OoO
Kobby woke up to an empty house, it was moments like these that he realized he was really all alone-When his friends were gone.
Whenever Ciarra wasn't on good terms with him, everything felt futile.
His father wasn't home, obviously with one of his many companions. How could this man not see all the chaos hovering around his family? Kobby wondered as he mooched towards the kitchen, the cluttering sound coming from the kitchen let him know someone new was around and he hated to think his father was probably involved with her too but he couldn't help it. This was Kobby Johnson IV we're talking about. The guy has got no limits.
Kobby's mother was going to be temporarily discharged now that he was home but unfortunately she'd have to go back to the asylum the moment Kobby has to leave for school because she would have no stable caregiver.
True to his prediction, he found a rather young lady in the kitchen doing the dishes. He was in a black tank top with his favorite boxers and though sleepy, he still looked pretty attractive in that simple outfit. She looked not more than a year older, she was probably taking this as a side job but according to Kobby, they didn't need a female helper around the house with a man like his father around. All he had to do was to let this girl know the man she's going to be working for and if she had a conscience, she'd resign without a question.
" Good morning." Kobby greeted from the kitchen doorway finally drawing her attention and she looked up from the sink.
He ignored her lack of words, she probably hadn't been informed she'd be having company in the house. She was about asking who he was but by the strikingly stunning features and his egotistical aura, she already knew he was obviously related to Charlie Johnson.
Kobby opened the fridge and grabbed a carton of Mango juice before getting a tumbler from the cabinet and pouring himself a drink. Instead of drinking he placed the glass next to the sink and leaned on the counter comfortably.
" Charlie hired you right?" He asked trying some small talk and she nodded.
" What did he promise you?" Kobby asked casually.
" Ummm, I get to stay here and finish highschool while caring for his wife." Kobby chuckled at the amateur trick his father still used.
" You're pretty, you know that?" He asked but she didn't answer him.
" Charlie doesn't just pick anyone into his home, he wants something from you and when the time comes, he'll come for it. " Kobby informed her.
She seemed quite unconvinced and uncertain about what he was insinuating.
He closed the short distance between them and leaned in to whisper to her.
" I see why he likes you..." He states in a cold whisper, his warm breath fanning her ears, " Look at me."
She seemed reluctant until he placed both hands on either side of the sink entrapping her. She had no choice but to turn to look at his extremely captivating eyes.
" I'm Kobby Johnson too," He whispers looking her straight in the eye, she was short of words for the rush of lust that coarsed through her veins as he glared down at her in a devilshily enamored way. Suddenly she felt like she had never wanted someone as much she wanted him right now and they literally just met a few minutes ago, what was happening to her brain.
Suddenly her entire brain had turned into slush and she wasn't thinking straight.
" Anyone ever touched you like this..." He grinned pushing a loose strand of her away from her face. He could feel her shudder.
How was it possible, he always thought his never worked but it seemed to work after all, maybe that was why Ciarra hated him.... because he was either too guileless or didn't know what he was capable of.
Before he was done with that thought, she was already straddling him making out with him. That was fast.
It probably lasted longer than he expected but he couldn't resist. Eventually, they both had to break to catch their breaths.
" And I'm only fifteen so you should know what Charlie has up his sleeves. If you want to have a happy life, I'd advice you pack up and leave before he gets here." Kobby warns after his breath gets even and he grabbed his juice and left for his room.
" Good morning to you Kobby Johnson." He mumbled to himself as he practically rushed down the hall, away from himself and everything itself.
He suddenly felt more alert and invigorated, at the same time he loathed himself. Was he going to grow up like this?
The Kobby Johnson clan survived on feminine affection,it was the reason why their partners lose their joy in life, lose their minds, age faster and eventually die whiles they on the other hand reach the prime of their lives.
If in any case their partners give up and cut ties with them, the reverse happens but faster. They don't age or lose their minds but they grow weaker and weaker until they died, this rarely happened because they selfishly manage to convince their partners to stay and then they gradually suck out the life out of them. Kobby wasn't ready to watch his father do that to his mother, neither did he want to do that to Ciarra in the future.
