The journey home was a pretty long one, she had dozed off at some point. Thank God the car had tinted classes which made it difficult for anyone to see who was seated at the back of the car.
They drove past huge buildings and malls and then the car took a left turn. This street wasn't familiar to Angela, she didn't freak out, just maybe the driver was heading to pick up his boss. It was already a few minutes past closing time.
Moreover, in this manner all of a sudden the vehicle pulled into a big and beautiful compound. She looked with her mouth thoroughly open as the driver drove her through a truly gigantic compound. She had only seen buildings and spaces like this in the movies. This seems more like a hotel and not a home. The house is so big and beautiful. It had a nicely laid lawn which housed different shades of green grasses. By the side of the walkway we're neatly trimmed flowers, and a touch of red and white roses growing simultaneously on each side. The compound had a welcoming atmosphere with a chilling air.
This was it, a big house in a movie.
She asked the driver to wind down a bit so she could get a perfect view of the environment.
"Oh wow! This is beautiful ",She exclaimed grinning almost foolishly as the car drove past the well shaped trees and garden.
The car stopped in front of a beautiful and massive mansion and so she got down.
"This was definitely their family house and maybe other relatives live here too" she thought to herself.
"This is beautiful '', she covered her mouth with the back of her palm and laughed while walking towards the fountain right in front of the house. She stretched her hand into the water fall and fetched a handful of water. She surveyed the blue water for a while before it totally disappeared. The water from the fountain felt fresh and cool.
"Miss Angela?", She heard a female voice call out her name and she halted.
"Yes", she responded, moving slightly away from the waterfall. The middle aged woman walked towards her with a face she couldn't tell if it had a smile or a frown.
"I'm Madea the housekeeper, my boss informed me you'd be coming today", she appeared to be in her mid fifties or so.
"Alright, thank you Ma'am,
You're welcome, the woman replied smiling.
Now Angela can tell if the woman was actually smiling or not.
The woman led her into the house. The living room has beige coloring with splashes of soft blue throughout. The furniture looks soft and inviting with tufted detailing and generous throw pillows. Murano glass chandeliers and sconces frame the tall arched window.
The interior of the house is focused around a large central hallway serving as the main avenue of traffic and entrance area to the adjacent rooms. The hallway flows into a large, wide staircase that provides the main means of egress from the entertainment area of the house to the private rooms on the second floor.
As you enter through the front door on the east facade, you pass into a grand hallway. The predominant colors are dark with tan and gold highlights, creating an interesting contrast to the original interior trim painting of ashen pinks, tans, pale blues and black detailing. This combination of colors is repeated throughout both floors of the house. The tall, heavy, varnished wood doors have as the top panel, colored glass panes of amber, blue and pink, in a geometric design. On either side of the main doors are smaller, longer versions of the colored glass windows. The doors and small windows have molded surrounds of painted wood with bulls-eye corner blocks and decorative accents on the door surrounds and on the baseboard. The door knobs, plates, and hinges are brass with raised Eastlake style ornament.
"This is your room", Madea said. "You can use the bell on the wall if you need anything",
I nodded and turned to look at the tiny round black bottom glued on the wall.
"Wow".
**************
Angela jumped up from bed with her heart pounding loudly. She could hear it. Someone had pushed the door open and was now staring at her. She quickly covered herself up with the duvet she had covered her legs with earlier.
Dammit !
She said, holding her chest with both hands.
"You forgot to knock", Angela said, still pressing the duvet aga8her chest.
"Well it's my house", Andrew replied with his hands behind him.
His voice made her heart skip for a minute. He was damn cute, she could imagine him with his close off.
He talks.
Hold on a sec…, what? Your house? She asked surprised,
"You heard me the first time didn't you?" He said as if he had been forced to speak.
Why am I in your house? She asked with dimmed eyes trying to understand him at this point.
"Wait! What the heck am I doing in your house?" She fumed.
Andrew Chuckled "I'm very certain you were driven all the way down here from the hospital and walked by yourself straight up to this room and you don't know where you are, you ask me what you're doing in my house, should I call that ignorance or you're just being naive or you're just being stupid?" He said with a raised eyebrow, and then he placed both hands in his pocket.
Angela sat there on the bed still covered, she eyed him not fully getting what he was saying.
Why would this guy who doesn't talk be here? I thought they would give me a separate mansion to live in till I had the baby. I was supposed to live in a house alone with guards and chefs and housekeepers till the baby was born. Is that not how it's done in..in the movies? I can't stand a day with this guy, Jezeez! she thought in her heart.
I should call the agency, she said.
"Why would you want to call the agency",
"Cus I need to know why I'm in the same house with you," she responded. We were supposed to go our separate ways until the baby is born or better still under close supervision in a separate place she said.
Andrew watched her as she picked up her hand bag in search of her cell phone.
She hurriedly searched and when she couldn't find it she sighed.
"What now! Where's my phone?",
She said as she walked out to me the Lady who had brought her bags in. She had fallen asleep a few minutes after she got to her room. Could someone have possibly picked up the phone while she was asleep?
Madea was trying to make food, she looked really robust in her housekeeping uniform.
"Hi ma'am! Did you see my phone?"
Madea smiled at her and responded
"No",
Okay thank you, Angela yanked back.
Andrew was still standing at the entrance with his hands in his pocket. He has known from the start that she wasn't smart enough for him but this? Shows the highest level of stupidity.
"You read the contract didn't you?" He asked calmly
"Of course I did"
"And you signed it yourself?"
"Don't be ridiculous Andrew, you were there and you saw me do it, stop asking foolish questions", she said, still fiddling with her handbag.
I'm just saying cus maybe you didn't read the contract correctly.
"You signed a deal to stay off all family members and friends and that means you'd be living right here with no phone or any means of communication. Everything you need will be provided till you have the baby, that's what you signed up for" he said.
No!
"That can't be! That's insensitive and selfish. We are talking about ten months here, ten whole freaking months I have to live in this house with no phone? It's not possible and it's not going to work out". She yells.
"I need to talk to the agency.
She folded her fist in a punch
"This is bullshit" she yielded and sank back into the bed.
Andrew Chuckled. He walked out of the room. She followed him. How is this possible? I can't live with such a selfish and insensitive man…but she remembers her father's deteriorating illness .
" Sir" she called out
"Excuse me sir" she followed him with a finger pointing to the sky like a kid in a classroom.
He didn't turn back.
"Sir please excuse me", Andrew walked into his study room and pulled out his chair. He sat on it and began pulling out a pack of files.
"Andrew Hills I am talking to you", she said.
He looked up when she called his name.
"I'm listening. Angela Mann", he said, rolling his eyes at her.
"Look" she scoffs
"You can't do this to me, okay. It's not fair at all".
I need my family, you can't possibly lock me up here for months. My father would be worried sick please", I need my phone.
He still didn't say a word.
Angela had tears gathered round her eyes, her cheek had turned pink. She blinked her eyes severally to hold back the tears from dropping down her cheeks.
"This is unbelievable, what do I need then if I can't communicate with my parents to know the situation of my dad's health condition?This whole thing will be pointless if my dad dies".
She thought in her mind.
This was the first day. She had spoken to her mother earlier today before leaving for the hospital. She would still plead with him maybe later when he is calmer and much more settled.
She left his office for her room.
Sad!.