UWA

With the exhausting and mind wrecking day at work, all I need right now is to rest. However, Deji is getting in the way of me actualising that because I now have to pack for a journey I never planned. Right now, I am in my room preparing for the jourjey after breaking it to Nimi who has not stopped teasing me.

"What if that boss of yours actually likes you? I mean, like-like. Crush kind of like." Nimi says, shrugging her shoulders.

"Abeg. No oo. He does not. Crush ke? Is that man capable of feelings?" Heaven will definitely freeze if that man has an ounce of feelings towards me. Feelings that are not negative, in this case.

"So, how do you explain his attitude towards you and how he always makes an effort to spoil your day?" With raised eyebrows, she asks as if waiting for me to give her one of my smart replies.

"Don't go about getting ideas in your head, Nimi. The man is just a loathsome human being who has attitude problems. Besides, remember there was a coffee incident." I say, shrugging my shoulders as I carefully fold a skirt and toss it into my box.

"Yes, but that has been a long time now. More than a month. I don't see any reasonable explanation to why he would still hold on to that little incident." If only, Nimi. If only.

"It is because you don't know him. Trust me, he can be that petty." To clear the air and the wrong message in her head, I state that simply.

"Na wa o. People dey sha. So, my bestie is travelling in a private jet? String me along, please." She teases, nudging my shoulders with her arm. Of course, she is joking.

"You can enter my box. There is enough space." I joke and watch as she climbs my bed, placing one leg inside my box. This girl and her drama, though. Before my hand even reaches her legs which I had perfectly and calculatively aimed for, she takes out her legs in a flash, bouncing on my bed to sit. She gives me a goofy smile, sporting a small at the corner of her lips. This chicken knows me so well.

"Lest I forget, your mom called me earlier. She said that they have been trying to call you on your number. It is either it does not go through or you do not pick up."

"Oh. My phone has been on silence." I do that when I am at work so an unexpected call does not come in during a meeting.

"Well, she says Osato was finally discharged today." I smile at the news. Quick recap: Nimi and I were able to settle the payment. From my angle, my former employer was kind enough to pay me for the month's work.

"Thank God and Nimi, thank you so much. I promise to pay back." I gently touch her legs in affection.

"Oh, stop being all mushy. Your mom and siblings are like family to me too, and please stop singing this paying back song. I know you will. So please, no big deal out of it. Promise?" She deadpans.

"Yes, mummy." I say to her.

"Better." She says.

"Buy me Kente, Dashiki, learn how to cook Waakye, Banku. Eat some Ghana Jollof too so that we know which one finally wins the battle." She muses, grinning with her teeth on display.

"Ehn ehn. I told you I was going for training in tourism, abi?" I ask her. Note the sarcasm in my tone.

"Keep doing shakara for me." She shrugs. "God when!" She wails, dramatically after a short pause.

"It's like you need to go to Yaba left." I roll my eyes at her.

"Shut up. You love me like that." She says, putting her tongue on display.

"Sadly." I reply and my arm is met by a pillow.

"Ouch!" I yell.

"Ntoor." Nimi ehn.

DEJI

Punishing her by enforcing this trip on her now seems like a terrible idea at this instant because where is this lady? I remember clearly stating to her, well, more of dictating to her to make herself available by 3pm and this is fifteen minutes past the time and she still has not arrived here. What? I am her boss and I have every right to do as I so please. Deal with it if it does not sit well with you. I already sent her details on how to locate me and the jet once she arrives, so that is not an excuse for her tardiness. Honestly, if she continues like this, I will terminate her job someday.

"I am sorry I am late, Sir." I hear a voice say behind me. You know that 'talk of the devil' saying? I guess I could relate this with that statement.

"So, Miss Omozuwa, what explanation do you have for this one today? Your father died?" I ask her in annoyance.

"I am sorry, Sir." She says, meekly. However, I could not miss the emotions thst crossed her face before she quickly masks it up in a bland expression.

"Thank your stars because you are just in luck or else you could have kissed your job goodbye." I did actually mean that and the shock written all over her face was worth voicing it out. That was mean, right? I don't care. Everything about her and how perfectly disturbing she looks annoys the hell out of me. Plus, her lateness irks me too. Well, that is going to change now because once we get back from this trip, she is moving to the apartment and whether she likes it or not is of no concern to me.

We got into the jet, assisted by my team of highly trained flight crew members.

"Welcome on board, Sir." They greet and I just nod in response. On the other hand, I see her smiling at them, insisting to carry her box by herself.

