Vincent busied himself with his phone at the dinning table. Thelma's daughter, Winner, placed a mug and a jug of hot water in front of him. Her mother had placed the other things for him earlier.

"Thank you."

The girl nodded before heading back to the kitchen. She normally didn't come unless on public holidays or during vacation. Today was a school day and she was around. Vincent ignored the curiosity gnawing at him and dug into his breakfast.

"Ayo."

The boy froze. He stopped stirring his tea and looked up. It was obvious he used concealer to cover up his bags. But people who didn't live under the same roof with him, seeing how sweet he looked in his mauve dress shirt and chinos trousers, would describe him as the hardworking CEO of Unix signatures who had gotten over the death of his beloved wife and didn't fail to love his children wholeheartedly.

Vincent tried not to scoff. Who would believe a man in his mid fifties believed in the power of makeup. "Good morning sir."

"Where's your sister?"

Vincent sipped his tea and absentmindedly added sugar. "In her room."

Mr. Adebayo checked himself out in the fancy mirror that decorated the dinning area. He turned and raised a brow at Vincent. "Won't she go to school?"

Vincent sipped his tea again and frowned. Too sugary. "They're celebrating language day in school. It would be a lecture free day. Constance said she wants to go to Aunty Damilola's place instead of going to that cage and waste her time listening to absolute gibberish human claim to call language."

"She said that?" His father asked with a hint of amusement.

"Yes. I'll drop her there on my way to school."

His father hummed but said nothing more. Vincent kept his tea aside and proceeded to eat only the French toast Thelma had made. Mr. Adebayo pulled out a chair opposite Vincent and sat. Vincent held his half eaten toast and stared at the man as he picked a toast from the plate.

"Can't I have breakfast with my son?" The man asked mouth filled with half chewed bread. He wasn't smiling but his voice sounded amused. This was not the routine.

"Should I get used to it?" Vincent asked sarcasm dripping from his words. "Because normally I'd just greet good morning and you'd disappear."

Mr. Adebayo ignored his comeback. "Nice French toast. Maybe you should start getting used to me sharing breakfast with you."

Vincent kept mute.

"I would not be coming back tomorrow," the man announced. When he realized Vincent wasn't going to ask why, he continued. "I'll be travelling to calabar to seal a contract. I might come back Saturday or Sunday."

"Okay." Vincent stood up packed the used plate and mug. His father stood with him.

"Help me call your sister when you go up."

Vincent nodded. After dropping the dirty utensils, he headed for the stairs. He remembered something. He turned to find his father tapping his foot impatiently and staring from wristwatch to wall clock.

"Father." The man looked up. "Do us a favor and don't come back on Saturday. I plan to celebrate Connie's birthday that day."

The man gasped and gave Vincent a sad look before looking away. Vincent sighed and raced up the stairs.

*

School went in a blur for Vincent. As another phase started, he was forgetting what previously happened. CJ had a headset to his ear and was nodding his head to Marshall Mather's Godzilla. It was break period and most people had left the class. Vincent looked towards Nairobi's seat and smiled inwardly when he saw her sleeping. She had a habit of missing lunch.

"You should stop smiling like that. It's creepy," Stephen said getting comfortable on his desk.

"I wasn't smiling," Vincent defended immediately.

"I'm pretty sure you were." Stephen looked to Nairobi's sleeping form. "Naya was making you smile."

Vincent scoffed, just to hide the smile making its way to his lips

Stephen only shook his head. "So have you invited her for the party?"

Vincent gave him a confused look. "It's a party for kids. Why would I invite her?"

Stephen scratched his head and threw his gaze everywhere. "Right. Right. Just don't forget to tell her that you would not be available on Saturday."

Vincent narrowed his eyes at his cousin. "Stephen Anuoluwapo All-bright Olarenwaju what are you up to?"

Stephen features morphed to disgust. "Bro that name is embarrassing sheesh! And it sounds uglier than I thought it would ever be not coming from my mother," he shuddered and muttered under his breath. "I still can't believe they named me Anuoluwapo."

Vincent chuckled at the boy's drama.

"Guy you no dey H?" CJ asked out of the blues. His headset was on his neck now. Vincent wasn't hungry but when he looked over at sleeping Nairobi, an idea popped into his head.

"I am. Let's go to the dinning hall."

Vincent ordered a meat pie and malt drink for himself before ordering two more meat pies and a burger for Nairobi. He was going to surprise her.

