CHAPTER SEVEN

As the years passed, the weight of regret intensified within her for abandoning her mother's remains due to trauma.

In her attempts to retrace her steps to the family home five years ago, she had encountered the frustration of receiving no information about Mary's burial location.

Moreover, Uncle Jackson had relocated, leaving her with a void of familial connection.

Clutching her pillow close, she whispered a heartfelt plea, "Lord, with each passing day, I acknowledge the depths of my shortcomings. I can't fathom why I allowed cruelty to guide me, particularly towards my mother. Lord, I'm haunted by an inexplicable fear of men, a fear that impedes my willingness to embrace marriage. Please grant me strength to overcome this fear."

A knock disrupted her introspection.

Juliana alerted her of Joshua's presence with an intention to share something important.

With a skeptical eye roll, she remarked,

"Joshua always seem to have something to tell me."

"I know your secret my child". Juliana observed her.

"What secret mother?".

"The real reason you hate marriage is because you have grown to be scared of sex because of your biological mother".

Rosa gasped.

No one has ever known her greatest secret.

How on earth did Juliana...

Tears welled in her eyes. "Mother...".

Juliana hugged her. "Rosa, how long will you understand that you are no longer a prostitute's daughter?".

Rosa sobbed. "I watched mother treat countless infections everyday. Sometimes I would see her bring out blood and I will be so scared. She flushed foetus in my very eyes. She used sex to train me".

"There is no reason to be scared of sex in marriage, Rosa. You were not raped. You are fine".

"I already know what sex feels like even if I have never done it before. Mother moaned it all night".

"Your mother masturbated too?".

"Not just that. I had seen her in bed with uncle Jackson on different occasions when I returned from school".

"Who is uncle Jackson?".

"He was my neighbour".

"At nine years, you had watched your mother sleeping with another man?".

"I have so much memories of sex. I had watched it at such a tender age. It made me hate it".

"Please, Rosa. Don't ever say you hate it okay?Come here ". She hugged her.

When she got out of the house to meet Joshua, he was engaged in a conversation with Victor outside.

They promptly wrapped up their discussion upon Rosa's arrival.

As Victor excused himself and went inside, Joshua turned to Rosa with a gentle smile, holding a bouquet of flowers. "I got these for you, Rosa," he said, offering them to her.

Rosa smiled as she accepted the flowers. "Thank you, Joshua."

However, when he attempted a tender touch on her cheek, she instinctively flinched, casting a disapproving glare. "Why are you attempting to touch me?" she questioned, prompting a surprised gasp from Joshua.

"I apologize, Rosa," he responded with a hint of remorse in his voice.

She glared at him. "Is that all you want?You only brought up marriage so that you will have sex with me?". She forced the bunch of flowers back into his hand. "Anytime you men see women, the only thing you are after is their body! You think I don't know right?".

She entered her car and drove away.

Whenever she felt overwhelmed, she would head to the gym, as was her usual routine.

As she started running on the treadmill, memories of her mother's moans from her childhood came back, bringing tears to her eyes.

Suddenly, the treadmill stopped.

She wiped her tears and looked up, surprised to see the celebrity Raymond Smith standing there.

Quickly stepping off the treadmill, she wiped her eyes, and Raymond handed her a handkerchief, which she hesitantly accepted.

Hastily stepping off the treadmill, she wiped her eyes, only for Raymond to offer a handkerchief, which she reluctantly accepted.

"Let's talk outside," he suggested, leading her to follow him.

Standing beneath a shade outdoors, she hesitantly joined him, "What brings you here?"

He sighed. "It is the first time I am coming out to gym. Usually, I don't even leave my house for many things. I was directed to this gym center which is two estates away from mine. No gym center in my area. Residents only rely on jogging as exercise. What about you?why are crying on the treadmill?".

"Actually, I am a very emotional person. It is actually not a big deal".

"Your eyes are red. Very red eyes mean no big deal?".

