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Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 8

WHAT ROSA KNOWS


ROSA

This was a nightmare! Debby was her night mare. She hasd’t even gotten through the chapter five of her book and now she was given another assignment.

She rubbed her shoulders. This was a time she wished she could really get a massage. She has been so tensed lately. Ever since he left.

She was really angry with herself
with him, he had left just when she was making progress on her book. Now she was stuck

. The only inspiration she had, was gone. She was just on chapter four.

Madame Lydia would be pissed!

She lifted her laptop from her bag and placed it gently beside her on the bed. She needed to lie down, perhaps the headache would subside.

Lying down on her belly, she placed the laptop in front of her so she could work on it. She typed in the words ‘Frank Nicholas.’

She had been working on it since she got the call from Debby but she had stopped halfway to complete the chapter three of her book. At least, if he wasn’t going to be around she could try to make something up.

She got enough information about him, those that were important to Debby of course. She went through her sticky note. “AN investor, a retail entrepreneur, philanthropist

. Founder and CEO of Franick sugars..”

She doesn’t even know what Frannick sugar is.

“Date of birth-not needed. Dead wife, dead mother, no child. Sadly, this could mean no heir to the throne..Ouch!An African-American. Not important, ..Net-worth 85.3 billion USD.. Jesus Christ!!

“Who is this man and why is he so important to Debby?” She wondered. Anyways, if it was important to Debby, it was very important to her book. She wrote the name down in the note beside her pillow. She clicked on Wikipedia, copied and pasted the name, clicked on the enter key. Stuffs about how he was making his money, histories.. Yikes! She grimaced. She hated history. She pressed the ‘scroll down” button. “


Came to Nigeria with his parents some twenty something years ago to buy some properties”
not interesting enough. “His product presently in more than ten countries in the world..” uhn! Good for him.

“FRANK NICHOLAS OPENING HIS 17th COMPANY AT SOUTH AFRICA”

Below the headline was a picture of a group of suited men and women at the front of what could qualify as a billion dollar company. They were all in sunshades and in the middle sat a man who looked to be in his seventies. She knew instantly that that was Frank Nicholas.

The map of wrinkles on his face told of the most incredible journey. His forehead told of worries past and worries present. But mostly they were so deeply engrained they told of a man who had travelled through seven decades, used all his youthful energy to work; to stand here as an old man, fulfilled, successful yet forlorn.

Rosa was deep in thought as she zoomed in the picture of the man so that only his face filled the screen of her laptop. His lips were curled into a smile which revealed warmth, affection but laughter that was long forgotten. His eyes..deep..puzzling..mystery filled.

This man was old. Why is Debby interested in him and those eyes, where has she seen them before

..?

“Are you through with what I asked you to do ROSA?”

Debby’s voice startled her and she was immediately jerked back to the real world. “Oh my God! Debby you scared the crap out of me.” She said, placing a hand on her chest which was rising and falling.

Debby ignored her and walked to her bed.” Is that the famous Frank?”

Rosa stared at her in disbelief. “You don’t even know him?”

Debby gave a half shrug. “I’ve never needed to know him until now.”

Rosa frowned but she kept quiet. She watched as Debby placed the laptop on her laps as she sat on the bed with her, reading what was on her sticky note. There was silence for a while until she heard her gasp. She knew she just read his net worth.

“Well, well, well, Rosa darling you have done a great job. Any info of when he is coming to Nigeria?”

Rosa shook her head.

“What about his type of women. Slim, dark, tall fair..?”

Rosa frowned, this lady was unbelievable. Yet she took her head.

Debby was getting impatient. “What about his favorite food or drink or hobby .Anything at all”

Rosa slightly shook her head as she remained mute.

“Then what have you been doing!.” Debby snapped at her. “Get me all those details now!”

“It’s not on the internet Debby, the man is very private even with pictures I only found this picture of his. There is no other”

Frustration crinkled Debby’s eyes as she stood up. “Find out when he is coming to Nigeria Rosa. I give you two days”

Rosa was about to protest but Debby walked out of the room.

She exhaled sharply as she saw the time. She was going to be late for class. There was only one way to do this and she had just the perfect idea.

