Female in Progress 2

Ohla Bee,

How's you?

Put up the last post from my phone and used the smileys there, hoping they'd show. Tough luck...

Oh well.. Better that than nothing,si?

Continuing the book. Here goes.

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He's like super top management and I was blasting him with my sharp tongue.

I glance at my phone and it's almost end of the work day. Not wasting a second, I clear out my desk and sort out all that needed my attention while I was away. In a few minutes I'm done and I race out of the building before he thinks to come down.

So maybe he might come down in subsequent days, but then I'd be all collected.

 ”Definitely not today."

I'm so preoccupied with replaying the whole scene in my head, I barely notice when I'm home. Rushing in slightly mortified, I'm surprised to see my younger brother hard at work rustling up dinner.

Francis has a place of his own but is quite convinced that I'd starve if he doesn't do his good deed of cooking for me, at least once a week. He runs a restaurant and is constantly 'cooking' up new ways to wow the taste buds of his clients.

 "Good! You're back earlier than I expected. Wouldn't you just take in that aroma! Elle, when I grow up, I want to be just like you…living the good life and having my own personal chef."

I go over to hug him and punch him lightly. As much as he says he's here with his benevolent self to care for me, he probably has something he wants to talk about and knowing him, he’d take his time dancing around it. So, I slump into a nearby chair and chin in hand and eyes closed, take a moment to lean forward and inhale and appreciate the aroma coming from my cooking area.

Who’d have thought this house would smell this great today?! Yippee!!! I have food for the weekend.

Still smiling, I open my eye and take in the hunk in front of me that is my brother. I must have had a dreamy look on my face because when he eventually turns, it is to look at me quizzically.

“What?”

Smiling and stretching, “Nothing o!’There’s just this air about you. Calm, serene like you.. Did you land some big project?!”

“Nope”

“Or meet a new flame? Pun intended”

“No! Stop guessing already! Here, taste this.”

He scoops out some of the sauce for me and it tastes smooth and oh so yummy… Not that I’d expected any different.

“Dearest Lord! Thank you for blessing me with this child of yours and keeping me from untimely death as a result of undernourishment, Amen!”

His arm darts out so fast I don’t see it coming.

The tickles!!!

I collapse on the floor in laughter.

Sitting beside me on the floor, “So, that’s the thanks I get for all my hours of slaving away at your fake stove, abi?”

I’m still trying to recover from my laughing fit and wipe the tears from my eyes. “Well, emm, no one asked you to. Ok ok! Sorry, thank you!!” Finally calm, I look up to him and he has a serious look on his face.

“Whatsamatter?”, I ask jokingly.

“Nothing. I just felt this sharp pain in my chest.”

“Pain? Have you had it checked out?” I sit up. Fran is never sick. Growing up, he was always grumbling about how he never got to skip school unlike me, Sickly Sally.

“Calm down. It’s probably because I’ve been working myself too hard these few months. A glass of wine and some rest ought to do the magic.”

Still rubbing his hand against his shirt,” In fact, I feel better. It’s nothing. I wanted to wait to tell you after dinner but if you had a stick, you’d beat it out of me so…I’m opening a new place, same concept but a lot bigger to cater to, hopefully, a larger clientele. There. You have it. Now, we eat.”

“Wow! That’s great news! You don’t seem super excited about it though. What aren’t you saying?”

“Well… there’s this other offer I got; to work for a 5 star hotel and it pays really well. I’m just wondering if I’m doing the right thing, I guess.”

“Ok…” I know how hard he’s worked to even get to where he is, with carving a niche for himself and having his work speak for itself. And as attractive an offer as the other option is, it wouldn't give him as much satisfaction as doing his own thing. Maybe not the same gratification, money-wise… but in the long run, he’d get there. That, I’m sure of.

“You know what I think?”

“What?”

“I think we should eat. The food is almost cold and I… we would think clearly if we had food in our bellies.” 

