Chapter Three

"Hey boo." I heard the very sweet, alluring and enticing voice of my equally sweet sister and I squealed. I rushed straight into her arms while she giggled. Oh! I missed the sweet sound.

Meet my beautiful older sister, Laila Tolani Gregg, as I mentioned earlier, she's a corporate lawyer working for a private firm.

My sister is indeed a beauty. In all honesty, I was surrounded by lots of beautiful people,make and female alike. We have great genes I tell you.

Laila is more of a light skinned person than I am but she's a few shades darker than Tana and I'm proudly chocolate skinned. Something I got from my dad. My facial features though are more likely to my mum's, same as Laila's.

"Why didn't tell me you were coming?" I questioned after breaking the hug.

"And ruin the surprises? Surely you should know me better sis."She replied with a smug smile. Typical her.

"Anyhow..." I drawled as we ascended the stairs."What did you get me?" I grinned.She gave me a blank stare in return and my smile fell.

"Are you a baby? Am I supposed to buy ssomething?" She asked mockingly.

"You'll go back to wherever you came from .Don't even try me!" I warned playfully but she just kept on laughing.We got to her cost bedroom and I dropped myself on the bed as she shuffled around the room trying to check if every thing was in place. Laila was a neat freak alright.

"I missed you though," I admitted. For the few weeks she was away, the house felt empty without her present.

"Me too baby, me too." She smiled as she laid next to to me.

"Wait, what's with all these pet names? Did you hit your head in Dubai or something?" I teased and she pinched my left arm with her sharp acrylic.

"Ouch!" I yelped in pain.

"Serves you right." She stuck her tongue at me.

"Agbaya" I muttered but she heard me, unfortunately. Translation:(Useless elder.

She kicked me out of her room. This was how our relationship was and it made me laugh every time.

I went to my room anyways, since someone kicked me out of her territory but in only a matter of minutes, we exchanged roles as she was the one who plopped on my bed as I changed out of my outfit.I laughed so hard when she walked in.

"Well, how was your trip?"

"It was good, no hitches." She answered.

"Thank God." I said, while she hummed in response and yawned right after.

"Aunty, don't swallow me o."

"Leave me, I'm hungry."

"What do you want to eat?" I asked. I was in front of the mirror taking off my earrings, while she was busy checking out one of my tops. I knew she wanted it but I wasn't giving.

"I don't know. What's in the house?" She asked absentmindedly, simply enamoured by the cyan chiffon dress shirt with glittery writings on top.

"Go and see for yourself, but first, drop my shirt. I'm not giving you." I told flatly.

"What makes you think I want it?" She feigned surprise and I gave her a blank stare.

"Ugh, fine..." She groaned and soon started pleading with me to hand it over to her .

"Not a chance, leave my top." I dragged her out before she could plead even more.

Down in the kitchen, we continued our girly banters while I fixed her meal. She wanted spaghetti and out of my own good will, I helped her prep it. The cook wasn't in anyway.

"How have you been coping with mum and dad?" She questioned in between mouthfuls. I scoffed.

"Laila, you know how it is, their own wahala never gets old."(Trouble)

I heard the main gate come open, an indicator that my parents had arrived from work. I sucked in a breath just after Laila and I exchanged knowing looks. Cue the eye roll. I walked out of the kitchen with her in tow. Coincidentally, my parents were just walking in as well. Dad, as usual, walking ahead of mum.

We all exchanged greetings after which they went up to their respective bedrooms to freshen up. Yes, they did not share a bedroom. We were a complicated bunch but that's a story for another day.

Dinner was served and we all sat, eating in silence until something or rather someone had to ruin the peaceful moment for me.

"Titilola." Dad called out to me, strangely with a lazy grin on his lips, I responded with a curious stare. He quirked his eyebrow and I quickly corrected myself.

"Yes daddy?" I answered meekly.

"I have news for you."

Oh boy, this could not be good news.

"Mr Oluwole has agreed to give you a job."" He grinned.

"What's the catch?" I blurted out without thinking, much to his displeasure. But I was right, there had to be a reason why the person in question would agree to give me a job in his company on a platter of gold, mind you, without an interview.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He questioned angrily, putting me on the edge.

"Daddy, Lola's right. Mr Oluwole is a businessman and we all know him well, he's got to want something in return for his generousity." Laila rationalised and I nodded in agreement only to receive a glare that had us shifting uncomfortably on our seats.

"Are you two okay at all?" Mum voiced out finally, not in our favour of course.