IN ROSA’S CLASS

I’ve been buried, but I’m not dead. I’m not dead. No, no, not yet. I can’t breathe. What is that sound? Is someone here? No, it’s me, crying and using precious air


Tremor shakes my entire body, but the box I’m in does not shift at all.

I must be in the vault, held in place by solid stone. Beneath the house. I could feel the dead bodies pressing around me. The bodies of my friends.

Panic claws at me. But I cannot succumb to it; I must not faint right now. No. I have to be awake..”

Rosa pressed a hand to her throat as Nema continued reading from her script. It was as if she was in the vault with the narrator. Her chest was rising and falling and the whole class was as quiet as a graveyard

“
.Cold fingers of horror squeezed my heart as I heard a movement from outside the coffin. Each inhalation was a sniffle, each exhalation a shudder. My fingernails pressed into my palms and the pain of it was a proof that I was still alive or near to being alive. I couldn’t turn or move an inch. The bogeyman must not know that I am still alive.

I listened. There was yet the sound of another step. This time, it was closer than the first. Then another
”

“You are scared already”

A voice said beside her startling her, she whimpered. Placing a hand on her chest.

“I believe everyone in the class is scared” She replied quietly. Her attention still on the reader.

The intruder chuckled. “Take a look at Madame Lydia”

Rosa looked towards where the lecturer sat and she almost burst into laughter. The woman was sitting uprightly in her chair, wide eyed and looking as if she was seeing the bogeyman in front of her. Every word from Nema made her jump.

“I am Luke .”

Rosa turned to take the first look at her seat mate and she flushed. He was certainly the finest man she had ever seen. Fairly, built, fair complexion, in a blue Jersey shirt, hair plaited in an all-back corn row. Pointed nose, dimples too.

“Hello, I’m Rosa” she replied shyly.

He smiled, deepening his dimples. Rosa quickly looked away, she was getting uncomfortable. Just then, the whole class stood up and began to clap. She also did, and then she realized Nema was through narrating.

Madame Lydia walked to the front of the class, placing her hand on her chest while they all sat down.

“That was the best narrative, I’ve heard this week people. Did you hear everything she said? Did you see how she placed the words under her command and used them like she wanted. Did you see how she created fear in all our minds..? This is what a good writer does. Words are your servants. They do your bidding”

“How does she do that?” Rosa asked quietly, more to herself.

“She is good.” Luke replied.

“She is very good. I feel so intimidated”

Luke stifled. “Come on, you don’t have to be”

“Especially since I am the next to narrate “

Luke’s brows were raised up. “I’m sure you have a good story there”

Rosa rolled her eyes.“I wish.”

Luke suppressed a laughter and they both paid attention to Madame Lydia.

“Nema, you have impressed me. I personally will give you an award once you are through with the book,. Come give me a hug baby girl”

Rosa grimaced as Nema hugged Madame Lydia, her small body looked even smaller in Madame Lydia’s fat body.

“Okay, please applaud her as she moved to her seat..”

There was another round of clapping as Nema walked back to her seat.

“That is one girl on her way to stardom. I don’t expect anything less from the next person that will be coming here” Madame Lydia announced proudly.

Rosa exhaled sharply, she was getting more and more nervous.

“I hate that girl.” She snorted but could hear Luke stifling laughter.

The class was quiet again as the lecturer went to her laptop on her desk to call out the next name.

“Rosalyn Benson.” She called out.

Rosa’s heart sank as she heard her name. Raising her hand up, she stood up as she felt all eyes on her.

“Come on girl, I hope you are giving me what I want. Applaud her please.”

Rosa swallowed as the class started applauding her. Hmm, how nice! She took the script that was before her desk n and she stood up, just as she was about to turn, someone pulled her back. It was Luke.

“Believe in yourself okay? Don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”

She smiled. That actually calmed her shaking nerves a little bit. She nodded and advanced to the front of the class.

She felt all eyes on her and she prayed in her mind not to trip and fall flat on her face. She swallowed again as she opened the script and climbed on the podium. She opened her script.

“The title is ‘What
er
.when a woman wants..,”

“Excuse me? Can you be specific?” Said Madame

Great.

“When a woman wants.” She replied, nervously.

“Alright, we are all ears to know when we women want
” She stressed the ‘we.’

There was a chuckle from the class but she ignored it.

