Chapter Seven

"Good morning Aunt!" Karis greets immediately she walks into the sitting room.

"Morning, sweetheart! When did you get back? " Mrs Wachukwu asks, quite surprised to see her Karis, she had no idea that she was back.

"Sorry, I forgot to tell you! She came back last night!" Aunty Stella says to her sister with a broad smile.

"Morning Juliet!" Karis greets immediately she sights Juliet, who returns the greeting with a smile. Meanwhile, Alexandra walks in. She greets her Mum and Aunt, you could tell she was in a shitty mood. She is still dressed in her nighties which looks so transparent.

"Alexs!" Karis who walked up to Alexandra calls out while she hugged her tightly.

"Hey, chill. Karis!" Alexandra calls out feeling suffocated.

"The both of you can hug each other and catch up later. Let's go have breakfast!" Mrs Wachukwu says.

"Yes!" Aunty Stella who was already on her way to the dining room says.

"Please go and call him!" Mrs Wachukwu says referring to Juliet.

"Okay!" Juliet responds. She turns to walk away but comes face to face with Raphael.

"Good morning Mum!" Raphael, greets.

"Morning dear, " Mrs Wachukwu responds with a smile.

"Morning Aunt!" Raphael says, while he looks from his aunt to Juliet who mouth a good morning to him, he replies with a nod and smile.

"Morning, Raphael!" Aunty Stella responds. Meanwhile, Karis turns to him.

"Hi, I'm Karis. Your maternal cousin!" Karis introduces herself with a smile. She brings her hands for a handshake, while he pulls her to a hug.

"And I'm Raphael your maternal Cousin!" He mimics smiling too. making everyone laugh. Except Alexandra who stood at a corner watching them. Raphael and Karis disengages.

"So, I heard you are a lawyer, have you started practising. I'm in level 100. A law student too!" Karis blabbers.

Alexandra who was irritated by whatever was going on, starts walking to the dining room, she silently wondered why Karis was making a big deal out of nothing. Because he is a lawyer we should all run away She wonders before hissing out.

"Aunt, breakfast is getting cold, " Juliet says, they all walk down to the dinning.

"Am starving!" Alexandra says for the first time, since Raphael joined them. Raphael turns to her direction. His eyes lingering on her for a while, he was quick to notice her nighties were transparent. He quietly looks away.

Immediately they settle down on the dining chairs, they start serving themselves. They were having tea, bread and fried egg for breakfast.

Raphael watches Alexandra silently why she ate her food, it doesn't take too long before she notices he had been watching her. She turns to him fully, he smiles at her, which she didn't reciprocate, she frowns hisses and looks away, yesterday's event was still fresh in her head.

"What's that? is sometimes wrong with the food?" Aunty Stella who heard Alexandra hiss, asks wondering what was wrong.

"Nothing!" Alexandra responds.

"Am done here! I have to get going, " Mrs Wachukwu announces while she gets up. She quickly turns to Alexandra.

"Chioma, please behave yourself! I don't want to hear any complaint about you, " Mrs Wachukwu says while she watches at her daughter.

"Yes, mum!" Alexandra replies with a smile on her face, you could the smile was obviously fake.

"Raphael, take care of your younger sister!" Mrs Wachukwu says turning to her son.

"I will mum!" Raphael responds while he drops his fork and concentrates on his mum.

"I will transfer some reasonable amounts of money, into your accounts, " Mrs Wachukwu says.

"Aunt, you are the best!" Karis who was delighted, she was going to be receiving a reasonable amount of money in any moments smiles.

"Thanks, Aunt!" Juliet who was still busy with her food says.

"You are spoiling them!" Aunty Stella says to her sister smiling.

"Stella, are you jealous?" Mrs Wachukwu asks her sister jokingly, while they all laugh. Alexandra tries to adjust herself on her seat, obviously not smiling.

"Let me go and prepare, my flight is by 11 AM, " She says while she gets up.

"Am coming with you!" Aunty Stella says and gets up immediately.

"Madam, good morning!" Tunde the gatekeeper says she he walked down to the dining room. Immediately he gets to the entrance he stops. And looks from Mrs Wachukwu to Aunty Stella, everyone stares at him, waiting for whatever he wanted to say.

"Small Madam!" He calls out to Alexandra.

"How may I help you?" Alexandra who didn't care she sounded rude says.

"Your friends them dey find you for outside ( Your friends are waiting for you outside )," Tunde says while he scratches his head.

"Which of my friends?" Alexandra asks already irritated by his mere presence.

"The oyinbo one, the slim one with one wey I no know ( The fair looking one, the slim one, I don't know the name of the last person ), " Tunde says trying his best to describe them. Alexandra turns to him, obviously not impressed.

"You can't even identify someone, just tell them to come in!" She rolls her eyes. "In fact I will do it myself, " Alexandra says while she attempts walking out, she halts when she hears Raphael's voice.

"Where are you going dressed like that?" Raphael, asks.

"What is wrong with my dressing!" Alexandra turns to his direction.

"Go and change into something decent, which girl of your age still wears nighties by this time of the day?" Raphael, shoot's back. Alexandra turns to him obviously, burning in anger.

"Do what your brother said!" Mrs Wachukeu says to Alexandra.

"Alexs, Raphael is right, " Juliet says with a wicked grin. While Alexandra turns to her in rage, she was restraining herself from saying something awful.

"Am just stating the fact, " Juliet shrugs with a mock smile.

"Raphael, please try to tolerate her, " Mrs Wachukwu says.

                ___________________________🖊

  Juliet is busy washing the dishes when Raphael walks in. The Kitchen looks very large, there are two deep freezers at a corner. A dining table which had four chairs, The kitchen was thoroughly tied to the walls. Different cabinets filled with food items. Juliet who was close to the sink drop a dish and gets a towel to clean it up. Meanwhile, Raphael walks closer to her.

"Let me help you!" Raphael, says while he walks down to where she stood. Juliet let's out a warm smile.

"It's alright, I can manage!" Juliet disagrees, now smiling at him.

"No, don't worry. Am not going anywhere presently. Let me help!" Raphael, insists.

"Has Aunt gone?" Juliet asks trying to avoid eye contact with Raphael.

"Yeah, Aunty Stella went out also, " Raphael adds while he helps her clean the dishes.

"I noticed we don't have a cook not to talk of a maid in this big house, how do you guys manage!" Raphael asks quite interested.

"I don't stay here that often, that story is for another day, Alexs decided she doesn't want anyone in the house, she wants her peace of mind. In her tone!" Juliet says and laughs, this act makes Raphael smile.

"She wants her peace of mind!" Raphael scoffs. " Do you wash dishes every time you come over?" Raphael asks.

"If I don't, who will. I do that whenever I come over!" Juliet says.

"Nice! So what university are you studying in?" Raphael asks trying to start up a new conversation.

"Uniport!" She responds. " Pharmacy, " She adds.

"So what does Alexandra do at home, I mean she is the youngest. She is supposed to be doing this, but instead she is in the sitting room, chatting with her friends, why you do the chores all alone!"

"I don't mind!" Juliet says.

"I know you don't, but, " He pauses. " Just forget it!"