"You're being offered a job opportunity in the financial department of a prestigious organisation and you're here running your mouth. You should be on your knees, thanking your father for going to such great lengths for you." She lectured and I had to refrain from rolling my eyes. She just had to agree with everything my dad said especially when you needed her on your side.

"I'm sorry but can I think about it?" I managed to get out before my mum scoffed and glared at me, obviously displeased.

"Think?! You're not serious, this-" She was scolding.

"It's alright Felicia." Dad butted in and I was grateful cause I was definitely going to get an earful but for his timely intervention.

"Lola."

I turned to him.

"You have till the end of this week to 'think'." He made air quotes with the last word. "But i don't care whatever the outcome of your thoughts are, you're working there whether you like it or not."

I gulped and nodded stiffly, excusing myself from the table, my appetite long gone. I made my way up the stairs, faintly hearing Laila excuse herself from the table as well. So much for a family dinner.

I crouched on my bed ,leaning against the headboard with my legs in a lotus position. I hated how I felt so weak when it came to taking a stand for myself. I picked up my sketchpad and flipped through, somewhat marveled at my creations that sadly would never be brought to life. I bit hard on my lower lip to stop myself from crying.

"Don't even think about crying." I heard the stern voice of my sister. It startled me so much, my sketchpad flew out of my hand, landing on the floor.

She picked it up and glanced through the pages. The awed expression on her face said it all, she was impressed. She placed it back on the bed, climbed in and sat next to me. She had my head on her shoulder in the next minute and my arms wrapped around her slim waist.

"What are you going to do?" She finally asked. I gave a small shrug, I had no idea what to do or say. I was obviously too scared to go against my dad but I really wanted to follow my dreams. Those seemingly outrageous fantasies of being a lead designer in the fashion industry were the things that made me happy, truly happy.

"You don't think it's about time you told them?" She asked, softly patting my hair, I snuggled closer, basking in her warmth.

"I'm scared." I managed to voice out.

"You know I'm here for you but, if you don't say anything, how am I supposed to help your plight?" She reasoned.

She was right, but my reticence and taciturnity had eaten so deep into me, I cowered at the slightest amount of pressure from anywhere. Little did I know all that was about to change.

"I'll just have to take the job." I replied on impulse. See? I never did well under pressure, I always made impulsive and sometimes overly ridiculous decisions just like this one.

Laila gave a long sign, she knew me all too well. She knew exactly what was going on in my pretty little head.

"It's your choice at the end of the day, just do what makes you happy." She admonished, leaving me to my thoughts.She was apparently jet lagged and she needed the rest.

****

"Oh no, you don't!" Tana shook her head vehemently. Her disapproval was apparently as a result of me accepting to take the job my parents had secured on my behalf.

"Ugggh!" I grunted. "Tana, I already explained. I have no choice."

She scowled.

"Your reticence is slowly getting on my nerves." She spat.

"Sis, tell them and bear whatever consequence there is,sometimes you have to put your happiness first." She counseled, the frown, still marring her features. She paced the room in a frenzy, dishing one motivational quote after the other. All of that was making me dizzy and when i voiced that out, the glare she shot my way had me clamping my mouth shut again.

"Seriously though, Lola you don't have to take that job. You can make it on your own, I believe in you." I smiled at that. At least someone believed in me, I thought.

"Tana, I don't have a-" I was saying when she cut me off, seemed like she had an epiphany all of a sudden.

"Sabotage the job! That's it!" She had face splitting grin on, obviously proud of whatever she had just presumed was the solution.

"How do you mean?"

"Don't put your heart into it, get it all wrong so he'll fire you and then you can move on to your dreams without restrictions since you 'failed' in the corporate world." She rambled on and i listened, fighting the urge to burst into a bout of unending laughter. Unfortunately, my lips twitched and she noticed.

"Why do you look so amused?"

"Nothing, sorry." I said after letting a chuckle elude my lips.

"Oh, you think I'm saying nonsense? Idiot, I'm trying to help you here!" She looked really frustrated and I had to turn serious that point.

"I get that and I totally appreciate it but I don't think it's going to work. Besides if I sabotage the job, my parents would most likely get me another one." I explained in the best way I could.

"That's why you have to tell them about it. I'm actually buying you some time here." She resoned and after lots of hesitation, I agreed, just hoping it would work out in the end.

"Fineee" I drawled, giving in.

"Yay!" She exclaimed. "Trust me, when you do decide to have a fashion show to display your designs, I'll have my models showcase them for you." She promised in the midst of her excitement and pulled me into a tight embrace which I returned with a sigh. What would I do without this girl? Here goes nothing...