor and I start to move my legs towards the table. Well mother and father are too engrossed in their tea like a couple from the titanic movie so I don’t think they want me to go sit there. Besides, it’s Mr Abiwu I’m supposed to meet anyway.
As I get closer to their table, their similarity and contrast is fascinating. It’s like two sets of one picture. One darker and older and the other younger and lighter.
Mr Abiwu himself keep afro hair, but his is a hundred percent coarse black hair with graying areas in some places.
My heart speed up when both men stand and smile at me as I get closer to the table. Maybe this is the part that I collapse and suffer a heart attack?
I manage to smile back as sit rigidly on the chair that Taylor pulls for me. He takes my hand under the table and holds it on his lap as he sits back in his chair.
‘Father I would like to introduce you to Heather,’ Taylor begins civilly, ‘and Heather this is my father Mr Rolland Abiwu.’
I open my mouth to do my pleasure to meet you speech when the man takes my free hand and sandwiches it with both of his. Heart’s eyes bulge out of her sockets
‘It’s a pleasure to meet you Heather.’ He flashes what I think is his prize winning smile, ‘I’ve only been hearing about Eric’s daughter, I’m surprised no one mentioned what a beauty you are.’
Yes, my father’s name is Eric, in case I forgot to mention that. All my brain companions scowl at me disapprovingly before furiously scribbling the name down on note pads. While I do well with my role of being speechless.
‘I told you to take it easy with her, she is quick to get speechless.’ Taylor says beside me. I stop myself before I turn to glare at him, Mr Abiwu catches that and chuckles
‘This is a way to welcome you to the family—we don’t take things easily at all.’
Oh I bet they didn’t. I swallow a lump that is starting to form in my throat. When is he going to give me my hand back? I mean it can’t be healthy for my mental health for me to keep such close contact with a possible mafia king. I mean I am currently looking at the very person whose name made people cower in fright. That’s enough to make me want to run for the hills screaming.
‘It’s nice to meet you.’ I manage to say.
‘How do you like the farm?’ he asks, still holding my hand.
‘I haven’t really seen much of it—but it’s surprising for the little that I saw.’ I say honestly
He flashes a knowing smile, ‘I know—you will see much of it today and many times.’
His smile is infectious as he finally lets my hand go and sits back in his chair gazing at the two of us. His eyes moving between Taylor and me. Can someone fast forward this part of my life for me?
‘So.’ There someone actually begins an interview like I always imagine. ‘I believe you two are serious about this.’
‘We are,’ Taylor answers.
‘This is serious. This is where our families are tied, and the way all this happened is a little hasty for my taste.’
‘We already had that conversation.’ Taylor cuts in again
‘Taylor can you let me talk with Heather by myself?’
Taylor flashes a flat smile, ‘I am not leaving you alone with her—the last time I left her with one of you she ran for the hills.’
Mr Abiwu smirks, ‘smart girl.’
My heart skips. What is wrong with these people?
‘But if you are going to be here, you have to put off the running mentality.’ He says easily
Oh for Pete’s sake I am not recruiting to join the marines over here! And he waits for me to answer that. What am I supposed to say? Yes sir? Or should I form a smart reply? How do you respond to a mafia king?
‘I won’t run!’ I hear myself saying. I’m not sure which one of my brain mentalities formed that answer, completely erasing the last fragments of my resolve to run from all this
His smile widens and I don’t remember how I ended up making direct eye contact with him, ‘I will take you at your word for it. And allow me to apologize for the trouble you went through to come to all this, from what I have heard, none of this was done properly.’ He eyes Taylor, ‘he will have to prove to you that he is better than that.’
That he is better than that—the words echo in my mind. Is this what Taylor meant about him back then basking in the idea of trying to please his father. It is clear that if his father had a say for Taylor’s choice for a wife, I wouldn’t be on top of the list. Oh well I wouldn’t put myself on top of the list either.
But what made him accept it. Was Celine serious about putting in a good word?
‘We are role models to other people.’ Mr Abiwu explains as if he heard my thoughts, ‘anything that threatens to tarnish the family name can’t be over looked.’ He glances at my parents who are still easily sipping their tea. Seriously were they hypnotized or something? ‘But this one has been ironed out.’ His gaze falls back at me, I feel Taylor tense beside me, ‘and you are not disappointing either.’ His eyes move slowly on my face and down the part of my body that is not under the table before a small smile comes on his lips.
‘That’s enough!’ Taylor mutters loud enough for us to hear.
It makes me feel rotten to admit this—but maybe Celine was right to want to get rid of me before I meet this man. He eludes all the people I have ever labelled as tyrants in my life time. In a few sentences he has just insulted me and my family and my relationship with Taylor. I wonder what comes out of his mouth when he speaks long enough.
‘I will have a look around.’ I shoot out of my chair when Taylor and his father have shared a bitter staring dialogue long enough they are about to explode.
‘I will show you around.’ Taylor also stands and takes my hand, breaking eye contact with his father who lifts a glass of juice to his mouth
‘You kids go and have fun.’ He flashes a condensed smile
I open my mouth to say something polite but Taylor pulls me away from the table before I could say anything. When we walk past a flower hedge and we are out of sight. By ‘out of sight’ I mean Mr Abiwu is no longer keeping a steady cool gaze on us as if he got our whole world in his hands; I tag my arm from Taylor’s hold and I turn to look at him
‘I was thinking about walking alone.’
He scoffs, ‘so that you can device another escape plan?’
‘Escape plan.’ I echo his words, ‘yes this time you said it right.’
‘You said you won’t run.’
‘Yes I remember that now stop hovering over me like an old mother hen.’
‘I won’t stop until I at least have an idea of what is going on inside your head.’
I laugh, ‘well I don’t know what is going on inside my head half the time.’ I say with a taut smile. I take a calming breath. What am I supposed to do with myself? His cousin sister is a quack woman, his father is scary as hell. It’s not as if this is a fantasy where Taylor and I can just walk off into the sunset and never mind the people left behind. All my brain companions nod in agreement.
I flinch a little when Taylor holds my arms with both hands and settles a steady gaze on me.
‘Don’t mind my father too much.’ He says, ‘to him this is a business arrangement that he wouldn’t have entered on a normal day.’
What the hell does that even mean? I scowl at him questionably. If this caught him off guard then wouldn’t he be moving heaven and earth to get out of it? Unless something else made him go with it even though he obviously doesn’t want this.
My heart skips as my brain picks up and patches together the hints that I have been getting from varying conversations that seem to point a conclusion arrow at one thing possible thing.
‘Show me around.’ I say coming out of my thoughts, there is no point in stirring another squabble over this issue with the questions that are flooding my mind at the moment.
He narrows his eyes at me for a moment before he nods. Maybe this is the point I finally cross out my resolve to leave. I can’t leave. Not that I know he won’t let me but because maybe I am finally ready to admit that I had the most horrendous three weeks of my life because I was running from this feeling.
You don’t meet someone is seconds and already have your whole world revolve around them like that—the only solution I had for such a wreckage of my normal everyday life was to turn my back and hit the road.
Or maybe it’s just me trying to find other words to accept and admit to the fact that I am trapped here. Whether by love or by a business deal, I can’t leave or turn my back anymore.