In his room, he stepped infront of his mirror examining a scar he had gotten on his left arm during basketball practice last week. It had totally disappeared to his surprise. It has been there the previous night...he was becoming a monster, yes the Kobby Johnson monster and he hated himself for it.
His cellphone shrilled just when he was about screaming in rage. He picked it up and headed back to the hallway to get his stuff from the laundry.
It was Lejandro.
" Good morning bro, what's up?"
" Got a free make out session this morning." Kobby chuckled, " How's your morning going? "
" Exactly the reason why I decided to stay with Zaron this time....I mean your house is full of surprises. PG rated surprises." Lejandro laughed as Samed joined the call.
" What are we talking about?" He asked.
" How Kobby's house is inappropriate for raising teenagers especially now that Aunt Natalie isn't around."
" Tell me about it...you remember that night we had to sleep in the guest room?" Zaron asked and they all burst out laughing.
" Turns out Charlie was in the next room with his recent hook-up. Gosh the moans..." Lejandro laughed.
" Come on guys, he didn't know you guys were coming for a sleepover that day" Samed reminds them
" Okay, enough about me and my sordid excuse of a life... what's good guys?" Kobby asked quickly changing the subject.
" I hear Ashanti is throwing a rager. She invited Zaron so we're automatically invited." Lejandro states.
" Says who, we can't just show up. She probably lives very far away too."
" Nope, she's in Zaron's neighborhood. Guess the house?" Lejandro asked.
Kobby thought about it briefly. She didn't seem like she came from an average family, definitely something sophisticated.
" Right now I can't think of any house in your neighborhood more impressive than the sultan's." Samed says.
" Exactly the house." Lejandro discloses.
" No way." Kobby gasps, " How come we never saw her in there."
" She's a routined person so I'm pretty sure she was either at school or indoors."
" True."
" Dude do you know what this means?" Samed asked.
" What?"
" Ciarra will definitely be there, this is your chance to apologize formally and probably patch things up."
" Damn you're right... I'll go shower now!" Kobby lightens up, " Oh yeah, after, we're going to get mom from the clinic, Lee, you're coming with me right?"
" As long as I get to drive."
" Deal, Dad's red truck is here." Kobby informs him.
" Nice."
" Just make sure no cops grab you on the road." Samed warns.
" Guess what, Benjamin fulfilled his promise." Lejandro announces in glee referring to their chauffeur who had struck a truce with them upon their arrival in Nelson's.
" He gave you the game console? No way." Samed baffles.
" Way. I'll bring it over to Ashanti's so we all get to play.." Lejandro suggests.
What Kobby saw next in the corridor led him to scream so loud he eventually felt embarrassed recalling the girl he had just intimidated was only two rooms away. He almost dropped the glass but she supported his hands before it could fall.
" Hey, Kobby what's up. You just screamed like you saw a ghost!" Zaron called from the phone's speaker.
" With my experience with the Johnson's, I think literally anything weird can pop up in that house." Lejandro chuckles.
" Guys I've gotta go." Kobby whispered and ended the call.
It was his one and only crazy sister, Kayla. What was she doing here? She was supposed to be all the way up in Vegas with their Aunt.
" Cat got your tongue, playboy." She seethes to his face.
" No way, I was...was...ab... about to...why do I even have to explain myself, what the hell are you doing here Kayla?" He stutters and manages to speak out.
" You mean other than coming to check if this house was still suitable for raising children? ... Well I think I got my answer a few minutes ago." She gives a faux grin and says whiles looking over his shoulders. He knew exactly what she had seen.
" No, no, it's not what you think. I don't even know her from anywhere." He stated and she sighs dramatically.
" Exactly my point bro, you're becoming like Dad, going after anything in a skirt or in your case a dress." She says the last sentence with a disappointed look.
" I also think my question was answered. This house is still SN rated so I can't come back here. Look at me thinking I could finally live here and keep mom company so she gets better, then I walk in this morning to find you kissing the housekeeper. Way to go Nana." She says with disappointment trailing in her tone.
" I swear it's not what you think. I was just trying to test her, to see how she'd react under temptation because we all know if she falls for it then she's gonna be easy prey for Dad." Kobby whispered and she paused for a brief moment.
" We need to kick her out Asap." Kayla concluded getting the bigger picture.
