Chapter Three

I stayed with her till I was twenty and she decided I was old enough to start feeding myself. On that fateful day, she woke up very late as usual and called me to her room.

I got to the door to her room and knocked then, waited for her to call me in. It didn't take long before I heard her reply from inside, "come in Rose!"

I walked into the room and greeted "good afternoon aunt Joyce!"

"How are you, Rose?"

"Am fine. Thank you." I answered.

"Have a seat Rose! There is something very important that I want to talk to you about," she said.

I took a seat on the beautiful couch in her room and waited for her to continue what she wants to say. She looked at me like she was checking me out and after some time she smiled and nodded her head like she was talking to someone before saying, "Rose, I called you here for something very important. Do you have any idea what it is?"

"No I don't, hope I haven't done something bad?" I asked.

"You haven't don't anything bad Rose, you have been on your best behavior. I would like to ask you a question first, can I?" She asked like she was unsure.

I didn't know what she wanted to ask or say so, I just nodded my head that she could continue which she did. "Ok. Do you have a boyfriend?" She asked me.

"Ha! Aunt Joyce, boyfriend ke! I don't have any boyfriend oo. Am always in this house if you go out oooh..." I quickly answered.

"That's good. So do you know that kind of job I do?" She asked me next.

How do I tell her I know she is a prostitute? I couldn't say yes so, I lied. "8 don't oo... I asked you but you say I wasn't old enough to know."

"Well, now you are old enough. You are no longer a baby and I think it's time you join the business. You don't expect me to keep feeding and clothing you forever right?" She asked. At that time, I already knew where the discussion was going to but, I didn't say anything. "I am what you will call runs-girl. I believe you know what that is?"

My heartbeat kept increasing with every word she said. Would I have to run away from here also? "I know what a runs girl is," I answered.

"Don't take it the wrong way but it's time I teach you how to make your own money. You are old enough to start living your own life. I love you and that's why I accepted you under my roof. I saw a beautiful girl and I knew you will be great. I want you to go out with me tonight and I will teach you all the tricks you need to know!" She said.

I didn't want to go into prostitution and didn't want my answer to sound like an insult so I said "but, I could do other things... Maybe you should allow me to go out and search for a job..."

"Look Rose, I know what you might be thinking. I am a graduate. I finished university and I still didn't get a job, talk more of you who only went to secondary school! This is the best job anyone can ever offer you, Rose... Think about it. With the money you make, you can easily further your education and still live fine like I am now..." She said.

"But aunt Joyce, I don't want to sell my body to different men... I don't want to..."

"You are not selling your body Rose, it's called runs. You have fun and still, get paid. Go and think about it. I'll wait for your answer by the end of the week." She said and laid down.

I knew the discussion had come to an end when she did that so I left her room. For the remainder of the week, I kept thinking of what to do and no solution came to mind. By the end of the week, Aunt Joyce bought new clothes and asked me to get ready that she wanted to take me out. She took me to the popular nightclub called downtown. It's located in lekki and only the rich and all these big boys and girls go there.

When we got there, she showed the hefty bouncers at the door a card and we were allowed in. She took me to the bar and asked me to wait for her that, she wants to use the restroom. "Sit here and wait for me, I need to use the restroom!" She had to shout due to the loud music.

"Let me go with you..." I said holding her hand preventing her to go.

She assured me she will be back as fast as possible and said, "if anyone offers to buy you a drink, just accept it and enjoy yourself. I won't stay long."

After she left, I was sitting and watching what was happening around and waiting for her but, she didn't come back. After waiting for over thirty minutes, I decided to go and look for her in the restroom. I managed to locate the restroom and she wasn't there.

At that moment, I knew she had tricked me. She had brought me here to introduce me to the so-called business. I felt lost and confused. How do I manage to get out of here? I decided to find my way back to the bar and wait till whenever she decided to come back for me.

I hadn't been there for long when someone approached me. "Hey beautiful, can I buy you a drink?"

His voice was so rich and, he had this accent that one would call oyinbo tongue. I turned to face him and wow! He was fucking handsome. "Hi..." I answered shyly.

"I have been watching you for a while now and you look like you want to be somewhere else!" He said and smiled.

"Oh, I... It's..." I couldn't form any coherent sentence. It was like anything I wanted to say wouldn't come out.

"Hey, don't be shy ok, am Christopher Allen by the way," he said and offered his hand to me.

His name was a wake-up call to me. It was like as if his name brought his face into full focus. I wasn't a fan of gossip but, I watch entertainment shows and I know who is standing with me. He is the only son of the billionaire, Mr. Allen. His father is well known for his multiple business interests and it was rumored that his son just got back From the states to take over his father's business.

Who would have thought that my first night out would bring me to such a person? My silence must have freaked him out cause, he had to tap my shoulder to get my attention again. "Are you ok?"

"No... I.. Yes... I mean, yes am fine. Am sorry I spaced out. My name is Blessing." I introduced myself but, with another name. I didn't want to tell him my real name cause I felt I shouldn't.

"Nice meeting you Blessing, I must admit you are a blessing. You are fully blessed..." He complimented.

We got to talk and I learned he just got back just like the news said and he would be taking over his father's company. It was like we were very good friends because the conversation became cool and I started to relax. I even allowed him but me a drink. I had never drunk more than a glass in my entire life so, it didn't take long for me to get drunk.

The last thing I remembered that night was getting into his car. I woke up the next morning in bed with him. I was fully naked and with the pain in between my legs, I knew something happened between us. I quickly got up and dressed, intending to leave as fast as possible when I fell onto a bag.

The bag opened and what I saw inside shocked me. It was filled with money and, not just any kind of money. It was filled with dollar notes. I am not a thief but I believe I deserve some payments for the service rendered. I quickly got up and took a bundle out of the bag and dressed up.

I looked at the money and thought that was my chance to make a life for myself. Maybe God wanted me to have something that was why he brought him to me last night. I was still looking and thinking if I should take the money or not when, I remembered that, I could use that money to set up myself. I wouldn't have to go back to Aunt Joyce's place and I could even go back to school.

I made up my mind and took all the money then ran out of the room without waking him up.

~present day~

"After I left you, I left Lagos that very day. I rented an apartment intending to use the money to train myself through university but, a few weeks to my jamb exam, I found out I was pregnant. I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it so, I bought a house and started this business. I knew school was out of the question so, I started this business so that I would give the child a comfortable life." He didn't say a word while I was talking neither did his expression change.

He was quiet for a long time before he said, "I want to meet my child!"

I knew he would want that but I wasn't ready. "I... Allow me to tell her about you first. Please," I pleaded.

He got up from the chair and buttoned up his suit then said, "very well, tell her about me. I will be at your house tomorrow for dinner."

"You know where I live?" I asked him.

He looked at me for a while like I am stupid then said, "I have watched you for a whole month and I know everything I need to know. I'll see you tomorrow."

After saying that, he left. There is no way I would sit still in the office anymore so, I went back home and prepared my daughter's favorite dish. I need to tell her about her father so, I need her to be happy.