Chapter One
The weather was extremely hot on Monday afternoon. David left his office to get himself a good meal, his secretary wanted to get it for him but he refused. When he left his office, he drove his car to a nearby restaurant. He started perceiving the delicious food from the entrance, his stomach began to make noises, he adjusted his tie and walk majestically to a table close to the window. He looked at the menu in front of him, he summoned the waitress.
"Good afternoon Sir, what can I offer you?" She gave him a smile.
"Hmm..... Hmm... After going through your menu, I'll love to have jollof rice, salad, roasted chicken and a bottle of..... any soft drinks." David said looking at the waitress.
"Alright Sir, I'll be back in a jiffy." She turned to go. David looks round each table, the food he's seeing in front of the people is making him feel hungrier. He saw a young man in his late thirties and a woman he assumed to be his wife eating and laughing loudly. The woman's laugh was very funny, he wanted to laugh as he stared at her face. He remembered that he is single and searching, he wondered when he'll be able to have a girlfriend.
"This is your order Sir." The waitress gently dropped the food on his table. She arranged them before him. David's mouth can't wait to taste the food in front of him.
"Thank you." He gave her a smile.
"If you need anything, you can call on me." She said without waiting for his reply. He wanted to reply her but his mouth was occupied with jollof rice.
As David continues to eat his food, he was hearing a faint voice of a woman. She was abusing someone in her local language. She is a Yoruba woman and the insult was getting too much, people stood to see what was going on. A young girl of about sixteen years old was crying bitterly saying wholeheartedly 'I didn't do it'. The woman was whipping the girl with a thin long stick. David couldn't take it anymore, he stood to ask what's going on.
"I knew you're a thief, I'll kill you today. You this local ungrateful girl. How dare you steal my money?" The woman shouted at the girl, she continues whipping her.
"I swear, I didn't do it," she cried. I can't steal your money, please.... Please ooooh.... Please ma" The young girl pleaded.
"Excuse me, what did she do? Please stop whipping her with that cane." David collected the cane. The girl hid herself at his back panting and crying.
"This girl's mother brought her to me to work as a cleaner here. I accepted her and she started working with me. Since then I have been suspecting this wicked girl. Whenever she's going home in the evening, she'll pack my food home for her poor parents and she's stealing my money... "She wanted to drag her out to beat her but David pleaded and draw her close to him.
"I'm so sorry. I'm pleading on her behalf. How much is the money she stole?" David asked the woman.
"I didn't steal any money... "The girl quickly said to defend herself.
"Shut up, that's how all this young people usually behave. As young as you are, you are stealing." An old man in front of her interrupted her. Tears trickled down her face.
"The money is... twenty thousand naira." The woman confidently uttered.
"Ahhhhhhh!" The people shouted.
"I'll pay it. Send me your account number and I'll transfer it to you now." David said. He brought out his phone.
''Thank you Sir. " She told David her account number.
Everyone in the restaurant watching the scenario was looking at the girl with disgust. The girl continues to clean her tears with her hand but the hot tears won't stop coming. David transferred the money to the woman, she appreciated him so much and the people also did. David went to the table where he left his food, he took his car keys and headed outside. The girl followed him. He was about to open his car when a heard a tiny voice shouting 'thank you Sir'. He turned back.
"I'm... I'm... I'm... very grateful for your kind gesture. I didn't steal the money, that's how she usually does every weekend so she could collect money from her customers. I'm not the only one she does it to. Thank you for giving her the money." The girl said without looking at David's face, she bow her head.
"Okay. I don't know if what you're saying is true or not but I trust you. Can't you work somewhere else?" David asked her curiously.
"My parents told me to continue working with her because she usually gives me food to take home." The girl uttered.
"What's your name? " David asked her looking at her long black hair which she plaited.
"My name is Aliya." She hurriedly replied.
"Okay. My name is David Williams. I'm a business person and I love to help people because I knew what I have also went through before becoming who I'm today. I'll be glad to help you if you want." He told Aliyah.
"I'll be happy if you can help me out." She said happily.
"Sure. " He went into his car to bring his business card. He handed it to her.
"Call me in the evening. I will be back from work by then. Take this little cash to buy yourself anything you want." He gave her ten thousand naira. She didn't even count it, she put it inside the dirty trouser she is wearing.
"Thank you very much Sir. God will continue to bless you and your family.". She started praying for David, he smiled at her.
"Make sure you call me so we can talk better. I will love to see your parents if you don't mind." David uttered.
"Okay Sir." She said trying not to look at him.
"Drop the sir and call me David. I'm twenty years old or you think I'm an old man?" He chuckled.
"Okay," Her eyes met his, she saw his cute deep dimples. She quickly took her face away from him.
"Aliya, it's nice to meet you. You shouldn't work here again that's what I can advice you." He went into his car and drove off.
Aliyah stood in the same spot looking at the car until it disappeared into the thin air. She was extremely excited because of the money she collected from David. She called a bike man to take her home.
"How much will you take me to Johnson road?" She asked the bike man.
"Give me 300 naira." The man said without looking at her.
"Ah! That's too much. I usually get a bike home for 150 naira." She was reluctant to pay.
"Are you going or not? I don't have time to waste." The bike man did as if he wanted to go.
"You can go. I can't enter bike from here to Johnson road for 300 naira." Aliya turns to go. She was shocked when she saw David standing behind her.
"You can go Sir." David said gently to the bike man who has frowned his face.
"When you knew that you are not going anywhere, why did you called me?" He hissed angrily and he rolled his eyes at them.
"Take this." David gave him 1000 naira.
"Thank you." The bike man left happily.
"Thank you for giving him the money. He doesn't deserves to collect the money." Aliya tried to find the right word to say.
"Okay." He giggled. "Can I drop you at your house?" David asked Aliya.
"Hmmmm..... You shouldn't worry about it. I'll find another bike man or I trek home." Aliya turns to go.
"Come on. I'm willing to help." He led her to his car.
"Thank you Sir." She was afraid to enter into the car but one thing told her nothing will happen. She summoned courage to enter the car.
After driving for minutes, David dropped Aliya in front of her house. The building was made of bamboo, David was first reluctant to go inside. Aliya went in to call her parents, they were happy when Aliya told them about David and how he helped her. When David saw them coming outside, he greeted them warmly and they replied him with joy.
"Why don't you come inside?" Aliya dad questioned him.
"Okay Sir." David said and he followed them into the house.
After lots of discussions, David volunteered to help them with their financial problems and also change their house. They were all elated. They appreciated him, he promised to also help Aliya in her education.
"I'm a philanthropist as well as my parents. It is a pleasure to be able to help you." David said.
"I can't explain to you how happy I'm. Thank you so much." Aliya's dad uttered.
"Today is the happiest day of my life. Thank you so much." Her mother said appreciating David.
"You are welcome." David said.
Aliya gave him a smile.