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Chapter4.
✍️ Sharon obasi

"Linda please check who's on the door!"Maggie shouted from inside the kitchen,she is busy making her daughter's favorite food 'fried rice,beans and plantain',she doesn't joke with the combination,she knows for sure she always keeps her words, and so Maggie decides to make a welcome special food for her and whoever she comes home with.

"Yes ma'am"Linda the housekeeper answered,she dropped the rag she's using to clean the staircase and ran to the door.When she opened it and saw Tricia,she smiled broadly.

"Welcome dear,we have missed you around here"She said making way for them to get inside.

"Thanks Linda,and I have missed you and mom,where's she?"Tricia asked sitting down to remove her shoes,Diana sat beside her looking around the big parlour with so much praise in her eyes.

"She's inside the kitchen, and your friend is beautiful!"
Linda replied looking at Diana who turned to smile her way .

"Oh yes!, forgive my manners,she's Diana and Diana that's our housekeeper,Linda"Tricia introduced.


"Good afternoon ma"Diana greeted smiling at the pretty older lady.


"You are welcome Diana dear,let me continue what I was doing before you guys knocked on the door"Linda said walking away.


"Linda who's ......."Maggie stopped when she saw her daughter and a beautiful lady beside her, Tricia smiled up at her and came towards her.


"It's me Mom, and here is Diana my friend"


She hugged her daughter and looked at Diana in appraisal.

"Hello dear,you are welcome Diana,you look so beautiful"Maggie walked to Diana and gave her an affectionate hug.


"Thanks Mom,you are just as beautiful as Tricia said,and am sorry I didn't make it to your birthday"Diana is all smiles.


"It's ok dear, you are welcome here,and what did my daughter tell you about me?"Maggie said raising a brow .


"Best things mom believe me"Diana answered.



"Now my mom is more engrossed with another daughter of hers and am jealous!!"Tricia said from behind with her hands akimbo.


"You know that's not possible honey,come here"Maggie drawed and pulled her like a child to her arms.
Everyone laughed,even Linda who just finished cleaning the staircase about to go outside was amused by the little drama they where performing.


"Your favorite food is ready dear,go right there and seat with your friend let me serve you"Maggie said pointing at the dinning, she is too excited,it's really good to have her drama queen around.

"Mom why don't I help you"Tricia offered.

"I said sit down,let me do the work, don't keep this beautiful girl standing"Maggie said half running inside the kitchen.

"That's my mom for you Diana, please sit let me bring a juice for us"Tricia said looking at her friend.

Diana sat down still smiling,she has never met a more lovely family than this,a bunch of drama queens,who knows how the brother and son who refused marriage will be,that's a question for another day,she mused gazing at Tricia's retreating back.

***.***.***

They where done eating, Tricia and Diana had refreshened up and joined Maggie at the corridor where she sat enjoying the evening breeze with a glass of wine.

They sat opposite her , Tricia stood and carried the bottle of wine and drank directly from the bottle's mouth,Diana made a face at her and Maggie smiled at them.

"Diana dear if you want, you can drink from my glass or should I get you another glass?"She asked.


"Oh No mom,am fine"Diana replied folding her hands carefully on her laps.

"Alright"Maggie said,took a sip of her wine,licked her lips for traces of the wine that escaped her mouth, and added;

"Diana how about your parents?"


"They are very fine mom"


"Your studies?"

"We are coping"


"Mom have you heard from David?"Tricia came in when she knew they had nothing else to say that they haven't said to each other while they were eating.


"I don't know what to answer you dear,but the last time I went to his office,he said he will come home the next day but I haven't heard anything from him,not even a mistaken call"Maggie's mood has been ruined.


"That's rather absurd,hope he's okay"Tricia commented.


"You know I have been thinking about something Trish"


"What's it mom?"


"I just thought that maybe I should hook him up with a lady,I mean I want to clear my curiosity,I don't want my son to remain like that,he's my only son"Maggie said worriedly.


"Hook him up?!,how?"Tricia asked looking over at Diana who rolled her eyes from mother to daughter in a lost manner.


