Joan woke up the next morning feeling unhappy and tired. She didn't feel like getting out of bed. What was the use anyway? It wasn't as if she had a job that she needed to go to, she was jobless.
What do jobless people do with their time? Probably the same thing she is doing right now, lying in bed and staring into space, she thought.
She felt so useless without her job because she had built her life around it. It gave her life a sense of purpose. How was she supposed to live without it now?
She lay on her tummy as she thought of applying for another job, but knowing how ruthless her father can be when it comes to matters like this, she could bet on it that he already blacklisted her name in all the law firms in Lagos so they won't hire her. There was no use trying, it's a lost course already. The only option could be for her to relocate out of Lagos to another town where she can find a job without her father's interference. But where could she go? Lagos was her home and all the people she cared about were all here. If she should relocate that means she was going to be alone, and away from everything she had come to love as well as the people who loved her. The thought alone was scary. Besides, knowing her father, he could choose to go the extra mile and extend his claws to whatever state she relocates to if he was desperate enough to get her to do his bid.
She sighed, "My life is a mess," she muttered to herself as she took out her phone from under her pillow to play candy crush game, probably that could take her mind off her problems for some minutes. She wasn't long gone into the game when her phone rang, Lilian was the one calling.
"Hey, Lily! How far?" Joan said into the phone.
"Good morning, Jo. Sorry to bother you this early in the morning," Lilian said apologetically since she had no idea what Joan was up to before she called.
"No, it's fine. What's up?" Joan asked curiously?
"Okay uh... Two things actually."
"Okay?"
"First of all, how are you doing? You know with the craziness of all that has been going on lately between you, Ayo, and both families," Lilian asked with a hint of concern in her tone.
Joan slightly exhaled, "Honestly Lilian I would be lying if I said I'm doing fine. I'm not fine at all, but I'm trying not to let things weigh me down," She said with a sigh.
"I mean, it's not like I have a choice anyway. That is the only thing I can do until we find a way to get out of this situation, abi?" She added with a humorless chuckle.
"I'm really sorry Joan. I wish there was something I could do to help, I already tried talking to my dad but he has refused to see reasons with me."
"Thank you, Lilian. We have all tried, I guess they are not willing to listen. Anyway, what was the second thing you called to talk to me about?" Joan asked, wanting to change the depressing subject.
"It's my brother. Have you by chance heard from him since yesterday? I have been trying to reach him but he hasn't been taking my calls."
The moment Lilian mentioned Steve, Joan remembered he was supposed to call her last night and tell her how the meeting with his landlord went but he didn't and she had also forgotten to call him to ask.
"Yeah, I saw him yesterday. He was at my place actually." Joan replied, making a mental note to call Steve when she was done talking to Lilian. "I guess he is taking a break from everything especially after the stunt your dad pulled yesterday..."
"What stunt?" Lilian asked, cutting off Joan's sentence.
"I guess you didn't know we both lost our jobs yesterday, and your father..."
"Sorry, hold on for a second," Lilian said interrupting Joan again. "You both lost your jobs?"
"Yes."
"You have to be kidding me!" Lilian hissed angrily. This explained why Steve hasn't been taking her calls.
"I wish I was. He seemed pretty upset, even though he was doing a good job of appearing strong," Joan said with a sigh.
"Is there any way I can help? Because I really hate what is being done to the both of you right now. I can't fathom why our parents would just choose to be so unreasonable!" Lilian hissed as she started gathering her things to leave the office for Steve's place.
Joan could tell Lilian was just as pissed at their parents as she and Steve were, but what good has their anger done them? None.
"Lilian I think you should check on your brother. He needs all the support he can get at the moment because his accounts were frozen as well," Joan suggested since she couldn't offer him much comfort, not when they were both going through the same thing.
"His accounts were what?! Why would is accounts be frozen? What sort of rubbish is that?!" Lilian calmed down and took a deep breath as she realized she was shouting at the wrong person. "I'm sorry I raised my voice it..."
"It's okay Lilian, we are all angry."
"Once again I'm really sorry all of this is happening to you and my brother. I will just head over to his place right away," Lilian said as she got out of her office seat and picked up her handbag before adding, "Once again, I'm so sorry you're both going through this, Jo."
"Thanks, Lilian. I will also try to call him." Joan said with a sigh.
"Alright, Jo. Have a nice day... Even though I know you likely won't, just try," Lilian pleaded.
"And you too Lilian."
After the call ended, Joan rolled on her back, facing her ceiling. "Have a nice day indeed! What is nice about being jobless?" She muttered under her breath.