Chapter Twenty Eight

When they were all pushed out of the kitchen, Rose looked at the situation and found it funny. She saw how aggrieved Uzo looked and started laughing.

"Wow, bro. Her laughter is so free. You need this burst of laughter in your dry life." Uzo said as he watched Rose.

When Rose noticed that she was the inky one laughing, she composed herself and asked, "what?"

"Nothing!!" Christopher and Uzo answered at the same time.

"If nothing then, why are you two watching me? Have I turned into an actress?" Rose asked and pushed the two of them out of her way and walked off.

"Hey, where are you going to?" Christopher asked and walked after her.

"See these two oooh, wait for me sister-in-law," Uzo said and also walked after them.

Rose who was trying to run away from them to avoid the awkward moment from earlier walked faster when she heard what they both said. Christopher caught up to her and said, "wait up... Where are you running to?"

"Who is running? I am going to my room. Call me when dinner is ready." She said trying to make a run but, Uzo got to them and held her other hand.

"Why would you go into your room when I am here? We need to get to know each other and then gang up against this husband of yours." Uzo said.

"He is not my full husband yet. He still has a lot of work to do." Rose said and looked and Uzo. Looking at him closely, she realized that he was also quite handsome. Light skinned but not as light as Christopher. Brown eyes and a smile playing on his lips. From what she saw Rose concluded he was a likable person and easy to be friends with.

"I think I like you more with what you just said. Let's be partners and give him hard tasks... What do you say?" Uzo asked still holding onto Rose's hand.

"Go and get a girlfriend and stop meddling in my affairs!" Christopher said and pulled Rose away from Uzo.

"Bro, didn't you hear what she said? She talk say you never even enter boyfriend level. You still gat hustle wella..." Uzo said with a mocking smile on his lips.

"That's still my business. Go and get a life." Christopher said and pulled Rose closer to his side.

Rose could feel Christopher's palm in her body through the cloth she was putting on. She tried to move but he held her in place so, she said. "I seriously need to do something in my room. Let's get to work together Uzo. I'd like to have a partner like you."

"Did you hear that!??" Uzi said happily. "She agreed to become partners with me. Your own finish..." He said and walked to stand beside Christopher and patted his shoulder then said, "you stress the life out of me and now, it's my turn. Let's see how you escape me... Ha, this feels so good already!"

"Enjoy, while you still can because, it's just for a while. Your fun won't last as long as you think..." Christopher said to him with a frown.

Rose took that opportunity and slipped away from them. Christopher noticed her walking away and watched as she walked away from him. He wanted to go after her but, Uzo stopped him and said, "let her go, bro. We need to talk."

"This better be worth my time," Christopher said.

"Don't worry, you won't regret listening to what I have to say," Uzo said and walked towards the library in the house and Christopher had no other choice than to go with him.

They all didn't notice the person who stood behind a pillar and listened to all what they said. It was the same person who had called Cindy.

(Note from the author: I will call this person, UNKNOWN. so whenever you see that name, you know it's the person monitoring their move.)

Unknown walked out from behind the pillar and looked at the top of the stairs towards the direction Rose had walked. "How I wish I could just kill you. Or should I start with that small black monkey that you brought here as a child?" Unknown murmured. "Why isn't that spoilt brat here yet? I thought she is sharp sef." Unknown said and walked away.

Rose got to her room and after closing the door behind her, she leaned against the door and a smile spread across her face. Christopher acting so clingy was sweet and she didn't feel like moving but she was too shy to stay there longer. She has never had the opportunity to keep friends when she was growing up. She made a friend but that didn't last as the girl's parents moved her to a private school when they were in Primary five. Every other person was always staying far from her or teasing her over one thing or the other. Now, the tables are turning. She got a daughter, a husband, people who like her, and a younger sister. None of them had made fun of her over anything. With these thoughts, she went and sat down to wait till dinner is ready.

Christopher and Uzo got into the library and Uzo looked left and right before closing the door behind them. "What's with all this secrecy?" Christopher asked.

"You cannot be too careful. What if someone follows us here and listens to what I want to say?" Uzo asked as he went and sat down.

"Just say what you want to say. I don't have all night to listen to you." Christopher said.

"Ok, sit down abeg... With the way you are standing, it's making me uncomfortable." Uzo said which earned him a glare from Christopher. "Sorry... So what I want to say is that the mall is ready to be opened on Monday."

"Is that what you want to say that you are acting so secretive about?" Christopher asked.

"Is it not enough? I thought it's a surprise and we should be careful because we don't know who is working for your father." Uzo said.

"You are right but, my father will never have a say in this. I didn't use out of his money and did you forget that, I am not poor?" Christopher said.

"No vex, I forgot that you are you. But still, we need to be careful. We wouldn't want to endanger or jeopardize what we are doing." Uzo said.

"You are right tho. I am sure my dad would not take the news of my marriage lying low. He would be furious when he finds out." Christopher said with a smirk.

"Please stop smiling like that. It's creepy." Uzo said and shuddered.

"What's creepy?"

"Nothing. Nothing is creepy. Will you come out to the office tomorrow?" Uzo asked trying to change the topic.

"Yes... We'll have to go to the I'll so that I can check everything out and, I want to see her office." Christopher said.

"Don't worry, I designed it just the way you asked me to, and besides I didn't hear you saying thank you to me!!" Uzo said.

