THE CONTRACT
EPISODE 5
“She’s in there.” Funmi said to Tobi when he was about to walk into his office.
“Who? Eniola?” He asked placing his hand on his temple.
It had been over two months since the deal with Abena, and from what he had been hearing from her doctor, she was healthy, and so was the baby.
It was a Monday morning, and he had lots of work to do. A meeting with Chinese investors, and deal to close with a company in Ethopia, not to mention all the paperwork and contracts he had to go throu-gh. He didn’t have time for women that morning.
“No.” Funmi shook her head. “Abena.” She whispered. He had told her about it because she took the constant calls from the doctor on Abena’s condition. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He nodded at her and walked into his office.
Abena sat on the couch in his office, a luggage was on the floor and her hand bag l@ybeside it. She was asleep and looked tired. He could see the baby bu-mp showing throu-gh her dress. She was obviously pregnant. But she still looked beautiful anyway. Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of him clearing his throat. She gave him a weary smile.
“Hey.” She said quietly.
“What are you doing here Abena? I don’t have time for this.” He said placing his briefcase on the table and sitting on the arm of the couch opposite her.
“Nice to see you too Tobi.” She replied sarcastically. He narrowed his eyes at her and she sighed defeated.
“I don’t have anywhere to stay. My step mother kicked me out.” She said looking down.
“Why?” He asked.
“Because I’m pregnant and can’t reveal the father. What else would it be?” She said and he softened at her words.
A wave of pity swept throu-gh him and he stared at the small frown on her beautiful face.
“Then get a place to stay.” He said sharply going towards his desk.
“I’ve tried. No one would take a single pregnant woman. You deal with real estate, you should know na.” She replied her voice higher than before.
“So what do you want me to do?” He gro-an ed.
“Get me somewhere to stay.” She stated.
“No. It’s not in the contract.” He said dismissively.
“Okay.” She shrugged. She stood up dramatically and took her bags. “Then I guess your baby and I would have to find a nice looking homeless home to stay. I heard people live un-der the bridge, could be very comfortable.” She said ru-bbing the bu-mp on her stomach and she looked at him, her innocent eyes gazing at him intensely.
He gro-an ed. “Ugh. You are something else. Fine, I’ll get you a place at the Oriental h0tel.” He finally said. A smile lit up her face and hisl-ips curved into a small smile.
“Yes! Presidential suite?” She asked hopefully and he snorted.
She couldn’t tempt him into that one.
“You wish.”
…
“You put her in a h0tel?” Joseph asked. They were at an elite boutique trying to pick out an anniversary gift for Dera. Dera and Joseph were celebr@ting their six years marriage anniversary and Joseph had dragged Tobi out of his office, forcing him to help him pick out a gift.
“Yes. I put her in my h0tel.” Tobi said stressing on the ‘my’. “Why not give her a shiny diamond n£¢klace or something?” Tobi asked referring to Dera. He was tired of walking around the shop while women looked at him with awe.
“My wife isn’t one of your thirsty friends with benefits.” He replied earning a glare from Tobi.
“But seriously. Tobi Ademi rents room for pregnant woman at his famous Oriental h0tel. I can totally see a scandal.” Joseph said. “And you said you wanted this business done low key.” Joseph added. “Do you think Dera would like pearls?” Joseph asked when Tobi pointed at a pearl n£¢klace in the show glas-s. Tobi gro-an ed and walked towards the clothes section.
“So where am I supposed to out a stubborn and annoying pregnant woman?” Tobi gave an exasperated sigh while feeling the fabric of a dress.
“Your house.” Joseph shrugged while admiring a t©p. “Why are we at a boutique anyway? Dera isn’t a fashion person?” Joseph asked.
☆☆
“You brou-ght me here!” Tobi pointed out then realised what Joseph said. “No way.
No fricking way! Don’t even mention it. No woman stays in my house for more than a night. I can’t keep her for the remaining months of her pregnancy!” Tobi whined.
“Why not. Your house is at the back of your estate. It’s quiet, big, comfortable and has a lot of food. It’s ideal for a pregnant woman.” Joseph argued.
“But it’s my sanctuary. My own quiet place away from all you annoying people.” Tobi said stubbornly.
“It’s the best place for her. And I’m sure you don’t like bad publicity.” Joseph replied. “I’ll get Dera a puppy. She’s been pleading for one but I don’t like animals running around the house.” Joseph beamed at Tobi who looked relief that his friend had finally made up his mind.
“You dragged me here for nothing.” Tobi complained.
“What are friends for?” Joseph asked. “Plus, I’ve gotten myself a car.” Joseph announced.
“Finally. You won’t be there to annoy me every morning.” Tobi smiled triumphantly. “I won’t have to. Pregnant women are annoying enough.”
…
“Wow. Your house is… big.” Abena breathed out as Tobi let her into his house with a small frown on his face.
