BROKEN AND BRUISED
Episode 3
Ofelia has been awake all night just thinking of what she saw her daughter almost doing today, she admits Mel is a very obedient child with no record of evil but she's now a grown up who has her own life to live, as a mother she blames herself for not sitting her daughter Down and talk about men and their behavior.... probably because of what happened to her with her late boyfriend Mel's Father, she has never bothered to think about any other man after the fool dumped her when she got pregnant for him, Mel has always asked about her father but she always avoids the topic only telling her he's dead and it's better left that way......she has tried to console herself that the boy she saw with her daughter today is not harmful at all but a part of her is also not OK with this relationship, she can only pray and hope it doesn't end in tragedy.........
Tobias wakes up very Early like he always does, he escapes to his gym working his perfect body up and no one in the House knew where he was or paid attention to where he might be until when it was time for breakfast..... his mother Monica sits alone at the big dinning that is out in the parlour taking all the beauty and the fresh smell that comes with the morning bees pollinating the beautiful flower garden...... Monica has everything she ever wanted in life but God couldn't give her the fruit of the womb, she found satisfaction when her younger sister died few hours after giving bath to her only son....she never even had the chance to name his son much less see his face but Monica was able to rescue the young Angel and named him Tobias though she prefers to call him Tobi, the young handsome dude has no idea she's not his mother and she wants it to remain at that though she has only one problem with him, he's kindhearted and mingles with almost everyone which is not a problem but the problem is he has failed to see some of the people he mingles with are bad news....she has tried to talk him out of this but he always does what he does the best which is laughing it out, now she's settled at the dining all by herself and it hit her he's not around
"Maid Lisa" she calls to Lisa one of the maids who comes running
"Yes Madame"
"Where is my son"
"I have no idea...he is not in his room"
"What do you mean you don't know, don't tell me he left this house to go to the office without all of you noticing" Lisa keeps quiet but just then Tobi strolls out whistling in a shot and vest with a towel wrapped around his neck and on seeing him, his mother asks Lisa to go
"Good morning my beautiful mother" he kisses her on the cheek and she smiles rubbing her hand on his cheek
"I have been looking for you son....where did you disappear to" he looks around and spots plantain fried just the way he loves, he closes his eyes and takes all the aroma that comes in making him look so handsome
"I'm asking you a question"
"Relax mother.....I was in the gym..pass me the mat please" Monica passes him the table mat and all this while Tobi is not even looking at his mother but concentrating on the food in front of him
"Thanks..... like I said, I was working out and I'm now here, you can now start eating" Monica throws her fork down
"How old are you" he ignores the question and continues to devour his delicious breakfast
"Tobi...are you listening"
"Making thirty in two days time...satisfied" he put his fork down and now faces his mother
"Tobi....I don't want to meddle in your private life because I had promised myself I would never but this time I have to think about our business being at stake here"
"Meaning...."
"Let's just forget you're making thirty in two days time and say you're already thirty..... you have a good family, you're the CEO of our company and have a personal house outside this compound but no girlfriend, no nothing" he gets up and drops the table cloth, picks up the serviette and cleans the corner of his mouth
"You know what mother....I'm getting late for office, I haven't taken my bath and damn....I took forever in there" he points at the direction of the gym and runs away leaving Monica so furious and she ends up throwing her food down in frustration.........
Tobi runs to his very king size room, and finally breaths a sigh of relief, he takes a closer look at himself in the mirror and realises he's just too perfect that any woman would fall for him but his problem is that he just doesn't want any woman, he wants to get out there and look for her like any other young man would, he wants to get out there without his Lamborghini and dress like any other ordinary boy and find her falling for a poor but rich at heart boy....he has met so many women due to his position as the CEO of their company but non of the women has ever moved him if only his mother could give him time and he finds his own choice of a woman, all would be fine and perfect...... he takes himself to the bathroom and enters the bathtub to take a very quick bath and comes out of there to find his mother waiting for him on the bed
"Mother...."
"You're not leaving this room until when you listen to me"
"Can't it wait till when I get back in the evening"
"No it can't... we are Africans and in Africa when a man is old he should starts a family as long as he isn't limited by some circumstances he can use as excuses"
"Like?"
"You know them so well....like finance but you're not bound by that"
"I know"
"Then what could be the problem"
"I haven't found the right person"
"That's nonsense, there is no right woman out there, you take them like that and mold them into the woman you want her to be"
"Well I don't look at it that way"
"Then it's time you changed how you look at it because you're not getting young and soon we shall start loosing our clients simply because no one would want to risk investing with a bachelor" he wanted to say something but he knew best to keep quiet because his mother will never listen to reasons
"I have always made it a point to get for you a present on every birthday of yours but this time I want you to surprise me with a woman, bring her home and I bless both of you but if you're defeated you let me know because I can always get for you a woman of your class out there....go out, have fun and stop rushing home because I'm so tired of every year being the same....do something"
"I have heard you so can you excuse me and I get dressed" she looks at him and finally exits and he can breath at last.......
