HEARTSTRINGS
CHAPTER SEVEN
He saw Misi standing at the doorway clad in a knee length straight brown dress with a pink bow at the w@!st line. The colour blended with her chocolate brown skin, ma-king her look fresh, clean and desirable. Her dark brown shoulder length hair was curled at the ti-p, giving her a stylish look.
“Welcome…” she felt uncomfortable un-der his gentle scrutiny. There was a gleam in his honey coloured eyes as he stared at her.
“Evening, how are you doing?” he stepped into the ap@rtment.
“Fine,” she closed the door and followed him into the sitting room.
“Evening everyone,” he met his sister and the Phili-ps watching the television.
“Welcome,” Eno win-ked at him.
“Evening doctor,” Mr. and Mrs. Phili-ps greeted him.
“I hope there is food in this house,” he directed his gaze at his sister.
“Yes, I will set the dining,” Misi responded.
“Good, thanks,”he glanced at her and headed for his be-droom.
She hurried into the kitchen and brou-ght out his bowl of ogbonna soup and a plate of semovita out of the microwave. She and Eno had made soup and stew that evening. She set it on a tray and carried it to the dining. She returned to the kitchen and brou-ght out a pack of fruit jui-ce from the refrigerator and picked a clean glas-s cu-p in the cu-pboard. She arranged it on the dining and dashed back to the kitchen. She filled an empty plastic bowl with water and reached out for one of the napkins hanging on the window. She took it to the dining table and joined Eno on the settee.
She and Eno had hit it off that day. She found out that she worked at Wazobia radio station and coincidentally, they nee-ded an accountant. Eno called her boss that noon and an interview d@t£ was scheduled for her. She believed that she would get the job. God had turned things around for her family and everything was working out for their good. She noticed when the doctor started eating. He was in his bo-xers and a white singlet. His fair skin made him to look like a half-caste. She wondered if his curly hair was natural or in perm. There were times when she was tem-pted to run her f!ngersthrou-gh it.
How will it feel like?
She cleared her head. It wouldn’t be wise to develop feelings for someone that had decided to help her family with no strings attached. Relationsh!pwas the last thing on her mind anyway. Her last b©yfri£ndhad broken up with her when he got an opportunity to travel out of the country. He didn’t want a long distance relationsh!pand he wasn’t re-ady to get married. Her family situation had also killed any de-sire to get involve with someone else. She might be re-ady to d@t£ again once they were back on their feet. She saw him leave the room. He must have finished eating. She got up and walked to the dining. She cleared the table and carried the empty dishes into the kitchen.
xxxxxx
Eno left everyone in the sitting room and went to one of the guest rooms to sleep. She had told Misi to be re-ady early the next morning so that she could be interviewed by her boss and hopefully gain employment at the Radio Station. She liked the girl, despite her family’s financial condition; there was still an air of affluence about her. She had a calm and peaceful aura. It had been a while since she had met someone who was so full of gratitude and had a firm faith in God. If she was in her shoes, she wasn’t sure how she would have reacted or coped. The Phili-ps had stood the test of time. They were an encouragement to all that God never failed.
Misi c@m£ in and joined her on the be-d. Her parents and the doctor were still in the sitting room watching the news. She nee-ded to wake up early the next day. She couldn’t afford to sleep late and risk waking up late in the morning. In a minute or two, they were both fast asleep.
Bas-sey called Tomisin aside and they spoke in low tones. His wife discerned that they wanted privacy. She bid them good night and left the room.
“I have secured an accommodation for you and your family.”
Tomisin gaped in surprise. He prayed within that God would bless the young man. The Lord had used a perfect stranger to rescue them when friends and family turned their backs on them.
“It is a two be-droom ap@rtment right here in Ikeja.”
He clasped his hands together, “Thank you, thank you so much.”
“You are welcome sir.”
“God will bless you,” his eyes glistered with tears.
“Amen. My parents and siblings donated furniture, electronics, kitchen utensils, food stuff, provisions, and a host of other things.”
“Wow!” his excited gaze held the younger man’s happy ones.
“You can move in tomorrow if you like.”
“That is good news, thank you so much.”
“I am happy to be used by the Lord to help you and your family… just thank God.”
He nodded in appreciation. He couldn’t st©p the tears from flowing. His heart expanded with joy, “God will bless you and your family beyond your wildest dreams.”
“Amen! Amen…”
Tomisin looked heavenwards, “Thank you so much Jesus. Oh God thank you.”
Bas-sey excused himself and went into his room. He would speak to his parents about how they could integrate Mr. and Mrs. Phili-ps in their work f0rç£. They had an outlet in Ikeja. The couple could work there and spend less on transportation. His brother had not given him feedback concerning vacancy in his place of work. He nee-ded to get Misi a good job too. He had an accountant alre-ady in his clinic. If not, he would have employed her. He l@yon the be-d and soon drifted off to sleep. His dreams were completely taken over by the Phili-ps’ daughter. She was singing and dancing.
xxxxxx
Misi sat in the reception hall and watched the soap opera been shown on the flat screen television fixed on the wall beside the Front desk officer’s desk. She had done the interview and was waiting for Eno to give her feedback. She hoped she would get the job. She nee-ded it. It would be so good to start working and earning money. Her father told her that morning that the doctor had rented a place for them to stay and his family had furnished it. It was a dream come throu-gh. After spending more than a year on the streets of Lagos, they now have a place of their own again. Her parents had moved in that morning and had s£nt the address throu-gh a text message. She planned to leave for their new home immediately she left Wazobia radio station premises. People like the Etims were very rare. How many people would help complete strangers? People ha-rd ly help people they knew, talk about strangers. She prayed that God would reward them a million fold.
She sighted Eno across the room, walking towards her, wearing a brown Sk-irt suit. She had a beautiful and elegant physique. Her black high heeled shoes made her look taller than her five feet eight inches height. She was taller than her elder brother. Why was the last child in most families taller than everyone else? The doctor was an inch shorter than his sister, about five feet seven inches. Was he shorter than his younger brother too? She had never met Imabong, though she had heard a lot about him. She had always been interested in guys that were taller than she was. If she d@t£d someone like the doctor, most of her high heeled shoes would become useless. He was her exact height.
“Babes… you got the job.”
“Eureka!” she leapt to her feet.
Eno drew her close in a hvg, “I am so happy for you.”
“Thanks.”
She re-leased her, “You are starting work tomorrow morning.”
“Wow!” her eyes glittered in excitement.
“Eight a.m on the dot.”
“I will be here.”
“Let me see you off to the gate,” she placed a hand around her shoulders and led her out.
TBC