She shut her eyes, swallowed, opened her eyes and read from the first line:

“The alarm from my phone kicked me out of my dream world back to the real world. I really hate that phone

..”

She kept on reading, trying to make the words come to live. Changing her pitches as she read the dialogue between her characters. Jordan and Nancy. There were several modifications as pertaining to the real story. She had no time to think as she read all the four chapters, she could care less of what they think.

She was already at the last line of chapter four.

“There were tears in her eyes as he embraced her, in my mind I knew it was nothing but another charade. “I will miss you love,” She cried, he said nothing and gave a weak smile, before kissing her on the cheek. He pulled away as it was time for his flight, probably it was my thought or my imagination, but I felt our gaze locked slightly and something caught in my throat. He nodded at me and I primed my lips as I nodded back, rubbing my shoulders with my hands. We watched as he walked away with his bags, I felt a pang of sadness down in my belly but I wasn’t surprised when I felt her exhaled. I knew she was relieved he was going. If she was relieved, why do I feel so sad?”

Afraid of looking up, she closed the script, unable to meet Madame Lydia’s face, there was a murmur within the class.

“What did you call the title again?” She queered.

“When a woman wants..” Rosa replied faintly.

“Okay, may I know the whole concept of the novel?”

Somebody should just shoot her right here right now!

“Well..er..I..urm” She stammered, then stopped. “I just feel there is a reason behind every infidelity and I want to write about it”

The lecturer stared at her with frowns jostled together. “Okay. And
?”

“What is this woman’s problem? I have been having a writer’s block for a while and I am just writing what comes to me day by day . Must there be a stupid concept. Can’t you just go on with it!” She thought all these in her head. She knew she needed to give an answer, but she couldn’t tell them it was a true story.

“I think the lady is on her way to finding out what the concept is all about. She wants to write about infidelity like she said. That is the general theme.”

Rosa glanced around to see who rescued her. Way to go Luke!

“We see the want of money and fame by a woman who entirely depends on a man to provide for her. You can also see that the narrator, who is the maid in the novel, is having some feelings for Jordan although that has really been subtle enough. We are really not sure about that since the man is said to be going on a journey. Now we can see the theme of love also, perhaps unreciprocated. Right Rosa?”

For a while, she has totally forgotten this was all about her, Luke had carried the whole class along and now. Hold on. What did he just say? Feelings for Who? Francis or for the sake of this novel, Jordan? Hell no!

“About that
I don’t think
.” She started but was interrupted by Madame Lydia.

“Yeah, I guess you are right Luke. That is one fine twist in the novel and I like it. However, we cannot be sure if it’s a reciprocated love unless he comes back , right Rosa?” All eyes were on her again. She nodded slightly.

“Now, it’s kind of boring at the start but you are getting there. Make sure you build the story very well, add suspense, and make us drool for more. I love the love twist you are adding, make sure you build it perfectly. Now, off you go. See you next month and be sure to have lots to write about.”

Rosa, picked her script and was already walking by her seat. What has she gotten into herself into! Just then she heard the applause. They applauded her. She was surprised and she smiled as she walked back to sit beside Luke who wouldn’t stop grinning at her.

“Thanks for the rescue Luke.” She said almost in a whisper to her.

He feigned surprise. His brows, bumping together, “I really have no idea of what you are talking about.”

She eyed him as she replied. “Yea, right”

He laughed, and gave a cocky wink. “You are Welcome.”

“By the way, would you take lunch with me after the class?”

Rosa smiled. She had expected that.

“On one condition.” She replied.

His eyes glistened in curiosity. “Shoot”

“How conversant are you with what is happening around you?”

“I don’t understand.”

“Do you know Frannicky? The richest man in the country I think and about his coming?”

He laughed.

Read ” Ichabod ” by the same author ( Tobi Loba )

. “You have a business with him?”

She ignored him. “There goes your lunch.”

“Alright, alright. Everyone knows him. It’s like a king is coming. I really don’t understand why so much Frenzy about him. But yeah, he is coming and I got a little bird who told me he will be coming in the next couple of weeks. But if you have this lunch with me, I will tell you the specific date he will be around”

She raised a brow. Did he just beat her at her own game! “Wow! You are even smarter than I thought.” She said to herself then faced him. “Okay handsome. You get to have a lunch with me.”

He grinned beautifully. “Smooth.”


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