Ron and Mel are grabbing some ice cream on their way to school and they no longer have to hide their relationship since their families are very OK with it, and she spent the whole weekend with Ron's mother and sister she got to know was patience doing some shopping, they were so gentle and so cool with her and got her really pretty things, now that their relationship is made open, Ron wants her to just say yes and they get married already, she's still going to think about it but right now she just feels on top of the world, she had remained in the car as Ron went inside the supermarket, she watches him come out when he bump on some one, the man was on phone and wasn't really looking in the direction he was taking, and Ron on the other hand was so taken up by his phone too and before they know it, they clash as the man tries to walk past him but Ron holds onto him, she didn't see his face but could tell by Ron's expression that he must know the man from somewhere............
"Excuse me but do we know each other from somewhere?..... I mean have we met before"
"I don't think so" the man tries to walk past them but Ron won't let him get away easily "
"I'm sure of what I'm saying... are you not Tobias..... Tobi Akankwasa" the Man raises his eyebrow and finally gives his hand to Ron
"Yes Tobi....Ronald pope right?" Ron happily embraces him in a tight hug as Mel just continues to watch from afar not caring less......
Episode 4
Tobi arrives in his office a little late since he had to stop by the supermarket to grab a gift he had Promised his personal assistant Jane, he had put her to a task and promised to get her something nice if she did what he wanted perfectly that is winning a hard core client over with her sweet Charming smile which she did, so on his was to the office he dropped by to get for her a perfume' high street for women' it has got a nice scent and he knew she would love it but him bumping on Ronald junior was definitely something he never thought was ever possible, he had even forgotten the dude's face though they were not best of friends in high school, they can still try to be now so they had exchanged contacts and they promise to meet one of these days so he can get to meet that special woman he couldn't meet just today...... the ever smart and handsome Tobi comes out of his car after packing it so well and in his best smile ever, he passes the reception greeting the receptionist like he always does and walks through the glass corridor passing all the glass offices greeting all the occupants in the office with his PA running after him reading his appointments for the day, they finally get to his big beautiful office and he sits, turning around in his chair and face her beautiful long dresses
"Good morning Jane" he greets her and she just stands there in confusion
"Sit down" Jane obeys and sits
"Good girl....first of all, I want to thank you for getting us that deal and secondly I want to ask for a favour from you" she doesn't know what favour her boss is talking about but she's definitely up for the challenge, working with Tobias is the best experience one would want to have, ever gentle and so humble, down to earth too so why would she refuse this favour
"Anything for my boss" she says with an equal smile
"Good....today is Monday and my birthday is up in two days time" she looks excited
"Don't get excited yet but....I'm thinking of celebrating it outside my home for this particular one so do you think you can help me organize and arrange a low key party that only a few people get to attend"
"Of course what are you talking about....I'm your assistant"
"Hahahaha....I see, I will give you all the details including the people you should and shouldn't invite and this time around, my mother is among the people you shouldn't invite" she's not understanding this
"Do I have to explain that"
"No no...of course not, I'm just surprised Mrs Monica won't be part of this"
"Let me be the one to worry about that OK.... and hey!... I had promised you something and I meant it" he hands the small bag to her
"Don't open it here, go to your office and don't let any one see you with it" she smiles and profusely thanks him and runs to her office, Tobi smiles and thinks to himself he really likes this girl and just wishes she wasn't working for him or she didn't know so much about him that he would just get it on with her right away, though Jane is a good girl, Tobi doesn't think she's good enough for him,she knows way too much about him including what his personal bank account reads so he isn't comfortable with her being his girlfriend, it should rather be work related relationship between them...........
Mrs pope who does nothing apart from sleeping, shopping, eating and travelling is home with his rebel daughter Patience who has just taken up in her shoes, they are in her husband's bar trying to play pool at the same time having their discussion, patience is concerned her mother is doing nothing about the fast moving relationship between her brother and the good for nothing girl
"Be a little patient... what I'm planning needs Patience just like your name suggests so exercise it a little daughter"
"I can't be patient mother...... do you even see how that no body carries herself thinking we are all OK with her relationship.... and to top it all, I'm really so tired of pretending to like her when I clearly don't, you know me too well"
"Yes I know you too well and you also know your father, brother and sister too well, if we do something drastic, they will know we had a hand and you don't even want to imagine what that is going to cost us...it can cost me my marriage" patience looks at her mum and studies her critically
"If you're defeated and don't know what to do, just leave it to me and I can finish her in a day"
"No...this is my battle to fight" she leaves her mother all alone in the room and walks out in huff, when the door is closed, Lillian the wife of minister picks her phone and dials a number
"Hello" the person on the other end answers
"Hello...my name is Lillian, Lillian Pope Ronald, the wife of minister pope Ronald"
"How may I help you Madame"
"Good question, you were recommended by someone... are you not David"
"Speaking....."
