Chapter 15: Chapter 15

The resounding applause stopped immediately Lisha got to her seat with a smile on her face. The models had just finished the fashion exhibition, it was an exhibition for the ready-to-wear designs mainly for Christmas and just as expected Lisha's design drew more attention.

"You're really talented," Jimi said and Lisha gave him a punch in the shoulder. Lisha had been heading towards the elevator when he caught up with her.

"Me? Talented? What's that?" She pointed at her chest and Jimi shook his head while rubbing his shoulder.

"But why is your hand so hard?" He asked while wrinkling his nose as he straightened up.

"Don't know," she threw her hand in the air before entering the elevator while Jimi followed suit.

"Tomorrow is the welcome party right?" Lisha turned to him.

"Yeah."

"Okay, so, did your younger brother just wake from his slumber or what?"

Jimi squeezed his face, "What do you mean?"

"Like, did he just know he should come back to Nigeria or what, Abi, why the sudden welcome, someone you're not even meant to throw a welcome party for, I'm sure he'll just be as spoilt as you," Lisha rambled and all Jimi could give as a response was a chuckle.

"Did something get stuck in your throat abi why did you chuckle?"

He chortled yet again, "You know, you're somehow unfathomable."

"It's your duty to understand me, so, answer my question," she eyed him from the crown of his head to the sole of his feet.

"Well, he went there for his studies."

Lisha nodded, "Oh, but why Luxembourg?"

"I'm not sure," he replied succinctly.

"Why won't you be sure? He's your brother oo, didn't you guys discuss it before he decided to travel?"

Jimi sighed, "I think he just decided on Luxembourg or maybe our parents decided on it, I'm not sure."

Lisha shook her head, "Don't worry, I'll ask him myself when he gets back, first thing tomorrow, take me to him," she said with a smirk and Jimi smiled.

"Why should I take you to him?"

Lisha gave a long hiss before responding, "Don't worry, it's not like I can't go myself."

Jimi protested, "But…"

Lisha cut him short with her raised palm, "Where is Mark? It's been like years since I set my eyes on him."

Jimi's lips stretched into an amused smile, "You saw Mark yesterday, so, how did it turn to years?"

She pouted, "Whatever, you know, since he started dating Kemi, he seems somehow distant? Do you think Kemi is overprotective or is she the one that incited him against me?"

Jimi couldn't help the cackle that escaped his mouth, "Do you realize I'm her twin brother?"

"And so?" She pursed her lips before the door opened, she walked out of the elevator but not without dashing him a lour then she headed to her office.

Lisha didn't have any other thing to do, so, she just picked up her bag from her office and drove straight home.

Nikki hadn't arrived yet when she got home, after exchanging pleasantries with Gran and Miracle, she went up to her room, dumped the bag on her bed, had a shower before going back downstairs where she met Gran and Miracle still watching the cartoon she'd met them watching earlier.

She was chatting with Jimi and smiling before Gran cut short the whole thing.

"But wait, Lisha won't you get married abi, you're not growing any younger oo, at twenty- seven, if any guy isn't calling you, then find something to do to your problem nau, boya ka lo we ori fun e (Maybe we should go and meet a prophet to wash your head)," Gran started as she turned to her.

Lisha looked up from the phone while trying to suppress the anger building up inside her, she knew what Gran was driving at, whenever she mentioned the topic marriage, Gran made it mandatory to hurt Lisha.

"I'll get married when it's my time to do that," she replied calmly.

Gran busted out,"And when is that? When you're forty abi? Many of your mates have had all their kids but you're still sitting here waiting for the time that will not come, you don't even have a boyfriend let alone fiancee, is it until Nikki gets married and gets through with child bearing which I'm certain will happen before you happen," relentlessly she continued, "Abi when Miracle's siblings begin to call you auntie again, even look at it, Nikki already has a child now and you still don't know what befalls you, mtcheew," she hissed.

"Stop comparing me to Nikki, I don't like it," Lisha warned while trying to contain her fury.

