CHAPTER EIGHT
''You know mum means well, she is just looking out for you''.
Erica, Jeffery's elder sister invited him over for dinner at the new duplex she and her husband just bought. Her husband Desmond was away for a business trip. So it was just the two of them at the dinning table. Three year old Jonathan was sleeping soundly in his room. Erica had the baby monitor close by incase he woke up.
Their mother had told her about the Saturday incidence. And as usual Erica was trying her best to settle the issue and not make it look like she was taking anyone's side.
''I keep telling her, I will get married when the time is right. Instead she has chosen to make it a topic of discussion everytime I visit''.
''I have spoken to her and she promised to stop''.
''And that is supposed to make me feel better? You know your mother very well she will still find a way to bring it up''.
''She just wants to see her baby boy get married''.
''And I will get married, let's drop the subject already''.
They ate the rest of their meal without bringing up the marriage issue. His sister filled him in on all his nephew's antics. He really is growing fast, to think when he was born his sister was worried he was too tiny. She had complications during her pregnancy so she had to deliever Jonathan on the seventh month through ceaserian procedure. He remembers vividly how she kept asking the doctor if he would be able to grow and do things like normal kids. He did look really tiny and frail. He had weak lungs and that made breathing difficult even while he was in the incubator.
Their mother took it upon herself to fast and pray for one week until his breathing normalised. Till date the doctor keeps saying it's a miracle how he can breathe normally.
''Can you believe Jonathan now knows how to take a selfie with my phone?''
''You don't say''
''I do say, the other day I walked in on him taking a pic on my phone he was even micmiking me the way I pout when taking a selfie''.
''Hahahaha, you have to watchout for that young man''.
''He is a handful''.
After dinner he stayed back to help her with the dishes, they reminisced on old times when they were still kids.
''Do you remember when you told mom and Dad you wanted to become a monk?''
''Hahahahaha. How can I forget, mom almost went mad''.
Sixteen year old Jeffery out of ethusiasim of reading a book on monks and the benefits of being one ran and told his parents he wanted to become a monk. His mother started wailing and kept asking him if she had offended him in anyway to deserve this from him.
''Come what did I do wrong, who have I offended let me go and apologise''.
''Mom you have done nothing wrong''
''God help me ooo, my only son. I am finished''
His father on the other hand dismissed it as youthful exuberance which it actually was but his mother wasn't ready to leave anything to chance so she made sure every other book he read outside academic books were christian literatures.
''You almost gave her a heart attack''.
''Trust me it wasn't intentional, I actually thought I wanted to be a monk''
They both burst into laughter, because he became nothing close to monk.
"Who is she?"
"What?"
"What is the name of the girl that is making your heart race when ever you think of her?"
"What makes you think it's a girl? It could be something else"
"I know you too well remember?"
The question actually did catch him off guard, he has tried his best to keep it away from his sister but somehow she has managed to find out. She does know him too well.
"Do you love her?"
"I don't know, it's hard to say when you barely know the person"
"Then get to know her then what's holding you back?"
"I'm just being careful after what happened the last time I fell in love and besides I'm not sure she even wants me".
"You know you can't shut your heart to love because of a bad experience? Not all ladies are like Patricia"
"I know that"
"And who says she is not interested in you? That means you are becoming to get rusty because the Jeffery I know is a charmer who charms the hearts of the ladies"
"Hahahaha, am I supposed to take that as a compliment?"
"Whatever just tell the lady how you feel about her"
By 9pm he decided to call it a night and went home.
Jeffery woke up to a call from Dele reminding him of their hangout at the club later that evening. It was Friday and they usually meet at the club two fridays in a month at any club they chose, just to catch up and have fun.
''Guy it's 6am couldn't you have made this call, some other time?''
Jeffery had a late night, after he returned from his sister's apartment he decided to finish some ofice work which he brought home and before he was done with them it was already 4am. He was hoping to sleep in a little till 7am before Dele's call came in.
''No, this is the only time I have to do this, I will be very busy throughout today, and I don't want to forget''.
''So now you are using your own to spoil mine abi?''
''Don't be so grumpy, guy you have cancelled twice in a row, I don't want you giving any excuse today. You know Micheal can't come because of his pregnant wife. I need you at the club tonight. So better turn up bye''.
After Dele hung up, Jeffery tried to go back to sleep to no avail. Finally he decided to get out of bed he would have to learn to put his phone on silent to avoid disturbances like this. He has been getting very little hours of sleep and it was begining to affect him and he has been feeling feverish for the past few days too.
He said a word of prayer, did some push ups and stepped into his jacuzzi bathroom to have a shower, he turned on the music player, one of his favorite songs 'killing dem' by Burna boy was playing. Hopefully the water will help to energise him if not he would have to make coffee.
He got out of shower feeling a lot better no wonder they said 'water is life'. He went into his closet. He picked out a jean and a polo and matched it with a well tailored jacket by one of his favourite Nigerian designers 'Yomi casual'. It was Friday and he felt like dressing casual to work, actually he doesn't have any serious meeting today aside the one he has with Jane later at noon.
He hasn't been able to get her off his mind ever since the last time they saw at the parking lot in her office. He wanted to reachout to her and see if they could hangout but then he decided against it. He wasn't one to mix business with pleasure. So he has decided to ask her out once he signs all the paper work involved in the contract. He was going to take his sister's advice after all.
As he was leaving his apartment, his housekeeper Marther arrived. She usually comes to clean the house three times a week.
''Good morning madammartha''
He calls her madam because she is old enough to be his mother. When he was searching for a housekeeper and his estate agent recommended her, he refused at first because he couldn't get himself to employ someone his mother's age to do his house chores. But she approached him and told him housekeeping is all she has done all her life and how she needed the money to take care of her sick husband. He ended up giving her the job and paying her higher than he intended to pay any his housekeeper. And she has been great at doing her job efficiently.
''Good morning mr Jeffery, hope you slept well?''
''I can't really say I slept well but it's fine, when doing your clean up, please extend it to my closet, it's a mess''.
''Alright no problem but you don't look too well, hope you are fine?"
'' Yes I'm okay, I intend to finish from the office early so I can rest. Have a nice day''.
''You too Mr Jeffery''.
Thirty minutes later Jeffery arrived his office.
''Good morning Mr Jeffery''.
''Good morning Sandra, what is my schedule today like, any changes I should know about?''
Sandra is his secretary and she has been working with him for the past two years.
''Yes sir, skype meeting with the Hawaii investors has been pushed till 12noon because of the time difference they sent an email asking if we could resechedule so I pushed it to 12noon and your meeting with High Waters Interiors has been moved to 2pm. I called to let them know of the new time.''
''Thank you, have I told you how compitent you are?''
Jeffery always makes sure to commend his staff in words and sometimes in rewards whenever they did something good. This he noticed always spurs them to do better.
''You say that everyday''. She said blushing
''Because you are truly compitent, send me an email of the changes''.
''I just did that now''.
''See what I said? Thanks Sandra''.
The meeting with his foreign investors was longer than it was supposed to take. So Jane had to wait for him to finish when she arrived for their meeting.
''Mr Jeffery will see you now''.
Jane walked into Jeffery's office and what she saw wasn't so appealing.