She sighed deeply. "Sometimes i just want to disappear. I tell myself, 'Rosa, you have to be a decent girl! You have to avoid fake people but I just keep meeting people that want to take advantage of me! Because he brought me flowers, he thinks it gives him right to touch me right?".

He gasped. "Someone tried to touch you against your will?".

"Yes. He touched my cheeks! Joshua brought up marriage because he thinks he can get under my skirt! He must be dreaming".

He was confused. "That might not have been his intention though ".

Rosa made eyes at him. "Is that not what you men think about anytime you see a woman?".

He chuckled. "Men think about a whole lot of things when deciding their partner. A whole lot".

She gasped. "Don't tell me I overreacted then?". She sighed in embarrassment. "Oh my God, Joshua will call me a teenager again".

He chuckled. "Are you usually that defensive anytime a man touches you?".

She nodded. "In High School, my female friends confided in me because anytime they were sexually harassed, i defend them with my taekwondo skills".

He rolled his eyes. "What are you feeling like right now? Taekwondo emperor?".

She nodded. "I taught my brothers about Taekwondo moves but ever since I received Christ two years ago, I stopped fighting though ".

"Thank God for Christ. He saved my face and the supposed Joshua".

She burst into laughter. "I never knew you had any sense of humour. You have been typecasted by your directors with the usual serious looking nerd roles they give you to act".

"Yes. I am quiet but I am always relaxed everywhere I find myself. That can be humourous sometimes. Very rarely though ".

"So, why did you come to gym?".

"I am preparing for a movie. They would be needing a thin character".

She sighed. "You actors are trying. I can't even go through that stress".

"The same love you have in drawing out designs is the same love we have for acting and singing".

"Bravo! But I think an establishment is more of an investment. Most of you actors that don't know how to manage money have to keep acting to remain in shape. But you can just have investments and relax while you have your team putting up the work".

He burst into laughter. "You are right on that one. Come to think of it, I am actually looking for a job and I have my masters degree. Can you employ me into your organization?".

She searched his eyes. "In my organization, we don't use certificate, we use practicals. We don't use CVs too because a lot of people are not honest in their curriculum vitae these days. We have a hall where you will be faced with question and answers and you will be allowed to do a thing or two to prove yourself. My current computer engineer employee only has a primary school certificate but he is extremely skilled".

He gasped. "I used to think that certificate was everything ".

"No. A lot of people buy their way through school and avoid the hardwork in academics. They just compile things and you end up employing liabilities instead of assets. You need assets to make an organization work ".

"But sometimes, liabilities become assets with time and patience. That has worked for me overtime".

"These days, there is not usually enough time to wait for liabilities. You are actually speaking like this because you have never managed an organization before. These days, there is usually not enough time to wait".

He shrugged. "By the way, why didn't you tell me that we have met before?".

"Yes, we did at the church and..."

"You almost killed me in your car. You think I don't remember?".

She gasped and bit her lip nervously.

He chuckled. "You look so calm in person but you are quite troublesome in real life".

She sighed and looked away frustratedly.

"I like everything I have seen in you so far, Rosa Anderson". He grinned.

She was shocked. "Which part of it? The part that I nearly hit your car or the part that I refused to take pictures with you?".

"All of it. Including the part that the supposed independent woman was crying on the treadmill ".

She chuckled. "Independent women cry the most because they handle a lot of things by themselves and sometimes it can be tiring".

He nodded thoughtfully. "You are right".

A sleek car zoomed by and Joshua stepped out.

Hastening towards Rosa, he conveyed, "Your mother has asked me to bring you home."

"I drove. I will join you all shortly" Rosa responded.

"I've already sent Daniel to drive your car back." He assured.

The supposed Daniel, emerging from the car, took the keys from Rosa.

Without a chance to bid Raymond farewell, Joshua guided her to the car and drove in silence.

She sighed nervously. "Er...Joshua, about today, I am really sorry. I...er didn't mean to act like a child".

He chuckled. "That is actually what I love about you".

She gasped. "What do you mean?".

"...the fact that you always act like a child".

She was shocked at him.

Joshua was not ready to back off.