[Story] Too late – S01 E25

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 25

Lily’s restaurant business was flourishing and she was excited. She focused on her business and was able to take off her mind from her marital problems. Though she was dying slowly from the lack of attention from her husband.

As the months rolled by, Lily’s pregnancy advanced. She bought television in her room to enable her watch her favourite programmes. Most times Karen and Kam would sit in the living room and she couldn’t sit with them.

Lily avoided them like a plague. She followed the doctors instruction, to eat well and avoid stress. She did everything to ensured that their paths doesn’t cross.

As her pregnancy advanced, her skin colour glows. At work, she smiles a lot but alone, she cries. Daniel who knew what she was passing through, would counsel her and encourage her.

It was morning and Lily was tired. Her body told her not to leave the bed. She woke up feeling so fatigued and she decided to go late to work. Not only was she tired but hungry.

She dragged herself lazily out of the bed to brush her teeth then headed to the kitchen. She was surprised that Karen was still home with Kam at that time. She greeted Kam who didn’t respond but glued his eyes to his phone as he sat on a chair in the dinning room.

“Come here!. So you can’t greet?” Karen asked.

“You should be the one to greet Karen”

But as she tried to enter the kitchen, Karen pushed her.

“If you don’t greet me, you won’t enter this kitchen and I mean it”

Karen stood at the entrance of the kitchen and there was no way Lily could access it. Rather than fighting her, she retreated to her room.

“Barren woman” Karen called after her.

“Honey” She said to Kam

“Lily is useless as far as I am concerned. Tell her oo, I don’t want to see her in this kitchen. This is my kitchen and I will lock it up” She threatened.

“Suit yourself darling” Kam responded without looking at her.

Lily got to her room and locked the door. She was hungry and was not ready for any fight or squamble with Kam or Karen. She opened her fridge and brought out three apples. She ate them quickly, took her bath and got dressed for work.

She had thought of sleeping more before going to work but changed her mind after her encounter with Karen. Kam and Karen were still in the living room when Lily came out. She walked past them with Karen’s laughter trailing her. She hurried to her car and cried inside. Her spirit was dampered. She remembered she did not pray when she woke up. Right in the car, she wiped her tears, prayed before driving out of the compound.

Her staff were busy when she got to her place of business. She joined to attend to customers. The place was unusually full and if she learned anything from Daniel, it was efficiency and swift service delivery. Her customer service was second to none.

She trained her staffs too on it and this attracted people to her restaurant.

Lily looked at the time, it was almost 12pm. She went straight to her office and sat down. She hasn’t eaten anything except the fruit she ate before leaving home. She called one of the staff and instructed her to dish Jollof rice for her. In the silence of her office, she ate and slept off. She jerked out of sleep and looked at her wristwatch, it was 1:14pm. How time flies, she wondered. It was her little nephew’s birthday and she had promised him she won’t miss it this time. The previous year she had missed it because something came up and she had to attend to it.

Lily called her Head of staff and told her she was going out.

“Call me if there is any problem” She instructed

“Alright ma”

Lily carried her bag and headed out of the office. Just then, Kam and Karen stepped into the restaurant. It was their first time. A friend had recommended the place to Kam.

Lily hastily brushed past them. In that restaurant, they pretended as if they had never met. Kam turned as Lily passed him but Karen didn’t. She got a seat and told Kam to sit.

“What did she come here for?” She asked Kam after settling down on a seat.

“Same as we are here. Maybe she was hungry. Thank God she’s gone” He said.

A staff walked towards them and took their orders.

“This place is cozy. It’s even better than our usual eatery” Karen said, looking around her.

“True”

Their orders came in a jiffy and when they tasted the food, they nodded their heads in approval.

“Wow” Karen said with mouth loaded with food.

She ordered white rice and stew. She liked the total package of the food.

“Henceforth we will take our lunch here” Kam said as he swallowed a lump of semo and Egusi soup. In all the eatery he had been to for lunch, this was the best. He had changed eateries like clothes, just to eat quality food.

