"Who is she?" Ella asked the moment Kathleen disappeared from view.
"Didn't she just tell you she is Amanda's caretaker? What are you looking for? Gossip?" Pete asked with a raised brow as he walked into the house leaving her to follow him.
"She lives here?" Ella asked as she gave her brother a knowing look as she threw her phone and purse on the couch and headed for the kitchen.
"Why? Do you want to move in with her? Or your sexual preference has changed since your last heart break?" Pete asked dryly as he
followed her into the kitchen. He knew she wasn't going there to cook, but to look for something to eat.
Ella scowled at him, "Don't be such a bore. I sensed something between the both of you earlier. Is something going on? She's really pretty too."
"Stop talking about that one and tell me how you found out about last night." Pete said reminding Ella of what had brought her to the house.
She turned around and looked at him, "Please don't tell me you were really out with Kimberly last night. I'd be so disappointed in you if it's true." Ella said with a look of disgust on her face.
"How did you know about that?" Pete asked irritably. He was pretty disappointed in himself already and he didn't need her coming to remind him of that.
"Does this mean the picture wasn't photoshopped? That was really you in that picture?"
"What picture? Can you just talk and stop asking me stupid questions?" Pete asked in a tight voice as he tried to control his temper.
"Have you forgotten she was my class mate in secondary school? One silly girl sent a picture of you both leaving the club together to our group chat, with the caption, 'Guess who is about to become Kim's sister in-law?' I casually checked only to find out it was my own elder brother! I didn't want to believe it, so I came over to see if she was at your house so I could warn her to stay away from you!" Ella concluded.
"What is wrong with you? Why would you do something like that?" Ella hissed angrily when he didn't deny it as she had expected him to.
"Will you watch your tongue? Who I go out with has nothing to do with you or anyone else. I can decide to date her or get married to her if I want, so stay out of it!" Pete snapped angrily.
"Stay out of it? Wait until mom hears about this. Just wait, you hear?" Ella threatened as she hurried to the living room to pick up her phone and call their mother.
"Don't you dare call her!" Pete growled angrily as he followed her.
As though by unspoken agreement, their mother, Mrs Elizabeth Howells never got involved in the family business and she never interfered in her husband's career choice for their children, since she believed that was her husband's department. But when it came to the personal life of their children, she was always in charge, and her husband never interfered in her choice of suitable partners for their children.
"Why? Are you scared? I thought you never answer to anyone?" Ella asked with a snort as she dialed their mother's number while moving away from Pete who kept trying to snatch the phone from her.
"This one you called me today... Do you need something?" Mrs Howells asked dryly, the moment she took her call.
"Ekaro mum...."
"It's nothing, I just wanted to say hi to you." Pete said as he snatched the phone from Ella while glaring at her furiously.
"You wanted to say hi and you're calling me with your sister's phone? You don't have airtime abi what is it? Give the phone back to your sister, I'm sure you've done something wrong." Their mother said suspiciously as she stood up and excused herself from her guests who were laughing at what she had just said.
"I didn't do anything. My battery is down, so I decided to call you." Pete assured her, and dared Ella with his eyes to say otherwise.
"Is this about your going out with Senator Abamba's daughter last night? If that's it I'm aware of it already." His mother said knowingly, taking Pete aback.
"Is there a person in Lagos that doesn't know about this?" He made up his mind he was going to kill Ken for putting him through this embarassment.
"What were you expecting when you chose to fool around in such a place?" Mrs Howells asked with a snort.
"How did you hear of it?" Pete asked wearily.
"Have you been away from the country for so long that you don't know your mother has her ears on the ground? Especially when it has to do with her children? I didn't call to scold you because I trust it was just a one time thing. Don't let this repeat itself. And while we are dwelling on this subject, come over to the house this evening. I want to see you." Mrs Howells said and hung up, leaving no room for either an explanation or an excuse.
"But shey you realize that I'm going to pay you back for what you just did, abi?" Pete asked Ella who simply shrugged as she adjusted her shirt.
"But I didn't tell her anything, did I?" Ella asked
with a daring smile. It had always been like that for them since they were young, threatening to pay each other back for every slight thing.
"When that time comes, we will know." Pete promised as he dropped on the couch, wondering what his mother wanted to see him for.
"But really, it was just a one night stand, right? I don't have to worry about seeing more pictures of you both together?" Ella asked in a pleading tone making Pete sigh wearily. He was going to think twice before having anything sexual to do with any lady again in this Lagos.
Luckily before he could respond to her question, he heard the honk of a car outside, and didn't need to check outside to know who it was.