#THE_MIRACLE_I_nee-d
EPISODE 61
“So you’ll have dinner with me on Saturday?” Pete asked as he drove into his compound.
“Yeah.”
“Will you let me pick out your dress?” Pete asked ma-king Kathleen scowl.
“Why? Are you trying to imply that I have a bad taste in clothes?” She asked ma-king Pete sigh.
“I never meant that. I’m just saying I would like to buy you something new. I know these are Ella’s clothes, and you’re yet to get new ones for yourself, so I want you to wear something new for our d@t£.” Pete explained as he parked the car and turned off the ignition.
“Okay.” Kathleen said, surprising Pete who had thought she was going to argue with him and reject his offer.
“Thanks for not fighting with me over this. Let’s go in then.” Pete said, but paused when Kathleen made no move to take off her seat belt or get down, “What?”
“Why do you make it sound like I fight with you a lot?” Kathleen asked ma-king Pete sigh.
“Because you do. You specialize in picking fights over the tiniest of things, and I can bet you’re about to start another fight right now.” Pete said as he opened the door, got out of it without waiting for her, and went around the car to open her door.
“I don’t think..” Kathleen’s words trailed off when Pete suddenly k!$$£d her. It was a very quic-k and short k!ss, but it left her speechless and breathless in a second.
“Let’s go in… Unless of course you want to pray for mercy.” Pete said with a grin as he walked away. He had been wanting to k!ssher again since she left his office, and he was glad he had just succeeded in stealing a k!ssagain.
Both Kathleen’s mom and Isioma noticed the change in Pete the moment he walked into the house with a grin on his face while Kathleen followed behind him looking sort of shaken.
“Daddy what took you so long?” Amanda asked the moment she saw her father, and ran up to him.
“Sorry pumpkin, Kat wanted to go to church so I had to go with her. You missed me, didn’t you?” He asked as he lifted her off the ground, before turning to look at Kathleen’s mother and sister, “Good evening ma. How are you?” He directed the question to Isioma.
“I’m fine. Welcome sir.” Isioma said politely.
“Good evening my son, how was work today?” Kathleen’s mother asked with a wi-de smile.
“Work was fine. I nee-d to freshen up.” He said before turning around to leave, and then turned to look at Kathleen, “You’re coming back after you freshen up, right?” He asked, his eyes dancing with amusement.
From the look on his face, Kathleen’s mother could tell he was trying not to smile, so she couldn’t help but wonder what had happened between them and what he was finding amusing.
“No. I have to fix dinner for my…”
“Sure she is coming back. I alre-ady fixed dinner, so you have nothing to do.” Kathleen’s mother interrupted before Kathleen could decline ma-king her glare at her mother.
“Thank you ma.” Pete said with a grin as he dropped Amanda on the floor before walking away.
“Aunty Kat, I’ve missed you.” Amanda said as she walked over to where Kathleen was.
“I’ve missed you too. Have you done your as-signments? What did you eat?” Kathleen asked, and listened as Amanda told her all she had been up to.
“I see you’ve been busy. What about Chidi?” She asked them curiously when she noticed he wasn’t in the living room as usual.
“He said he will be pas-sing the night at his older brother’s house.” Her mother explained.
“Okay, why not go in and keep your dad company while I freshen up? I will return to check on you.” Kathleen promised Amanda who nodded before running over to her father’s be-droom.
Immediately she disappeared from sight Kathleen’s mother turned on her, “What is going on?” She asked, standing up to meet Kathleen.
“With?”
“Between you and your boss of course.” Her mother answered impatiently.
“You do know that putting a tag on my head and writing daughter for sale is less embarras-sing than what you are doing right now, right?” Kathleen asked her mother who snorted.
“You think I haven’t thought of that? If I could write ‘Searching for a husband’ on your forehead I would have done so alre-ady if it would bring you one. Come let’s go in so you can eat, then you will tell me what is going on between you both.” Kathleen’s mother said as she headed for the door.
“Where are you going to?” Her mother asked Isioma who stood up to leave with them.
“I’m coming with you people to sister’s house nau.” Isioma said, wondering what kind of question her mother was asking her.
“That won’t be necessary. Remain here. You can return when Kathleen comes back.” She said before leaving with Kathleen who had alre-ady walked away in annoyance.
“Wait up! Don’t even think pretending to be angry is going to st©p me from asking you what I want to ask you. What happened between the both of you?” Kathleen’s mother asked, when she finally caught up with her by the door.
“Nothing. We went to work together, went to church, and c@m£ back. Nothing happened.” Kathleen said as she walked inside the house and headed straight for her room.