"Thank you for what?" Christopher asked.

"Thank you for all I did. From doing everything possible to get you that marriage certificate and designing your daughter's room and then working as your PA, which is do tiring and even overseeing all your business." Uzo said in one go.

"Don't I pay you?" That was what Christopher said after all Uzo complained about.

"Jeez, you are not compassionate at all. The pay is not even enough sef," Uzo said.

"It's not enough?" Christopher inquired.

"At least increase it. You stress me way more than you pay." Uzo said.

"Fine. Maybe I should stop giving you so much time and reduce your payments. That way, you won't have the time to come here every day." Christopher said.

"E never reach that one na. You are the best. Please don't add more work to the one I have right now, don't you want me to find a wife as well?" Uzo let out.

"Then stop complaining. Please get out of my library and let me pass. You better start looking for where you will be going to eat free food from now onwards. I don't want you coming to interfere in my family." Christopher said walking out.

Uzo laughed at what he said and walked out after him but not without saying, "look at you that is always begging to come home with you. You are now sending me away because you have a wife now. Wonders shall never end." He said but didn't get any reply from Christopher.

They got to the sitting room and met Mrs. Rita and Princess talking happily as they walked towards the stairs. "Where are you two going to?" Uzo who didn't know how to be quite asked.

"We have finished cooking and we are looking for all of you. We were going to check Rose in her room." Mrs. Rita answered with a smile.

"Ok. Why don't you all go ahead and have a seat while I call Rose?" Christopher suggested.

"I'll go with Daddy," Princess said and waited for her father to walk towards her.

Christopher got to where Princess was standing with Mrs. Rita and carried her then, walked up the stairs to Call Rose.

Mrs. Rita and Uzo who were left standing and looking at the duo as they walked away could only sigh and walk to the dining room to wait for them. While they were waiting, Uzo asked. "Why do I feel like we will be ignored a lot from now onwards?"

"That's because we will be ignored. Maybe It's time you also get a wife, you are the same age as Christopher and he is already married and to top it off, he is a father. When will you get married?" Mrs. Rita asked Uzo.

"Are you also trying to tell me off? That ungrateful friend asked me to stop coming here," Uzo complained. "Can you imagine?"

"Yes, I can imagine. If I were him, I would tell you the same thing." Mrs. Rita said.

"Gosh, people don't even know how to appreciate one's presence at all. If I stop coming here, how will you get to laugh so happily like you are doing now?" Uzo said.

"Keep deceiving yourself. Don't go and get married ooo. Stay there and be deceiving yourself." Mrs. Rita said between laughter.

Princess and Christopher got to Rose's room and knocked gently. After a few minutes, they heard Rose's voice from behind the closed door asking them to come in. "Food is ready mom," Princess said immediately they walked into the room.

"Ok, you guys go ahead I'll meet you there. Let me wash my face. I slept off while waiting." Rose said as she got off the bed.

"Ok. Let's go, baby, mommy will meet us at the dining table." Christopher said and beckoned on Princess to come to him.

"Ok. We'll wait for you mom. Grandma allowed me to put salt in the food." Princess said proudly.

"Grandma?" Rose asked. Christopher wasn't surprised and he looked as relaxed as ever.

"Yes, grandma. Mrs. Rita said I could call her grandma." Princess said happily. "Isn't that great?"

"That's great baby. Now go with your dad. I'll be there shortly." Rose said. She watched as Christopher picked Princess up and they walked out of the room leaving her alone. If there was one thing Rose wanted in this life, it would be to give her daughter a complete and happy family. Added to the list is a grandma. She was happy that her daughter is happy and based on what she had learned about Christopher, he is also happier than he has been in years. If her decision to get married and taste the waters could bring about such good changes in the life of the people involved then, she would happily take the same decision again. With this thinking, Rose went into the bathroom that could accommodate about six people and they would not get in each other's way. She washed her face and walked out. Ahe walked down the stairs quietly and could hear the argument going on between Princess and Uzo. She got to the door to the dining room and watched as they argued on.

"Mommy said that, If you talk bad about other people then, you are likely to be a bad person as well," Princess said crossing her little arms over her chest and looking away from Uzo.

"Your dad is not part of the other people your mom was talking about," Uzo said.

"I don't want to talk to you anymore. You talk too much," Princess said.

Rose was expecting Christopher to stop Princess from talking to Uzo like that but he just rubbed her head affectionately and said, "don't talk to him If he makes you talk too much. He talks a lot and it's not good for the body. It reduces that brain," Christopher said with a serious expression.

"Is that what you are supposed to say?" Rose finally said because she couldn't stand and watch any longer and besides, Mrs. Rita was also laughing at Uzo.

"Finally, there is someone who Is not as wicked as the rest of you," Uzo said and stood up to pull out a seat for Rose.

"What did I do? I only said the truth. You should also try to avoid him." Christopher answered Rose.

"That's wrong. And wicked. You should...." Rose was saying but was interrupted by a loud voice.

"Get out of my way you fool... None of you poor idiots can stop me from entering this house!!!" They all heard.

Everyone in the house at that moment could already understand what was happening except Rose and Princess. "What's going on?" Rose asked no one in particular.

"It's nothing serious. I will handle it." Christopher said and got up. He hadn't even taken a step away from the table when someone rushed into his arms and kissed him In the mouth.