Being Human (7)

Mrs. Martins was one of the major professional caterers in the city of Abuja. She had serious connections with the top government officials, and truth be told, she was living the life. There wasn't much to be told about her family - her kids and husband, as she kept her family issues as private as possible. She took her job personal, especially since she didn't just stumble on the business but actually trained as a Nutrionist, home and abroad. Carving a niche in the catering business was no small job. Like she would say, "you have to be smart, presentation is key but most importantly, never let an opportunity slip away; do all you can with what you have to get what you want".

Tami had just finished with her make-up and headgear. She always had a function to either attend or cater for every weekend and she knew too well than to dress anyhow to these occasions. She had fished Tami out from her numerous visits to make-up studios in Abuja. Tami knew the perfect look she needed for every occasion. She thereafter placed Tami on some sort of monthly salary since she had to get dolled up every other weekend. All she had to do was call and Tami would be right on time.

"Hope you like it ma?" Tami smiled at her as she took her picture.

"No, I love it. Here, have this as a bonus" She dipped her hand into her purse and brought out five clean 1000 naira notes.
Tami blushed as she collected the money. She loved working for this woman, she was just too generous, she thought to herself.

"Thank you ma. See you next week." Tami smiled at her as she took her make-up box and left the room.

Mrs. Martins admired her perfectly layered gele and flawless make-up one more time in the large mirror in one of her small sitting rooms upstairs. She loved mirrors; one could tell from the different sizes of mirrors that filled the exquisite duplex with three different sizes of sitting rooms and six bedrooms. A huge house in Maitama with maids on different duty-shifts and other domestic staff is all Mrs. Martins lived with. She however had her share of fun in what seemed to be the common thing amongst the high and mighty in Abuja.

"Saidat... Saidat... take my bag to the sitting room. Call Umar and Kingsley for me... Infact, don't worry. Just take the bag down....
Umaruuuuu.... Kingsley...."

"Yes madam" They answered at the same time, running as fast their legs could take them up the stairs.

"hey.. who asked you to come up... just stay put in the living room. I'll be right out..." She rolled her eyes in disgust and walked back into her room to admire her make-up, headgear, spray a little bit of perfume and take a selfie; the selfie part was her best moment. She had mastered the art from several pictures on instagram. She might be getting old but she wasn't going to miss out on any of the new youthful trends. She smiled at her image in the mirror on the stairway and walked down elegantly. Her servants were upstanding to receive tons of instructions as usual from their madam. It was the routine and they were now used to it. They dare not complain; Mrs. Martins was treating them well monetarily and so, they had to endure whatever excesses she displayed.

Saidat carried her bag delicately, trying to force a smile. Umar tried to pass a breakfast is ready message across as he stood at the entrance to the dining room. Kingsley was all set in his black suit, well ironed cream coloured shirt and dark shades. He doubled as her chauffeur and body guard. Yes, she needed a body guard to boost her status.

"I won't be having breakfast today. So, Umar, you could have that to yourself. Kingsley, I see we're good to go. I'm not expecting any visitor, Saidat... you know what to do" She gave all the instructions with that authoritative tone that they had all gotten used to, managed a smile and walked briskly out of the house towards her Ford Explorer. Kingsley opened the door for her to step into the car that he had already put on for the air condition to circulate properly before her arrival. Musa hurriedly opened the gate and tried to greet his madam as Kingsley drove out of the compound, but Mrs. Martins wasn't paying any attention. She had more pressing issues at hand.

"Straight to Reiz Continental"

"Okay ma"

She brought out her iPhone 6, took two more pictures in the car, set her favorite selfie of the day as her display picture on BBM and whatsapp and scrolled to her call log. She dialled the first number on the call log twice but her calls were rejected on both occassions.
She decided to send a message on whatsapp.

"I took this picture just for you. See you at Six. Don't keep me waiting..."

***

"Hello Sunshine... Flo has been calling"
Jay tapped Dolapo softly till she opened her eyes and then shut it almost immediatley. She had not slept in her own room...

"OMG, what have I done?" she thought to herself but managed a smile as Jay placed her phone in her hands and left the room almost immediately, to the kitchen, ofcourse.
He had his apron on and he seemed to be in a hurry to check whatever it was that was cooking for fear of it getting burnt.
He looked cute in his round neck vest, shorts and apron. She rolled one more time on the bed and realised she still had her clothes on from last night.
She jumped out of the bed, tried to straighten the sheets, took her phone and walked straight into the other room she should have slept. She called Folusho back immediately.

