Chapter 23: Chapter 23

Part Eight

Wheel of Fortune

The mythological wheel whose turns, which are random determines the fortune of men.

Chapter Twenty

Halal rushed over to Monsieur Jacques house at Banana island early the next morning after getting a text from him to start translating the documents.

She rang the doorbell and waited for Maria to open the door.  Maria was Jacques house keeper from Benin Republic who spoke little English.

"Misses, how fine you are today?" she asked with a huge grin on her face as she opened the door.

Unlike Monsieur Jacques Maria liked to converse in her terrible English rather than French.

"Maria, I'm fine. Monsieur Jacques said he left something over here for me, I'd like to have it and be on my way" Halal said entering the house.

Her boss's house never failed to impress her every time she came over.  His house was like a mini Art museum with bits and bits of artistic pieces from different parts of the world.

"Come wait in study, I bring the documents there" Maria said before disappearing.

She didn't even tell Halal where the study was, Halal rolled her eyes before walking out of the sitting room. She walked past Jacques library into the next room. Didn't the study always come next to the library? She wondered opening the door.

But it wasn't the study she met, it was a girl's room or woman rather.  The interior decor was baby pink and cherry red.

Different flowers were hanging everywhere and a few unlit scented candles, perhaps Jacques had gotten himself a new girlfriend. She was about to close the door when something else caught her eyes.

It was huge painting on the wall, a painting of a naked woman. She gasped and lifted her hand to take the painting off the wall when she heard Maria's own gasp of disapproval.

"This not Study, this Monsieur Jacques private. He angry if he see you here. Only me clean the place, take document and go" Maria shoved the documents into her hand pushed her out of the room.

Halal stared at the shut door for a few minutes, she shook her head in confusion before walking away.

The minute she stepped out of Monsieur Jacques house, her phone rang. She rolled her eyes hoping it was not Valentino. He'd called her ten times this morning, he was beginning to piss her off. Why couldn't he just disappear to Port Harcourt as usual?

She checked the caller ID displayed on her phone's screen and saw that it was Darrell.  Darrell! He wanted to talk to her now?!

She answered the call and waited for him to speak.  "Hey" his deep voice flooded her ears.

"Hey, Darrell hey? You've been ignoring for over a week and now you're just going to say hey?" she asked in disbelief.

"I was giving you space" Darrell said.

"Space? If I'd wanted space, would I have sent you all those messages that you didn't respond to?" Halal asked getting into her car.

"I'm sorry, I guess I was still pissed over what happened the other night" Darrell said.

"Oh, well I'm sorry about that" Halal muttered.

"That's okay, I'm over it. So...I spoke with Daria yesterday and she told me that you got a job and you're living in some hotel now?" Darrell asked.

Halal sighed "Yes,  it's a long story. I'm not busy now though,  my boss is not in the country now. So, I'm free till next week Sunday" Halal informed.

"Next week Sunday... that's good Halal.  Would you like to spend some time with me?" He asked.

"Do you even need to ask? I need to unwind.  Should I come over to the house?" Halal asked.

"Actually I wanted to ask you for something else. Doctor Harvey is sending Felicity and I for a program in Calabar. Would you like to come with me?" he asked.

"I...I don't know. When?" Halal asked.

"We're leaving on Wednesday and we'll be coming back on Saturday, it's okay if you're busy. I just thought since you said you wanted to unwind, you could use a trip. I heard Calabar is a good place to unwind" Darrell said.

"I'll have to confirm with my boss first , if there is nothing else he wants me to do in Lagos then I'll come.  I hope Felicity won't mind?" Halal asked.

"I doubt it, anyway we were given two tickets each.  I think she's going with her daughter or her husband. Besides It's no business of hers, is it?" Darrell asked.

"Of course, are you at home or you're at the hospital?" Halal asked.

"Hospital, I have a lot to do.  I'll be home in the morning, since I'm working late tonight. We could go out to get breakfast tomorrow, I'll come by the hotel" Darrell said.

"No, don't come to the hotel. I'll come over to the house instead" Halal said, she didn't want Darrell running into Valentino again.

"Alright, see you tomorrow. Take care of yourself" Darrell said. "Yeah, I will" Halal said ending the call.

She quickly texted Monsieur Jacques the minute she ended the call, asking him for permission to go to Calabar with her husband.

Jacques texted back telling her to do whatever she wanted as long as she got his documents to the lawyer before she left.

Halal wanted to ask him about the nude painting in his private room but she decided not to for now. She would ask him when he got back, she had to know why he had a nude painting of her in his house.

Victoria sat beside Felicity with a fake smile plastered on her face. "Doctor Felicity, don't tell me you're still mad at me" Victoria pouted playfully.

"What do you want Victoria? I don't have time for your games" Felicity said irritated.

"I heard you're going to Calabar with Darrell, who are you giving your other ticket to? Don't you think you should go with a nurse?" Victoria asked.

Felicity scoffed "I'm going with my little girl,  even if I wanted to take a nurse with me, it wouldn't be the hospital's bike" Felicity hissed.

"I'm not the hospital's bike!" Victoria glared at Felicity. "Come on Victoria, ever male doctor has ridden you. Everyone except Darrell of course, that's where your juju stopped working" Felicity mocked.

"Darrell is mine, I don't care what you think. In fact, I'm sure he'll ask me to come with him to Calabar" Victoria hissed.

Felicity laughed long and hard "Victoria the dreamer.  We both know the woman he'll be taking to Calabar, that's if he plans to travel with someone" Felicity hissed.

Victoria hissed before storming out of Felicity's office. There was no way, Darrell was taking Halal with him. Her husband was still around right? She would have to call Valentino again and inform him that his wife was planning to elope with her doctor.

She ran into Darrell in the hall way "Darrell, I heard about your trip to Calabar. What are your plans?" Victoria asked smiling sweetly.

"None of your business. Now if you don't mind,  I have a meeting with Doctor Harvey"  Darrell said coldly before walking away.

Victoria groaned, she watched him take the stairs before walking into his office. She snooped around for a while before sitting on his chair.

She played with his pens and pencils. If it wasn't for that foolish Halal, Darrell wouldn't have been able to resist her.

She was still thinking of different ways to deal with Halal when she saw Darrell's car keys and house keys on his table. Her eyes stared at them for a while before an idea clicked. She grinned and picked up the keys.

Time to play hard ball.