“Print that report and bring it to me at Kebari’s when you’re ready to leave.” Alex ordered and hurried off before I could even say a word.
“Yes your royal pompousness.” I mocked rolling my eyes when I was sure that he was far off and couldn’t hear me.
I abandoned everything I was working on and printed out the report, stuffed it in an envelope and at exactly five, I left the office heading to Kebari’s.
It was easier to find him this time around as I had his phone number from the other day he called.
“Was beginning to think that you’d never show up.” Alex remarked sarcastically as he saw me and all I could do was smile shyly..
I get it now. Alex telling me to bring that report to this place was just a set up.
Table seventy four must be reserved because we sat at the same table as we did the other day and this time, he ordered for okro soup prepared with snails alongside semovita while I ordered for pepper soup rice. I would’ve opted for soup sha but my nails would make it a challenge to try that as I hated the idea of using cutleries to eat soup.
There was a whole lot of meat in my plate and I wished I could just take some home. So yummy and cooked to perfection. This time around, I dropped my forming and did justice to the rice as well as all the meat after all, no be me dey pay.
We finished eating, and then talked at length about our lives. Turns out that Alex is the first of three sons for his mom who’s now late and four for his dad.
I on the other hand was the only daughter and second of four children.
Alex dropped me off at home a few minutes to nine that night.
“I had a great time. We should do this often.” Alex said coolly earning a little laugh from me.
We said our goodbyes and I stood there watching him drive off. As I turned to go inside, I realized that the front door was locked so I searched for my keys and unlocked the door. Tina was not in like I’d suspected.
Since I came home with a full stomach, I didn’t bother going to the kitchen but just walked straight into my room, changed up and went to bed.
A new day came and I was getting ready to go to work, Tina returned that early morning looking rather upset. When I asked what the problem was, she refused to say anything so I just got on my way to work. One thing about Tina is that she’s the queen among drama queens so why bother with her?
As usual, the day went by smoothly and I did some catching up with Ama and Promise before finally coming back home only to meet Tina in the same sour mood.
“Hey T! What’s up?” I hailed as I sat down on the sofa opposite her.
“So you’re finally back. You left the house without even leaving even a cup of boiled water for me. And the house is just so dirty. Take a look at the white tiles turning into something else.” She ranted and I was taken aback.
“Tina calm down na. You were not in last night and besides, I didn’t even know when you would be coming back. As for the floor I mopped it on Sunday.” I said pleadingly.
“Oh spare me that.” She yelled angrily and stormed out of the house angrily.
What could’ve come over her? Because the Tina I know never speaks to me with such contempt and disrespect.
As I couldn’t quite wrap my head around what was going on in her kingdom, I went to the kitchen and found everything squeaky clean. The fridge and the cabinets were all locked. Not even a single spoon was anywhere in sight.
So Tina is locking up the foodstuffs that I also contributed money to buy? No pressure. I went upstairs, changed up and got on the road. I ate rice at a small restaurant far from where we lived and came home to sleep.
By now, Tina was back inside the living room and didn’t even respond when I told her ‘goodnight’.
The next day, I woke up at the sound of my alarm clock and got ready for work. I’d run out of soap and I didn’t even remember to buy that yesterday so I went to knock on Tina’s door.
After waiting so long for her to open the door, I asked to borrow her soap and my people, that was when I finally heard Tina’s mind ho ha!
She screamed at me calling me a pest, a parasite, you name it. She complained that the house, the food and even most of the clothes I wore belonged to her. She called me poor, wretched and whatever name she could think of.
I left her without saying anything and returned to my room where I took my shower without any soap and got dressed in tears not knowing what to do next.
If someone would have told me that Tina of all people would one day walk all over me like that, I would have never believed them.
After all the things we went through together back in school. Back when she had nothing. She wore my clothes and shared a bunk in my hostel every night since she couldn’t afford to pay her rent after her dad died that year.
As I sat there thinking about all the things I’ve done for her too, I was so annoyed and decided to also confront her and give her a piece of my mind.
We argued for almost an hour before she resolved that the only way to solve all her problems in life was to kick me out of the house.
She threw my things out while the gatemen helped me pack them up. One of our neighbors who came to resolve the issue only got met with insults upon insults by the brat.
I left my things with the gateman who helped me carry them to their post as I promised to come back for them in the evening.
As late as I was, I still got to work. Like I supposed, the time book was already closed. It was already 8:37 by the time I arrived. Alex was here already and that has never happened before.
Thank God I had told him on the phone that I was having problems back home.
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