As if on cue, the girl rushed out of her room with her suitcase in hand.
" Way ahead of you." Kobby whispered with a sly grin as the girl passed them by without a second glance.
" Good job baby brother. I'm starting to think you're not that dumb." She nods in a sarcastic tone.
" Shut up, you're eleven." He cautioned her, " And news flash, I am your older brother. "
" In theory but in...oh come here." He cuts her sentence and pulled her in for a very warm embrace.
" I've missed you." She swooned.
" How did you get here?" He asked still embracing her.
" You're supposed to say I miss you too, but anyway, I got on the earliest flight when Zaron told me you guys were coming for midterm break."
He let go at that statement.
" You've been communicating with Zaron?...why that son of a... I told him not to say anything." She says in his defense.
" You still like Zaron don't you?" He asked.
" Of course I do, and don't tell me I'm only eleven."
" You read my mind. FYI, Zaron is practically a mutant, he has no emotions and I'm pretty sure he's gonna be celibate."
" Stop with the excuses, I know the reason why you don't like the idea, it's literally because he is your best friend and you don't want your best friend dating your sister."
The blood drained out of Kobby's face and he suddenly felt vulnerable.
" See...I'm right." She grins wickedly,
" So when do we leave to get mom."
" How about we both take a shower first?"
" Deal, last person to get to their room is a rotten fish!" She calls and dashed away, Kobby immediately followed but she beat him to it and got into her room.
" That's unfair, your room is literally two rooms before mine." He complains between ragged breaths as he stood in his doorway.
" Oh stop whining, we all know you're a weak ass Johnson!" She called out to him and banged the door before Kobby could retaliate.
OoO
" Oooh, it's the entire posse!" Faye answered the video call, five faces popped up on her screen.
" Sup loser!" Kweiba exclaims.
" Shut up Kweiba, I'm using headphones, you're gonna make me deaf." Efua interjects.
" It's Taadi girl." Faye teases Efua.
" Hey that's my name!" Kora smiles ecstatically from beside Faye as they leaned on the hood of Ladi's car.
" Shut up." His sister interjects.
" Who's that?" Healenore asked curiously.
" That's my baby sister's best friends, say hi." Faye waves her phone at the three kids and they waved.
" Wait, wait let me guess... from your description in your letter, This is supposed to be Ciarra. Silver eyes. " Julie points at Ciarra who had her hair out of the prescribed ponytail, her wild cerulean silver eyes shone in Glee as she laughed at Julie's cuteness.
" You're right baby... Wait Faye, you told your sister about us?"
" Yeah, and my best friend too. True, say hi." She turned the phone to True.
" Hello." True whispers at the impromptu introduction.
" Dude, you're putting your friend on the spot." Kweiba warns.
" That must be Kweiba." Julie points out.
" Oh wait, what did she tell you about me?" Kweiba implies.
" Nothing much, she says you're very hilarious."
" Oh really. Hahaha, humor me." Kweiba laughs humourlessly, Ladi couldn't help chuckling at her childish behavior.
" Oh my, did I just hear a guy laugh?." Efua asked from her side.
" It's Faye's boyfriend." Julie informs them.
" Wait what? You didn't tell us L was around...I'm so shy for my speech now." Kweiba freaks out.
" Hey Kweiba." Ladi waves at the screen and she blushed.
" See you guys." Faye calls out ending the call.
As they circled the car to get in, Faye's slides rip off.
" Oh my, those were my favorite pair." She winced and Julie suddenly became quiet.
" Julie... have you been using my stuff while I'm away?" She asked .
Julie was sheepishly silent.
" Let's not blame anyone." Ladi grins in reckoning turning to Faye and whispering, " We're going to get another one for you, princess."
" Ooooooh." The twins swoon.
" Shut up." True silences them and Ladi got in starting the car.
OoO
Ciarra stared up at her ceiling. Her parents weren't home. Apparently, they'd forgotten she'd be coming home for the holidays and had their schedules tight. They were in the Ahafo Region for some sort of conference.
She couldn't call her sister for company since she was now married. Her best friend was the next resort.
There was something unnerving about the lonely atmosphere. It wasn't as if she wasn't used to it but this time it felt awfully quiet in her head. Maybe because of the decision she was about to make.