Playfully pushing him towards the food, I try to think of how to get him to worry less. If there’s one person who has things working for him, it’s Fran. I just wonder how he doesn't see it.

  “Your mind is always on food!” He says shaking his head and smiling.

“Give me a sec, let me get changed quickly. I can’t very well allow this gesture of yours to go unrewarded.”

“And you intend to reward me, how again?’ he asks, brow raised.

“By eating, cleaning my plate and asking for seconds!” I say sweetly and walk away to go change.

        In a few seconds, I’m done and hurry back to the table. Dinner is served and as we eat; or rather as he eats and I stuff myself, he looks over to me and shakes his head saying, “I still don’t understand how you’d clean out that much food and still look like a twig!”

Food in mouth, I don’t even bother to respond.

“So, there’s this gig I’m meant to cater to this weekend. It’s more of an excuse for a gathering. A meet and greet of sorts. Old money too. I was wondering if you’d want to be my plus 1. If it’s a bother, I could just ask Tomi.”

Ahan!

Tomi!

Tomi is his …

What’s she again these days?? We all grew up together, the terrible 3s. One not too far from the other; hand in hand,wrecking mischief on unsuspecting adults. Fran and Tomi became real close while I was away in boarding school and they pushed me out of the Circle of Friends. I still hold that grudge against them. Wicked children. Leaving me out of their ‘escapades.’

So, yes… Tomi’s his girlfriend? Best friend? They never tell me anything again these days. Why they won’t just do, get married and pack well; I don’t even understand.

“So, are you interested? Or are you just going to keep frowning at your food?” Fran teases.

“Tell me again what Tomi is to you, please. I forget.”

“Huh?”

“Explain wh…”

“I know what you mean. I’m just wondering where that came from. You know she’s my..we are.. What’s with the 20 questions?!” He snaps.

“Easy tiger! I just asked a simple queshion! Sorry o! I’m interested o!!!!”

There’s a knock at the door and he brushes past me to get the door.

“We are not done yet!” I yell. “So, saved by the bell or not, we are continuing this talk, and not the tickets talk because I’m in on that. I want the tickets… The talk about you and…”

I turn slowly to see who it is and just in time to see Fran giving me signs that he’s slit my throat if I didn't shut up.

Talk about the devil.

“Who are we arguing about this time, Beavis and Butthead?”

It is Tomi.

I go over to give her a hug and say how it’s been ages since she came round to visit.

“That’s not true; she’s always here when I’m over concocting…” Fran begins to say.

‘Haba!! Unku! Let the lady speak for hersef na!’ Tomi says, getting in the mood. I can sense she’s about to take my side even without knowing the argument is about her.

“Ore mi! You’re making big money and you've forgotten me, right?” She says.

“Madam, can it please! You and your partner in crime here have been plotting things behind me, right? Even if Fran forgets to tell me, would you…” I look up to see the Dundee looking at me from behind Tomi like I’ve gone and put my foot in it again.

He hasn't told her! And here I was thinking they are as thick as thieves! What then do they discuss when I’m not part of the trio??

Frowning, Tomi looks up at him. To help distract her, I say “Tee, there’s food, you would love this new creation of Fran’s.”

Luckily, it works and she jumps off the couch towards me to help herself to some food. 

Walking back to Francis, I poke him in the ribs angrily whilst whispering.

“Why do you like burning my lines?!”

“I didn't know you hadn't told her! What then have you told her? If you’re ever going to even ask her out, you’d have to tell her before my big mouth blurts it out!  She’s your friend, or is it girlfriend?  

Define what you both are and stop confusing me!”

“What are you two bickering about this time?” Tee says with her mouth full.

“Nothing!” we both answer at once.

“Francis was about asking you out to this event of his. I’ll leave you two to the small talk.

 Quickly, I scope some more food into a dish and escape into my room. Hopefully, they won’t kill each other before I’m back down.

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Better late than never,huh???

Have a smurfilicious Wednesday!!!!

Cee.