Chapter eighteen

Being a grown up

Following day, what was this day going to be like since jakes prayed for his girl well he wants Laura to be his girl. Does God grant such request will see how this goes?

The helper said "where are you taking all this food?"

Jakes said "it's for lunch with my friend."

The helper said "isn't that a lot, don't you eat out in fancy restaurant even when you have the best chefs here?"

Jakes said "Aunty Dora, my friend need's to gain weight and I will be there for her. "

The helper said "you can only help those who need and want to, this girl made it clear to you she does not need it, she has more drama than those blonds you use to hang out with before her. "

Jakes said "before her my life was boring , I'm happy she inspires me to be an exceptional man , when I'm with her I don't have to pretend to be someone else and I just love who I am when I am with her is that hard to understand?"

The helper "sounds like a man in love, I'm happy when you are happy.��

Jakes said "I am see you later, and don't want to bump into my father."

The helper said "you better go and have wonderful day."

Jakes said " Thank you. You too bye. "

Laura in her own, she was struggling, no food, she just thought of money for the rent only, the flat included just a bed, small fridge and a stove and the small bathroom with no hot water. She had nothing there, not even one pot. "how could I not have thought about all that I will need, just thought about roof over my head only, at home I would get back to home cook meals, never worried myself about groceries and toiletries, and have bills to pay. going back home not an option, he will be so pleased to take me back and tell me" I told you so and world is rough out there." It is hard not great being independent." Laura was thinking out loud. The roof was driving her mad. She got ready to go college.

Eric decide to go to college today and forget about his parents who are fighting non-stop these days.

Eric said "hey, how are you and how's Laura?"

Jakes said "I'm awesome thanks and Laura isn't here yet, hope she is fine and have you check on her lately?"

Eric said "No, haven't I'm glad you were there for here."

Jakes said "how did it go with your parent's?"

Eric said "My father didn't know about Laura being his daughter and my mother not taking it well. I should apologize to Laura what I said to her at the hospital"

Jakes said "she will understand, and right now she needs you, you're her best friend and her brother too."

Eric said "I thought she was getting better, what happened?"

The lecture said "everyone sit down take out your textbooks. "

Jakes said "will talk at lunch time."

Eric said "Alright man."

The lecture said " kept it down please, arrange yourself in groups each group with 5 members, pass out those papers there's a case study and an essay topics, get it down now discuss write and choose someone in your group to present your answers in a hour."

Each group were discussing writing down and typing their presentation, and those who were chosen to present had their power point ready. Laura got in hour late, while some of the students were presenting now.

Laura said "I'm sorry for coming late."

The lecture said "what do I always tell all of you, if you can't get here early don't bother coming, you're losing focus what is it with you Laura?"

Laura said "it won't happen again."

The lecture said "you are right about that, don't ever come to attend my class, you interrupting me I don't take kindly to that."

Laura said "it is my first time coming late for any class, I work hard and one of your best student."

The lecture said "you are but exams are here final exams, it will be a shame to fail now all that hard work you put in for what and take this as a lesson."

Laura said "what lesson is this Sir?"

The lecture said "when you are here, you distract the other students from learning passing out here, look around few people like you in this college, you don't belong here its expensive here I bet you're here because you got a bursary."

Laura said "black People like me, what nonsense is this, is this because of my skin colour?"

The lecture said "Ms Black, always using the race card you people have no shame whatsoever please go outside."

Jakes said "Sir, you are out of line."

The lecture said "do you want to join her, you need this lesson more than her. That's what I thought jakes sit down."

She came back to attend e-commerce lesson

Everyone talking about her

Eric said "it will pass, I would ask how you are doing but you had a crazy morning."

Laura said "doesn't get any better, there's no one thing that's amazing about my life I'm so exhausted."

Eric said "hang in there it will get better, I'm sorry about what I said and not being there for you."

Laura said "it's cool, how are things on your side?"

Eric said "good, at home it's crazy I can't believe my father has not seen your father to talk."

Laura said "I don't care, I move out and before you say anything I'm fine I will be fine. "

Eric said "can I come where you live now to see how it is?"

