Remi walked off to her room and sat on her bed. She laid down and stared at the ceiling as her mind raced through everything she had discussed with Ophelia. She closed her eyes and a tear rolled down the side of her face.
She woke up a few hours later and reached out to the empty side of her bed, she had dreamt he was there with her but he wasn't. Her hand touched her phone and she switched it on to go through her messages.
'Your parents are heading home from the airport' a text from Tobi, an hour ago. She sat up quickly and ran out of bed dialling his number to request for an update.
She headed for her closest and opened the door to see her sister trying out a dress in the mirror. She clicked on the red button on her screen ending the call to Tobi as her question was already answered. They had arrived and didn't just want to wake her up.
'You are awake' she yelled before struggling to walk towards her due to the tightness of the dress. She reached Remi and wrapped her hand around her neck 'I have missed you so much and omg your house.....amazing!'
'where is mom and dad'
'In your huge living room' she said with more fascination about the way the dress carved out her bum than the size of Remi's house.
She grabbed her rope and threw it over herself and left for the living room. She walked past several maids who greeted her and she acknowledged by raising her hand each time she walked by.
She paused at the door and took a deep breathe before walking in. Her parents backed her as they watched a movie. She looked away to see her brothers on the patio admiring the landscape and taking pictures. They looked so cute in their Ralph Lauren shirts. Like posh spoilt kids. The personal shopper must have done a number on their closest. She never thanked Tobi. The pictures her family sent her daily, showed how much work he put into making them comfortable where they now lived.
Her mom had told her about the monthly date nights they had to have because it was fixed into their itinerary, they lived like retired couples as her father had taken up gardening to maintain the large garden in front and behind a house Remi had never been too. A 5 bedroom house in Kensington. He has made her family happy and it made her soft towards him each picture, each gist about how a gift was sent to the house or their hostels, each surprise trip to somewhere they've never been to before.
'Mommy, daddy' she said softly before they turned to look at her. Tears rushed to her eyes as they tried to stand up. She rushed over and slid to her kneels like footballers did to show her respect.
They sat back and patted her back 'Remilekunmi, Ajokeade' her father said as he started to praise her in Yoruba. Remi cried the more he sang on.
Her mom stared to cry as well as she held on to Remi.
'God will continue to protect you' her mom said as she cleaned Remi's tears away
'Remi, I don't know if your husband has told you but I have told your mother why I agreed to everything. It was a tough decision for me to make but I am your father and I had to protect you...' he said with tears gathering in his eyes
He went on about his conversation with Tobi, the day he had called her father to the side and they returned to tell her she had to go with him. Tobi had shown him proof of her uncle meeting with an Islander henchman. Her uncle had sold off the deed to their home resulting in their sudden evacuation.
'If my brother could do that to me who else could I trust to keep you safe?' He asked Remi 'then the attacks, Remi you are stubborn and telling you wouldn't have made you comply to the plan he had to keep you safe...'
She hugged her dad and her mom hugged them both. 'Thank you' Remi said in between sobs
She informed them Tobi wasn't home and they would meet him later on.She curled in one of the seats with a cup of hot chocolate while her siblings sat around as they reminisced on simpler time with their parent. She smiled when she noticed them trying to cut chima out of the stories. They still pitied her.She told them about what the party was about, noting she had just learnt about it herself.
She decided it was time to get ready and nudged her siblings along showing them their individual rooms. She showed her parents to the room Sarah had prepared for them.
Remi thought about how spoilt she had gotten that she couldn't even handle her parents arrival herself. She had prepared something for them to eat from what had been prepared by the chef before he retired to his quarters and asked that Sarah stayed close to her parents in case they needed help.
Remi headed towards her room when she walked past Tobi's room and she strolled back and looked at the door.
She looked around in case anyone was watching before knocking on the door. She waited for a response and there was none. She turned the handle and the door opened. She closed it back at the thought of not wanting to go in without him inviting her in. She stayed they for a moment resisting the urge to go in before walking away.
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She was having her hair and make up done when a knock woke her up.
Her hair dresser yelled out 'come in' as the make up artist applied eye shadow on her closed eye lid.
Remi's brain had fallen asleep as her mind skipped through thoughts of how she could protect herself and her her family that now included Tobi from everyone willing to hurt them.
'Ma'am' she said and remi slowly opened her eyes. She looked in the mirror to see three people standing by the door with cloth bags.
A different lady stepped forward and handed her a note.
Tobi had delivered dresses with an handwritten note she refused to open while people stood above her.
'Thank you, hand it over to Sarah and she will take care of it' she said deadpan before closing her eyes back to continue her fear meditation.
-------------------------------------------
'You look happier' her mom had said without the undertone of reference to the wealth she lived in when she walked into the living room. Her parents had a change of clothes for bed.
'I am mom, I am' Remi said with a smile as she looked from her mom to her Dad who she planned to tell that the situation had now changed. She hoped he would believe her.
Remi did not go for the drinks or the aunties meeting. She sent a message to Laila who kept calling to ask for her whereabouts.
She said for the party and drinks to start without her, She planned to avoid the petty talk and wanted the ball to serve as her season into the islanders society.
Her initiation to the Islander community.
She strolled into the foyer to see her sister waiting her in a dress the family stylist had picked out for her.
'You look so beautiful' Remi said to her
'Thank you' she said trying not to blush as she looked up from her phone. She looked over to the twins that were suited up head to toe in black with their hair plaited back 'handsome much'
'Is the car ready' she said firmly to Sarah who smiled and said 'yes'
'Thanks Sarah' Remi replied
'Who are you' her brother, Tobi jested loudly before laughing
'It's different here, with these people, I am not saying to pretend but stand your ground' Remi said sadly. She was releasing their family to a pack of wolves 'they are not better than us but they will try'
She looked from one person to the other hoping they understood what she meant to not be intimidated by their remarks and attitude before Ophelia walked in wearing a black jeans, top and heels.
'Aren't you coming with us?' Remi asked
'I have some business to attend to but I would be there before you know it' Ophelia said with a smile as she waved and walked past, heading for the door.
'Who is that' her other brother remarked as their eyes followed her.
She led her siblings down the stairs to the cars packed in the drive way. She instructed them to get in one of the cars and instructed the driver to be careful.
The other car pulled up to wear she stood and a guard opened the door for her but she kept looking at the direction they drove in till she couldn't see the head lights anymore.
she admitted to herself that she had done good, if she was still a target, they were safe.