“I must look like an idiot to you, if you think I’m going to believe this c0ckand bull story. He looked like he was satisfied by something earlier. Did he say something, or did you tell him anything?” Her mother pressed.
Kathleen said nothing and just continued taking off her clothes, after which she walked into the bathroom and started to shower, hoping her mother would get the message and leave before she gets out of the bathroom.
By the time she stepped out of the bathroom, instead of leaving her mother had la-id out a go-wn on the be-d, “What is this?” She asked her mother when she noticed how transparent the go-wn was. It was long no doubt, and st©pped just by her knee, but had a de-ep cut n£¢kline and the back was open.
“The weather is h0t. I thought you should wear something that will allow breeze to b!ow you well.” Her mother said with a wi-de smile ma-king her gro-an . This woman definitely wasn’t born again. Where on earth did she keep bringing out such unholy clothes from?
“I’m not feeling h0t, and I’m definitely not wearing this…. This thing. I don’t know what got into me, or why I agreed to go along with your plan last night, but I’m not doing so today. Never!” Kathleen said as she walked past her mother and walked over to her wardrobe to take out a decent dress.
“Be honest with me. Tell me going along with my plan didn’t yield any result or elicit any sort of reaction from him and I’ll leave you alone and not tell you what to do again.” Her mother said, ma-king Kathleen pause.
“Go on. Tell me he isn’t paying more attention to you now than he had been doing before now. Say it.” Her mother prodded.
“So it’s okay for him to be S-xually attra-cted to me? Him liking my b©dy is not a big deal. Any man can do that!” Kathleen said irritably.
“Is using a bait to catch a fish a big deal or not?” Her mother asked with a knowing smile ma-king Kathleen frown.
“What are you talking about?”
“Just answer my question. At least you’ve been to the riverine area with your grandfather before and you saw those fishermen there. The baits they use in catching the fish, is it important or not? Or in your own words, is it a big deal for the fish to like the bait?”
Kathleen didn’t nee-d to waste time thinking about the answer, “The fish liking the bait is a big deal of course. The fish has to like the bait for it to come close. And you can only catch a fish that likes your bait, when it comes for the bait.” Kathleen explained ma-king her mother smile.
“Good. I’m glad you know that. Now listen. Right now, Amanda’s father is the fish, and your b©dy is the bait. There is always a first step for everything. What he can see is your b©dy not your heart. So yes, he might get S-xually attra-cted to you when he sees your b©dy and that is only natural. It is only when he comes closer, wanting to know you that he’ll find out how smart, god-fearing, homely, decent and caring you are. But he nee-ds something to draw him close to you first, and that is why we are using your b©dy to lure him. Now tell me, did it work or not?” She asked again.
“He asked me to have dinner with him.” Kathleen confessed after a while.
“I’m sure that answers the question. Now do the right thing by wearing that go-wn. You should try to loos£n up too. You’re too upti-ght.” Kathleen’s mother said with obvious disapproval.
“And whose fault is it? Who raised me to be upti-ght?” Kathleen asked with a scoff.
“Well, that was so you wouldn’t fall for those small boys and get pregnant outside wedlock, but you should loos£n up now, okay? Let me go and serve your food.” Her mother said and turned to leave.
“Just leave it first. I’ll eat when I get back from his house. What about Isioma? What did the doctor say?” Kathleen asked curiously.
“Well, we booked a doctor’s appointment for next week. We were referred to a specialist doctor and he is fully booked alre-ady, so we will have to wait until next week when it is our turn.”
“I hope it turns out positive.” Kathleen said with a sigh.
“I hope so too. Oya go quic-k. And tell Isioma to come and sleep.” her mother said before walking away.
Few minutes later Kathleen was once again standing outside Pete’s door, dressed in the go-wn her mother had picked out for her. She had no idea why she kept taking her mother’s crazy advise, but since it seemed to work she had no choice. She was just going to keep it in mind that her b©dy was the bait, and Pete was the fish.
Her hand paused on the doorknob when she heard Pete’s voice, “So your sister has never had a b©yfri£ndbefore?”
“Sist Ng? Hahaha! You don’t know my sister. She doesn’t even like guys standing too close to her or smiling at her for no reason.” Isioma said with a giggle, ma-king Kathleen scowl. What was it with her family members? Why were they all bent on embarras-sing her like this?
“That is interesting. So what does she like?” Pete asked curiously, ma-king Isioma grin.
“Why are you asking me so many questions? Do you like her? Are you interested in her?” Isioma asked ma-king Kathleen close her eyes in embarras-sment.