She sighed when her phone buzzed,it was yours truly. Her second phone call after her dorm mates.
" Heya!" Rufidat's cheerful voice called from the other end.
" I'd do anything for a sleepover right now. Can you believe they forgot I was coming home?"
" No way...so let me guess, you're there with your chauffeur?"
" Yeah, I'm pretty much home alone with Roland." She complains.
" That's not safe, I'm telling Dad I'm coming over. I'll be there in a jiffy."
" You say that like Roland's a threat." Ciarra chuckles.
" Damn straight, that guy's into you and though you might not notice, I do." Rufidat states seriously, " I literally live two houses across the street, I know everything."
" I hear you." Ciarra says in a singsong tone knowing Rufidat had been raving about the same thing for the past few years.
" See you in a bit." Rufidat says before the line goes off.
Ciarra dragged herself out of bed and walked out towards the kitchen. She was so mad at her parents and just wanted to sleep it off. She hadn't slept in for over a month so it was all new to her so she got up. Her eyes were now adjusting to the lights as she navigated her way to the kitchen. You could tell something great was cooking in the kitchen by the sweet aroma hanging in the corridors.
" Tu es réveillé." He grinned, turning the knob of the stove.
" Quelqu'un parle mieux en français." Ciarra said with a sleepy grin.
" I don't get all you said but I know it's related to me speaking french." Roland says with a warm smile.
" Definitely, you're taking classes?" She asked as he poured her a cup of tea.
" No, I'm more of the Duo Lingo type." He chuckles and handed her the mug
" Thank you." Ciarra takes it from him, " So what are your plans for today?"
" I thought since your parents aren't around, I should make the place as homey as possible for you." He grinned and she took a seat behind the breakfast table.
" That explains the sudden cooking." She says with a sinister smile as he pushed a plate carrying an omelette and jam on toast, " Thank you."
" You're welcome." He took the seat opposite hers, " Turns out there's a lot of things you can learn online. Even simple breakfast."
" That's true." She says sipping her tea.
" I was thinking we could watch a movie together after this. Your favorite genre, chicklit, even though I don't really like it." He suggests as she ate.
" That's a great idea, but there's going to be three of us this weekend, Rufidat is come over." Something seemed to have shifted in his gaze at the mention of Rufidat.
Ciarra noticed and though she knew the two were not on good terms, she wondered if the sudden change in him was due to a third person coming over or the fact that it was Rufidat coming over.
" No, no problem. It's fine." He said hastily like he was trying to mask something up and Ciarra paused from her food and glared at him.
" What?" He laughs nervously.
" You don't want her here do you?"
" Well, I can't say we see eye to eye." He said , " But I'm okay to have her around."
Ciarra remained silent and sipped her tea.
" What about your other friends, you know... The significanct other?" He asked and that just threw Ciarra off.
" I don't really know Roland, I don't wanna talk about it but maybe this is going to be the best decision I've made in a while." Ciarra sighs.
" Wait, what happened?"
" I'd rather not talk about it." Ciarra begins, " I still wonder what at all made me believe I was ready for all this. Mom and Dad were right afterall. Cause I don't think I have the strength and heart to endure some of the things that keep going on."
She suddenly looked so distressed, he held her hand from across the table.
" It's okay, but I know you, and one thing I know is that all drastic measures you take are well decided. I trust you so you should also trust yourself too."
She thought about it and chuckled but she soon pulled her hand away when her cellphone rung.
" Hold that thought." She picked up her sister's call.
" Bienvenue, CeeCee!!" She greeted loudly from the other end.
" Vincent must be really suffering listening to you scream like this everytime you're super excited ."
" He's stuck with it." Jasmine laughs.
" How's home?"
" Assez vide mais toujours chaleureux.." She says honestly,
" Roland est là pour me tenir compagnie"
" Donc désolé, j'aimerais pouvoir venir mais je suis à fond Nalerigu."
" Awww, when are you guys coming back?" Ciarra asked hopefully.
.
" Wednesday and by then you'll be off to school." Jasmine swoons, " But I'm going to make it up to you baby sis. Okay?"
" Okay."
" We'll talk. I have a meetings with a couple of adolescent mothers in five minutes, so we'll continue this later." She says before hanging up.