———————————–

Lily was surprised to see her husband and Karen in her restaurant. As she entered her car to drive off, she wondered if Kam already knew it was her restaurant or he just came to eat like others. “Thank God I am going out”. She sighed deeply as her car mingled with other vehicles on the road.

She was grateful for her achievement anyway. Thank God for Daniel who believed in her and had pushed her to open it. God not only blessed her with a business but a child forming in her womb. Double blessing.

“Ooh my!, I have forgotten to carry the gift for my nephew” She said aloud.

Lily got to a junction and reversed. She drove back to the restaurant with frown on her face. If only she wouldn’t meet them she would have been happier. She stepped out of the car and walked quickly. As she stepped into the restaurant, a lot of customers were still eating. They sat quietly doing justice to their food. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Karen gesticulating meticulously with one hand and smiling in the process.

Lily walked past them to the Head of staff who was surprised to see her so soon.

“I forget the gift I bought for my nephew” She said as she walked past the HOS to her office.

In the office, the wrapped gift was in a nylon on top of the fridge. She took the present and locked the door.

“Have they paid for their food?” She asked HOS.

“Who?”

“I mean those two there”

The HOS followed her gaze to Kam and Karen chatting away, oblivious of the people around. The HOS saw Kam carry his drink to his mouth and smiling to Karen sitting opposite him.

“No madam”

“Good. Please, no matter what they order don’t collect money from them”

“Why if I may ask?”

“I know them very well”

HOS allowed her gaze settled on them again.

“Alright ma”

Lily strolled out of the restaurant without giving another look at her husband or Karen.

Noticing that Kam was done eating, the HOS approached them to clear the table. As the HOS turned to go, Kam called her back.

“How much is the bill?” He asked bringing out his wallet.

“My Boss instructed that I shouldn’t collect any money from you”

The surprised Kam looked at Karen who too was surprised.

“I don’t get it” Karen said “How can your Boss ask us not to pay”

“I am following instruction ma”

“Alright”

The HOS turned to go when Kam called her again.

“Don’t be annoyed” He said “I would like to thank your Boss personally for this act of kindness”

“Sorry!, My Boss is unavailable right now”

“Wow!”

“Maybe he is someone we know” Karen said.

“My boss is a lady”

“Really”

“What is her name?” Karen asked.

“Lily”

“Lily?” Both of them chorused.

With no further comments, they thanked the HOS and took their leave. As they drove to work, they were silent all the way.

___________________

It was very late when Lily entered the house. The gateman opened the gate for her to drive in. She parked her car and rested her head on the car seat. She was very tired and all she needed was a cold bath and a long sleep. Lily stepped out of the car to the door, but it was locked. There was no need knocking for she knew neither her husband nor Karen would open the door for her. She opened her hanbag and searched for the key to the door. Kam was still in the living room when she entered the house. She greeted and walked past him.

“Come back here” he called.

Lily came back and stood before him.

“I have been waiting for you” He said “Sit down”

She took her seat opposite him hugging her bag.

“You own Lily Delicacies?”

“Yes sir”

“And I never knew about it” He queried

“I am sorry I never told you. I wanted to keep myself busy. Forgive me Kam”

Kam nodded and smiled.

“Where did you get the money to establish such business?”

“I had money and i got support from my parents and siblings”

“I don’t believe you Lily. I have watched how you avoid me in this house…”

“But you told me to stay away from you. I am only avoiding problem”

Suddenly both of them turned their heads as Karen came in and sat beside Kam frowning her face.

“You are irresponsible Lily. Did you check your time? It’s late. You are coming from another man’s house at this time. You are a big shame” Karen thundered.

Lily was so stupified by Karen’s outburst.

“Don’t you ever point your finger at me” She warned.

“I went to my brother’s house because his son turned 7 today. You can go ahead and call him Kam”

She stood up picked her bag and walked to her room but soon returned.

“I apologize Kam for not informing you about the business. Don’t be offended”

Lily didn’t wait to hear his response. She entered her room, dropped her handbag on the bed and went straight to the bathroom.