Chapter 6: Chapter 6

24 years later......

*Akeyla's POV*

~~~~~~~~~

I had been waiting for taxi for the past 30 minutes. I would usually take the bus which leaves by 6:30 am but I had missed it because I didn't come out on time and it was usually very hard to get a taxi in this area of Lagos. I am not usually the type to miss the bus but one could even miss their flight if they faced the same battle I had encountered in the toilet at home. LESSON; DON'T EVER EAT BEANS TO BED. Well, that was what I ate the night before and this was the result but do I have any other choice when that was the only thing left to eat?

I kept glancing at my wrist watch when sound of my ringtone drew the attention of everyone that was standing by. i quickly pulled it out from my pocket to see who was calling. My best friend's name, Brenda, pops up on my screen and I smiled broadly.-++++

"Hey girlfriend."

"Babe!! You won't believe it!!" I hear her scream and I wince moving the phone away from my ear slightly.

"What happened?" I ask few seconds after bringing the phone back to my ear

"I'm coming to Nigeria in three days!" She screams again.

My eyes widens in surprise hearing what she said. I could see a taxi coming from ahead and I quickly started waving so it could stop.

"You're joking right? You have been saying that for the past five years, Brenda." I walk closer to the road as the taxi pull up in front of me.

"Where to madam?" The taxi driver ask me.

"Allen Avenue." I answer him before entering the car.

"I'm not joking this time, Akeyla. My manager said I have a contract in Nigeria which would last for a year." She says excitedly and this time I know she isn't joking.

"That's good news Brenda! I can't believe I'm seeing you soon! I have missed you so much." I say excitedly.

"Me too babe! I have missed you too! I will call you later, I have a shoot now."

I nod my head and smile.

"Okay babe, go do your job now, we will talk later." I hang up and relax my head on the seat.

Brenda and I have been best friends since middle school. We got separated when I was expelled but we met again sometime later.

We exchanged contact and promised to keep in touch. Later, she moved to England with her family but we still remained in touch.

After a few minutes, I arrive at my work place. I am an employee at Royal business enterprise. After searching so hard for a job, I finally got employed here. It's very hard to find a job in this country, so we cherish the one we have. My salary is not so much but it can cover for some of my expenses.

As soon as I enter my work premise, I quickly run into the building because I am already late.

Reaching my desk, my eyes meet two angry pairs that belongs to my manager, Mrs Jessica, who is standing in front of my desk with her arms folded across her chest.

"You finally arrived." She says with a cold face and I can tell she is very angry.

"Good morning ma'am, I'm so sorry I'm late......I......." I pause when she raise her hand telling me to stop.

"Akeyla, if you remember correctly, the day you got employed in this company, you signed a contract that if you are late to work, you will either be suspended or fired, am I correct?"

I gulp and scratch my head hearing her question.

Okay, I'm in big trouble, I know it for sure.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry.....it......it was because........"

"What now?! Your mother is sick again? What excuse do you have this time? Remember you have been suspended before right? If you get suspended again, you will get fired on the third time!" She shouts at me as she hit her hand on the table making me wince.

Yes, I was already suspended before even though I gave a valid reason for being late.

That was the first day my mom's illness started. I was so shocked that day as I didn't know what to do. Seeing my mom in that sick state got me so scared and worried.

After I rushed her to the hospital, the doctor recommended the drugs for her to take. He said I would have to buy the drugs for her every week and of course, they sure cost a lot.

I couldn't go to work that day and when I finally went, I got suspended. Even after I pleaded trying to tell my manager that my mother was sick, she didn't listen to me.

"Ma'am, I beg of you, at least listen to me first...."

"Just kindly accept being suspended Akeyla because if this gets to the boss, you won't just be suspended but might even lose your job." She says plainly before she turns walking away.

I sigh in frustration and slump on my seat.

"What happened Akeyla? Why did you come late again? You know very well that our company has a strong policy for being late...."

I don't need to raise my head to know that it is my nosy colleague, Alicia, that is already lecturing me, she is always nosy like that, never minds her business.

I didn't answer her but simply stand up and walk out.

How will I survive being suspended? The suspension could be for 2 weeks or more, it depends on when I'm called back to work.

It's almost my payday, and if I'm still suspended until then, I will likely not get paid. What do I do then?

*********

Ever since my dad died, it's been hell for my mom and I. Firstly, the loan sharks came and took most of our properties leaving my mom and I with almost nothing. We weren't aware that dad took a loan while he was alive. Ever since dad died, mom has never been herself, she cried every single day and became very thin. I was attending the most expensive middle school, Lifeforte International School in Ibadan, when he was alive. Although he wasn't paying for the tuition because I was on scholarship but he provided all the necessary materials I needed and made sure I lacked nothing. But well, the school was a school for the rich and I ended up getting bullied and oppressed by other rich kids, but only Brenda accepted and tried to protect me from them.

Well then, I got expelled from the school because one of the kids accused me of pushing him. Everyone knew he was lying and was only picking on me but nobody tried to support me. He only had a small scratch from falling on his own and the school board called my family because of that. They told my parents that it was better I kindly left the school because it wouldn't be nice if the child's father decided to take action. I cried hard that day because I was going to lose my only chance to study for free in an expensive and we'll known school, all because of a rich kid that wasn't train properly at home.

My dad transfered me to another middle school where the cost was average. He and my mom never for once doubted me, they believed I would never hurt anyone.

I really miss him a lot. He died from cancer and the doctor said his internal organs got endangered because he was smoking and drinking badly before. It must have been before I was born, because I never saw him smoke or drink.

After dad's death, my mom's boutique that she owned got closed down because we had to pay off depts and now that she's sick, I am the only one left to provide for the both of us.

As I sit down on a bench by the road side, Brenda calls me again.