For the Saturdays, he reminded himself. Nairobi had made it a habit to share herself between him and Constance on Saturdays. She did it last Saturday. After the tutor session, they strolled the estate together while playing I spy. Vincent was extremely grateful for it.

He knew it was Jessica's routine but he was going to beat her to it. Luckily, he sighted Aliyah making an order.

"Good day Aliyah. Tell Jessica I got lunch for Ro. Thank you." With that he walked to his table.

"Ro?" He questioned himself and chuckled. "Only that small gesture and I'm already getting attached."

"Steve he's smiling to himself," CJ whispered but Vincent heard him loud and clear. Vincent ignored him and took a seat.

"Don't worry. I'll start bringing a chain to school just in case," Stephen whispered back. Vincent rolled his eyes and muttered 'idiots' under his breath.

"Hey boyz!" A high pitch voice sang. Vincent knew it was Olamide. She strutted to them with Temi beside her. Vincent smiled inwardly. Apart from CJ and Stephen, she was always good company. They had been friends right from JSS 2. When Vincent and his family travelled to South Africa during his long vacation in JSS 1 he met her there and they bonded pretty well. She was not a student at regal high then. When they resumed for the next session, she was a new student in JSS 2. Olamide had her flaws, probably lots of them but Vincent looked passed all of them. To him, Olamide was angel enough. She was always there for him. Even when he lost his mother two years ago, she had made sure to be there for him. Even though they weren't as close as before which was entirely his fault, she would use any opportunity she got to hang around him and enquire about his welfare.

CJ bit back a groan. He had not warmed up to her enough but he knew she meant something to Vincent. Stephen liked her just enough.

"Hey babes," Stephen greeted. Olamide sat and Temi sat beside her.

"Hello," Temi greeted. They responded to her.

"Deji how far? A little bird whispered that there's a party at your place on Saturday." She was the only person in school who called him Deji.

Stephen looked like he was going to go pale. Olamide took the meat pie Vincent had gotten for himself and bit into it. He was even grateful for that.

"Yea. For Constance. Her birthday I'd tomorrow but we would be celebrating with her mates on Saturday."

"Just her mates?" Olamide quizzed looking at Stephen who faced his plate of fried rice.

"Yes," Vincent said slowly looking at Stephen too. "And maybe few parents."

"Okay." She chewed more of the meat pie.

"Stephen An-"

"Just Stephen is fine by me," Stephen voiced out, with mouth full of rice.

Olamide smacked his head since she was close to him. "Table manners pretty face."

"Stephen what are you up to?" Vincent asked at the same time Stephen cried, "Ouch!"

"Nothing! I'm just assisting my mother in planning nothing else."

"Since when did you become an expert in planing eight year olds birthday parties?" It was CJ speaking now.

"Shut up bird turd."

"Cow dung," CJ muttered.

"Baby vomit."

"Dog barf."

"Go-"

"Christ! You guys are disgusting," Olamide said dumping the meat pie. CJ took it and ate it with reckless abandon, definitely to piss Olamide off so that she would leave the table.

"I'll come for the party," Olamide said to Vincent.

He managed to smile at her. "You should. I'll need you there."

"Dude you have me and Stephen," CJ grumbled.

Olamide gave him a nasty look before standing up from the table. When Vincent ignored CJ and told her not to bring any friends, she stuck her tongue out at CJ who in turn gave her the indecent finger.

She sashayed away with her friend while CJ breathed a sigh. "Good riddance. I still can't fathom how you two got close enough to that girl. What kind of juju is that?"

"CJ shut up and eat," Vincent said.

"You are not my mother," CJ said defiantly but soon enough he continued his meal.

When they got to class, Vincent noticed Nairobi was already eating something and she was surrounded by her girls. Vincent suspected Jessica would not pay heed to Aliyah's message so he wasn't surprised.

He casually strolled over to Nairobi's desk sharing a glare with Jessica.

"I got you something," Vincent said dumping the paper bag on her desk. Stupid. He knew he should have handed it to her.

She gave him a confused stare before grabbing the bag. She peeped at its content before looking back at him. He was already leaving. "Thank you!"

He heard her. Turned and gave her a look that said, I owe it to you. She understood.

When he sat at his desk, he smiled. She was eating from the bag.

"I'll customize a chain for you," he heard Stephen say.

Tada!
A chapter that is not in Nairobi's POV. What do you think about it?

Can you tell me a few things you picked up about Vincent from this chapter.

Please VOTE. It encourages me. And recommend the book too🙃

Arinze gi,

Ann