Chapter 6: Chapter 6
Lora suddenly opened her eyes, awakened by the sound of the telephone. “Oh no.” she groaned. “Who could be calling at this hour waking me up from this beautiful sleep?” She asked herself not expecting any replies anyways.
She rolled over on her belle pressing her face against her pillow for a brief moment. Then turned on her side on the bed to look at the clock sitting on the table beside her bed.
It’s 10am. "Ooh no.” She moaned, still feeling exhausted from the party she had with the kids, the previous evening, the thought of the kids brought a little smile on her face. She usually wakes up before this time, maybe it's because of the numerous activities she and the kids had and the cleanup she did after that.
She stretched out both hands and yawned at the same time; then slowly she crawled out of her bed and made her way sluggishly to the sitting room where the telephone is ringing for a second time.
“Hello…” she said, as she picked up the phone, still feeling a little drowsy. “Hello princess.” Came the deep voice in the telephone. “Are you just waking up from sleep?” the voice asked startling her.
“Papa, hi… Good morning Papa.” She said sounding fully awake, she never expected her dad to call her by this time because this is usually the time he is most likely to be busy in his office.
Her dad Lucio Affonso, one of the wealthiest men in the city is a strict business man. He says sleeping in late in the morning will earn you nothing but poverty and that it's for lazy people.
"We can get enough sleep when we are dead so why waste so much time sleeping." He had once told her. He also said one should wake up early in the morning whether you have something to do or not, that's what he thought her.
She could remember that one time when she was still little, her Mama was still with them then, her Papa came by her room and found that she was still asleep, she could still remember the stain look on his face when he woke her up.
"Sleeping in late will earn you nothing but poverty child." He had said to her and from that day onwards he made sure to bring her to his study with him early in the morning, she would read a book sitting on a sofa at a corner of the study while he either read a book too or work on something else, he did that until it became a habit for her.
Her Papa used to wake up before everyone in the mansion and he is the last one to go to bed back then when she still lived in the mansion and she believes he still sticks to that since that had been his policy.
“No Papa, am awake, I’ve been awake." She said robbing her eyes with her right hand. "I didn’t expect your call, how are you Papa?” she said and asked almost immediately. “I’m fine Princess and you?” Lucio answered and asked in return. “I’m fine Papa.” She replied.
“Okay good, you sounded like you were just waking up from sleep at this time of day, you know I never raised you to be lazy.” He said in an authoritative kind of way. “Yes, Papa.” She said, making a face which she would dare not make if he were present with her in the room.
“Anyway, I called to wish you happy graduation Princess; I would have called yesterday but was held up in a tight schedule; I paid some money into your account, buy anything you like with it.” He told her still in that authoritative tone.
“Okay, thanks Papa.” She replied, if only her dad knew she needed his love more than his money, she thought. “How is grand Mama Rosa?” she asked after a brief pause. Grandma Rosa is her grandmother, Lucio's mum. “She’s fine, I almost forgot she wants to celebrate with you this Saturday” he told her.
“Really, Papa, are you giving me your permission to go to the mansion?” she asked, her eyes widened with excitement. She never goes to the mansion without checking with her dad and getting his approval first, her dad said it’s for her own good, and she has was still wondering why leaving alone and outside their mansion was for her own good, even though she asked her dad or grandma, they would not tell her anything, they would just wave the question off and continue with a different discussion.
“Yes princess, you can.” He replied. “Okay Papa, I’ll be there.” She said. “Take care of yourself Princess, I love you.” He told her. “I love you too Papa.” She replied, hoping that her dad truly loves her, he always tell her that he loved her whenever he called but she could not truly feel it except for when he sends her money and call her like he just did.
She put the phone down and stared at it. If only her parents would make her feel their love for her like they tell her over the phone, especially her dad who called often, maybe she wouldn’t be desperately looking for love somewhere else, she thought, pressing her lips together. She blew out a sigh afterwards, unconsciously dropping jaws.
Grand Mama Rosa is the only one who had stood by her until her dad sent her out of the mansion to live here by herself, although she acts strange at time; maybe it’s the age telling on her, she thought, because she knew that she wasn’t like that when she was younger. She knew that her grandma did not like her dad’s decision to send her out of the mansion but she agreed to it anyway.
She looked around the sitting room; she could still remember in fragments when she, her mum and dad used to come here on vacation, this house though not as big and exquisite as the mansion, is no longer what is used to be, now she is just a lonely being she thought as she held her both hands out and covered her face.