After Felicia reached home, the preparations for Mabel's wedding was ongoing but May was nowhere in the house. They searched the whole house for May but she didn't seem to be in the house. While the search for May was going on, May woke up in an hotel- looking around her because the bed in which she woke up from was unfamiliar and not hers, it was not her room, she knew that. She checked herself and her clothes and saw that it was untouched, comfortably and with a sigh of relief- she stood up and first looked out of the window to know if she could find a familiar environment in her unfamiliar environment, soon the door of the room opened, May turned around and saw Nate.
" How are you doing? I hope you are good and feeling very much okay?" Nate asked her with a smile.
" Yeah sure. I'm good but what am I doing here exactly?" May asked him impatiently.
" Well, you were almost kidnapped yesterday and I being the super hero saved you from getting hurt" Nate responded quickly as he stood closer to her.
" Interesting. Glad that I am alive, all thanks to you superhero. But did you by any chance find out who exactly wanted to kidnap me or who called such people on me." May asked him, trying to be conscious that he supposedly saved her life even if she didn't see any other reason not believe him, she still found it all weird that he saved her, what did he want in return, her mind churned bitterly for an answer.
" Well darling, I see Mr Obaro has taken you as his next target. I'm glad I could help you out. I'm sure you would want to take a bath and get home as quick as possible" Nate told May. A sudden realization dawned on May that everyone in her family would be searching for her. She took her bath quickly while she began thinking about what excuse she was going to tell them.
Soon she left the hotel and rushed home, meanwhile the Baker's family were deliberating on going to report to the police about her going missing when she entered the living room in the Baker's home. She met her parent's sad faces, her grandma and her father's sisters worried faces which was unexpected- she told they hated my sisters and I guts. Her sister, Felicia was too livid to look her in the eyes while Audrey just ignored her, they were all settled on the couch.
Trust Nigerian mothers! Mrs Baker stood up, rubbing her baby bump and was about to yell at the top of her voice while Mr Baker stood up and supported her and rubbed her shoulders as if telling her to take it easy on their daughter.
"Stop there, young lady. Where have you been since yesterday?" Mrs Baker asked May in anger.
"Mom.....
"Don't ever call me that. Because if truly I was your mother, we won't be having this awful conversation. May Baker, tell me exactly where you went to last night" Mrs Baker said.
"I.....
" You what..... You can't speak up or you need something to help you out. I have said this a million times that while you live under my roof, you don't just go out and return at anytime. Neither do you go out without my consent. Unfortunately, you happen to have broken this important rules and even at night" Mrs Baker said, disappointment now evident more on her face. In her heart, it seemed liked her girls were all rebelling against her and her husband.
"May, you want to speak up or what?" Mr Baker said a bit gentler than his wife. May stared at her father and of course she didn't want him mad because once he was, he would do much worse than their Mom would ever do.
" Yes.. I'm sorry everyone. I went to a party organised by the seniors in the university, I thought to go there because of a senior who had helped me while she was still in school just to support her but what I didn't expect was someone spiking my drink....
" Spiking your drink?? How this story just got even better...." Mrs Baker said as she tried to pace around in the living room, removing her husband's hands from her shoulders and glared at him. Mr Baker sat on the couch, as if trying to avoid his wife wrath while his mother rolled her eyes at her daughter in-law.
"Yes Mo....m. Someone saved me yesterday from a planned attack which was targeted towards me and took me to an hotel and I came home straight from the hotel" May said with her head lowered and smiled a bit before she saw her Mom's angry face when she raised her head to look at her Mom.
"May... May... May.... Just how many times did I call your name?" Mrs Baker asked her daughter while everyone else looked at Mrs Baker, afraid of what she might do.
"Three times Mom" She replied while anticipating her Mom next words.
" You expect me to believe that ridiculous story, do you?.." Mrs Baker asked intimidatingly.
"Yes Mum.... No mum. It's the truth Mom" She desperately answered, wondering secretly why her mom always took her lies for the truth and the reverse. It was devastating for her.
