MY ORDEAL✊✊
EPISODE 54.
We all retired to the room after our own little p@rty, showered and was re-ady to sleep.
I took my phone and saw no missed call or sms, even though I was too busy the whole day to look at it.
“Heard from Benson today? Chinwe asked and I shook my head.
I decided to call him and his number was not reachable,
“Switch off, I replied her.
“Since yesterday? She asked and I heaved.
“I don’t know maybe he couldn’t get a phone to call me or maybe he’s not back yet. He was to either travel today or yesterday, I’m not sure but I hope he’s good, I tiredly said.
“Sure he is, Chinwe said and la-id down which i did too………….
The next day which was a Monday, we woke up late except Treasure who insisted she’s strong enough to resume school..
We only yawned and wish to sleep again and she threw us a pillow,
“Its past 7a.m! She shouted.
“So? Madam abeg leave us alone go to your school, Chinwe said.
“I prepared breakfast alre-ady, bye, Treasure said.
“Bye jare better pikin, I said and she closed the door behind.
Minutes later we left the house together to our different locations.
There I got to know someone is intending to use the hall for a birthday p@rty, I just rolled my eyes knowing I’m alre-ady stressed out.
“Its okay, what time is he coming? I asked.
“By 4 or probably 5pm, Blessing replied.
“And you know as guys things are, they may even stay till 9pm if care is not taken, ahh I’m tired o, I complained.
“I think we should start telling them our closure time, maybe they always think we always stay all night or something, Joy said.
“I think I have to do that, its not easy for us and we definitely nee-d rest. Don’t worry when he returns let me know, I said and they nodded and left.
A call c@m£ on phone and it was a strange number,
“Hello good morning, I picked up.
“Morning, am I speaking with the girl I met at the p@rty yesterday? The chef, the voice asked.
“Yes yes, Dorothy is my name, I replied and sat up very excited to hear the message.
“Okay, I promised to give you a call today concerning my dad birthday. Everything is on me, and I’ll love you take care of the eating and Chewable on that day, she said.
“No problem, we got you covered. When is the p@rty? I asked.
“Is there anywhere we can meet and talk? She asked.
“Sure at my restaurant, I replied telling her the location.
“Expect me in the afternoon. Okay bye, she said and dropped the call.
“2 more calls remaining, I happily said and called up Chinwe.
“Madam, she picked up.
“I think the commissioner daughter just called concerning her dad birthday, she will be coming around in the afternoon to discuss business, I said.
“In the afternoon? Well that woman just dropped the call before yours entered, she’s coming so we can take her to the school, Chinwe said and I remembered yesterday conversation.
“Oh $h!t I forgot about It sef, what is going to happen now? I asked.
“I don’t know, maybe I can take her alone there while you talk business, Chinwe replied.
“What time is she coming? I asked.
“We have to get there at a time we can still meet any teacher to ask about her,but Treasure nee-d to cover up for me you know, she replied.
“I un-derstand, just hint me if anything comes up okay, I said.
“I will, bye, she said and dropped the call.
Afternoon c@m£ and I surrendered one side of the hall for the birthday p@rty, and we agreed everything ends by 7:30pm.
The commissioner daughter didn’t arrive yet and it was 4:30 alre-ady.
I decided to call Chinwe to know what’s going on over there, but she didn’t pick up.
I heaved and tried Benson number but same old story, not reachable.
Everything was boring to me and my phone began to ring, I saw it was the commissioner daughter calling.
I picked up immediately,
“Hello Dora, I think I’m close, she said and I directed her to where my restaurant was.
A nice car shortly drove and parked, and I went out myself to welcome her.
I took her in since the hall was too busy,
“Nice place you got, she said when I gave her a place to sit.
“thank you, what can I offer you? I asked.
“Nah chill water will do, she replied and I got water from the freezer for her.
“So…. Sorry I c@m£ late I was chocked up with work. Hope I didn’t keep you waiting all that? She asked.
“Nah its okay, I was busy too, I lied when I was anxiously waiting for her.
“Well my dad is not really a p@rty type and he didn’t want to celebr@te his birthday but I’m forcing it on him. Its gonna be a kind of family reunion and ermmm…. It will be big, she said and I nodded.
“So your meal of yesterday tasted so good and no one complained, so I’m giving that to you, she continued.
“Thank you, so what are the dishes? I asked.
“Okay, well be looking at Fried rice, I loved that isiewu of yesterday, it was cool if not the p@rty wasn’t mine I wanted ordering for another plate, she said and i laughed.