She clutched her luggage and handbag ti-ghtly while staring at the house. The sitting room was the first thing she saw, large couches arranged neatly and a flat screen tv and other gadgets were opposite it. There was a glas-s centre table on an imported rug and a chandelier hung in the middle. The kitchen was not far off, and very close to the stairs. There was another closed door which she guessed to be the guest room. A bar was at the other side of the sitting room.
“Is it big? Looks okay to me. But its un-derstandable since you poor people are used to small spaces.” He said rudely then walked towards the stairs. She stared at his back with her mouth hung open and then she glared at him.
“This way.” He said before she could respond. Burning with anger, she followed him dragging her luggage noisily on the stairs.
“St©p ma-king noise with that thing.” He barked.
“I wouldn’t if you would just help me carry it. I’m pregnant you know.” She retorted and when she didn’t get a response, she carried on.
Fuming, he snatched the luggage from her and walked towards the rooms on the second floor.
She frowned at his behavior. He was just smiling at her that morning, and even when he dropped her at the h0tel, he laughed and made jokes. But when he c@m£ to pick her up, he frowned and grumbled, snapped at the smallest things and she was beginning to get irritated. He was acting like it was his time of the month.
She noticed him muttering some words un-der his breath in anger and she moved closer to him, straining her ears to hear what he was muttering.
“Now I have to share my own house, my house, with this annoyingly beautiful pregnant woman…. can’t st©p talking about everything she sees… no peace and quiet now. So unfair… all Joseph’s fault…” She st©pped listening and smiled.
He thought she was beautiful?
He was acting so childish, angry that he had to share his house when the house was big enough to fit a whole school.
It was his baby anyway. She rolled her eyes.
Rich people.
He st©pped in front of a door and opened it wi-dely. “This is where you’ll be staying.”
She walked into a large room with a queen sized be-d in a corner and a walk in closet with a full sized mirror attached to it was opposite the be-d. There was a couch and a flat screen tv smaller than the one in the living room, but big anyway.
“This is where I’ll be staying?” She asked again with disbelief. Her eyes twi-nkled in excitement andl-ips curved into a full b!own smile.
“I just said that.” He said trying to keep a straight face but failed as hisl-ips curved into an amused smile.
She walked into the bathroom. It had a bath and a shower. The cabinet was stocked with more shampoo, conditioner and soap than she nee-ded.
“Your bathroom is bigger than my room back at home.” She exclaimed and he gave a soft chuckle.
“Good to see that you like it.” He simply said and she nodded before laying down on the soft mattress and giving a satisfied m0@n .
“Now the rules.” He said, hisl-ips were pressed into a firm line and he looked at her seriously.
Rules? Was this man serious? She looked at him hoping he would laugh and say he was joking.
He didn’t say that! What did he think he was doing? He was treating her like a teenager in boarding school.
“It’s simple. No cooking, humming, singing, snoring, as you know my room is right beside yours, loud music or sounds, no talking to me except necessary. Stay in your room, except when you want to eat. Don’t answer the door. Don’t come out when visitors are around. Don’t pick the house phone. Wash any plate you use, don’t leave messes around, I’m a clean person. Don’t t©uçh anything that’s not in your room, my furniture, artifacts and especially my bar. Don’t rearrange anything. Everything has to remain the way you’ve met it. And don’t make a mess. There’s always food in the kitchen so you don’t have to cook. Do you un-derstand?” He asked.
She lifted an eyebrow. “You really don’t like my pres£nce, do you?”
“I don’t.” He replied with a nod before leaving her in shock.
She stared at the door after he left. She’ll show him not to mess with a pregnant woman.
.
.
The story just started…..
THE CONTRACT
EPISODE 6
That night, Tobi left his study with a weary look on his face. He just wanted to sleep, and he definitely didn’t have time for Abena and her mischief. He walked past her room, then as an afterthought, he walked to the room. He pressed his ear against the door but didn’t hear anything. He opened it slightly and peered inside. She was slee-ping, her back was turned to him. There was a ph0togra-ph of her family on the be-dside table. He noticed a picture of a baby boy and lifted a questioning eyebrow. On the floor, there was a plate of finished food. He rolled his eyes at her messy behaviour. There were posters on the walls. One spelt her name: ABENA. Others said different things.
“Everything You Can Imagine Is Real.” “I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong.”
“Have faith and start a new tomorrow.”
He rolled his eyes and smiled. The room smelled like her too. He could smell her perfume faintly. He decided to leave the plate there for her to see the next day.
That way, she wouldn’t know that he was there.
…
Tobi woke up startled by the loud noise coming from the other room. He checked the time, 12:56 a.m.
What was that girl up to?
He walked towards her room fuming and opened the door without knocking. She was eating a banana and dancing clumsily in the middle of the room. She turned around and met his furious gaze with a mischievous smile.
