"What an asshole" she exclaimed, unable to find a more appropriate word to describe him.
It irked her to even imagine that such a man claiming to love her now, had once denied her of the only opportunity she felt she did have to save her family.
Just then, she heard her phone ringing. It was Tobi.
How could you Maria" He fired at her angrily immediately she took the call.
"Why didn't you bother to tell me how
Jason had ripped you off that job?" He
asked. "The same job you stayed awake all night to rehearse. Why didn't you tell me? Or you felt there was nothing I capable of doing to help?" Tobi asked, sounding hurt.
"I am sorry Tobi" Maria quickly replied. From the tone of his voice, she could sense that he felt somehow betrayed.
Maybe betrayed because Jason had not only failed to keep to his promise, but she Maria, had also failed to keep hers by keeping him a touch with all the developments of the job.
" I didn't want to bore you with my many troubles again. You travelled for business, and I didn't think it was fair calling to bother you about its lost" Maria answered defenselessly, as the thought of it, soften his heart.
"But you promised to keep in touch"
" I am sorry Tobi. Forgive me"
''so any news for me? How is mum? And have you tried anything else" he asked, his voice now relaxed.
" Good news and bad news. Which one should go first" she asked, giggling
How bad is the bad?" He asked, a bit skeptical about wanting to hear any more bad stories.
"Not too bad, per say" she answered, shrugging.
Let's hear the bad one first, then the good" he said unsure if he had made the right choice.
Mom collapsed few days ago, and is currently in the hospital undergoing treatment" she said sharply, as Tobi felt a sudden painful thud in his heart. He jaw dropped.
"What did the doctors say?' He finally asked, praying it doesn't get any bad.
He only wished he had money enough to schedule a complete treatment for her. She was more like a mother to him too. She had adopted him when he lost his parents.
She took most of his financial burdens and even paid his final school fees in the university. He felt indebted to her and the family and wished he had a way of helping too.
We need more money to book for surgery." Maria said to Tobi, who now had despair written all over his face.
"What's the good news?" He finally asked, trying to distract his heart from the pain that had built up.
I've finally gotten a legal job" she exclaimed happily, as Tobi's face suddenly brightened.
"You did?" He exclaimed with radiance on his face.
" Tell me how it happened" he urged, as Maria snapped her finger, the way she did when a story was too long to recount.
"Not today young man." She echoed grinning.
"You aren't telling right? Atleast tell me when you are resuming."
Next week. Hopefully" she answered excitedly.
Then as if, remembering something she had forgotten, she immediately announced;
" By the way tobi, we are going to have a new family member"
''How do you mean? Are you pregnant? He asked surprised.
"Preg what" she questioned, almost fumming.
"There is this child that needs a home. I want to adopt him"
Wow. Impressive. I am proud of you"
Tobi exclaimed, proud that even in Maria's dilemma, she was still willing to offer some help to others .
"Thank you" Maria replied.
"So when are we expecting you in town? " She asked, wondering if he would be back before the day, she planned going for the adoption documentation. " Sometime next week."
"Have you spoken to Tina yet?" She asked, remembering she was also yet to speak to Tina about the failed contract. She deserved to know, since she had also made deliberate effort to see her excel in the movie contract.
"Yeah, just got off the phone with her, few minutes ago" Tobi replied.
"we miss you Tobi" maria said, suddenly realizing the loneliness in her life since he left.
"I miss you guys too" he answered, laughing off the fact, that she had always told him, how she wasn't cut out to miss people.
Why are you laughing Tobi" she questioned, knowing Tobi and mischief.
"Nothing" he answered, still trying to hold back his amusement.
"You better talk, else you are going to get into trouble with me and I thought, you said, you never missed anyone?" Tobi asked as Maria suddenly joined him laughing.
Alrit, I agree." She said frankly, "l accept that these few days I have being missing my touch. I mean, my touch of rigidness" she added still laughing.
Good riddance! Somehow I think it started with that guy you met at the academy. The way, you flowed with him on a first day, gave me goosebumps. It was like, you weren't the one on that table. Even snubbing me too. I think something happened on that table" he said with so much seriousness
''Good bye Tobi" Maria quickly said, not willing to go down that lane of discussion.
"Goodbye Maria" he replied giggling.
She was already blushing, thank Goodness, Tobi had being on phone, else he would have seen her blushing uncontrollable just for the mere mention of the him.
She knew that something had changed about her since that day. She spent most of the time fantasying about him.
She couldn't rest her head for a moment without a picture of him brushing past her face. She sighed.
Jack sat by the side of the pool, drying his wet body. He had just returned from a meeting with some of his board of directors. He had being exhausted and had also ordered lunch for his brother who would be home in some minutes.
The cook was on sick leave.
Just then Emilia drove into the building and made her way towards the main house. She was holding a basket made from brass, containing some fruits and food she had prepared.
He could sight her from the transparent glass doors demarcating the pool from the entrance that led to the main room.
Immediately she saw him, she smiled, knowing he would have tried avoiding her, if he had any hint that she was coming over.
"Hello baby" she greeted and tried to brush her lips against his, when she leaned closer. He quickly moved away.
'' l made your favourite meal." She announced, unwrapping the brown foil she had used to cover the contents. "l know you must be hungry" she said, trying to relieve the basket of it's contents
Emilia, I can't remember asking you to get any thing for me" he said, as she tried making him to take some.
''Jack, you are rejecting me, and you know how sad it makes me feel" she spoke, with a sad countenance. I want to always be around you, because you are the only man that my heart beats for. But when ever I come to you, you make me really sad. Jack, why do you hate me this much? When are you ever going to give me a chance in your life? When are you going to let me prove that I can do anything for you? When Jack?" she questioned as the tears began to flow.
Jack sat still unable to understand, what he had said or done so far to warrant her tears. He sighed.
"I am sorry Emilia." He finally said. "1 am sorry if I hurt you. I only wanted you to know that you didn't have to do any of these things for me."
"Atleast take a little" she said. "Even if it means to appreciate the effort I made to please you" she urged him as Jack reluctantly took a spoon from the basket and spooned a little grain into his mouth.
"Happy now?" he asked, dropping the cutlery.
" C'mon babe" she protested. "that's not enough. Atleast let's eat together like real friends" she said, as Jack finally exhausted, stood up to escape to the comfort of his bedroom, a place void of Emilia.
She quickly grabbed his hands and circled her arms around him, as he made to wriggle out of them.
There in his arms felt like heaven, his body had the warmth and sensuality that no woman could resist. His bare body had an aluring aroma, fresh and tempting. Emilia began to kiss his body, and made to suck at his nipple, trying to seduce him.
If only she could get him to make love to her, she would be one of the happiest women alive.
Jack had the body of a sexual god. The way he walked or smiled could make a woman wet down her pants. His eyes had an unmistakeably sexual fire that flowed out of them. She usually imagined what he would look like without clothes. The young man Infront of her was unseduceable. She had tried countless times and failed.