missing. After a whole night of party-ing, everybody slept off in an awkward manner.
The metallic sounds coming from the kitchen affirmed his thoughts that his wife was in the kitchen- she loved kitchen work to bits, and he wondered why she wouldn't spare someone else's kitchen, they were in her sister's house for God's sake.
Ashley was busy with her pot and spoon, she was warming up the left over rice. Her plan was to eat up the rice before anybody wakes up, the party rice was so sweet that she dreamt of it.
"I knew it!" Jide said startling her.
"Hey..." she tried to compose herself.
"we're still in someone's house, stop raiding their kitchen." Jide chided.
"A good morning kiss won't kill you." Ashley frowned, her husband should mind his business.
"Not when you left me to go to someone's kitchen."
"Someone? Or my sister?" Ashley continued to stir her rice.
"What are you cooking?" Jide suddenly noticed the pot on the burner.
"don't even come near my rice o."
"Which rice?" Jide edged closer.
"party rice." Ashley emptied it into a plate.
"Its too early to eat, its just a few minutes past 6am"
"Good...so mind your business." Ashley relaxed by the sink, in readiness to savour her food.
"Wow...thats so inviting" Jide licked his lips.
"See...I'm warning you o"she wagged a finger at him.
"Okay...lets strike a deal...give me your rice and I'll give a most romantic morning." Jide stretched forth his palm.
"Do I look like Kenny that you would bribe? I own my husbands body; I can have it anytime-anywhere... so wheres the deal here?" Ashley laughed.
"Give that rice to me or I take it by force."
"For..." Ashley paused when she heard a knock.
"Oooooh..." she hissed.
"For the last time, this isn't your house so don't get cranky." Jide stated bolting to the door.
"Hi..."he lost his breathe when he saw Joyce. Of all days...he moaned.
"Good morning" Joyce walked in wondering what he was doing in the house so early.
"How u dey?" Joyce's mother walked in behind her.
"Fine" Jide's eyes were still fastened on Joyce, whatever made her come back, just when he thought she was gone forever.
"Honey..." Ashley walked into the living room still holding her half-eaten rice. She couldn't believe her eyes; when she saw Joyce, she wanted to say something but changed her mind.
Joyce after an eye-fight with Jide walked towards her room, she turned the door knob and pushed but the door refused to budge.
"ah ahn...who locked the door?" she asked no one in partcular.
"I did." Williams voice boomed from the stairway, he was awokened by their knockings.
Ashley exchanged looks with her husband and both sat on a couch to watch another drama unfold.
"Good day to you Mr. Williams, can I have the keys please?" Joyce asked casually.
"It depends on your mission, I thought you left?" Williams frowned.
"I came to get my things." Joyce replied glancing at her mother to say something but the older woman continued to stare blankly at her.
"Things! Just like that?"
"You should be happy I'm leaving." Joyce replied.
"Happy? After you nearly destroyed my family? What about our child? I heard you have a daughter."
"She's not your child." Joyce swallowed.
"Good...so all this while you were fixing me up. I'm gonna sue you." Williams continued carelessly.
Ashley and her husband coughed same time, before readjusting their sitting position.
"My pikin, e never reach like dat. Abeg no vex, anything wey Joy do you forgive am, na devil work." Joyce's mother went on her knees.
"Brother...why don't you let her go? This is God answering prayers." Jide spoke in yoruba.
Ashley pinched him, he should shut jor.
"Not after the trouble she put my family through." Williams spat, enjoying how the table seemed to have turned. Initially his plan was to beg Joyce and pay her off, but now Joyce was begging him to let her go, the tears on her face made him smile...
Ashley rose to her feet, her sister and kids need to see and hear this. She ran to the room Kola shared with Kenny, then to Cassandra's room, but when they came out, Joyce was already packing her things out of the house in tears.
Sasha struggled out of bed, the wetness she felt underneath made her pray she didn't wet her bed; what would the world say of an eighteen year old girl wetting her bed?
She pulled the covers of the bed and her eyes almost popped out. The wet substance simply designed her sparkling white bed sheets, gasping she turned to mirror to view her behind only to find out that it gave her creamy night wear a horrible floral design.