“I couldn’t sleep. You know, pregnancy and stuff.” She shouted over the music.
“Abena.” He warned but she just smiled.
“Sorry, I can’t hear you. Speak louder.” She shouted again. He walked towards the speakers and turned them off.
“What do you think you’re doing?! Its the middle of the night, I have work to do tomorrow and you’re pla-ying music, at this time!” He barked but she didn’t flin-ch at his outbur-st.
“You have work tomorrow? And you’re awake at this time of the night. If you want to remain a billionaire, you have to sleep well Tobi. Or you won’t be able to work well. Off you go.” She said gesturing with her hands, smiling innocently at him.
He gro-an ed in frustration. He should have known better than to give her rules, and now she was getting back at him. He sighed and ru-bbe-d his temple. He couldn’t let her win and give her the satisfaction.
“Abena.” He said softly. “I have work tomorrow and I really nee-d to go to be-d.” He said slowly, talking to her as if he was talking to a little child that was throwing a tantrum.
“Well I’m not st©pping you. Go on to be-d na.” She grinned.
“I can’t sleep with all this noise for crying out loud. Can’t you just act reasonably for once. You haven’t spent one day in this house and you’ve broken a rule. This is my house, and everything would go the way I want it to.” He barked at her, his patience running thin.
She looked at him with a small smile and a raised eyebrow. “So…”
He stared at her baffled. “So? So go to be-d and st©p pla-ying music.” He ordered. She looked at him expectantly.
seven seventy eight eighty seven.
“What?” He asked confused.
“The magic word. You can’t order me around. You don’t own me. So say the magic word.” She said with a grin plastered across her face.
He gave an exasperated sigh. “Abena. plea-se go to be-d and switch off the music.” He said softly. He was tired, his eyes were heavy, and he couldn’t argue with her anymore.
“You can’t order every one around you know. You don’t own me! Don’t give me rules! St©p treating me like… like a…” She paused and stared at him. Tears welled up in her eyes and he froze.
He didn’t comfort crying women, and definitely not pregnant ones.
“What’s another word for object?” She asked looking confused.
“A thing?” He said slowly.
“Yes! St©p treating me like a thing! I’m not a thing! I’m Abena! A person like you. Treat me with respect.” She shouted sl@pping her palms against his che-st. She went on and on sl@pping his che-st and saying incoherent words while he stood there just looking at her.
He held her hands in place and sighed. “I’m sorry Abena.” He said surprising himself. He never apologized, to anyone.
She looked up at him with her glas-sy eyes. He just realised that her eyes were brown. Her hair was messy and it fell on her face, he couldn’t help but think of the fact that they were alone in that room. And even in pregnancy, she looked S-xier than the other models he had been with. He gazed at her night dress and her ebony skin, de-sire evident in his eyes.
Ignoring how tempting she looked in her dark blue flimsy night dress, he placed her hands down beside her. She cleared her throat and walked towards the be-d, laying down and covering herself with the blanket.
“Abeg close the door and switch the lights off.” She said casually before shutting her eyes ti-ghtly.
After tidying the place up quietly, he left the room. But not before whispering good night.
The next morning, Abena sang in the shower… really loud. Tobi tried to ignore her as he got re-ady for work, but it was very ha-rd to do when she was singing Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You totally off key. Grumbling out of frustration, he hurriedly dressed up and went downstairs to get to work.
She c@m£ down a few minutes after with an innocent smile on her face. “Good morning.” She said with a chirpy tone.
“Why are you like this?” He replied frowning.
“Like what? I didn’t do anything.” She shrugged and started rummaging throu-gh the kitchen.
“You don’t have bananas.”
“Well I have apples, oranges, and watermelon.” He pointed out.
“I know. But no bananas. I nee-d bananas Tobi. plea-se get me bananas.” She pleaded.
“Whatever. I nee-d to leave.” He muttered before picking his briefcase and walking out on her and the triumphant sm-irk plastered on her face.
…
“She’s so annoying! God! She hasn’t even spent up to a week at my house, and she’s broken almost every rule that I gave her.-”
“You gave her rules?” Joseph asked with a small smile on his face.
“Of course yes! Its my house! Everything must go the way I say it should go. She was pla-ying music in the middle of the night, and it was so d–n loud. Ah ahn! Abi is it bad that I gave her rules?” Tobi asked as he scribbled his signatures angrily on some files Joseph brou-ght for him.
“Yes, it actually is.” Joseph stated still smiling.
“And she’s always eating. My kitchen was almost empty this morning. Especially bananas. What’s it with the bananas anyway?” Tobi asked glaring at his friend.
“Pregnant woman cravings.” Joseph shrugged.
“This was all your idea, and now it’s your fault that I’m going completely crazy.” Tobi grumbled while shoving the files into Joseph’s hands.
