Chapter Twenty Six

"Sure... We can talk about something else," Rose said but her smile never left her face.

"Ok..." Christopher said and closed his laptop. "How about I ask you a question and you ask me one in return?" He suggested.

"That's ok. Let's do it. You go first," Rose said.

"Ok, my first question is, have you ever thought of looking for your birth mother?" Christopher asked her.

"No," Rose answered without thinking. "She threw me away after birth so, why do I have to look for her?" Rose said.

"Ok. Your turn." Christopher said to her.

"What is that one thought that has always been in your head?" Rose asked.

"My mom. I have always thought about how my life will be if she is alive but for some years now, another thing has been added. You." Christopher said looking into her eyes.

Rose didn't know what to say when he was staring at her so intently. Even her words felt stuck to her throat. It was Christopher who broke the trance by saying, "I guess it's my turn now." To which Rose nodded her head. "Ok. Do you still want to further your education?" He asked her.

It took a while for Rose to answer that question. "Hmmm, I don't know. I haven't thought about schooling for years." She answered.

"Why is that?" Christopher asked.

"It's one question per turn and you have asked your question so, it's my turn," Rose said. "What is your deepest dream?"

"Wow, that's deep. Before I came to Nigeria, I dreamt of coming back and after coming back and setting up my business, I have been dreaming of you." Christopher said. "Now it's my turn."

"Why do I feel like all your answers have me in them?" Rose asked.

"It's my turn so, I can't answer that question," Christopher said and smiled. "So, why haven't you thought about furthering your education?" He asked.

"I just stopped thinking about school after finding out that I was pregnant and after giving birth, I thought about growing my business, taking care of Princess and, what will happen when you find me," Rose answered.

"Finally! One of your answers has me in it." Christopher said and smiled brightly. "Your turn."

Rose thought for a while before asking, "how many ex-girlfriends do you have?"

"Hmm, let me think..." Christopher said and tapped his temple to show what he was thinking. After a while, he said, "I can't remember. They are so many that I didn't keep number." Christopher said.

"Really? You can't even remember the number?" She asked.

"Yes, I can't remember. Does it disturb you?" He asked her.

"Why would it disturb me? I wasn't in your life then so, it doesn't concern me." Rose said but, she didn't look at him all through.

"Well, it's my turn. How many ex-boyfriends do you have?" Christopher asked her the same question.

"I can't remember. You don't expect me to keep count of that. Do you?" Rose asked.

"No, I don't expect you to keep count. I am sure that they are so many that you won't even be able to remember their faces. Being the beautiful girl that you are." Christopher said and relaxed into the chair.

"What time is it sef?" Rose asked as she looked around for her phone.

"It's a few minutes to six..." Christopher answered. "Why do you ask?" He asked her after thinking about it.

"We need to wake princess up. If she sleeps longer, she won't go back to bed early." Rose explained and stood up.

"Let's give her a few more minutes. I like our time together..." Christopher said.

"Well, our time for today is up and I want to help Mrs. Rita in the kitchen," Rose said walking towards the door.

Christopher hurriedly got up and ran after her. "You didn't answer my question." He said when he met her outside the room door.

"What question is that? If I can remember correctly, I answered what you asked." Rose said.

"No. You didn't answer when I asked if you would still like to further your education." Christopher said.

"Well, I answered you. I told you that I haven't thought about that for a long time now. Didn't I?" Rose asked.

"You did. I was only asking you know if you want to but, since you haven't had time to think about it, why don't you think about it and let me know?" Christopher said. At that time, they had gotten to Princess's room so, Rose didn't say anything. They entered into the room and discovered that Princess had woken up. "So, I am still waiting for an answer," Christopher said.

"Does it bother you that I didn't go to university?" Rose asked.

"No, it doesn't matter to me at all. I was only asking." Christopher answered her quickly.

"Good. Since it doesn't matter to you, we need to find out where Princess ran off to after waking up instead of coming to me." Rose said and walked out of the room leaving Christopher to follow behind.

"Rose," Christopher called. She stopped walking and turned to face him and he said, "I am sorry if I offended you. I just want you to do what you want. I didn't mean you get on your nerves. Am sorry.." Christopher apologized.

"It's ok. Am sorry if I overreacted but it's just that, there are some things that you can't have. Thanks, for caring but I don't think I want to go back to school." Rose said. She didn't want to tell him that she had thought of going back to continue her studies but ended up giving up. She gave up on that because she didn't want to be too busy and then spend less time with her daughter.

"Ok. I won't ask again but if you change your mind. Let me know." Christopher said.

"Yes sir. I will let you know if I end up changing my mind. Now, help me look for Princess while I help Mrs. Rita out in the kitchen." Rise said and walked towards the kitchen while Christopher went to look for Princess.

Rose got to the kitchen and met Mrs. Rita there. "Good evening ma," Rose greeted when she entered the kitchen.

"Ha!!" Mrs. Rita exclaimed out of shock. "You scared me a little. What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Sorry to have scared you. I just thought I should give you a helping hand." Rose explained.

"That's so kind of you but, you should go and rest more. I will handle everything here." Mrs. Rita said. "Go ahead and watch tv or something. Once I am done, I will let you know." She said and tried to push her out.

"Please, let me help. Even if it's to cut onion I won't mind. You might even forget that I am here. I won't make a sound." Rose said.

"Hmm, do you think your presence can be ignored?" Mrs. Rita asked as she stopped trying to push her out. "My dear, your presence can never be ignored. In all my years of working with Christopher, he has never smiled as much as he has since last night. He is nice to employees and all that but, he hardly jokes around. The inky people he jokes around with are, his dog, his friend Uzo, along with myself and Audu." Mrs. Rita explained as she continued to take out the ingredients she would be needing.

