CHAPTER five

CHAPTER FIVE

TINA

I took his number from my mom and but I couldn't call him and it had been a week. I knew he had mine too so I was waiting for him to be the first to call so I could pretend I didn't know him or I had any idea of whatever he would say.

I wanted it to look like I had no idea about the marriage so that maybe he would know I wasn't interested but it had been a week and he hadn't made the first move yet. I was pissed and not happy. If I was to make the first move then it would look like I wanted this marriage but I didn't.

It was Saturday and I was in my office checking the account when one of my waiters came into my office telling me that a customer was dissatisfied with the food and was causing a commotion. I asked the waiter to tell the manager about it since that was why I hired a manger in the first place but he said the man wanted to sue my restaurant for severing him spoilt food and my manager was at lost and didn't know what to do. What a waste of money?

Nevertheless, I was shocked. I had been thinking of hiring a lawyer for my restaurant for a while but I wasn't seeing the need to do so because everyone that came to my restaurant left positive feedback so I was reluctant on spending money on something like that. Now, I was wishing I had done that. I know it was impossible to choose between a manger and a lawyer and now I know why I needed the two. What was I going to do now?

Well, first I had to see the man and find out more about the situation. My restaurant would never serve spoilt food to customers. We didn't even have that kind of thing because, for all leftovers, my workers took them home. They sent it to their families and sometimes give them to their friends but this rarely happened. My food attracts crowds and people sometimes would have to line up for the food. There were hardly any leftovers. What could make my food go bad?

Was it the ingredients? The store rooms? I was thinking about all the possibilities that could have made the food go bad but I couldn't figure it out. If there was nothing wrong with my food then it could be an attention seeker. I had come across a few like that. My mind was running a marathon of its own and so when I saw the one making the complaint, it took a full minute before I recognized him. It was him!

I was stirring at a very handsome man who was 6'2 in height with very muscular and strong body. He had a stubble beard which made him look hotter. He smiled and God he had dimples too. I was at lost for words. How do I act now? Should I be rude and pretend I don't know him or should I be nice? I mean I knew he was handsome from the pictures but I didn't know he was this handsome in person. It seemed he took his time to dress up because he was looking hot. I needed to get my mind off the gutters. I was practically drooling.

"If you are done stirring, can we go somewhere quite to talk about this and resolve this issue?" he asked in his masculine voice that had me melting at the spot.

Wait what issue? Oh yes, the food gone bad, right. I turn and indicated that he should follow me. I couldn't trust my voice at the moment and I knew I was going to stammer if I tried to say something. I can be an idiot sometimes.

We entered my office and he took his time to admire it. "My, my you have a great place, wife." He said before undoing his suit button and sitting down. Making himself at home.

"I am not your wife yet mister and thank you for the compliment." I said as gracefully as I could. There was something bothering me. This man is so fine so I didn't understand why he was still single at his age. I didn't understand why his mother had to go praying for him to get a wife. He could have any one he wanted so why? If I asked about it, it would look like I was interested but it was bothering me.

"So how did you find me?" I asked even though I knew the answer. But I just wanted to break the staring competition going on between him and I. 

"I am sure you know the answer." He said still smiling. "What brought me here is, 'why do you want to marry me.' You are beautiful and well off and could have any man you want so why, tell me, why must your mother go praying for you? Are you possessed with an evil spirit that fights off men or is your personality that bad to the extent that no man wants you? Tell me, why are insisting on marrying me when you don't even know me? Surely you can't be that desperate right?"

I was stun. What a jerky jerk! "I beg your pardon what? I insist on marring you? I am what, possessed and I have a bad personality? Listen mister, you don't know me and you don't know shit about anything. And breaking news, I don't want you. Like you said I am beautiful and well off so I believe you should know that I have no need of you. 'Why do I want to marry you?' I do not. If you believe that women want to marry you like I 'insist' on doing, then why aren't you married? Let me also ask you, what is so wrong with you that your mother had to go praying for you? Are you afraid of women or are gay? Or are you a player that does not want to settle done or are you impotent?"

"Ha, ha, ha, I am a man in every sense and I am very straight. You know what, just tell your mom that it wouldn't work because from what I see, we won't work and we will be a torn in each other's side. So, let's make this simple for everyone, tell your people that I don't want a used up old woman."

And that was it. I stood up and slapped him. I have been hearing these types of comments from the time I opened up my restaurant. It was always, 'Oh, the owner is a girl then her sugar daddy bought it for her' or 'Oh, the owner is a girl so she must have slept her way through to get to where she was'. Just because I was a girl and I had my own restaurant people called me a whore. Ignoring the fact that I worked my ass off to open up this place. I bought everything with my own money. People came to my place because the food was great and whosoever had a taste came back for more.

"Let me tell you something mister, you can't come in here and start insulting me when you don't even know me. Now get out! I don't want you and I don't want your people in my house. If you are so capable then tell your family not to step a foot in my house to ask for my hand in marriage. Because if you don't, I will make your life a living hell." I stood up and opened the door for him. He glared at me before leaving and I broke down crying.

Why is it not normal for a woman to be young, beautiful and self-made? Must it always be because of a man? Why is it that hard for people to understand that I am a woman who made it in life without a man by her side? My dad helped but most of the work was done by me. I was the one who stayed up late and closed around twelve am each night.

I started as a fast-food joint that opened only in the evening till later due to multiple requests, I started opening in the mornings too. People started ordering food for their events and slowly I was able to save to buy my place and make it this famous. But I guess if I go on TV or radio and tell people that what I had was based on my own hard work no one would believe. This is the sexist world we live in.

I was well aware of what people said about me and I had grown to guardy heart in such a way that comments like that doesn't affect me emotionally and physically. But, if the man I am going to spend the rest of my life with did not believe in me then I guess there really would have to be a no wedding between us. It was just a pity. He was handsome for nothing. What an idiot! He spoilt my day!

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