Standing up from his desk, he realized that he was a bit too harsh on Jennifer. This was the first time he called her full name. He took a deep breath. She did not deserve such hostility, he said to himself. However, he has always allowed his temper to get the best of him. This was how he believed he was wired. As he deliberated on his next course of action, she called again. Sweet simple Jenny! Always giving him chances! The girl would practically see the good in a monster. Taking a deep breath, he answered the call.
"I am so sorry. I know you are upset sir. I also know you love your daughter very much and so do I. But I have six younger ones and any form of aggression towards them does not yield any positive result. So please calm down sir." She pleaded.
"Who is your sir? Is it the man you plunged your tongue into his mouth before travelling? Because I am not your sir" He could feel her blushing on the phone and the thought of that made him relax.
"Please stop teasing me. You need to go home and calmly chaperone them." Jenny added.
"Okay, I am on my way out of the office already." He said as he picked up his keys, walking out of his office. As he closed his door, he saw Betty dressed all sexy, in the reception while he was still on the phone. She had honoured their appointment but this was the wrong time.
"I was already coming into your office," Betty said as she got up to approach him. But Michael continued walking out.
"Let's reschedule. We will talk on the phone" he hurriedly said. "I will call you," he added as Betty nodded.
"Do you have an appointment?" Jenny asked him, still on the phone with him.
"Yes I did but I have asked her to reschedule it "
"I didn't know women visited you at work. I thought the cryptocurrency was all a man's job" Jenny innocently pointed out.
Michael laughed as he entered his car, signalling his driver to take off. He knew Jenny had no idea about his frivolous lifestyle. Nonetheless, he felt compelled to tell her about it as the driver drove off. He wanted to know what her reaction will be.
"She is from an escort agency Jenny. Her name is Betty and I pay her for only oral sex because she is damn good. She comes every Thursday for the last 6 months. But recently, it's becoming uninteresting and not going as I want it. I don't know what is the problem." he said nonchalantly.
"Wow! You must have such a hearty appetite for the opposite sex" Jenny called out sounding angry.
"I am a man of means Jenny. I hope you don't think am celibate. That would be the biggest lie of the century. I don't want commitment, yet I want all the pleasure I can have. What do you expect me to do?" He asked sincerely
"Hmmm, I don't know sir, when you get home, ensure Stephanie is comfortable in his company as you set some ground rules. Let them not know you came because I called you. I will talk to you later. I am going to the farm. Bye sir"
Jenny ended the call abruptly and he was not offended. He knew she was perturbed about his sexual activity. But he was not going to lie to himself. He was a man who had a large sexual appetite and he had the means to satisfy it. He did not know what possessed him to tell her about his sex life. Jenny was probably thinking he would give it all up for her. He thought briefly but he was not sure he was ready for such. She must be thinking he was not worth her affection. Michael frowned at the thought.
Back in Agbor, Jenny carried a cutlass and headed to the farm. She did not want to bury her head in anguish at home thinking about Michael's sexual history. Her family had made her feel at home once again. She settled her younger one's school fees. Her mother had kept her farm running while she was away in Abuja. Happily, she walked to the farm with her head buzzing with questions. She cut down some plantains that she intended to take to Abuja. She had also made some Garri out of the harvested cassava earlier to carry back home to Abuja.
When she returned from the farm, she looked exhausted. Her stepmother called her to the room. Her siblings had quickly carried the farm produce inside when she arrived. She went into her stepmother's room and sat on the bed beside her.
"Jenny see how tired you are. You know you did not have to go through all this stress. Your siblings would have done it after their lessons" Chioma said
"Mummy it's no big deal. I wanted to do it myself. I even harvested some yams for us." Jenny said cheerfully.
"Thank you for all you do for us. This money you brought home has really changed our lives. As a matter of fact, I am going to Benin tomorrow to carry goods and start selling."
"That's a good one mummy. I support you a hundred per cent.
"And I will also enrol Nonso in the computer training program next week "
"That one is very important Mummy. Please don't forget it."
"Don't you trust me, I won't forget it. But hmmmm...Jenny I would like to ask you something very important."
"What is it, Mummy?" Jenny asked, paying rapt attention.
"You said Mr Oladokun currently pay your online university school fees and it's expensive."
"Yes, mummy he does and the school fees are really expensive."
"Hmmm, spending so much on you is quite alarming for me. Are you sure they won't ask for a refund tomorrow or ask you to work out the money by staying with them for years?" Chioma looked worried.
"That's fine by me if you ask. I would still be very grateful to them" Jenny replied.
