Hotel Palava - Episode 18

 

Adesuwa's POV

I walked into Mr Henry's office during break time. I told him I was going to find a place to eat the food we bought and he requested we had lunch together, in his office!
I brought in the food. 
The first thing he did was to munch on the moimoi. "Seriously?" I asked, "What?" He asked smiling. 
"The first thing you did was to eat the moimoi" 
"I told you the other day, it's my favorite" he answered and I chuckled leaning on the table. 
 "This tastes divine" he answered and I laughed. 
"At least it's better than what that lady cooks downstairs" "Now I know the difference" he answered and I laughed now comfortably sitting on the table. 
"Sorry" I stood up on realizing it . "It's okay, there's no way you could possibly eat comfortably without sitting on the table" he answered and I sat back.
Suddenly I heard him laugh hard and I wondered why. 
"What?"
"Sorry, it's nothing really"
"Seriously? Please tell me, I'm feeling uncomfortable already" "I just remembered that day at the restaurant when you were playing dumb" he answered and I covered my eyes in shame.
"Urgh!" I groaned. 
"I thought I was done with that chapter of my life" "I'm sorry, every now and then, when I think of it, I laugh" he answered and I joined in the laughter.
"To think you were messing with me" I dipped a spoonful of rice into my mouth. "How about the other day at the pharmacy?" He asked and I coughed out the rice on the table. 
Then I continued coughing. 
Mr

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. Henry rushed to get me a glass of water from the water dispenser then he handed it to me and I drank it all.
I looked at the rice that poured on the envelope and some files. Oily stain were on them. I felt bad.
"I'm sorry about that"
"No, I should be the one apologizing" He answered and I tried to dust it all to the ground. 
"It's okay"
"No it's not"
"Let's eat first, we'll clean it up later" "Why do I do everything wrongly?" I snapped and rolled my eyes.
 "And why do you linger on things even when i try to brush it off?" He asked and I scoffed.
"Cause you should be angry. I'm satisfied in life when people get angry over everything I do. It's like the only way the world can be in balance"
"So if I get angry, what do I gain?" "It's not you, I'm used to it. I'll just move on and feel like it's another day for me."
"It was a mistake"
"Why do you apologize? You're the boss, you're not supposed to apologize"
"I'll tell you a little about myself" he paused and I sat on the table with keen interest. 
"I was born in London, i grew up there and when I got out of hands, I was moved here" "Got out of hands" I pointed out, I didn't really understand what he meant by it.
"I had anger issues and bratty issues" 
"I was shipped back to Nigeria. I had the strictest mom in the world." He paused chuckling. The joy in his eyes, he must really love his mother, I thought to myself.
"She tamed me, she and a whole lot of persons. I swore never to go back to that life. I try not to get angry easily, I try to let go of things. I try to find things to cool me off or make me happy."
"I guess Emmy is pushing your buttons"
"Not just her" he answered with a sigh.
" That's why I'm the way I am,  and just because I'm the boss doesn't mean I'll have to get angry and give crazy orders"  he stood up plunging his hands in his pocket.
"But that's what they all do"
"This is the second time you're saying 'they' or using such connotation"  he said moving close to me and I bowed my head. 
"Who are they?" He asked nudging my chin up and a woman walked in and I stood up from the table.
"Mom" He called out and I scratched my hair. 
"So it's true then?" She scoffed, "You're frolicking with the maid" she turned towards me and Mr. Henry scoffed. 
"Whose feeding you with lies?"
"Lies you call it huh?" She laughed as though it was amusing. "I came here to find out for myself and I just walked into you almost kissing a lady in your office!"
"We weren't" I tried to explain, "Shut up!" She interrupted, "You'll only speak when spoken to"
"Mom you're being ridiculous" "Ridiculous? You haven't seen ridiculous. Jummy has given me several reports and I've been quiet about it. Is she the dumb girl?" She pointed at me, "The one you didn't fire and the one you just made your secretary"
"How did you find out about that?"
"Don't ask me stupid questions son. I came here for one mission. And no baby I didn't come for you" she tapped her son's cheek. Then she slowly walked towards me.
"I came for her"
"I've heard a great deal about you"
"Mam" "I didn't ask you to speak" she interrupted and I tightened my fist. I didn't want to react. Mr. Henry was there.
I needed to stay cool.
"So you're the tramp trying to seduce my son" 
"I'm not a tramp" "Mom don't call her a tramp"
"I didn't seek for your consent. You're worse than a tramp! My son is engaged to be married and I never knew my son to be a kind of person that double dates but since I walked into the two of you, I have no option but to conclude"
"Mom!" Henry sounded off and she chuckled.
"Apparently you're too dumb to realize that my son has been taken already. Listen and listen good tramp. I hope you're not too deaf to do so.  I know your type, trashy social climbers. You're going to leave the hotel right now, never to come back again"
"No one is leaving" Henry maintained and I packed up the plate we used in eating. 
"Adesuwa" he called out and I turned to him.  "Take the day off, we'll talk later" he added and I walked out of the office in shame. 

