The Woman

Chapter 2

"I will get married when the moon turns green."

"I am not joking K, seriously. I am not saying this just because I have someone in my life but you need someone to take care of you. you work long hours and come back to that big house and you are all alone and to make things worse you elder brothers are completely dependent on you which isn't right, you take care of everyone, your mum, your brothers, me , your company and there is no one to look after you. All I want is someone to love you and take care of you."

"I don't need someone to take care of me, I am fine on my own."

"For how long K? For how long?" There was the silence again and this time Kazia just let it sit.

"I just have too much on my plate right now to add a relationship."

"And you will have less when you open yet another branch there at Abuja or the one you want to open in Port Harcourt and South Africa....yeah I watched your interview on TV."

"It will happen when the time is right for now I am fine and satisfied with my life and big empty house."

"At least tell me you are meeting some eligible bachelors."

"I see a few during the week and some even have the courage to talk to me but then it doesn't go beyond hello because I don't give them much to work with. I actually met a pretty cool guy the other day but the moment he opened his mouth I felt like punching him in the face."

"Why? What did he say?"

"The normal stuff I deal with, he assumed I was sent by my company as a pretty face to entice him into doing business with us not knowing I own the company."

"You Olivia Poped him didn't you?"

"What the heck is that?"

"You know Olivia Pope in scandal she doesn't take crap form anyone and when I think of you I remember her, so you Olivia Poped him."

"I guess I did, I had to."

"So do you like him?"

"Come on Irene I met him for like five seconds and according to you I Olivia Poped him so even if I did he probably won't want to talk to me."

"You do like him, ok maybe like is too serious but at least you are attracted to him and you haven't been attracted to anyone since university after you had that ridiculous crush on he who shall not be named. I am happy for you."

"It's not as if I am getting engaged, calm down bestie. It's you we should be discussing."

"It seems I have taken much of your time so I will let you get some sleep but call me later so we can start planning ok?"

"I promise."

"Don't be a stranger."

"Never."

"Good night K."

"Good night dear." And with the beep on the phone Kazia knew she was gone. She looked at the blank screen on her IPhone and then at her house. It was actually quite large. Her living room was adorned with bland photos of oceans and empty fields, nothing about her life or family. She had always said she would redecorate when she bought the house but she never got down to it as she never had the time; no time to visit home, date or even have a life. She closed her eyes as she lay still on her white couch. Abuja wasn't home, Enugu was, growing up with her friends and eating her mum's delicious food was home not this big empty house that if she left the next day no one will know she even lived here.

She never admitted it to anyone but she was lonely, after the high of being at work all day she came and had nothing to look forward to, she wanted more than that but she had to work first, she needed to and just like the lie she told her best friend she told herself when the time was right she would find the right person and settle down but she wasn't sure she was ready to so she settled with the lie and let it console her as she drifted to an exhausted sleep still fully clothed.