Seven

The evening was so tiring and everything seem to be annoying Lawisa, right from Mr Raji whom she believe by now no one has ever taught him to lower his gaze to Bilal whose mother wants him to get married. Lawisa believed that the guy has no right to be angry at her, after all she was just an informant.

"His mother said that the woman he loves is not going to come around. she said the girl didn't like him, i don't know what my fault is in these, all i did was told him what his mom said. But he doesn't seems to understood either of us, i don't even know why Auntie Laila made me do that. And now i look like the bad guy here." Lawisa keep reasoning with her mind until she reach her compound gate. And now is Ade's turn to annoy her, as she has been there horning for almost ten minutes. But she felt like it took forever for him to open the gate.

Her mind goes off again, thinking of how life can change in a blink of an eye and how an irrational decision can change so many lives. But she remained herself of the rule she lives by "whatever happens in life, it happened for a reason, and at the same time life will keep going on, so it is left for you to move on or stay where you are, but the best choice is just to move on, even if you don't know where your life is heading to, there will be a time when you will reach your destination".

And with that Lawisa believed that she have reached her own destination, where happiness comes from her daughter and the satisfaction her job gives her, all thanks to Arrahim the Almighty being for His immense blessing. She believes she couldn't have ask for better.

The cracks of the gate cuts her off from her train of thoughts. Annoyingly she glared at Ade, he stood there in front of the security room smiling almost showing all his yellowish brown teeth.

"Welcome Madam, i am sorry i kept you waiting i was in the toilet, you see i have this upset stomach since last night, so i have been running in and out of the toilet since then." He said in his thick yoruba ascent.

Lawisa ignite her car engine and manage to form a small smile not to look too arrogant. As she thinks who asked him to go into details. Before she reaches her apartment she saw Ade from rear view mirror holding his stomach and running back to the toilet, if she is not mistaken she believes she have heard his grumbling stomach when he stood there opening his teeth, as if he is contesting for a toothpaste advertisement.

She stopped right at her parking space in front of her apartment, parked her car and came out. She knocks the apartment door and Yusrah opened it with a big smile on her face.

"Welcome come back, Ma'am."

"Thank you, Yusrah." Lawisa hand the vegetables bag she was holding. Whlist she went to the fridge and carry a cold water bottle, and drank half of it in one glug.

"You most be tired, ma'am." Yusrah added with so much concern.

"Yes indeed, i will go freshen up before Zarah come back from her Islamic school." The girl smiled at Lawisa and says.

"Ma'am, Zarah is in her room."

"Why didn't she went to school?"

"Well ma'am, today is Thursday and there is no Islamic school today."

"Oh i thought she throw a tantrum and refused to go. I am so worked up that i forgot what day it is. Is she sleeping?"

"No she is studying some words, in her room. She can't pronounced them correctly, she is using her tablet for the pronunciation."

"Are you sure she is not playing game?"

"No Ma'am, i switched on the parental control mode, so she won't get any access to the games on the device."

"Oh Yusrah, thank you. What will i do without you." The young lady only smiled at Lawisa who trusted her so much to leave her daughter with her, not only because Yusrah came from a Nanny agency, but she just trust the girl to look after her child.

"Can I cook dinner?"

"No Yusrah i will do that later."

Zarah is surely focus studying with all her might, that she didn't notice her mom standing at the door. "My baby girl." Lawisa called cheerfully.

"Momma!" Zarah exclaimed and runs chuckling, she clenched at her mother's legs. "You came back."

"Who said i wasn't coming back?"

"You look so tired, mommy." She, herself knows she was tired but she didn't think it was that obvious.

"Yes princess, Mommy is very tired and Nanny said you have been studying hard, i am liking this side of you, my love." Zarah pouted

"Yes, i have studying how to pronounced pregment, patrot and colicolum. The kids laugh at me in class. Why is it so hard to say them, it's no magic, right momma." Lawisa nodded in agreement.

"Curriculum, patriot and pregnant, of course, there is no magic."

"Momma, then teach me, i don't want them laughing at me." Lawisa thinks that it is the right time to plan her escape.

"Love, is not a bad thing if you don't know how to pronounce them yet, you would later, i will go rest now." She kisses Zarah's forehead and left.

After taking a warm shower Lawisa lay down on her bed, mentally thanking the person who invented beds and soft mattresses. Before she drips into a deep slumber. Though the ideas was just to relax for a few minute.

"Momma, wake up. Nanny is getting late, okay." Zarah shakes her abruptly.

"What's it, lala?" Lawisa asked with her eyes close.

"Open your eyes, Mommy." Lawisa gasped and lazily open her eyes and sit on the bed facing Zarah.

"You have been sleeping for a while now and is already time for Nanny to go home, mommy."

"No, I just close my eyes not more ten minutes ago."

"Look at the time then," said Zarah as she chuckles. Lawisa exhaled the breath she didn't know she was holding. Looking at the wall clock she fell back on the bed.

"I came back almost 3hrs ago, Ya ilahi i am still so tired."

"Ehem Mommy, i told you we should move to one of those island where there is free fruit, we will only go fishing by the sea. So you don't have to go to work and i won't be going to School." Lawisa stare at her daughter in such way that you will think, she is thinking for all the possibility to move back there, and she keep smiling waiting for her mother's approval.

"Now that i think about it, it sound like a good idea, you are a genius my love. But what about all the mosquitoes, the spiders, the snakes and the owls out there. Well, the fact that there will be free fruit and lot of seafood, we can survive on that, right my love?" Lawisa look on as her daughter's once joyous face have turned into horror.

"Momma, i think we should just stay at home, going to school is no big deal and you can always rest at night." Lawisa mentally laughed at her silly daughter.

"But Zarah, that was a brilliant idea, love." Lawisa shouted as Zarah have already leaves the room leaving the open door.

"No Momma, forget that i ever mentioned that, i don't want to go. Lawisa keeps smiling to herself as she change into an ankara wrappers and top it with a white hoodie, she wasn't wearing anything on her head which reveals her long black hair in a ponytail.

"I am sorry, I kept you waiting." She apologize smiling at the two girls in the living room.

"Is okay, ma'am. I will get going then."

"Bye, bye, Nanny."

"Yusrah please, take this anti biotics to Ade, he said he have an upset stomach, i wanted to give it to you earlier but i fell asleep."

"Okay, i will take my leave now, bye Zarah.

"Take care, Yusrah." She left and Lawisa locked the door.

As Khalid checked into his hotel room, he called his Aunt and told her that he has already arrived in Lagos. He can feel the change of the weather as well as the busy city around him. He yanks the curtains open which reveal a big frame glass window, with a beautiful view of the city. He mentally hope that he won't ever regret coming here for business. He thinks there is much to handle without his secretary. He remembered khadijah telling him how his secretary always look at him with so much affection, and she told him that wasn't professional kind of look. He smack his head for thinking about Salima. But he thinks the young lady should better wake up from her dream, if what they really said is true.