Laura said "just move in, the place is empty I wouldn't want anyone there."

Eric said "I'm your brother not anyone, if you are struggling let me help you there's no need to be embarrassed or ashamed."

Laura said "I'm not let me submit my e-commerce paper, will catch up at lunch time."

Eric said "at lunch heading home, done attending all my classes, why don't you come with me?"

Laura said "I can't, I will meet your father... our father when I'm ready."

Eric said "cool, let me head home."

"Home, is that place my home now and how long will it take me to get my new place and I'm worrying about new place when I still need to get things for that place". She thought

Jakes said "I thought we should have lunch together, how are you doing?"

Laura said "I'm doing great."

Jakes said "really, you came late and Mr Grey banned you from attending his class, exams are here. "

Laura said "what were you doing and you made matters worse?"

Jakes said "I was standing up for you, how is it my fault?"

Laura said "I'm sorry, just never had anyone stand up for me, and always had to fight my battles alone."

Jakes said "I get it, no one must disrespect you like that or else they will deal with me."

Laura said "yeah right, you didn't walk out with me you stayed behind."

Jakes said "I'm not an A student like you, you will be fine I won't be."

Laura said "Enough about that I'm hungry, so much food you got there."

Jakes said "my girl needs to gain weight and take some home."

Laura said "Thanks."

Jakes said "So how did you sleep in that place?"

Laura thought " how did I sleep, I didn't. The noise, I can hear the cars, the people next door, loud music, I was scrubbing and cleaning the place at night, then I was trying to sleep, there was a mouse hate mouse, in fact animals as long they are in zoo not in my place. I was scared it will bit my toes while I'm asleep so I stayed up trying to get rid of it and the easy way of doing that is not rat poison, cheese traps just simply open the door, move things around in my case I don't have much, I turn my bed upside down was nowhere for it to hide. Door opened it got out. I'm not sure Jakes what to hear all that. He called that place damp was because he comes from money or he was just concern about me staying there I don't know."

Jakes said "hello there earth to Laura!"

Laura said "oh, I slept fine and you?"

Jakes said "same here, but you look tired. Were you doing the business task? "

Laura said "I will do it today, submit at night online."

Jakes said "are you sure you are alright, you haven't started writing your task not like you?"

Laura said "deadline on next Monday, it's Wednesday today and are you done with yours?"

Jakes said "I have not started you like being top of everything, completing your work as fast as you can, procrastination and disorganized not you. Before you say a word I know you and everything is not fine."

Laura said "I'm struggling okay, being a grown up is not easy and I don't know if I made a mistake leaving home, I should have beg my father but hey so determined to make it without him."

Jakes said "you are going home with me, I want to sleep well at night not up to discussion babe."

Laura said " hold on first I thought you slept well, secondly you can't tell me what to do, you can't just stamp your authority like that to me" I'm the man in this relationship, woman do what I say" thirdly, don't call me babe unless you're my man and right now this here not clear what we are."

Jakes said "I guess you prefer phone calls than texts, you talk nonstop woman."

Laura said "really, okay."

Jakes said " first I was worried about you but I managed to sleep, secondly I was not trying to sound like that, you want us to discuss you staying at my home fine don't be stubborn and thirdly you're my babe I want you to be. Can you be my woman?"

Laura said "I love that you were worried about me, you're caring, you were there for me and now I thought about what is the one thing that's great in my life and it's you. I push people away but you are here."

Jakes said "does that mean yes?"

Laura said "I would love to be your girlfriend."

Jakes said "it's official now we are a couple."

Laura said "can't believe this we are a couple now."

Jakes said "so excited to call you my girl Laura."

Jakes was over the moon they drove to his home as new couple in the block.

Jakes's father said "Dora, what is it that I hear you are preparing a guest room for a guest, is it your son is he alright?"

The helper said "my son is fine, thanks for asking and yours is the one I'm concerned about."

Jakes's father said "what did Jakes do? Don't tell me he is back to his old ways."

The helper said "if you mean him sleeping with girls here, that's not it. Brought Laura to stay here in the guestroom his room is far away they won't be any funny business. "

Jakes's father said "why are you worried, then?"