Henry's POV

"Mom what did you just do?" I asked and mom shrugged. "I hope that tramp isn't coming back again" "Don't call her names"
"Why?"
"She's not a tramp"
"She was trying to kiss you" "That was only a misunderstanding, what you saw there"
"I know what I saw and I know tramps like her!" Mom yelled then she exhaled trying to put her act all together. "Trust me when I say this. This girl is bad news. I'm sure she's trying to charm you."
"I'm not firing her"
"Not even if I ask for it. Henry I ask this one thing of you" "You've asked for more than one thing mom, you asked that I go on a date with Jummy and I did. You asked that I date her and that I'm doing now but this request I can't submit to. I'm sorry" I apologized and she scoffed.
"You would rather cheat on Jummy" she added and I shook my head. "I'm not cheating Mummy and Adesuwa is just a secretary" 
"From being the maid to the secretary. Oh how convenient Henry!" She yelled in anger and I wondered where the anger was coming from.
"What next? She would be warming your bed"
"I got to find out she has a university degree. Mom she's brilliant, if you get to know her"
"Why would I want to know her?"
"I don't even like her" I answered and she gazed at me with unbelief. "Mom this is crazy. You just embarrassed Adesuwa and I"
"I came for two reasons, one of it being that Deji's parents are back in Lagos and they're staying at the hotel"
"Why not Deji's house?"
"I'm about to find out" 

Adesuwa's POV

I was fuming after my encounter with Mrs. Babalola. I felt embarrassed. I was lucky to find Liliy inside the quarter.
"Wow you look hot" she commented and tried to force a smile.
"Thanks, how hustle?" I asked and she shrugged. "We dey push" she answered.
"That reminds me, Felicia called last night, she wanted to know where you were. I told her you slept over at my place"
"Thank you" she answered hugging me.
"Don't thank me yet, where did you spend the night?"
"Remember I went to babysit Deji's nephew and niece" "I don't remember cause you clearly didn't tell me" i snapped.
"I'm sorry, it skipped my mind" she lied and I raised my nose in disbelief.
"Are you sure or you didn't want me to stop you from going" "It was just for babysitting, I didn't intend spending the night there"
"Just tell me you didn't sleep with him" she asked. From her reaction, I knew she did it. 
"It just happened" 
"You could have controlled it" 
"When we started kissing, I just lost all control. Babe I really like Deji"
"At least tell me you had the decency to use a condom?" I asked.
She obviously didn't use one.
 "There are diseases out there Lilian!"
"I wasn't thinking okay, but I think I'm safe" "You're on pills?" 
"No. Please don't ask anymore questions. The deed is done already and I don't regret it. I really like Deji, he's a cool guy and last night was..." 
"Abeg make I hear word. Just don't get pregnant" i added and she smiled at me.
 "How has your day been as the new secretary" she asked and I rolled my eyes.
"It started out great before something horrible happened" I answered.
"What happened?" She asked and I told her everything.
"This is really serious! Did she really say those things?" "I go con dey lie?" I snapped letting out a loud hiss. 
"As I dey so, I no know wetin to do." "You can't afford to quit the job now." "I don't want to have issues with the mother either"
"She doesn't work here, I don't see why you're worried"
"Why would she think that I'm trying to win Mr. Henry's heart. It's not as if I like him or like I would even kiss him"
"So you won't kiss him even if you're being dared to"
"I...I.." I stammered. 
"It's not as if that will ever happen but if I'm being dared to kiss him..." I stalled in thought.
If I was dared to kiss Mr. Henry, would I or would I not? I thought. I definitely won't deny that he had such lovely lips but I didn't see it happening anytime soon.
"Abeg what's all this topic about kissing Mr. Henry, let's change the topic jhoor!"
"To what?" She asked and I shrugged thinking of the embarrassing situation then I groaned. 
"Today could have been perfect. I was having a nice time with Mr. Henry." I whispered and Lilian gave me a familiar look. 
"It's not what you think, I was getting to know him, maybe he's not like the rest. I don't know" I chuckled and Lilian joined in. 
Mummy B walked in on us then she hissed at me. "Asewo" she muttered and I scoffed.
 "Mummy B I don't remember sleeping with your husband. Oh wait...you don't have one" I retorted and Lilian laughed.
"Asewo oshi"
"I won't condone those insults, who deserves to be called a prostitute here? You have kids from different fathers.

Read " Palm lines " by the same author ( Essien Eno )

. I don't have any"
"Because you don do abortion die!" She answered looking at Lilian. "You better go and clean up that water in room forty before I fire you. Awon asewo! (Prostitutes) Birds of same feathers" she hissed walking away. 

Lilian's POV

Room forty was a upper suite for very important personalities. I knocked while holding my mop and a pail, when I heard a lady say "Come in" I walked in.
There were two women inside.
"Good afternoon Ma" I greeted the both of them and they both answered me.
"Please it's the water that poured somewhere there" a woman said in Yoruba and I nodded. 
"You understand the language shea?" She asked and I smiled. "I do ma"
"It's my husband that poured the water oh"
"You don't have to explain to her" the other woman snapped rudely.
"It's her job to clean" she added.
"Ireti Babalola! You haven't changed have you?" She said and the other woman hissed. "Please help me clean it before someone would slip and fall. I don't want to attend anyone's burial yet" she added and I started mopping.
"What brought you to Lagos?"
"It's this squabble between Daddy Deji and Deji. He doesn't want to take over his father's company in Ekiti and he has refused picking our calls so we came to see him"
"Where is Daddy Deji?"
"He went out to see an old friend. He didn't even rest"
"Have you called Deji?" The mean woman asked , "He called me after he saw my text that I was in Lagos. He's on his way as we speak" she answered and we heard a knock on the door.
"Come in, it's not as if I'm naked. Even if I'm naked" The nice woman shouted and the person walked in. 
I couldn't believe my eyes, It was no other than Deji....my Deji