" Okay, let's assume you are telling me the truth. How about how you left this house without my permission at night?" Mrs Baker asked, folding her arms impatiently.
"I know that I am wrong. I shouldn't have snuck out of the house without permission and I promise it won't happen again" May promised her mom.
" Come here" Mrs Baker gestured with her hand also for May to move closer to her. May took a few steps backward while Mrs Baker glared at her actions before May moved closer to her Mom. A second after that, Mrs Baker slapped May three times, then attempting to beat her on her body when Mr Baker stood up quickly and held his wife hands from beating the already sobbing May
"Michael, leave my hands alone. This girl needs to be disciplined. How can my own daughter sneak out of my house? She has lost all of her manners" Mrs Baker was too livid.
" I know that darling. But right now I am concerned about our baby, all of these emotions are too much for the baby and you know it" Michael told his wife.
" Really Michael? How about I discipline this manner less daughter of mine who has lost self respect then we talk about this later? Oh I wish I had gotten to her sooner, I am sure she would still remain there sobbing like she's sorry. She's not sorry about any of this." Mrs Baker told her husband before facing May. " When did you start going to parties? How come there is a senior which you haven't told me about? Well I am not going to begin questions and answers with you.
We searched everywhere for you and you come back expecting me to jump on my feet and rejoice that you are back as if I would" Mrs Baker asked her daughter, May. She then told Felicia and Audrey and every member of the family that May was going to do the house chores for three weeks, even if it meant that she was going to be late for some of her lectures , she didn't care. Also, May had to give up her allowances for the month which was saddening for May but she didn't show it else another bout of beating were going to be received by her.
Soon May was sent upstairs by her dad and after that Mr Baker released his wife's hands who also went upstairs slowly to their room while everyone in the living room dispersed to their various rooms.
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" Darling, I have submitted my resignation letter to the Bank. I have decided to take a break from working at the bank, going to work at early hours and returning at late hours. I have decided to concentrate on the boutique from now on till even after our son's birth" Mrs Baker told her husband, the same day in their room, on their bed.
" You sure about that?. You're in the second trimester of the pregnancy and I don't want you regretting anything later in the future" Mr Baker asked his wife.
" Yeah. Very sure about that. I need to take care of our children Michael, the girls need me so much" Mrs Baker told her husband concerned.
" Hmm... That's right. How about me?" Mr Baker complained.
" Well darling.. don't be silly. You have had me take care of you even before we had our children so what other care do you need" Mrs Baker inquired of her husband with a smile.
" I need a LOT of care dear" Mr Baker emphasized.
" Sure" Mrs Baker told her husband and smiled the more.
" It's good seeing you smile now, I know that you have a right over May but she's twenty. An adult maybe it's not so good trying to beat her again" Mr Baker said, choosing his words carefully.
" I understand that. I will try but sincerely even if she's out of school and married, I would still beat her" Mrs Baker told her husband.
" But she isn't a kid anymore and at some point in her life, we would have to leave her to make a decision for herself" Mr Baker suggested.
" I totally get you. I will think about it" Mr Baker assured her husband before Mr Baker left the room to meet his sisters in their room leaving his wife to rest in their room.
Chapter 17
May returned to the university the following day to hear one of the best news she has heard in a while that Mr Obaro had resigned from lecturing in her school. She was happy but then suspected that Nate might have something to do with Mr Obaro resignation so she decided she was going to see him after her lectures. At that time, May hadn't told Felicia about Mr Obaro pestering her neither had she prayed to God about it.
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When May was done with her lectures, she met Nate outside the school gate, waiting for her because as soon she saw him, he smiled at her like he was expecting her. She smiled back at him and walked towards where he was before they both walked to a Chicken Republic building and got into the building, Nate pulled the chair for her to seat before he sat down on his own chair and asked if May wanted to get a drink or food which she originally declined but Nate refused and ordered for both of them a plate of Jollof rice and beef and water.
After eating, May wanted to talk but Nate ordered a bottle of 5 Alive Berry Blast fruit juice for May and a bottle of Jack Daniels for himself before he began a conversation with her.