Pete thought about it for a while… He was attra-cted to her, but wasn’t in love with her, at least he knew that much. But everyone else seemed to believe she was good for him, and Amanda adored her too, so that was enough reason for him to be interested in her, “I think so.” Pete said, ma-king Kathleen’s heart skip a beat. He liked her? He was interested in her?
“You really do?” Isioma asked in surprise. She couldn’t wait to tell their mother the good news. She was going to be very happy to hear this. Was he really going to end up marrying Kathleen? Isioma wondered.
“Yeah. So find out everything she likes and let me know, okay?
“Okay.” Isioma said with a nod, “Why is she taking so long anyway?” She wondered out loud.
“Maybe she is having dinner, plea-se can you help me check on Amanda and see what she is up to?” Pete asked Isioma politely.
“Sure.” Isioma said as she stood up.
“I’m here now. I went to ease myself.” Amanda called as she c@m£ out and joined them.
Isioma who was alre-ady standing up, paused when she saw Kathleen’s silhouette by the door. From the way her sister was standing there unmoving, she could guess she had probably been eavesdropping on their conversation, “Sister Ng, thank God you’re here.” She called out with a mischievous smile, leaving Kathleen no choice but to enter inside the house.
Isioma had a mischievous smile on her face when she saw Kathleen’s outfit. She had no doubt that this was their mother’s hand work once again. Who would have thought their very ‘principled’ and ‘strict’ mother was capable of giving such advise? Isioma wondered as she feigned a yawn and headed for the door, “Good night uncle Kunle, I’m going to sleep.” She said as she headed for the door.
Uncle Kunle? Since when? Kathleen mused.
Amanda took one look at Kathleen’s outfit before looking at Isioma who win-ked at her, “Dad can I go with aunty Isi to aunty Kat’s house?” She pleaded.
“Why?”
“I want grandma to tell me a story. She promised to tell me one before I go to be-d.” Amanda pleaded.
“Alright. I will come over and pick you when I’m re-ady to go to be-d.” Pete said with a smile as he watched Amanda leave with Isioma, before turning to look at Kathleen who was now shifting uncomfortably.
“Nice go-wn. Unfortunately Chidi isn’t here to see you in it.” Pete said with a satisfied smile.
“…”
“You are yet to eat, I hope? Let’s eat together.” Pete said as he stood up and headed in the direction of the kitchen while Kathleen followed him.
“My mom alre-ady made dinner, I’ll just eat when I get home.” Kathleen said, but Pete wasn’t listening to her as he went about the kitchen trying to fix them dinner.
“You’ve always eaten your mom’s food, I’m asking you to eat mine tonight. Ever eaten garlic and egg fried rice?” He asked as he kept taking out everything he nee-ded.
“No. There’s no nee-d…”
“Sit down Kat. I’ll be fast.” Pete ordered as he started parboiling the rice, and then took out the eggs and cracked it into a bowl.
Kathleen went over to where he was standing to watch what he was doing, “What can I help with?” She asked politely.
“You could help me chop the onion bulbs.” Pete said as he continued beating the egg.
“I learnt you used to be a chef.” Kathleen said as she peeled the onions, ma-king Pete raise his head to look at her.
“It’s good to see you’ve been talking about me.” Pete said with a grin.
“Like you’ve been talking about me?” Kathleen asked defensively ma-king Pete chuckle. At least she knew he had talked about her with Ken, and she had also just overheard him talking about her with Isioma, so there was no way she was going to feel embarras-sed for having spoken about him with Ella.
“No nee-d to get all defensive, I said it’s good.” Pete said with a wi-nk, ma-king Kathleen look away,, “I find you very interesting Kat, like very very interesting.” Pete continued.
“Thanks.” She said as she dropped the knife and the washed her hands.
“And I also find you very attrac-tive. Both physically an S-xually.” He said ma-king Kathleen swallow nervously. Why was he telling her this right now? She suddenly remembered her dream. It had been in this kitchen.
“You’re not going to thank me?” Pete asked with a small smile as he approached her slowly.
Why was he coming close to her? Was he going to try to k!ssher? Her n!ppl!s visibly ha-rd ened un-der her go-wn at the thought of such intimacy. Kathleen flee. Flee from every appearance of evil! A voice in her head said. And before Pete could say another word, Kathleen raised a hand, “Don’t come close to me! Don’t k!ssme again!”
Pete looked at her in confusion, and then smiled, “I was only coming to take the onions.” He said, pointing at the onions she had chopped with a knowing smile.
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 62