Chapter 9
1351 Words
MARYANN'S POV:
As Ruth and I sit on the couch in my room watching the flat-screen television, I hear a knock on my door.
"Who's knocking?" Ruth asks, looking at me as I rise to check who is there.
"I don't know. Let me find out," I reply, rushing to the door.
When I pull the door open, Mike stands there, looking at me like he has something important to say.
"Sis, are you busy?" He asks, his lips curling into a smile.
"No. I mean, Ruth and I are watching television. Is anything wrong?" I ask him, but he shakes his head.
"No. The chef is on the way. I want you to assist her with everything she needs to get things ready."
"Oh! But Mom said I should stay in my room until she's back. Why not show the chef what to do?" I reply, shaking my head in refusal.
"Please, I will pay you 5,000. Just keep an eye on her and ensure she bakes the cake properly. Besides, you did mention you want to learn baking. So you can use the opportunity to learn how things are done," Mike says, and I think about it.
"That's fine. You will pay me for helping you out. But I hope she hurries up before most of your friends start arriving," I say, looking at his happy face as he brings out his phone to do the cash transfer.
"Done. I have sent the 5,000 to you. Just help out, okay?" Mike gently taps my shoulder as he turns and goes back to his room, not waiting for my refusal.
I pout my pink lips and move back into my room.
"What did your brother say?" Ruth asks when she sees me walk back with a sullen expression.
"What else? My busy brother wants me to assist the chef to get things ready," I reply, moving to pick up my phone from the plastic table to see if he has sent it.
I smile, seeing the credit transfer. Just then, I hear the sound of more cars arriving, and I frown and roll my eyes.
Another knock on my door disrupts me, and I rush to check who is there.
Seeing Mike standing there, I ask, meeting his face, "What is it?"
"The chef is here. Come on, let me introduce you to her."
"Fine. Give me a moment. Let me bring my friend along," I reply as I go back to my room and inform Ruth.
She turns off the television, feeling excited, and accompanies me downstairs.
As we step downstairs, I want to ask Mike what Sunny is doing in the room. Are they gay? Is what Ruth said about my brother true?
I hold my tongue and follow him into the living room as we step out of the house together.
Just then, I see a lady wearing a short black dress and brown shoes as she smiles and walks up to meet me, with two young ladies dressed in brown.
"Maryann, this is Chef Linda Johnson," Mike introduces us, and I smile and accept Chef Linda's hand for a handshake, seeing that she is a young lady. Her face is made up with heavy makeup.
"It's nice to meet you, Chef Linda," I reply, knowing she is a top chef in our state.
"Nice to meet you, Maryann," Chef Linda says as she accepts my hand too.
Mike quickly interjects, "Chef, my sister will show you everything you need to make the cake and other meals ready."
"Alright," Mike says to Linda before he turns to me. "Sis, take care of everything."
Afterwards, Mike leaves me with Linda and her assistants, with Ruth standing at the front.
"So, Maryann, where's the kitchen?" Linda asks, and I smile and lead her to the kitchen.
When we step into the kitchen, I show Linda the oven and cooking utensils.
"Thanks, Maryann. I will take it from here," Linda says with a smile as she gestures for her girls to bring the ingredients over to the island.
"Do you want me to assist with anything?" I ask her softly.
"Nothing much. We already brought all we need. But you're free to keep watch," Linda responds with a smile, while I choose to sit in the kitchen and watch her resume baking my brother's birthday cake.
After Linda and her girls are done baking the magnificent white cake that has four layers, she asks me, "How do you see the cake?"
"It's lovely."
Just then, Mike arrives in the kitchen and smiles at us.
"Nice one. Maryann, the event planner has arrived. Come over." He calls me out of the kitchen, and I step out, while Ruth steps out too.
"What do you want me to help with?" I ask Mike, since he chose to bribe me.
"Nothing. I just want to introduce you to the event planner too. Also, my girlfriends are here," Mike says as I see the living room is now crowded. Some of his fellow footballers have arrived, and Mike places his hand over my shoulder and introduces me to the group one by one.
"Ann, meet my friends. Samson, he is our goalkeeper. Jackson, he plays as defender. Aaron, he's the midfielder," Mike introduces me to the three guys dressed in black as they sit on the living room black couch.
Though my mother warned me to keep off, I think it's awkward not saying hello to them. Greetings don't mean any harm. Does it?
"Hi," I wave to them, and they smile at me.
"Mike, your baby sister is grown now. Can I get her contact?" Aaron asks, his tone playful, but Mike glares at him.
"Keep away from my sister. She's not your spec," Mike warns, but Aaron defends.
"Says who? I want to ask Maryann out, but I was waiting for her to mature. Now that she's grown, I think it's best I shoot my shot," Aaron says, playing, but seeing Mike isn't smiling, he surrenders his hands in the air.
"Fine. I will keep off. But I know very soon she will be open," Aaron adds, but Mike doesn't call him out.
"Ann, don't listen to Aaron. He talks too much. This is Nelly," Mike introduces me to Nelly, who's wearing a short red dress, her thighs exposed, as she sits on one of the living room black couches. Beside her, Zara is sitting next to her, and I cannot believe they get along. How could they both share a single man? I ponder but don't voice it out.
"It's nice to meet you, Nelly," I say, accepting her hand for a handshake as she stands and shakes my hand with a smile.
"Nice to meet you, Ann."
"Me too," I reply before Mike points to Zara.
"This is Zara. I'm sure you have seen her too," Mike says, and I smile at Zara.
"Nice to meet you," I say, shaking her hand.
Zara shakes my hand stiffly and mutters, "Nice meeting you, Ann." She chews the bubble gum in her mouth as she's wearing a black dress.
I turn to Mike. "I will be in my room."
"Alright. The party starts at six. So you can be there," he replies, not insisting I stay to share some drinks with his friends.
As I turn to face Ruth to call her over, she smiles, wanting to have fun with Mike's group.
"Maryann, let's stay here," Ruth says, but I shake my head.
"No. My mother warned me to stay in my room. Fine, if you want to stay back, you can. I'm going upstairs." I leave Ruth and make my way back to the stairs, climbing them and going back to my room.
When I reach the second floor, I see Sunny step out of my brother's room. His gaze lands on me, but I lower my head and move towards my room.
Before I can open the door and slip into my room, Sunny calls me.
"Maryann."
I freeze and turn to face him as he moves closer to me.
- Writer
