The Woman In Me

Chapter 11. A Gift?

There was a light tapping before the door creaked open. Ezeani peered into his daughter's room to find her sitting at her table and applying her makeup. He walked in, closing the door softly behind him. Helen did not bother to turn around to see who had entered her room. She could see him in the mirror in front of her. "Helen?" Ezeani called gently, moving towards her. "Do you think you have a minute to talk with daddy?"

Helen scoffed lightly and continued to apply her makeup. Her father always referred to himself as 'daddy' whenever he needed to talk to her; especially when he thinks she needs him. "I'm going out." She said simply.

"I can see that. I just want to know what's up with you recently. You haven't been your usual happy self..."

"Dad." Helen cut into his words, staring directly at him. Ezeani could see the repressed anger in his daughter's eyes. But he wondered why she was angry. "I'm not a child. Besides everyday is not a happy day." She turned to stare at herself in the mirror.

"This is not like you, Helen. You're always happy..."

"I'm late for my appointment." She grabbed her bag and keys and was ready to storm out before Ezeani grabbed her hand.

"Adannaya." He called softly. It wasn't her birth name but he sometimes called her that. It was like he was reminding her that it was just the two of them against the world.

When she didn't look at him, Ezeani held her chin and pulled her face towards him. He knew; after all she was his daughter. He stared into her eyes trying to find the spark that was characteristic of her. It wasn't there. When she first looked at him he didn't see it, but he wasn't sure. Now he was sure. "You are not okay."

Helen's brows twitched severally before the furrows appeared. It was not just what her father said that got to her, but also the tender way he was looking at her like she was still his little girl. She smiled but only with her lips. "I'm fine, dad." She sighed. There were suddenly bees in her eyes. And they were stinging her eye lids to let the tears out. "I am..." She tried to repeat the words as a way of reassuring herself but choked on them. The first tear dropped, then another and another.

"Oh my God, Helen." Ezeani tried to soothe her but she broke down instead.
Her hand bag first slid down to the floor as her hands dropped to her sides before she collapsed to the ground, crying her eyes out. Her heart was breaking and it was visible on her tear-streaked face. The veins on the sides of her head were bulging as she struggled to hold back the pain. She never could cry well. Whenever she cried, it was like she was going to die. Her face was already a shade darker than usual, smeared by her torrential tears, and she kept hitting her chest as though she was choking.

Ezeani couldn't bare to look on. He bent down and hugged his daughter in a tight embrace. "Who did this to you?" He asked, his voice a mixture of pain and anger. "Who did this to my daughter?"

*********

The directors of Onuorah's Arts and Graphics were in a tight spot. They have been on meeting after meetings, trying to find a way to protect their company as a result of the demise of their biggest shareholder. They had no idea whose hands Nature's Feel would fall into, and what the person has in stock for the company. The best bet was to buy the shares back into company but there was no way to do if no one was running Nature's Feel at the moment. After hours of deliberation, it was decided that they would wait until the Will, if there was a Will, was read. Otherwise their fate lay in the hands of the government who will decide how to handle the deceased property.
After the untruthful meeting, Michael wasn't so enthusiastic to remain at the office. He couldn't go home either because he was afraid his being home will only show his father how tied his hands were concerning the current situation. So he got in car and drove out of the company with no idea where he was going or what he was going there to do.