"I mean I bringing in a lady to his house and claim that I married her for him"

Tricia mopped at her mom like a moron.
Diana looked sideways,this is a serious matter to this woman but to her,it sounds stupid.


"You know that's not gonna work with David"Tricia managed dropping the empty bottle of wine on the floor.


"You never can tell Trish"


When Tricia saw how serious her mother seems,she simply asked;
"And which lady do you have in mind to put through this scam?"

Maggie looked at Diana, Tricia followed her gaze and Diana shaked her head negatively,she is not ready to be smashed.She loves this dear life and doing whatever they have in mind, sounds suicidal if the guy in question doesn't like her.


"Mom please!,that's not happening"Tricia disagreed .

"Please my daughter,am not asking you to go do any other thing,just pretend to be the wife I married for him ,I want to know what's wrong with my son,I want my son back to his senses"Maggie pleaded .


"I don't really know what to say but I don't think I will be able to do such thing"Diana said looking away from the older woman's piercing eyes.


"If you are afraid of sexual harassment or insults,I can assure you,my son is not a bad person though he once had that womanizing habbit,but I know my son and what he can do,I can vouch for him"Maggie isn't ready to give up even when her daughter is looking at her like she's doing the weirdest thing on earth.


"Mom I ....."Diana began again but Maggie cutted her shut;


"Please dear,if you want money you can name your price,I can kneel for you Diana please help me"

Diana looked at Tricia who had been open mouthedly looking at her mom,she looked at the woman she's unable to say no to,and looked down on her hands that where still folded on her laps.


"Please dear,and Tricia don't give me that look,I need my daughter's support right now,it's your brother we are talking about here,it's not like he's some wolf or something"Maggie tried bringing her daughter to caution.


"Mum,I will have to think about this,I will be inside"she stood to go inside, Tricia had shown her the guest room that's meant for her when they went to take their bath,so she found her way to the guest room.



"Please give me a positive answer honey, thanks!"Maggie shouted after her.


"Mom you are unbelievable!"Tricia took a deep breath, and letted her head fell to her shoulder.


"You need to talk to her and make her agree to this,she's your friend and you understand her better than I do, don't just sit there and talk to me like am a fool,I know what am doing"
Maggie said in a matter of fact manner and took a long sip from her glass and relaxed on her chair , Tricia understood where the snarl is going and it suits her just fine,she stood up and joined Diana inside .


***.*** .***

Diana sat upright on the bed looking out the window.
Tricia opened the door slowly and closed it soundlessly,she sat down beside her on the bed.


"Am sorry I had to bring you here to my mom's domineering attitude,if I knew she's going to say this trash to you I wouldn't have "Tricia is not in her best moods now,how can her mom suggest such a thing to her friend on the first day they arrived just like that .


"You don't have to say that about her, she's your mother and she's trying to do all she could to help your own brother, don't be so mean,all am just afraid of is that it's  a kind of complicated thing,it would make me look stupid and gosh Tricia what if he finds out?!"


"My brother is the best man any woman would kill for,but he's hard to a core,if he eventually finds out, someone will be in great pain, and I don't want you to be that someone"Tricia took her friend's hand and squeezed tight,she knows that her mom had gotten Diana where she wants by just saying it.


"I will do it, at least it will keep me busy through this holiday if he lets me stay in,might be fun,I will tell your mom tomorrow and also that the contract will be over when this holiday comes to an end"

"Are you sure you want to go through this?"Tricia whined.


"Yes, don't worry I will thread with care dear Trish"


"This means that am not even allowed to enjoy this holiday with you as planned"Tricia said flatly.


"But you do go to your brother's house"


"Yes I do, but if he knows that we know each other,he might smell something"


"That's true,then we will have to pretend we don't know each other and see how things goes"




"Yep,let's see".. Tricia fell on the bed and looked with unfocused eyes to the ceiling, Diana did the same,then they turned to look at each other and smiled heartily;


"Thanks Diana"Tricia couldn't hide how excited she is though it's putting someone at risk.


"You are always welcome Trish"Diana smiled understandingly........



TBC

© Sha Ron