The helper said "he is in love don't want him to get hurt and why do you look unhappy?"

Jakes's father said "he didn't tell me that Laura will be staying here, I'm still alive still my home."

The helper said "you didn't have a problem when he had parties here, "the place is big enough for crazy parties "you would say. Now he brings a girl he is serious about is an issue, I don't get it be real with me here."

Jakes's father said "he is young, lost his mother didn't want to be tough on him."

The helper said "your problem with Laura, if she was from rich family and not mix, you would be happy to have her."

Jakes's father said "I work hard for what, that part of the world I left behind and now he wants to take us back there."

The helper said "what's wrong with that, you are too important to be seen in the hood, walking in dirty neighbourhood and catching dust?"

Jakes's father said "No, just Jakes doesn't know that life and I wouldn't want him to lose all this because of a girl. "

The helper said "so you're worried she will marry him then divorce him take everything you work hard for is that it?"

Jakes's father said "if you put it that way yes."

The helper said "For someone who was raised in the hood you seem to have forgotten where you came from."

Jakes's father said "I might have grown up there but I never belonged and my parents did not have a choice they were struggling and that life is behind me now."

The helper said "I find that hard to believe, I'm sure your family was treated well and you don't like black people I mean you think of Laura you think of struggles being poor."

Jakes's father said "I think you want to say I look down on them maybe I do as a white family in the hood I saw how hard it is for some black people to get by daily but some had excuses making everything about race and yes I am better person not because I am white simply because I work harder than all of my friends in the hood."

The helper said "I give up as for jakes you should trust your son, support him or you will lose him just like your daughter, he could have bought an apartment for him and Laura but he chose to come home and why do you think he did that?"

Jakes's father said "apartments and hotels, are not the same as living in this mansion."

The helper said "clearly you don't know your son, he wants to be close to you."

Jakes's father said "I will try Dora, please tell the chef that we have a guest, and cook the best dishes."

The helper said "I will and don't mess this for jakes."

Laura been given a tour around the mansion.

Laura said "you didn't tell your father I will be staying here."

Jakes said" I will talk to him don't worry."

Laura said "alright, where is your study room I guess you have one, I mean this place is huge and beautiful."

Jakes said "I do, let's go and study there are textbooks and other books, you do love reading so it will be your favourite room.

Laura said "if you call reading samples from Google book store, reading books sure I love reading. "

Jakes said "laughing out loud, remind me why you're a top student again, shouldn't reading be your thing."

Laura said "I love reading soft copies, holding a book (hard copy) with thousands of pages never been able to finish reading it where as in soft copies I read any book no matter how many pages are there and finish it."

Jakes said "you will love it, I bet if you had money you would buy all those book's in your Google book store list and read all of them."

Laura said "maybe you're right."

Jakes said "I'm always right."

The helper got in

The helper said "sorry to disturb you kids, your father wants you to join him for dinner at 7 pm."

Jakes said "Thanks Aunty Dora."

Laura said "Now I'm nervous, definitely was not on my list, meeting your father my man's father like this or even having a man. "

Jakes said "So what else is on your list, are this just rules you live by."

Laura said "I wouldn't say rules, just thing's I want in life and I wouldn't do. Been here wasn't one of my plans I wanted to be independent. "

Jakes said "let me guess, your rules include being independent, be successful not rely on a man very predictable and here I was I thought you were a mystery."

Laura said "that doesn't mean you have me all figured out jakes."

Jakes said "your definition of success is to have a killer career, successful business woman am I wrong?"

Laura said "yes, where is this going?"

Jakes said "should not life, mean more than working and being rich."

Laura said "you preaching to me, spending money on cars and parties. You are rich, why is it bad for me to want to be successful?"

Jakes said "I'm not saying it's bad, does it include having a husband having children marriage, and being in love having a man who loves you. "

Laura said "I think we should head to the study room need to catch up with my stuides, was in hospital for days remember."

Jakes said "sure, I would hate for you to pass out simply because I was questioning your life rules or choices."

Laura said "I am going to ignore what you just said."

They went to study and did that business communication tasks, they were focus even though they were mad at each other.