‘My sister actually did the isi ewu and chicken p@rt, I said.
“Really? She asked.
“Yes we work together, I replied.
“That’s cool, that means you both will be working together right? She asked.
“That’s right, I replied.
” I love that. so I’ll be expecting jellof rice, fried rice of course with salad I don’t nee-d to say that, porridge plantain for my dad friends you know, and not forgetting the isi ewu,she said and i nodded.
“That’s hvge, I said.
“I’m afraid it is, it will be my dad first birthday in years and it gonna be big because we have a lot to celebr@te and we are expecting crowd also. So I’m asking, will you and your sister be able to cover it up or should i find another to as-sist you? She asked.
‘When is his birthday? I asked.
“This Wednesday, but don’t be alarmed the p@rty will be on a Sunday, she replied and i heaved.
“Okay, deal, I said and she smiled.
“I love that, at least you’ve saved me the stress of worrying about that aspect. So how much are we talking about here? She asked.
“About the plantain, how many of your dad friends are you expecting? I asked.
“Many of them, she replied and i nodded and jotted it down.
“And ermmm the money has to cover up the number of chickens that will…….. “Turkey not chickens, she interrupted.
“Oh Turkeys? Wow i wasn’t expecting that, I said and weighed my head on the chair looking at her and she smiled as if she was re-ading my thought.
“You don’t nee-d to call all of that for me, money is not the problem i just want to know if there won’t be any disappointment or complain, she said and i sat up again.
“Sure, I said.
“Can i have your account number? She asked.
“With my sister also, hers will be different, I said.
“Hers will be the turkey and isi ewu right? She asked.
“Also with the plantain, she deals on that which it will be pommo and not the turkey, I replied.
“Yea let it be well garnished and rich, but plea-se chewable pommo. While yours will be the jellof, and fried rice……. Oh how did i forget this! plea-se there must be swallow, she dropped and my eyes bulged out.
“Jeez! I exclaimed.
“Soup? I asked.
“Egusi, won’t it work out? She asked.
“How much are we talking about here? I asked.
“Let me have the number, she said and i called mine first for her.
An alert entered and 550,000 naira was what i saw. I just swallowed and looked at her, it was almost the same amount of the last contract ,
“Thats only for you, is it okay? She asked and I cleaned my face.
Of course 200k will be more than enough to get the ingredients for everything and the rest is mine just like last time,
“Sure it is, thanks, I replied.
“You’re welcome, let me have your sister own plea-se, she said and i called It out for her.
“I just transferred the same amount for her, plea-se its on a Sunday by 3pm, she said dropping the address for us.
“Thank you so much, i said and esc-rted her outside…..
Getting back to my office Chinwe called,
“Hey seen the alert? I asked.
“What is it for? She asked and i laughed.
“We will talk at home, so how did it go? I asked.
“We will talk at home too, she replied and i laughed dropping the call……
Since Blessed is my closest in the restaurant, i quic-kly hinted her of the contract we have,
“Really? Is it big like yesterday own? She asked.
“Jellof, fried rice, plantain porridge, isiewu and chicken….. Sorry Turkey, and egusi with swallow, i replied.
“Huh! That is hvge, she said.
“Yes o, and I’ll nee-d you girls help again it will be on a Sunday, I said.
“No problem sis, my sister offered to help anytime something big comes up, she said.
“No problem, more hands are nee-ded. If i have Treasure, you and your sister, Joy and Blessing, its a good start, I said.
“No problem sis, congratulations, she said.
“Thank you, go check out why those guys are shouting, i said and she left.
I called up Benson again and his number was still switched off, fear began to creep in and i stood up getting a drink from the freezer to cool my nerves.
“Is it true Benson Is lying to me? Or does he have a good explanation why i haven’t heard from him for days now? i asked no one in p@rticular.
Uche walked in and i sadly looked at him,
“Welcome, I said and he sat down looking at me.
“Are you sick? He asked.
“I don’t know, maybe stressed, i replied.
“Last I checked you’re the madam here with 3 girls doing the work, what’s the problem? He asked and i heaved.
“Okay fine you win, haven’t heard from Benson for days now, i Replied and looked if he will feel offended.
“Called him yet? he asked and i nodded.
“Not reachable, i replied and he called his number but it said the same thing.
“Don’t worry tomorrow I’ll check on him, he said.
“Thank you, i said but he was quiet.
“What should i get for you? I asked.
“Nothing, i c@m£ to ask how far you’ve gone with your brothers stuff,he replied and i weakly looked at him and covered my head on the table saying nothing………..
Tbc