Gran clapped sarcastically as she adjusted her sitting position and turned to Lisha squarely while Miracle still kept her face glued to the TV, obviously not interested in the unwarranted scolding.

"Do you even think a guy would like someone who isn't womanly like you? You better start asking guys out yourself and yes, don't go to that handsome CEO oo, he's reserved for Nikki, what am I even saying gan? they both like each other, so, don't be an antagonist between them just as Nikki had told me you are trying so hard to divide them."

This time Lisha let loose a bit of the anger building inside her, "Gran, please, that's enough? Abi, what is it sef? You don't even think about my feelings at all, everything is Nikki...Nikki, am I not human? Aren't I your granddaughter too, what's all this nah?"

Gran scoffed before releasing the damping remarks that have more than any of Gran's words shattered Lisha, "So, now you have the gut to raise your voice at me? It's not your fault, if that your wretched mother did listen to our wise counsels instead of choosing to die because of you, maybe I'll have sent her packing and Nikki would have better siblings unlike you, you won't be here to shout at me, why did I even take you in gan? I should have allowed him dump you in the orphanage, what do you think you are, ehn? Just because I'm trying to make your life better."

Lisha got up angrily at this, "Gran, I'm trying to contain my rage, if not…"

She cut in, "You'll beat me abi, ehn, Lisha, you'll beat me, you're a bastard if you don't beat me, Ah, and I warned my son not to marry that your stupid yeye mother, see, her product now, you this ingrate!" Consoling herself she said "But thank God he later listened to me and got married to Nikki's mom, the one with a long and fruitful life."

Lisha sat dejected, now she understood the main reason Gran didn't so much like her, she actually transferred the hatred she had for Lisha's mom to Lisha, no wonder Gran neglected her when she was young, no wonder she felt so unloved, no wonder she felt really out of place. Lisha noticed tears threatening to fall but she wouldn't do that in front of Gran, that would gladden Gran's heart, she decided it was best to go up to her room, immediately Lisha got up, Nikki walked into the living room.

"Hey, Lisha," Nikki called while hugging Miracle who instantly shifted her gaze from the tv and ran up to her.

Lisha didn't turn back but rather walked up to her room.

"What's wrong with her?" Nikki asked as she sat on the cushion Lisha had just vacated from before facing Gran.

"Don't mind the silly thing jare, just because I was trying to advice her about her wrecked love life, her marriage, she flared up and behaved like omo ale (a bastard)," Gran explained.

"But, that doesn't…"

Gran cut her short, "Look, forget that one jare, so, how is everything between you and that handsome CEO, you must win his heart oo, what am I even saying? He's already your husband, shebi?" she teased with a smile.

A grin spread over Nikki's face, wide and open, showing her complete set of white thirty two teeth, she found herself blushing before it turned to a sour expression.

"I don't think he fancies me, I guess he likes Lisha," she confessed and Gran's eyes grew wide.

"I know that Lisha is a witch just like her mom but then which guy would see you, a well endowed and pretty lady like this and still say he wants that skinny Lisha, it's not possible jor."

"It is oo, I'm saying the truth here but don't worry I'll surely find a way, you should trust me nau," the smile appeared again.

"Sure, I do." Gran concluded.

*************

Back in the room, Lisha slumped on her bed as she buried her head in her pillow trying to forget what had transpired between her and Gran but everything just kept bugging and replaying on her head even back to when she was young, about her dad not liking or caring about her and Gran neglecting her. Many of the ordeal came back, how she'd been referred to as an orphan most times and the period she had no one to fall back to.

As much as Lisha tried to brush it off, it kept getting stuck in the deepest part of her memory, she felt hurt and broken and ended up drenching her pillows with her tears, like it did happen many a time. Lisha cried for hours before she finally slept off, not waking for dinner or anything until the following morning.

Immediately, she woke up, the previous day happening rushed back but she decided to let go of it, after freshening up, she got dressed in a short denim jumpsuit and decided it was best to leave the house, it was choking her already, so, she dumped her evening gown in her bag along with other stuffs before walking out of her room.