"I'm going to go take a shower, you don't mind, do you?" She asked him and he shook his head
She grabbed her tray and carried it up to her room.
Just when she was done dressing up, the doorbell dings. She quickly dashed down the stairs to avoid the two encountering each other.
Rufidat grinned seeing Ciarra all dressed up. But she wasn't smiling back.
" I swear, I almost forgot what you look like without a uniform." She hugs her best friend before taken in her favorite plaid blue skirt that Ciarra borrowed and never returned. She wore a white blouse over it.
" You're going to break up with him, aren't you?" Rufidat whispered when she received silence as her response.
Ciarra sighed and turned towards the stairs, " I think it was all a sham."
Her cellphone chimes and she checked the message.
" Ivan still talks to you?" Rufidat asks glancing at her phone's screen referring to one of their friends back in junior high school.
" Kinda, oh a video." She says and clicks on it and a slideshow with Anne Marie's 2002 begins to play. The first image said Happy three years anniversary, Kaycee🥳🥳🥳. That was the cute ship name their friends thought up.
Their photos followed.
" Awww...I never knew you had all these photos with Kobby."
" I don't, we don't even take photos together. But that's Ivan fir you. He's head of the photography club so paparazzi was kind of his thing." Ciarra explained as they watched the two minute compilation.
" This photo is so momentary, I'll ask him for it...oh wait that was the day Kobby wrote you that dorky letter." Rufidat laughs at one photo, " I wish you guys did more stuff together."
The video comes to an end, " Well, that's too late."
With those words Ciarra heads up the stairs sending a thank you to Ivan on her phone.
Rufidat didn't like seeing Ciarra like this. There were so many things that made Ciarra happy, being with her parents, having the company of her friends, listening to Kobby's crazy ideas and spending time with Rufidat but this time Rufidat new only one thing could cheer her up.
" Hey, how about we visit a couple of your friends instead of hanging out in this house alone."
Ciarra paused in front of her door and stared at her friend.
" Ashanti is having a gettogether but... but what, it's not like Kobby's gonna be there...it's just gonna be you guys."
After a brief pause she nods.
" Fine, but I'm not going alone."
" Duuuh, I'm coming with you."
" Of course you are, but I was referring to the Manhattan girls. I want everyone around to be there else it's gonna be depressing. Plus tonight is Veronica's bachelorette."
" What?!" Rufidat asks in surprise.
" She's getting married tomorrow."
" Again, what?!" Rufidat repeats.
"Shhhh, it's a secret I'll explain through the drive." Ciarra informs her before calling out, " Roland, please I need to get somewhere!!"
" Coming right awaay!" She heard him call.
Rufidat shoots her a dumbfounded glare.
" Where you really planning to be here the entire break alone with that creep?"
" Shhhh, don't call him that." Ciarra chuckled dragging her best friend into her room.
OoO
Veronica's home was far from depressing. Both her grandmother and mother were thrilled to see her again and she could sense the positive vibes in the air. She wondered how they'd take the thought of she getting married at fifteen.
Judging by how levelheaded both women were, it would be a no go conversation area. But she still needed some advice from a grown up and there was no grown up she knew who she could master up the courage to speak to. She had thought of telling Me Bella but already knew her reaction.
On second thought, both her mother and grandmother had no idea what made marriage successful so technically, they had little to share. Her mother had never been married, her grandmother had been betrothed to a forty year old man with two other wives when she was only fifteen as well. She was a runaway bride, who run away with her toddler daughter that she had with the man at age seventeen.
Still, as Veronica stood upstairs on the balcony in the living room staring down at the two most important women in her life clean the house, she wanted to reach out or at least get their thoughts on a few matters.
Veronica meticulously descended the stairs to the living room where the stereo was playing Amakye Dede's Kae Debi. Her mother was the first to look up from sweeping whiles her grandmother swayed to the tune whiles dusting the furniture.
" Oh hey, look who's up." Ruby chuckled pushing back her Prada lens as Veronica walked towards her
" Good morning Mommy." Veronica embraces her and greets.
" Baby I'm so sorry the house is such a mess. I haven't had time to do any of this and you know how I feel about hiring outsiders to do such menial jobs?"