"Na wa for you oh. I've been calling now." Folusho answered at the first ring.

"I'm so sorry. I was fast asleep. Infact, I don't..."

"Fast asleep at this time. Hmmnnn, last night must have been fun, right?"

"Flo, woo, no be so. I don't know sef. Where are you at the moment? There's gist"

"I'm checking out of the hotel. Conference ended yesterday. I should have gone back but I stayed one more night for your sake. So, now you owe me hotel bill for one night oh." Folusho laughed.

She agreed to come see Dolapo at Jay's place and Dolapo was able to send a description to her after she had gotten same from Jay and sent to her.

Dolapo jumped into the bathroom and began praying for forgiveness for whatever she might have done. She honestly did not know she had ended up spending the night in Jay's room. She knew the long kiss led to some touching here and there but in the midst of the heated passion, she had restrained Jay from taking her clothes off - or so she thought. She spent a longer time in the bathroom, just letting the water flow, as though the water from the shower could wash off whatever it is they had done last night. She knew it was the usual drill - no sex but everything else leading to the actual act. She had told herself after she got born again that all of that had to stop, just in case a day came when they both couldn't control their emotions and sex itself happens.

"but why can't he propose to me already? He has everything in place, yet he won't propose or talk about settling down? Am I being played? For goodness sakes, we're both mature enough to start a home... Or is there something else involved?" Dolapo switched from praying to thinking and then wondering why Jay would not even talk about settling down or plans about marriage, kids and so on.

She stopped the shower. She had had enough. Maybe she could stay at home with Jay and try to talk things through with him; know what his long term plans were, about their relationship, their future together (if there was any) and where she stands in his life, instead of touring the city. There would be plenty of time to tour the city once they were married. And Abuja seemed just like the perfect place to settle down.
Her phone beeped. It was Folusho's ping.

"Jay, please help get the door. It's Flo. I'm still getting dressed" Dolapo shouted at the top of her voice, while standing behind the door to her room so that Jay could hear her.

"Okay babe"

Jay was surprised to see what Folusho looked like in real life. He had only seen pictures, and he could now say that pictures had not done justice to the beauty that stood right in front of him.

"You must be Flo... Wow" he couldn't hide how impressed he was at this dark, slim yet curvy, petite lady with lovely set of teeth and a beautiful smile to cap it all up.

"And you must be Jay. It's such a pleasure to finally meet you" Folusho stretched out her hands to shake Jay as she continued smiling, ever so wide.

"Welcome to my humble abode" Jay said as he hurried to the refrigerator to get a pack of juice and glass cup.

"Thank you, thank you" Folusho admired the house and helped herself to a single seat in the sitting room.
In no time, Jay was back with the pack of Juice and a glass cup which he placed on the stool he positioned in front of her. He helped fill her glass with juice and was about going back to his favorite room - the kitchen.

"Thank you... Where's my friend?" She asked as she sipped her juice.

"Through that corridor, first door to your left" Folusho took one more sip, placed the cup back on the stool and stood up to go search for her friend.
Jay's eyes followed her hips as they swayed while she walked towards Dolapo's room.

"Damn" He thought to himself, then laughed out as he walked back to the kitchen.

***

"Uche, check your mails, I sent some things I worked on overnight to your mail. I'm not sure i'll be able to have that meeting with you guys today. I'd be at the restaurant but just for a short while. Coordinate the team... Thanks" and Jay pressed 'send' on the text message option.

He had seen the message Mrs. Martins sent and had deleted it immediately. It had become the norm for her to send him pictures of her made-up face every other day. The pictures came with the headgear touch on saturdays.
He sighed a second time, put the phone back in his pocket and walked out of the kitchen to the sitting room.

He brought out his phone, typed a message that read:

"You looked beautiful last night. Breakfast has been ready for almost 15minutes now. Will you and Flo come out of that room, pls? Plus you owe me a good morning kiss... *tongueout*"
and sent to Dolapo's BBM.

He turned on the TV, checked what was happening on Super Sport before changing the channel to Food Network.


*Faith Tunde-Yara
*Being Human
*Photo credit: decoist.com