"Where are you going?" Nikki inquired, she was at the dining with Gran and Miracle having Bread, butter and sardine since Lisha didn't cook and Gran had gotten lazy, being used to Lisa doing the cooking all the time, while Nikki didn't know how to cook.

"Somewhere," Lisha replied succinctly.

"Young lady, courtesy demands you greet me this morning and also apologize for your behavior yesterday," Gran said on top of her voice with lifted brows.

Lisha scoffed before turning back to Gran with a smirk, then she went down on her knees, something she hadn't done in a long time,"Good morning Gran," she rose and continued, "And I'm not sorry about what happened yesterday, you should be the one apologizing to me and not otherwise but I've forgiven you, I'm certainly not like you who keeps malice for years," with that she walked out of the house and slammed the door.

"Come back here!" Gran yelled but Lisha ignored her voice, she dumped her bag at the backseat before starting the Range Evoque as she drove out of the compound heading to the only place that could grant her comfort.

"Wow, Li baby, you're early, the party is still by evening," Soil greeted with a huge grin.

Lisha only replied with a smile but Soil understood there was worry beneath that smile, "What happened? Hope there's nothing wrong? Are you okay? Is everything fine? What…"

Lisha cut in, "Everything is perfectly fine Mama, I just decided to come early just to be of help and chat with you since you've been accusing me of not visiting all this while," she ended it with a beatific smile.

"But, you somehow look stressed out, like…" she couldn't complete the sentence as Lisha jumped up before jumping from one chair to another while shouting, her shout made everyone run out of their respective rooms believing someone was hurt.

"What happened?" Mr. Adeboye and Jimi asked simultaneously.

Lisha got down from the cushion, "Oh, good morning, sir," she greeted with a warm smile before frowning at Jimi and eyeing Kemi until her eyes met with a younger version of Jimi. He'd arrived during the midnight.

"Li baby was just showing me she was agile," Soil explained and Mr. Adeboye nodded before going back to his room.

"What are you doing here?" Kemi asked and Lisha chuckled.

"What does it look like? So, you don't want me to come to your house abi? Now, I know my enemy, Oh, is it because of Mark or Jimi," she accused.

"It came out wrong, I didn't mean that, you know I was just surprised," Kemi explained.

"Oh! I see," Lisha nodded and Kemi smiled at her before going back to her room.

"When did you arrive?" Jimi queried as he was still stunned by her appearance in his house so early in the morning.

"Ask google," she eyed him before turning to Jimi's younger version who cast her a questioning look as he'd been prepared to go back to his room.

"Younger version, what's your name?" She walked up to him with a charming smile.

"Are you talking to me?" He pointed at his chest with his brows wriggling.

"No, your older version, I'll like to know your name, sir?" She gave a playful and funny bow and others smiled including Jimi's younger brother.

"I'm Folahanmi, you?"

Lisha raised her head, "Nice name and you can call me any thing you like."

"Is that your name?" Folahanmi asked with a smile.

"I don't think I have a name or do I?" She turned to Jimi who had been smiling all along.

"Don't mind her, she's Lisha, short from of Felicia," Jimi told his brother who nodded in return as he sat on a two seater and Lisha joined him, she faced him and tucked her legs beneath her.

"That's nice."

"Ehn, why did you choose Luxembourg to study and not any other country?"

Jimi couldn't help but shake his head, like Lisha still went on questioning him about that.

"I'm not really sure but I think I got bored of Nigeria, UK and USA, so, I decided to go to a serene, less popular but nice one."

"Oh okay, so, do you speak Luxembourg?"

Folahanmi squeezed his face, "What's that?"

"The language they speak there, what's it?" Lisha rephrased the question.

"It's called Luxembourgish, but they speak German, French, Portuguese and English too."

Lisha wore a surprised look, "Wow, so, you can speak everything?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"You'll teach me German and French oo."

Hanmi chuckled. He found the lady in front of him quite interesting.