"You done with your shoot babe?" I ask her as I answer the call.

"I'm at your freaking house babe!" She exclaims from the phone.

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion.

"I don't understand Brenda, what do you mean you are at my house? You told me you were coming in three days time, so can you quit with the joke?" I sigh as I am pissed that she is joking with me at a time like this. Well, she isn't aware of my present predicament and I bet she would freak if she finds out.

"Oops, someone's pissed. Well, I'm actually at your house! I thought of coming to your workplace to meet you but then I remembered I don't know where you work."

"Are you serious Brenda?? You're really at my house?!" My face glitters up.

"Yep! I landed at the airport hours before calling you this morning and I quickly drove to your house after settling down to wait for you." I could hear her chuckle from the other end.

"I'm on my way!!" I shout excitedly before hanging up.

Brenda is a model but she doesn't work here in Nigeria, her workplace is mainly based in England. She's very popular on social media and even have fans here in Nigeria.

After waiting for a while, I stop a taxi and quickly head for my area. When I and my mom moved to Lagos, we needed to find a cheap house so we went all the way to the ghetto area not minding the bad road and dirty environment.

Reaching home, I could see a white lexus parked in front of our house and know it's Brenda's. I quickly run inside the house and meet her sitting down on the sofa talking with my mom.

"Brenda!" I shout her name excitedly and she springs up from where she is sitting to hug me.

"I miss you so much Akeyla!" She squeeze me tight.

"Me too Brenda, I'm so happy you're back." We both pull away and she sits down back beside my mom while I sit beside her.

"You're looking good Brenda." I say smiling at her.

"You ain't looking bad yourself Akeyla." Brenda smiles broadly in return.

"Let me give you guys some space to talk." My mom says standing up.

"No no Mrs Maria, you can sit, we need no privacy." Brenda says holding my mom back.

"I will be back, let me go get you something to drink." My mom smiles at her and she nods letting her go.

"So you were actually tricking me earlier, you still haven't changed." I shake my head at her.

"I did trick you but I wasn't lying when I said I am coming here for a contract. I'm actually modeling for some companies here for a year before going back."

"I wish you could just stay forever." I say pouting my lips and she chuckles and shake her head.

"Me too but you know that's not possible. By the way, you were able to rush here while at work?" She ask me with a concern on her face. She could have thought of that before telling me she was at my house though.

I could only sigh and purse my lips not saying anything.

"What happened Akeyla?" She moves closer to me.

"I got suspended today and I have no idea when I would be called back." I reply in a low voice.

"Suspended? Why? What did you do wrong?"

"I went to work late, that's why." I sigh again and relax my back on the sofa.

"You got suspended because you were late? What kind of company does that?"

"Well, my company. What can I do Brenda? I missed the bus because I had diarrhea this morning and it took me long to find a taxi."

"Did you try explaining this to your boss?"

"Our boss has no business with us and my manager dosen't have the time to listen to whatever excuse you have." I shrug.

"That's not fair, what kind of manager is that?" Brenda's face turned ugly as she got angry.

"This is the second time. If I happen to be late again, I will lose my job."

"You should stop working there Akeyla, don't worry, I will find another job for you..."

I shake my head abruptly and hold her by the shoulder.

"No no Brenda. Please, I have troubled you enough, let me handle this on my own, I will be fine."

She sigh not bothering to protest knowing well that she will lose to me and just nods.

"But if you happen to need any financial help, you can always come to me remember?"

I nod with a smile.

"Okay."

"Make sure to visit me all the time Akeyla, I'm going to be at that big house all by myself." She pouts.

"Of course Brenda, you know I can't live without you."

She smiles and chuckle.

"So for how long are you staying Brenda?" We hear my mom's voice before we see her coming out from the kitchen with a cup of coffee in her right hand.

"For a year Mrs Maria."

"Alright." She gives the cup of coffee to Brenda.

Brenda takes a sip from it and smile broadly at my mom.

"You make the best coffee as always Mrs Maria."

"Thank you Brenda."

"Em, Mrs Maria, I would like to steal Akeyla for the night, I hope you don't mind?"

I turn to her puzzled. Steal me? To where? What is she scheming now?

"Of course not, Akeyla is your best friend, you guys have fun."

"Mom, aren't you scared Brenda is going to sell me? You didn't even ask her where she is taking me to."

My mom chuckles, "Who would want to buy a troublemaker like you?"

I feigns a frown as I watch her and Brenda laugh heartily at me. I smile and Joins them in the laughter. It's good to see mom laugh, she hardly laughed since dad's death.

"I'm going to prepare lunch, you guys can go wherever you want." She stands up and goes into the kitchen.

"So, where are you taking me to?" I ask Brenda as I turn to her.

"To a club." Brenda answers plainly.

"A what? A club? You know very well that I don't like crowded places Brenda."

"Common Akeyla, don't you get tired of staying indoors? Let's go have fun for once, can't we? I know all you have been doing over the years is just work, work and work."

I sigh and didn't say anything. She is right though, I don't usually have time for myself. I get too immersed in working hard so I could get paid.

"Fine, but no drinking."

She shakes her head and I could see her grin.

"That's you, as for me, I'm drinking of course. Who goes to a club and doesn't drink? Let's go and get clothes for tonight now." She says standing up.

I frown, "Do we have to spend money for club dress? I have a dress that I can wear."

She shakes her head at me.

"Tsk tsk. Don't tell me you're going to wear that type of clothes?" She points at the suit I am wearing.

"This isn't my only clothes, Brenda." I roll my eyes at her.

"Your only clothe or not, you still have to come with me now to the boutique. Let's go." She started walking out and I sigh and stand up to follow her.

"Mom, we will back!"

"Alright darling!" My mom answers from the kitchen.

Xoxo