"Good, I have a small job for you and your boys and I want it done so soon...I'm going to send you the picture and the location plus every detail you shall get but I want a clean job, no one should touch her but I want evidence"
"Can you come out a little clearly please"
"She's a goat that's eating where it shouldn't, so I'm going to set her up, do your usual business because the person who recommended you told me that's your kind of business"
"Sure but let me get this very clearly.... you want my boys to have her or what"
"No...I just want you guys to kidnap or drag her somewhere, she should be stripped naked and taken pictures with, I mean a picture that speaks a thousand words when looked at"
"Hahaha...indeed the person who recommended me to you informed you so well, this is my area and you can consider it a done deal as long as..."
"Mr David... don't worry about money because it's not gonna be a problem, just do what you need to do and lets do business"
"Count it done"
"And after this, you don't know me and I don't know you....we have never met"
"Deal....I don't always keep records of evil, I'm a peace maker and love" they end their phone call and David steps out of his well furnished glass office to go say hello to his boss Tobias..............
Ron and Mel are somewhere in town after she changed her mind about school, they are seated in a local restaurant with a beautiful scenery talking and planing their future which Ron wants to draw closer
"Beautiful... don't you think it's just so perfect to be close to you everyday... I mean how beautiful would it be if I wake up with you every morning by my side and we go to bed together"
"Wuuii...that imagination appears so tempting" they burst out laughing and Ron asks her to do one thing for him
"Can you come sit on my lap...I want to whisper something in your ears"
"No....I think you need to do only one thing at this point babe....you should get back to the office, today is Monday for Pete sake"
"I know but Perry is in the office doing just fine, and besides I called her on our way here" she keeps quite and just looks at him
"What's it beautiful"
"Nothing.... I'm just imagining my life without you in it" he gets up from his chair and scouts next to her and holding her by the hands
"Then you should never imagine such nonsense because nothing like that is happening"
"Why me Ron....... of all the girls out there, let's say the ones you studied with, the ones you have met while on vacation in another country, then your father's colleagues children... why me, a poor no body"
"Sssshh....first of all you're not a no body because you have a name, you're Mel, my Melanie... my cherry boom, my heartbeat and princess.....that day I asked you for a direction, I just did it on purpose, you had been passing by our offices quite for a number of times and I was instantly drawn to you by your simplicity and your beauty so I was only looking for a way to get to know you" she's shocked he has never really told her this
"Then you're just telling me today"
"Yes because you asked for it" he says teasingly and she just smiles............
Tobi in his office is still trying to come up with a good idea for his birthday celebration party but he's so stuck not knowing what to do so the best would be calling Jane to come help him draft this but before he could call her, David, Eddy and Clement his best buddies and workmates enter with their usual noise to disturb him a little all in the names of coming to greet him
"Next time you guys should knock before bulging in here...this is a very busy office" he says in a joking way
"That will only stop the day we see a woman coming to visit you here almost everyday but as long as that's not the case, you should as well forget it" clems says and the rest support him
"You came in late"
"Yeah!.... I was delayed by mum"
"What happened... don't tell us she wants to come back to the office" Eddy adds and they all burst our laughing
"Guys..that's not it, she was only reminding me the about the fact that I have no woman in my life....she can never get tired of reminding me"
"Then she was right.... I agree with her a hundred percent" Clems says
Me too I'm beginning to doubt whether you are truly a man" the three burst out laughing again with only Tobi not finding this amusing
"You will need to leave my office because I'm busy" he tries to rush his buddies out but David spots the paper he was writing on, he picks it up and asks what he is planning
"Nothing" that was his answer but David thinks more and bum....he gets it
"It's your birthday and finally you're thinking of cerebrating it"
"Praise the Lord" Eddy says
"Hallelujah..." Clems finishes
"Now leave this to us and we shall take care of everything" David so excitedly assures him
"It's a low key thing please, I wasn't thinking about inviting many people at all" he tries to protest
"That's even Better because you actually don't need to invite anyone, the four of us can have a blast....let us take care of the organisation and everything" he finally gives in and the three swift to David's office to plan more as Tobi calls Jane to let her know she shouldn't go on with the arrangement yet........
The three friends are already in the office discussing and Clems has a question
"Do you think Tobi is really OK... I mean truly normal"
"No one can tell Clems, he is a fine looking man maybe he's into fellow men" Eddy adds
"That's rubbish, if that was the case he would have taken a step with one of us if not all of us already after all we have known him for some years now" Eddy hits back
"What if he's only trying to fight his attraction towards us so we won't suspect" Clems still wonders
"Then there is only one way to find out" David adds and the two turn their attention to him
"How" Eddy enquires
"There is only one way to find out like I said, I didn't tell you this but I received a business call this very morning from a very rich and powerful woman who is in need of our help, the usual way so I'm thinking what if we use our little boss this time around" their eyes glitter in happiness and expectations and at the same time anticipation...
To be continued

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