"Let them do it. It is their job and I pay them for it." I state. She silently hands over the box to the lady, not forgetting to say a 'thank you' to her before taking her seat.

Soon enough, we take off for Accra, Ghana.

"We land in ten minutes, Mr. Shodeinde and assistant. Get ready." I hear the voice of the pilot speak.

I turn to look beside me and notice that she is still sleeping. Well, I left her with that grace since halfway into the journey and I do not even have any idea why I did so. A tinnie winnie part of me just pushed me to be nice to her then.

"Wake up, we are already here." I shake her figure immediately we land at the airport.

"So soon?" She says, stretching her hands and yawning in the process. Disgusting, so unlady-like. It's like she has forgotten where she is. I fold my arms, staring down at her and watch as realization clicks in her eyes. This girl in front of me is definitely a hand full and it begs the question about how her friends and family cope with her.

We alight the jet and a driver is already waiting for us.

"To Kempinski hotel." I say to him.

UWA

The journey was so short. Mumu, it is Ghana. My subconscious self says.

I had not gotten enough sleep last night and Nimi kept distrurbing my sleep from work to please prepare my delicious egusi soup for her, so I thought maybe, just maybe I could get that done during the flight.

"To Kempinski hotel " I hear my boss say in this usual rude, unappreciative tone.

"We are here." the driver announces to us as we reach our destination. No expression could show how amazed I was at the sight in front of me. The architect really did a good job drawing this building.

Picture of Kempinski

We step into the hotel and walk towards the reception.

"Akwaaba. Welcome to Kempinski hotel." The receptionist smiles at us,welcoming us in their local dialect. I knew Akwaaba meant welcome. It is the most popular Ghanaian language word I have heard.

I take out the booking details from my phone, thanks to technology, and slide it over to her. She looks into it, clicks on her desktop computer, probably to confirm the bookings and slides the phone on the counter top, back to me, smiling.

"Ma'am, I am sorry but you are a little overdue for the time you booked the room and the suit for. We have a one-hour reservation extension policy and it was exceeded. So the rooms were given to some other customers. We are sorry about that." She says. I don't need to turn to know that boss man is currently boring holes at my face right now.

"However, there is only the rockview suite left, though there are two rooms in it. Would you mind sharing?" I heave a sigh of relief when she speaks but freeze at her last statement.  handing each of us a flag of Ghana. What are the possibilities of there being any other room left? This day could not get any worse. Sharing a penthouse with this devil here is something I did not envisage.

"We'll take the room." Deji says, hands still in the pockets of his trousers. She smiles back, nodding to signify 'okay'.

Boss man hands over his credit card to her and she swipes it to finalize payment before handing the key cards for the suite over to us.

"Enjoy your stay here, Sir, Ma'am." She does a slight curtsy with her head.

"If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call room service. Anything." She draws the last part, biting her lips suggestively at Deji. Wait o, what is wrong with women of these days because I don't understand. You just met someone and you are already biting lips for him.

As we ride the elevator to the rockview suite, I silently count the days to my grave. I despise him does not mean I do not scared of him occasionally. He has the willpower to make me jobless and could even blacklist me. This man could put an end to my dwindling career that I am just starting. The elevator finally dings, coming to a stop and we step out of it. I was utterly astounded when we stepped into the suite.

After checking both rooms, he assigns the room I would be taking amongst the two. Few minutes into getting there, my box was brought into the room. I open it to unpack my belongings so I could fit them into the hotel closet.

"Miss. Omozuwa, make sure you get up early tomorrow. Work commences by 9am in the morning." I hear him say behind me.

What the hell?! He could have knocked or something. What if I was getting undressed? If the places were reversed and I was the one who did what he just did, I would be having an earful on how poorly mannered I am but I could not say anything pertaining this sceneramio because he is the boss and it is with his money that the payment for this place is being made.

I just turn to him and nod my head, not saying anything. I did not miss out on the smirk he has on his lips as he turns to take his leave. What is funny, please. I mentally hiss, returning to sorting out my things.

God! My bra. No wonder he was smirking like an idiot, he saw it. What? I am allowed to call him an idiot in my head, joor. He deserves it.

I connect to the hotel's Wi-Fi service and send Nimi a message on Whatsapp.

In Accra already. I click the send tab and lay on my bed to rest.

Thank God for journey mercies. She replies immediately.

Yes o. Want to sleep. Bye bye. I text her back.

Oya nau. Enjoy your stay. I read her message and disconnect the internet accessibility from my phone then settle in to sleep.