" I guessed that you would want to talk to me" Nate said and gulped a glassful of Jack Daniels.
While May stared at him, awe that someone could gulp a glass of Jack Daniels that quick without showing any signs of inebriation.
" Don't stare at me, May. It makes me want to take you by your actions" Nate warned her.
" Oh.... What? What were you saying just now?" May asked him, confused.
"Nothing" Nate said like he didn't understand what she was saying.
" Tell me" May insisted but Nate was adamant not to repeat his words.
"It's nothing. Just tell me what you wanted to say" He said to May.
" Yeah right. I wanted to say thanks for the other night where you saved me from harm. I really appreciate it, I can't imagine what would have happened to me that night if you hadn't helped, maybe raped, killed or I just don't know what to think. But since you wouldn't tell me the whole story, could I ask a few questions?" May said to Nate.
"No..." Nate said.
" Well, was it Mr Obaro who spiked my drink? Do you have anything to do with his resignation? Is there any reason why you helped me?" May asked him, curious about his answer. But there was a long pause before May said that she hadn't gotten the answers to her first two questions.
" You want to know if there's any reason if I helped you. What about the " I love you reason" Nate said seriously but May laughed at the reason probably because she failed to believe it."I'm really serious, May. I really like you and would like you to become my girlfriend that's if you like me at all" Nate tried convincing her.
"Really? You sure you want that, not because I was a girl whom you saved or a pity case or an helpless girl or...
"Or nothing May. I want you and I really hope you can think about it" Nate asked as he held her hands from the other end of the table.
" Okay. I will think about it, just give me some weeks" May told me.
" Weeks? I could die waiting for your answer" Nate widened his eyes.
"No you wouldn't. Stay alive if you want me" May said while she stood up and hung her Gucci bag on her shoulder.
" You are leaving?" Nate asked.
" Yes. I really don't want my Mom yelling at me again especially since all of my allowances are gone this month" May said with a smile.
"Okay. Henceforth if you need something, you tell me about it, May" Nate said to her, insisting.
"Ummm.... Not so sure about that since I don't like asking others for help but I will try. How do I find you if I want to talk to you?" May asked.
" Oh right. Can I have your phone number?" Nate asked May and May gave him, her phone number and asked if she could pay half of the bill but Nate refused. May didn't listen to him and dropped some money from her savings on the table, where they sat and asked Nate to pay the balance. May hurried home immediately, leaving Nate chuckling and staring at her.
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May heard a knock on her door and asked who was at the door and once she heard it was her elder sister, Felicia, she dropped her laptop on her bed and unlocked the door, letting her sister in.
" Hi sis, looking stunning as always" May greeted her sister who wore a wine round neck knee-length gown which was fitted while she went back on her bed and closed her laptop.
" Hi May, thanks jare.... how are you and your studies? And what about the issue we discussed on phone?" Felicia asked her sister.
" All good even the issue with Mr Obaro has been sorted out. He resigned." May said, with a wide smile. Felicia could see how happy her sister was.
" Okay. I thought you wanted me to pray together with you to God" Felicia asked.
"No need. I'm all good and settled" May convinced her sister.
"Regardless May, you should have a personal relationship with God. Do not wait till its late okay. I can't force our on it, its a personal decision and I hope you realize that soon you would have to be in God's side" Felicia advised.
" Well I have heard you sister." May said.
" I know that you haven't heard me, you this thick-skinned atheist" Felicia teased.
Audrey ran into May's room and screamed that her exam results were excellent and amongst the best in her external and internal exams, she had 9A's in her WASCE and they were all happy and ran to their parents room, all screaming and demanding for an huge celebration.
After the huge celebration the Baker's family had in their home with the shopping included, Mabel finally got married to Damien the next Saturday in the church and also had their traditional wedding a day before and a court wedding a day after their church wedding. While Mr Baker's mother cried when Mabel got married and packed out of the house, the Baker girls sighed in relief that it meant less trouble for them and their parents but it didn't mean they were not happy. They were but they were relieved anyways.