" Yeah. Let others do your work for you, throw your privacy out there." Veronica recites with a small laugh.
" Don't I get a hug too?" Her grandmother beams.
" Of course Maame." Veronica turns to her and the old lady pulled her into the dance, " Come on sing with me!"
Both Veronica and her mom knew the song so well and they found it quite ironic for Angela to have a break up song as her favorite song when she hadn't fallen in love before. They sang the chorus with her and she was besides herself as she paused to dance.
" Awww, I wish I could sing along too
" Mae grins walking out of the kitchen with two bottles of water, handy both to the two older women.
" Maybe you will if you visit more often." Ruby smiled, taking a swig from her bottle. " I'm sorry baby but I won't be around from tomorrow, I have an entire function in the North-East region. I had to compromise a lot of things to be with you today."
" You know I don't have a problem with that." Veronica reminds her.
" I know but I don't want to miss too much in your life especially now that you're away. You're going to be an independent girl soon and you'll start making big decisions and I want to be with you each step of the way."
" I know Mom, about decision making...I want to ask you two something." She says and Mae shot her a cautious glare, she ignored it and went on .
" Go on dear." Angela turns down the music and encouraged.
" Well, if you are to make a decision that is quite unusual to society for a personal reason, is it worth the risk?"
" Hell yes baby. You see your mother and I made quite unusual decisions when we were about your age. I went against society and escaped from my marital home with my toddler to go hustle for a meaningful life, your mother after having you decided to defy society by becoming a very successful and totally independent woman. Which is not usually the case because everyone is expected to get married for stability. See, we are living proof that society can not tame you unless you allow it." Her grandmother explained.
Thinking about it, they were right. Maybe the Baeta family was really strange. Maybe in future when she had kids she'd be telling them about her secret marriage.
" Listen Veronica, I trust you, we all do and decision making is for you to do according to your own jurisdiction. So baby, make a wise decision whatever it is. Let's play a game after this." Ruby suggests, resuming her sweep.
" Ludo, oware, Scrabble and Monopoly. Which one?" Mae asked.
" Ludo!" The three Baeta's shout.
" Ooooh, you guys have a thing going on." Mae grins, " After, we're giving each other manicures."
" Glad you noticed." Maame laughs and turned up the song again. The song had changed to Amakye Dede's Ka Nea May3. The old lady returned to her work.
" Seriously Maame, you really have a bad obsession for heartbreak songs." Veronica laughed at Angela Baeta.
" I actually like them, they're like West African version of the Blues genre of music." Mae points out.
" I'm going to go make breakfast." Veronica heads towards the kitchen, she got there and the sight made her call back to them, " Seriously, do you old ladies ever take a normal breakfast?"
The cabinets were still filled with the breakfast groceries that had been there since she left to the boarding house. Infact they were in the same position because she recognized how the box of cornflakes sat when she'd dumped it in the cabinet in a haste the day she had to leave.
" Pfft!!," Maame chuckled, " Neither of us did breakfast growing up. I grew up with seven siblings and trust me,it was not an All You Can Eat buffet, we ate what would sustain us for either half of the day or the entire day. Your mother wasn't any different. With me a teenager and she a baby, I fed her heavy meals every morning just so if we didn't get any meals for the rest of the day, we'd be fine. You are the one who started this whole breakfast thing and buying oatmeal, cocoa powder, and other weird packaged food for us."
" Mom, don't tell me you've been having yam and rice for breakfast!"
The silence answered her.
" In fact, yesterday she had konkontey for breakfast." Maame revealed getting Mae to burst out laughing.
" What do you expect me to do, I spend long hours at various programs each day. I don't get time to eat consistently. I'm actually glad I learnt this earlier." Ruby rolls her eyes.
" And you Maame?!" Veronica called.
" Don't you dare start talking about my health. Last time I told the doctor I had a fifteen year old granddaughter, he stopped was so shocked he stopped bothering me about my health. I'm in my forty's baby. And life begins at forty."
Veronica set a pot on fire to prepare some rice pudding. If they wanted to have rice in the morning,she could still make it a well prepared breakfast.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So sorry for the long wait. I had a horrible technology month and so much college work and field trips. But I'm back again! Stay tuned.
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