The next day, it was morning. Ara had gotten up by six already, took her bath and changed into a white v-neck gown she was told they were wearing for the day. She could remember the conversation she had with Prince Ire and somehow, remembering the part he brought out a bottle of cold water she wanted despite stopping her at first, and when he gave her part of his food knowing she was hungry brought a little smile to Ara's face. She felt like he cared for her a little. Her smile widened a little more when she remembered his smile she thought was not pretty enough but somehow made her smile even more as she combed her hair into a style.
But he's still wierd', she thought and her smile was gone remembering how annoying he was throughout their conversation. How rudely he spoke to her, acting like he doesn't even care at all. Ara agreed he doesn't care for anyone at all giving thousands of excuses not to find herself smiling again. To her, Prince Ire was a bit strange with his acts. Acting all cold and suddenly switching to a caring person. Ara scolded herself for the stupid smiles she had on, hitting her head to think about something else before laughing at herself in the mirror. She could laugh at stupid things before realizing they were stupid.
Ara put on her shoes to finally leave her room and start her work for the day. She remembered and reminded herself she needed to be careful with her words whenever she got to see Prince Ire again. He had warn her with his looks and she must have been stupid to forget he was still her boss who she now depends on to pay her salary. No more silly talks with him,' she warned herself. Yes sir. Yes sir. Yes sir.' She faced the mirror and said it several times telling herself that
was the new way to start addressing Prince Ire. And no looking into his eyes', she warned herself for the last time. She wondered why she enjoyed looking into his eyes.
Ara walked out of her room when it was exactly seven o'clock. She could hear sounds coming from the kitchen. She quickly walked in and saw that Sewa was already cooking.
"Good morning " Ara dragged, smiling at Sewa who stopped cutting the potato in her left
hand.
Sewa wasn't smiling. "Miss, if you keep coming out by seven o'clock in the morning, when will your boss who takes his breakfast by eight o'clock get to eat his food?" Sewa squeezed her mouth causing Ara to laugh. She was finding Sewa a little bit dramatic with the different expressions that followed the words she spoke.
But then, Ara looked at Sewa, surprised by the information she was fed with. "Eight o'clock! So fast. That's so early. Is he going to work?"
"Fifty two more minutes to go sister. You are not in your house where you take breakfast at twelve o'clock in the afternoon." Sewa looked up at the big wall clock in the kitchen causing Ara to look up and finally saw the giant white wall clock before bursting into a loud laughter.
Sewa just shook her head. She wondered what was so funny. "Ara don't just stand there, blend the pepper so that you can start preparing the fried stew already." Sewa dropped the knife and potato in her two hands, dragged the bowl of unwashed tomatoes and red pepper to Ara. "That reminds me," she faced Ara once again. "You have to quickly go to the guest house to ask Mr.
Ayo what he would like us to prepare too."
"Mr. Ayo..." Ara repeated before realizing who Sewa was talking about. Ayoola. Then she asked. "I thought he's here for the first Queen."
Sewa went back to the potato she was cutting. "I can't start saying anything now, but if that man doesn't take his breakfast by eight o'clock too, Prince Ire won't take it well on us because they are friends. He has not called me to say they are no longer friends, so go now." Sewa poured the sliced potatoes inside a medium pot, stopping Ara who was about asking more questions. "Forty nine minutes to go. Guest house."
Ara laughed at Sewa's command tone. She wanted to ask where the guest house was, but she just have to leave since Sewa wasn't planning on listening to her anymore. Stepping out
of Prince Ire's Quarters, she saw who she was looking for locking his Bentley. Ayoola stood tall in a blue joggers and a white t-shirt close to his car. His white canvas was sparkling white as if it had never hit the road with them before. He just finished jogging and he needed to relax.
Ayoola opened the bottle water in his hand, filling up his throat slowly.
Ara ran towards him before he would disappear before her eyes. She admired how tall he stood in his joggers. "Mr. Ayo!" she shouted. The workers passing by saw her and looked away.
Instead of helping her reach out to Ayoola who was looking around for who was calling him, they just passed by. Ayoola finally saw Ara the moment he turned to his back. He dropped the bottle water he was holding on top of his car and quickly dropped his car key in his pocket as well.
Ayoola switched his IPhone11 from his right hand to his left hand, leaving the hand intentionally free. That killer smile graced his face and Ara melt from afar. To Ara, he was quite handsome especially when he smiled, and that was one thing Ayoola loved doing whenever he saw pretty girls. Ara immediately stopped running because Ayoola was already approaching her and slowly met him on the way.
"Good morning ma," Ayoola greeted with a bow causing Ara to smile back at his sudden act of respect. It seemed a little bit odd for her, but she liked it.
"Good morning sir," she replied back and they both laughed at each other, that whatever impression they must have had for each other at the begining they met changed. Ayo's empty right hand quickly went forward requesting for a handshake, and immediately Ara's eager hand met with his. "Thank you so much for yesterday sir." Ara greeted again with respect.
Ayo's teeth suddenly displayed themselves submitting to Ara's magical smile. He couldn't help the fact that Ara was beautiful with a lovely smile that made him always want to be around her. They released their hands, smiling at each other still. Ayoola shook her head to reply Ara. "I should be the one saying sorry for putting you in that big mess. I'm glad it didn't go beyond that. Can you forgive me ma?"
Ara somehow found herself laughing. "Don't say that please." She was a bit shy but covered up with a smile. "Thank you once again," she added causing Ayo to chuckle at her sweet smile. He noticed her shyness but he loved her softness like that. Ara went on, discussing what brought her to Ayo before she spent the whole time standing there. "We are making breakfast already, so I'm sent here to ask you what you would like us to prepare for you."