"I don't understand..." Rose said because she wanted to know more about Christopher.

"Well, to put it short, he hardly stays at home and for the very first time, he is at home. His friend is the one always forcing him to come home and that's because he likes free food. You'll see him very soon and I am sure of that." Mrs. Rita said.

"If I understand you correctly now, what you are saying is that Christopher is more of a workaholic?" Rose asked.

"Yes. All he does is work, work, and work. He doesn't like to come to the house and there is always this tiredness around him." Mrs. Rita said. "Now you promised to stay out of my way so, help me with the onions."

"What are you making?" Rose asked her.

"How does fried rice and chicken sound?" Mrs. Rita asked.

"That sounds great!!" Rose answered with a smile.

"Good. About a month ago, Christopher came to me and told me that about you. He wanted to know if it was right to show up at your doorstep or not." Mrs. Rita explained.

"And?" Rose asked because she was very curious. She wanted to know everything that concerns him.

"And, I told him to take a chance if he loves you. I told him not to allow his second chance to slip through his hands. But guess what? It took him a month to come to you." Mrs. Rita explained and laughed at the memory.

"So, after finding out my location, he still wasted time before coming to look for me?" Rose asked.

"Yes, he did. I even asked him why he hasn't come to look for you and he said he was scared." Mrs. Rita added.

"Why would he be scared?" Rose asked as she started cutting the onions.

Mrs. Rita chuckled and said, "don't underestimate the power of love. According to him, he said you might run away If you find out that, he knows your location. He said he will prefer to watch you and his daughter from afar if that would keep you close."

"Then, why did he come to look for me?" Rose asked.

"Well, I guess the fear of getting married to Madam Cindy pushed him to come to you." Mrs. Rita said.

Rose finished cutting the onion and placed them aside. "Madam Cindy?" She asked.

"Yes, madam Cindy. She would come here unannounced and order everyone around. We all prayed to God that he shouldn't allow Christopher to get married to that peacock." Mrs. Rita said.

"You all don't seem to like her," Rose commented.

"Like her? Who would like that kind of ill-mannered girl? I was over the moon with happiness when Christopher eventually decided to come for you." Mrs. Rita explained and smiled at Rose. "I must say, that young man chose well. He brought home a beautiful wife and daughter. Isn't that what we all call double blessing?" Mrs. Rita said.

"What if I turn out worse than Cindy is?" Rose questioned.

"I am pretty good at judging people and I am sure that you are nowhere as bad as Cindy is." Mrs. Rita answered.

"What's up, ladies!!" They heard someone shout from the entrance of the kitchen.

They both turned at and Mrs. Rita laughed and shook her head at the newcomer. "Why are always loud? Can't you be as gentle as your friend?" She asked.

"Haba Mrs. Rita, Christopher is not quiet. He is boring. If I don't come here to make your life lively then, how will you smile so beautifully?" Uzo asked as he walked into the kitchen. He went and hugged Mrs. Rita and when he turned to face Rose, he said. "Wow, no wonder that boring man couldn't get over you. I am the almighty Uzo. And don't bother to introduce yourself. I know who you are." Uzo said with a smile.

"Nice to meet you," Rose said.

"Don't be so polite with him. He is only here for the food. He comes here every day for dinner so don't let him fool you. He didn't come here to check on anyone." Mrs. Rita said moving about the kitchen. She was already boiling the chickens and the rice was being parboiled.

"Hmm, I smell something nice cooking..." Uzo said and made to open the pot that was on the stove but, Mrs. Rita was fast and hit his hand with the spoon she was holding. "Ouch, how can you be so mean, I just wanted to help you out..." He whined.

Rose who was watching the show couldn't hold in her laughter anymore had to laugh. "No wonder..." She said.

"No wonder what?" Uzo asked and she shook her head that there was nothing. "Don't tell me Christopher jas been bad mouthing me behind my back?"

"What would you do if I badmouth you?" Christopher who just walked into the kitchen with Princess said.

"Mommy!!!" Princess shouted as she ran to her mother.

"How is my baby doing?" Rose asked as she bent and picked her up.

"Your baby is doing very find," Princess answered and hugged her neck.

"Wow, am I invincible that you didn't even notice me?" Uzo asked as he walked close to Princess and Rose. "I am your uncle Uzo. Did that ugly father of yours tell you about me?"

"My dad is not ugly!!" Princess shouted. "He is the most handsome man in this whole wide world," Princess added.

"Really? Cause I can't see the handsomeness you are talking about tho..." Uzo said.

"That's because..."

"Stop it, Princess. Say hello before anything." Rose said to Princess.

"Don't stop her, please. That just goes to show that Christopher is really her father. Come in Princess... Give uncle Uzo a hug," he said and opened his arms wide for Princess.

"Go ahead," Rose said to Princess.

Princess stretched out her arms and Uzo collected her from Rose. "You are so cute," he said to Princess and turned to Christopher to say, "I am jealous of you man. Let me adopt your daughter na"

"Go and give birth to your own," Christopher said and took Princess out of his arms. "Come here, baby. Don't call him uncle. He is not your uncle."

"Do you all see that?" Uzo asked. "Is that what a good father should say to his daughter about his best buddy?" Uzo asked aggrieved. "If I were you, I would abandon him and look for a better man," he said turning to Rose.

"That's enough boys!! This place is already too crowded. Now all of you get out and let me work." Mrs. Rita said shooing them all out.

"I want to help," Princess said.

"Ok, only the princess of the house stays. The rest of you, out!" Mrs. Rita said and collected Princess from Christopher's arms.

"I also want to help," Rose said.

"No can do. Go with your husband and friend. You all should do what youths do these days. I will be done with the food in a while. Now, go..." She said pushing them all out.