That Friday after office hours as Adah made her way to the lift, she got a call from Lily. She was quite excited about the call and even more excited when Lily announced that she will be landing with the six ' o clock hour plane in the evening on Saturday being the next day. As they finished talking, she suddenly realized that she has nothing on the ground for Lily. Her apartment was not ready and even the office space is not as well ready. She heaved as she entered the car and wondered how she will get these two issues achieved and ready for Lily. As she got home that evening, she told the housekeeper to serve her dinner in her wing and went straight into the bathroom. She showered quickly and came out, grabbing a bottle of grape wine, and with her phone in hand, she made her way to the office. Adah knows that coming back home will be nothing but boring. One thing with the Denson's is that they live an executive boring life! Adah knew that she has nothing serious with any man and is very shy to admit it. There is no one in her life and since that unfortunate incident with Bami, she is really afraid to venture into anything serious with any man. She knows that she is very appealing, delicate, and full of beauty. With the wealth she commands and the riches at her disposal, she can buy anyone but that is not her thing, at a point her mother had wondered if her daughter is cursed because of her inability to attract any man. She is fair with a soft delicate tenderness, her long full black hair and brown eyes that seem to pierce right into the very object she looks at. Her figure is excellent. She is full and curvy well endowed with flesh as a woman is supposed to be. She is tall about five feet and nine inches, hairy, and excellence of beauty to look upon. Many times, she had cried herself to sleep and have started believing that she is no good to any man only spoilt and pampered by her parent's wealth. Bami had shouted this to her and as she grows on this thought it seems he said nothing but the truth. Within her heart of hearts, her soul, and body, she knows that she needs a man to hold, trust, and love. Lily always tease her about this fact. Adah knows that she is desperate and this could lead to uncertainty but she wants to be calm and take the blows of her incapability right on the face and chin. Love will always find a way and this belief she hopes will not elude her. She took a big gulp from the glass of wine and reflected on her new position, she discovered that the empire can smoothly run on its own without hitches. All the departments she had visited and talked with exceeded every one of her expectations. During her brief stay as chief, she visited the airline and three production companies had meetings with them and familiarized herself with their executive members. She had given them new mandates and targets which has pushed the expectations higher. She has increased the budget of the airline company and promised the purchase of seven more jumbo aircraft. They have signed new contracts and memorandum of understanding with seventeen nations and the League of nations. The efficiency is top-notch but more can still be achieved. She had now come to realize how influential her family is in these few days at the helm of all affairs.
As she poured herself another drink, she relaxed fully on the chair and adjusted her nightwear before her thoughts wandered back to Lily's arrival. Her mind skipped a beat and not knowing what to do, she picked up her phone and called Mrs. Randolph's number. It rang but she did not answer her phone. She wondered again and tried calling again before the thought of Munah hit her for the third time that day. The efficiency that exhumes from him is quite unbelievable. Within his short stay, he has effectively re-organized her office as chief of the empire. His meeting innovations were spot on and his politeness is commendable. The meetings with external bodies with him are quite rewarding and Adah was shocked that he even kept minutes and recorded audios regarding every detail. As she relaxed fully on the chair, another thought hit her, she brought out her phone and dialed his number. As he picked, Adah was quiet for a while before she found her voice.
"Hello... sorry to bother you at this time of the day but can you help me tomorrow?" She said softly with her heart in quick beats.
" No problem about that..." Adah heard his voice and breathed heavily.
" Please let's meet at Bourdilon avenue gate by eight in the morning, will that be convenient for you?" She said praying that he will not object.
It's fine with me..." he said and Adah quickly hung up with a deep sigh and breathe. As she hung up the phone, her heart jumped with a new form of excitement, with him by her side she knows that much will be accomplished. She knew that he knows the city well and his insight will be needed so that Lily's conditions are met. An untold shiver ran through her spine as she thought about the lineup of activities both of them will accomplish together and smiled to herself. Within her, she wondered if she is not speeding in the fast lane, watchfulness, carefulness, and patience should be the keyword. She knew that she is not desperate but why this great excitement and apprehension? She thought about what to put on... Yes, she must appear lovely and radiant and her comportment must be quite modest. Her outing is not an official one. She just needs help so that her plans for her project will be intact. She stood up from the seat and walked back to the room with her drink to discover that her dinner has been served. Adah sat down quickly and it was when she tasted the food she realized how hungry she has been. After her meal, she stood up and left her little dining room and thought of going to the gym after a little rest.