"I don't want to sound intruding but Jenny you are a fine girl. Don't you want to get married and start a family of your own? Do you mean no one likes you in that Abuja? Not even your employer? He is a widower, right? but I don't want to tell you to do something wrong. I trust you. You will always do what is right and godly"
"He likes me Mummy in a very weird way. He wants me for my body. He is very wealthy and so arrogant. He is kind and generous, yet so short-tempered."
"Does he want to remarry?"
"I doubt he wants to. But he needs a woman to take care of his child and cook his meals" Jenny said pitifully.
"What do you want Jenny?"
"I want his respect, Mummy. I want his fidelity. I want commitment. I want a united family" Jenny said with tears in her eyes.
"I remembered coming home from nursing school and my father told me that a young man whose wife left him with a child needed a new wife. My marriage was arranged and I did not complain. Today I have been blessed with 7 children. Your mother never returned and her family was unable to tell your father where she went until he passed away. I love you Jenny and I know what you are doing for Stephanie is exactly what you have learnt from me" Chioma narrated.
Jenny cried in her stepmother's arms. She realized that life is indeed a cycle. She had been raised and loved by a woman who did not birth her and she was doing the same for Stephanie unknowingly.
"If you can marry him, please do, but if you can't, you are also at liberty to express your disapproval and I will support you, my daughter," Chioma said.
Hours after the conversation with Michael, Jenny received a call from Stephanie. She just returned from the bathroom that evening. She wanted to lay on the bed. The conversation with her stepmother made her very emotional.
"Hello Honey," She said to Stephanie
"Do not honey me. You are a pretender! You told my father to come home after I told you not to tell anyone" Stephanie yelled
"Stephanie calm down. What happened?"
"Daddy chased Abdul out of the house because of you and he banned him from seeing me" Stephanie cried.
"Oh, my God! I am so sorry. I will fix it" Jenny assured her.
"Don't bother. You pretended that you are on my side and I trusted you. I think you told him about the letter"
"No Stephanie, I did not! I am on your side and you have to believe that. You are just angry. Calm down and I promise you that I will talk to your Dad. Everything will get sorted out. I promise. You just need to calm down. Getting angry does not fix anything"
"I don't trust you and You can't tell me what to do. I never want to see your face" Stephanie screamed as she ended the call.
Jenny was in disarray. If Stephanie was this angry, then what would be the fate of her father? It was obvious Stephanie inherited his brewing Temper tantrums. What would have made Michael overreact? She repeatedly asked herself. She couldn't call him as it was late. She would just have to wait. When she gets there, it would be easier to fix everything.
The next day, at the first cock crow that Friday morning, Jenny prepared for the trip. She did not charge her phone the previous night, so the battery was dead. Her siblings helped her carry her baggage to the park before she boarded a vehicle heading for Abuja. Leaving them was no longer painful. She knew they would always know she loved them eternally. Saying a prayer, Jenny began the journey very early in the morning.
Six hours later that Friday noon, she arrived safely at the Abuja park. The first park she arrived in when she came to Abuja newly. She had not eaten since morning and was very hungry. She felt so weak. A pickpocket, rated her phone which she held in her hand from afar and tried to reach for it. Jenny held onto it tightly, making it hard and the boy stretched forth his hands, punching her in the eyes. Jenny fell backwards hitting her head on the bunch of plantains before rolling to the dust on the tarred road. The young thief took off instantly before the motorist began to pursue him. Passerby raised Jenny and her face had cuts. She was disoriented for a few seconds. The strangers held her until she was stable. Her left eyelid was bruised and streaks of blood gushed out. It was also swelling up with each passing second.
She thanked the strangers who helped her up and she was grateful to God that he didn't steal her purse. She flagged down a cab and gave the Oladokuns residence. She felt very dizzy and everywhere looked hazy. She kept saying "I am fine" as the driver checked on her looking worried.
When the driver drove into the residence, Ahmed quickly assisted in bringing down the items Jenny bought. Mrs Bose had come out quickly with Deji to welcome her. The moment they saw her face as she emerged from the car, they both screamed. Michael and Stephanie instantly came out. Stephanie had a frown which turned into shock on seeing Jenny's appearance.
Jenny was moving sluggishly and Michael quickly reached for her. Deji also stood by her side.
"What happened? Jenny who did this to you?" Michael asked feeling furious already. She was looking lightheaded and could hardly hear him.
"It was a pickpocket at the park," She said.
"Oga what happened to her "Deji asked the cab driver who joined Ahmed to bring down the baggage from the booth of his car.
"E be like say one of those area thief grab her phone, then he blow her for face?" the man replied.
"Oh, my God!" Mrs Bose exclaimed.
"Let's take her to the hospital. She doesn't look so good" She added.
"Deji get my car. Jenny, are you okay? Jenny Jenny!!!"
Michael kept screaming as Jenny suddenly became unresponsive, passing out in his arms!