Ayo smiled and bowed. "Thank you ma. I don't think I want to stress all the beautiful ladies in that quarters to prepare two meals at once. So, I will just go with whatever you are preparing for breakfast."
Ara chuckled. "I hope you like potatoes with fried stew, plantain and pineapple juice before I take my leave?"
Ayo laughed, knowing Ara would be shocked by his confession, but still went on. "That's our best food. Ire and I. Especially if you add beans with it for us."
"What!" Ara stared at Ayoola unable to hide the look of surprise he was expecting from her. He laughed at her expression before he allowed her to speak. "Really!" Ara's face relaxed with one of her sweet smiles. "As in beans. What happened to fried rice and chicken? Jollof rice and turkey? Irish potato and chicken? or even something classy you know. Like, I can't even believe you eat beans in the first place."
Ayoola couldn't help his loud laughter this time around, annoying the male figure watching from the balcony. While laughing, his eyes rolled up, landing on Prince Ire's balcony. Ayo only saw his friend's back figure because Prince Ire was walking in already. Ayo looked away, he was really enjoying Ara's company. Ara who was carried away by the conversation between her and Ayo didn't notice anyone was watching them.
Ayo turned his face back to Ara. "My level of eating beans, potato and plantain is nothing compared to one Prince. My boss lives inside that house." He pointed to Prince Ire's quarters and laughed. "Get ready to find him searching the kitchen during midnight microwaving something to eat. He's always been like that."
Ara couldn't help the smile knowing she already caught him doing that. Suddenly her smile widened remembering some of the conversation they had again. "I have to go now," Ara announced.
"Thank you so much," Ayoola appreciated her presence. "I hope you would be the one to serve me. Should I look forward to it?"
Ara threw him a look of... I hope your intentions are good. Remember we still have a case. As if Ayo knew what the looks were for, he laughed and raised his two hands up, acting newly
innocent. "I really just want us to be good friends before leaving the palace. Please Ara," he pleaded.
Ara smiled. She could feel his sincererity. She felt even more comfortable seeing that sweet side of Ayoola. It had always been what she wanted when she first met him. For them to be good friends. If may be later he wanted more, she could now agree to the more. She liked Ayoola and she couldn't hide it with the way she smiled at him. Replying to Ayoola's last statement, she spoke up a bit disappointed. "My work is to serve Prince Ire so I might not be able to bring your food, but I promise to say hi when I'm done," she promised, said her goodbye and left. Ayoola watched her till she disappeared into Prince Ire's building.
Ara came back to the kitchen to meet Sewa frying the stew already. "I'm sorry for coming back late."
"It's okay." Sewa said without giving her any attitude. "What would he like us to prepare?"
"He agreed to eat the same meal we are preparing."
"Oh, praise God." Sewa was excited. She didn't hide it, and that brought a smile to Ara's face.
Exactly two minutes to eight, the food was ready. Ara took Prince Ire's food to the dinning, set it so quickly and decided it would be an opportunity for her to just call Prince Ire from his room and leave. Doing so, she could get to serve Ayoola's food to him. She smiled, clapped her two hands together and quickly turned around, but her eyes suddenly became weak. She staggered, but didn't fall. "Sir... you are here?"
Ara didn't even know what to say. Her plan just got messed up. Prince Ire stood before her with his wet hair. He just had his bath and quickly put on a short and a shirt to have his breakfast.
Prince Adedamire rolled his eyes at Ara telling her silently to leave the way. She got his request and moved out of his way. Adedamire sat down slowly on one the chairs, telling her to serve him, but while lifting the fork in her hand to serve his potatoes, Prince Ire slowly voiced out. "Give me just two pieces. When I'm done with that, you can give me another two till I'm okay," he instructed.
Immediately he said that, he lifted his eyes up at Ara who became muted that she swallowed whatever she was planning to say. He looked away, got up, pulled out a plate and set it opposite him. "Eat with me." The three words came out in a command tone. She couldn't say no. In her mind, she believed she would still get to say hi to Ayoola after breakfast.
She took two pieces for herself too. While she was serving her food, she saw Prince Ire pressing his phone, then heard him say... "I want you at the dinning now." In less than one minute, Florence came. What Florence saw got her extremely angry but Ara couldn't even look up at her because she was busy staring at her food. Then she heard Prince Ire's voice again.
"Pull down the whole curtains. I want them washed again. I want all my clothes ironed again. I want the whole house mopped today as well. And if you think there is more that needs to be done, add it to it."
Florence almost collapsed on her feet having heard all that. The curtains were just washed yesterday. His clothes were just ironed yesterday as well. Anger rose in her heart towards Ara knowing this was because of what happened yesterday. She was almost in tears. "Sir..."
"Ara is getting everything done." Prince Ire shocked everyone with his reply.
Ara suddenly raised her head, dropping her spoon. She stared at Prince Ire who didn't spare her a glance at all. She couldn't believe what he just said.
Washing. Ironing. Mopping. Just in one day! And he couldn't call on anyone else but Florence to do the job.
Florence suddenly became the happiest person in the room. "No problem sir. She will get everything done including the ones you didn't mention." Her voice came out boldly without a delay. Just as she was about leaving, she didn't forget to throw Ara a happy, but a dangerous smile. She was looking forward to deal with Ara mercilessly. The best job was just given to her.
Ara held back her spoon still staring at Prince Ire unable to defend herself. Why all these work for me? Did I offend him? She couldn't think of anything else. She looked away from him annoyed and angry. She concluded it couldn't be because of the conversation they had.
Adedamire finally spared her a glance. "I think you should eat well to gather enough strength." Adedamire said, adding more potatoes, plantain and stew to her plate. "Or you have someone waiting for you somewhere?"