As she surfed the internet on her sofa, she realized that after Lily's arrival, she must schedule a meeting between the two of them to properly fine-tune their strategies and set the ball rolling for the takeoff. She knew she will need more hands in this project, she knows that she will need a homegrown personality that will bring balance to the team. Bringing in Mrs. Randolph may look risky but the more she thinks of her coming into the team, the more relaxed her mind seems to be but still, she knows that Mrs. Randolph will not bring in the balance she yearns for. Mrs. Randolph looks like someone she knows but she cannot decipher when and where. Adah had even on many occasions dismissed the thought as a coincidence or it might be a look-alike. Mrs. Randolph from the look of things seems to flow efficiently with Munah and with this type of bond, she seems not to be comfortable about it. She cannot explain the reasons behind her uneasiness about them but any time she realizes this nature in her, she is most ashamed of herself. Adah with every sense of acknowledgment knows that she is the extremely jealous one. This is her nature and for this, she is never ashamed. This is the same nature as Lady Denson and Adah knows quite well that she picked it up from her mother. Sometimes Lily's joke about pitying the man that she will eventually fall in love with seems true because Adah knows that her possessiveness can be extremely high. Adah prays that the lucky one understands. Lily had told her that ladies and men who have these traits of a high level of jealousy and possessiveness have a correspondingly high level of sex libido. Though Adah has not proven this she fears it might be true based on her findings and what she has read.
As she finally retired that night, she would not wonder about her life in terms of the way love seem to have abandoned and rejected her. Most times, she remembered that she had cried her eyes out about this disposition she finds herself. She knows that it is not her fault because she has never been the outgoing type. parties and social get-togethers have never been her thing. She just wants to be loved and she sees no wrong in this hunger. Adah turned on her huge bed and wondered what it will eventually be to fall in love. She has been building fantasies since her teenage years, She knows that it may be more than her fantasies but she now cares less because at her age she is quite grown for a man to love and cherish. She wants to be kept by a real man, not that experience with Bami which brings nothing but a sour taste to her mouth anytime she reflected on her adventure and experience with him. It was not until four that she eventually found some sleep but it was short-lived as the doorbell woke her up. She stood up and went for the door but only to see her mother in front of her with an expressionless face. She came in fully into the room while Adah closed the door and went straight to her bed but this time sitting on the edge of it.
" I was worried when you did not show up for dinner so like a good mother I have come to check on you, though the housekeeper Clearfield that you are excellently fine." Lady Denson said observing her daughter fully.
"So sorry mummy, I was very tired... Adah said with a smile looking at her mother as an idea struck her.
" Your father and I will be leaving the country tomorrow morning for his check-up and on a holiday for about four weeks. I don't know if you will be needing anything?" She heard her mother.
" Enjoy yourselves mummy but please ensure that it's not for anything business. Let daddy only rest," Adah said with a smile and looked at the lit-up face of her mother who seems happy on hearing what she said.
"Mummy I will need some money... I want to make use of it for some important personal projects." Adah said looking at her mother as she looked up in shock knowing that her daughter hardly asks her for such a favor
"I will speak to the accountant to do the necessary transfer but hope it is nothing serious and what about your allocations?" Her mother asked surprised but covered up with a smile.
" There's no problem about that mummy. Is it a crime if I ask you for such help?" Adah said softly looking away from her mother.
" Sorry sweetheart... your request is accepted and will be done in the next hour. Please take care of yourself in case we don't see you till tomorrow but you know the tradition." She said smiling and trying to make her daughter happy again after knowing that she almost crossed parts with her. Mr. Denson will not be happy if this type of request is not looked into and she knows that she can do more than what Adah is talking about. Mother and daughter embraced with laughter as Lady Denson departed the room with all smiles.
As Adah came to the dining, she was quite surprised to see her father seated alone and having his breakfast. She greeted him and smiled as he answered concentrating on the meal in front of him.
"Your mother told me that you needed some money," he said still not looking at her.
"Yes daddy, I have a whole lot to do now that I am getting stabilized." She said as she looked intently into her plate for a while.
"Well, I have instructed the accountant on what to do. However, you need not tell me anything. You know that your daddy has big ears." He said cleaning his lips as he drank from his cup.
"Thank you, daddy," she said as she started eating. Lady Denson walked in and sat down first apologizing to her husband for coming late and turning to gaze at Adah for a while. Adah looked away smartly for her mother has a way of knowing what she wants to do without her explaining anything to her.
"You look dressed any plans for the weekend?" She asked looking away from her daughter.
"Yes, mummy...I want to pick Lily up from the airport, see some parts of the town and do some girly stuff." She said while her mother looked up surprised.
"You and that friend of yours can be irritating sometimes." Lady Denson started showing her stance on Adah's choice of a friend.
"Mummy please I quite understand what you mean but she is my friend. You may not like her personal feelings and orientation but she is first a human being and a good one at that." Adah defended fully knowing that her mother is against her friendship with Lily.
"Just be very careful around her...I still do not trust her, Lady Denson said chewing her food softly. Mr. Denson never liked to get involved in this type of discussion. Moreover, it is between mother and daughter He understands the fears of his wife but Lily after a careful study is no harm. He knows that there is a bond between the girls and he will be the last to come against it for baseless reasons. Adah is intelligent and from a child, she has a mind of her own, for her handling Lily may not be an issue, and to think of it both of them have come a long way.
"We will be spending the next couple of weeks overseas," Mr. Denson said looking at her daughter and expertly changing the topic.
"Mummy told me and I think it's the best option for your healing process," Adah said with a smile as she finished her tea
" Thank you for that observation and hope I stick to the plans..." he laughed turning to gaze at his wife who could only help but smile. They discussed a few extended family issues and Adah thanked her parents before leaving the table.