"Oooh" she groaned looking at the sheets , that was why she preferred her smaller bed and green coloured sheets, the stains eaisly came off, but how in God's name would she be able to wash the new extra large white sheet without her family getting to know whats up.
"Sassy..." the door burst open.
"Zobo!" she hissed quickly pulling the covers over the stained sheets.
"Morning Sassy." Kenny bounced into the room alongside her siblings, they were looking so excited.
"Mawning" she murmurred backing away from his hug.
"Are you okay? Don't tell me the party is still having effects on you." Kenny teased.
" And don't tell me you're still in not fully awake?" Cassandra said sitting on the bed.
"Get off my bed! Don't touch anything there!" Sasha screamed.
Cassandra jumped startled...
"Are you okay?"
"Dunno." she pressed her back against the wall.
"What are you hiding?" Kenny walked up to her.
"Muummmmy!" Sasha squealed.
"Ehen? What are you naughty kids doing? Haven't I warned you never to disturb my daughter?" Barbra walked in.
"Don't bother giving her a hug she just screamed at us." Kenny wore a long face.
"Mummy please ask them to leave now..."
"Please...I need to talk to mum now." she addressed her siblings.
They filed out of the room silently.
"Mummy...when you were 'redesigning my room? Where did you keep some of my things?" Sasha asked.
Barbra gave her a blank stare.
"Like my stuffs...like..." Sasha stammered.
"Talk to me, you need anything?" Barbra moved closer to her.
"Mum you have errm...like...errrm...you have Sanitary pads?" she continued to stammer.
"Pads? What do you need them for?"
"I need them for this!" Sasha turned her backside to her mother so she could have a full view.
"Oh my God! When did you..."
"I started since I was 13 or there about...please mum, the least I need now is questions and that surprised look on your face...please help" Sasha cut her short.
"Er... Cassie should have some..."
"Cassie! She's gonna laugh at me!" Sasha screamed.
"Don't worry, just run a bath, I'd get it for you." Barbra was trying as much as she could to fight back tears. When did her daughter start flowering? Who taught her or gave her all the things she needed?
**********
"I cooked specially for you." Williams smiled as he spoon-fed his daughter.
Sasha smile with gratitude, but deep within her she felt sick, they should stop doting on her like a two year old. Imagine her father feeding her cornflakes? She was trying her best not to puke.
"Kola said you drove them out of your room?" Willams asked after she stopped eating.
"I had to." she replied.
"Why?"
"Mum knows why...thanks for the nice breakfast."she smiled.
"Sassy..."Kenny's head poked into the room.
"hear me out before you chase me away again o... A chinese movie is on, I just felt I should inform you." he said quickly withdrawing his head.
"Go apologise to them, they all sulking away." Williams urged kissing her.
"yea...thanks once again dad." she hopped off the bed leaving him to clear the plates.
"see guys...I'm sorry for screaming at you..." she apologised when she got to the living room.
"Yea...mum told me why." Cassandra winked.
"And I eavesdropped." Kenny smiled.
"Holly..." Sasha felt like sinking to the floor.
"Tell me why you love chinese movies.." Ashley asked taking a seat in the living room.
"I..." her voice trailed off. She loved Kungfu cos of its theme 'vengeance' , she had always promised to avenge all her defaulters but now..
"I don't like it anylonger." Sasha sighed
"hmmm... Joyce asked me to say hi to , she asks you to forgive her." Cassandra informed her.
"Joyce where's she?" Sasha's eyes glinted.
"She's gone." Williams strolled in with Jide.
Sasha laughed, its reason she couldn't fathom.
"Oluwa ese gan o...aahh, Inu mi dun gan ni o..." Barba half ran out of room excitedly.
"Tunji just called o, he arrived Lagos and met Kemi in labour o....the twins arrived just now- a boy and a girl."
the room was filled with squeals and shouts of joy.
"I'm finally a grand pa!" Williams hugged his wife.
"yea...we're gonna bully those kids!" Kenny gave Sasha a high-five.
It was a long time coming, the family went through a lot of tribulations, Kemi's marriage shook, Barbra nearly lost her place, Sasha nearly died..but against all odds they prevailed.
DESPITE ALL ODDS, the Williams are strong again.
THE END........
GOD BLESS YOU ALL FOR READING THIS BEAUTIFUL STORY...
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