Valerie's Contractor ||Completed||

Flickers

"And why is she laughing?" I asked suspiciously.

"Nah. Nothing extraordinary. I would forward his number to you right away. And also, you my friend would be getting a treat from me to serve as my welcome back gift to you." She added gleefully.

Pamela had always been the outing type. While we were in Secondary School, she would suggest we go out to a diner after school hours, before going home. And whenever I got back home late, my dad would be worried sick about me. I really miss those days, I really miss dad. I miss our endless arguments, going to the beach with him, baking with him. I can go on and on about what I missed doing with him.

"Valerie, are you still there?" I heard Pamela's voice call out from my device. I hadn't even noticed she was still talking to me. "Oh, Yes I am. I would call the contractor the second I get that message from you. Uh, I have to go now Sweetheart. I would see you soon." Then I hanged up.

With my hands in the pocket of my jean jacket, I placed my second elbow on the counter, and for the first time since I walked in, I observed my surroundings. This place was filled with so much damn memories, both good and bad. The silence shrouding the place presently was sickening. A nostalgic feeling began to accumulate within me, which caused a combustion of emotions in my soul. I wasn't gonna cry, I told myself. After all "Big girls, don't cry."

A beep sound came from my phone and interrupted my deep thoughts. My phone screen came on, and I saw the anticipated message from Pamela. She had just sent me the contractor's phone number like she promised. I quickly dialed the contractor's digits.

The line rang twice, yet there was no response. "So much for being top-notch" I sighed disappointedly.

I had so many other things to attend to right now anyway. If I intended on sleeping in this house today, then I had to do something about the place, cuz it was damn filthy!

I started browsing through my brains to find a viable solution to tidying this squalid mansion, then I remembered that Bala (The gate man) had given me the contact of a house cleaning agency. Bala must have done that intentionally, owing to the fact that he was aware no one had slept in this building for the past 10 years now.

Since the almighty top-notch contractor wasn't picking his calls, I decided to call the house cleaners. And instantaneously, a lady picked the call. I informed her that I would be needing their services, gave her my house address, and ended the call.

Few minutes after I made that call, I heard a knock at the door. "That was fast" This house cleaning agency must be so efficient and prompt in carrying out their duties, I thought.

I rushed to the front door, and through the thick murky Italian spec glass door. I could see a tall male figure, probably 6ft tall. Standing outside the door. I would have preferred a female cleaner though, for security reasons. Because it was already getting a bit late. But like the proverbial beggar with no choice, I accepted what I got.

Before opening the door, I turned on the chandelier at the porch in order to illuminate the place. Then I opened the door. The fragrance of the cologne he was wearing hit my nose. It was one of my favorites. Quite expensive, but definitely worth it. I got the feminine type from Paris, on my last vacation there. Debug Denise eau de cologne product. I thought to myself "This cleaner must be really sleek to be wearing such a luxurious scent."

Then I gazed intensely at the young man standing in front of me, and at that moment realization struck me, it caused all the water in my mouth to flee. My throat felt like a desert. The tall young man, was no other person but Alan Tayo. My high school sweetheart, the one person I prayed fervently that I wouldn't come across while I stayed in Nigeria for this short period of refurbishing the building. "This was bad, this was terribly awful" I thought. I held my breath, as my heart began to drum gazillion times per sec, I could even hear the sound of my heartbeat in my head. I was in dead trouble.

*************************************************************************************

"Valerie Okofu!" "Alan Tayo!" We both said almost simultaneously. A thing we always did back then. Shit! Were we already rebonding or what? He let out a throaty laugh. Back then, his laughter always got to me in a particular way, that propelled my own laughter. I guess he still had that effect on me because suddenly a very girlie giggle erupted from within me. I was already waltzing to the camaraderie he placed on the table.

"Valerie, what are you doing here?!"

"Uh. I should be asking you that question instead, cuz obviously you are the one standing at my threshold."

"Hahaha, you still got that humor don't you?"

"Of course I still do. I always did, and would always do." Damnation! What was I thinking, sounding all over-excited to see him? I told you this was bad, I told you this was terribly awful. Alan was trouble, his presence always made me behave like a bloody moron.

"What are the odds?" He said, then his lips curled into a lopsided smile "Oh Valerie, Valerie. The one lady who had the power to shatter my poor heart to pieces." Wait, what? Was he about to bring up that topic right now? The one topic I dreaded the most?!

"Well we would have enough time to discuss all of that, since the cosmos has decided to bring us together again." He said shining those impeccable white set of teeth that always got my legs wobbly.

"Haha. What do you mean by saying the cosmos has decided to bring us together again?" I asked in utter perplexity.

"Uhh. Don't tell me you are not aware I am the contractor renovating your building?" He said, this time grinning from ear to ear.

Oh, what now? Holy crap! This wasn't happening, this definitely wasn't happening.

****************<<*****************
GLOSSARY

Chuks - The abbreviation of a Nigerian male name.

Abeg - A Nigerian slang which means 'I beg.'

Naw - Another way of pronouncing/spelling 'Now.'

Cuz - An abbreviation of because.

Hey there!🙋‍♀️ Hope you enjoyed this chapter 🤗🤗🤗🤭🤭🤭
Don't forget to vote ☑ and comment💬

Can you keep a lil secret? 👇🤫🤐

I love y'all!🥰🥰❤💯💯💯