“And so d–n emotional. When I told her to put off the music, one moment she was smiling, then she wanted to cry.” Tobi complained as he switched on his l@pt©p. Joseph just smiled at him while spinning on his swivel chair.
“It’s mood swings. You should have re-ad about pregnant women before bringing one into your house na.” Joseph sm-irked.
“Shut up. Wasn’t it your idea? Now I’m suffering.” Tobi said dramatically. “Why are you smiling sef?”
“Do you like her?”
“Were you even listening while I was talking? Are you serious?” Tobi asked angrily.
Joseph raised his hands in surrender. “Just asking. You’ve been talking about her since I walked into your office.”
“I don’t. She’s a pain in everything.”
“If you say so. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got lawyer stuff to do.” He replied standing up.
“It’s still your fault. And it’s not even in the contract.” Tobi pointed out.
“Well, she’s carrying your child so you should be nicer. And more accommod@t!ng. Don’t make her cry, or sad, or depressed.” Joseph warned still standing in front of the table.
“What do you think I am? An ogre?” Tobi raised an eyebrow.
“To her, probably. Its not good for the baby’s health. You have to make her happy. All the time. Start with an endless supply of bananas. She’ll appreciate it.” Joseph advised before stepping out.
A few minutes after, Funmi walked in with some files. She dropped them quietly on her boss’ table noticing his mood.
“Mr. Ademi. I thought you would nee-d this.” She said and dropped a book on his table.
PREGNANCY FOR DUMMIES.
He raised an eyebrow at her.
“What?” She asked innocently. “You seem to be having a ha-rd time.”
When she left, he gro-an ed loudly in frustration.
…
Abena l@yon her be-d bored out of her mind. She had watched t.v, tidied up the house, walked around the house, and there was nothing to do.
What kind of house this big had no fun stuff. And no bananas too.
She walked out of her room looking for something to do for the fifth time. She walked past a room, then walked back to look at it. She opened the door slowly and saw that it was Tobi’s study.
‘Don’t t©uçh anything.’ He had said. She shrugged. Its not like she was going to.
After a while, she left and walked to the sitting room. She looked around studying the furniture.
Why was his arrangement so boring? Who was this man’s interior decorator? Probably him.
An idea c@m£ to her mind and herl-ips curved into a wi-de grin.
…
Tobi entered into his house with a briefcase in one hand, and a bag of groceries that he had asked Funmi to get in another.
“Abena! I got you bananas!” He called as he walked straight into the kitchen. As he dropped the groceries on the kitchen island, his eyes fli-ckered back to the sitting room. Everything looked wrong.
Abena walked down wearing a pair of shorts and an oversized shi-t. He ignored the hungry look in her eyes and walked back to the sitting room while she rummaged throu-gh the bag for the bananas.
A wave of rage swept throu-gh him. “Abena. What did you do?” He asked slowly.
“The place looked odd, so I decided to give it a new look, besides, I was bored to death! You like it shay?” She asked with her mouth full.
“I specifically told you not to t©uçh anything. Especially not my furniture.” He said trying to be calm.
“But the place nee-ds a new look. The way it was before wasn’t really nice.” She argued.
“You pushed furniture, while you are pregnant with my baby, and you broke a rule. Are you trying to piss me off?” He asked.
She raised her hands in surrender. “No. Sorry.”
“You could have fallen down, or hurt yourself. You can’t keep on doing things without thinking now, my baby is inside of you!” He snapped.
“The furniture wasn’t heavy. You can put it back. I was just bored. Your house has nothing to do.” She sighed wearily.
“There’s a pool at the back Abena. And a game room somewhere around. I have a cinema room too. You could have just called me to ask.” He said tou-ching the bridge of his nose.
“I don’t have your phone number.” She muttered.
“I saved it on your phone yesterday.” He said.
“Well I didn’t know. Sorry.” She said quietly and started walking towards the stairs.
“Don’t get angry Abena. I just like my things the way they are.” He called after her.
“Well change is good sometimes too.” He heard her say before she disappeared up the stairs.
He gro-an ed in frustration and followed her. “You’re not a child you know! You can’t keep on acting like one!” He shouted.
“Well then st©p treating me like one!” She retorted raising her voice.
“I would treat you like an equal if you’d just follow the goddamn rules.” He shouted standing in front of her room.
“You have no right to give me rules. You may be paying me to carry your child, but I’m not a prisoner here. St©p treating me like one.” She hissed.
“Who said you were a prisoner? You can go out anytime you want.” He gro-an ed.
“Really?” Her eyes lit up.
“I never said not to leave the house Abena. You can go out whenever you want. Just be careful.” He said calmly.
“Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!” She squealed jumping up and down and then coming over to engulf him in a quic-k hvg. He looked at her in confusion and amusement.
What just happened?
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 7