"You want to join me in the bathroom?" Gini asked Juwon who was sitting on her bed.

"I'd like to but my friends will soon be wondering where I'm at."

Gini shrugged and entered the bathroom. She came out refreshed and relaxed and packed some outfit for her time with Juwon and his friends.

"Are you ready?" Juwon asked as she finished packing.

"Are they nice people?"

"Of course, they are."

"So they'll like me?" Juwon itched his head and Gini got anxious. "What does that mean? You just itched your scalp."

"That was an involuntary action. My friends are cool so they'll like you."

His phone rang before she could keep pressing him. Juwon got off the phone smiling.

"What?"

"Roman is around."

"Who's Roman?"

"My friend, I'll introduce you to everyone but we need to leave first."

Gini got her bag and left the house with Juwon. Muna opened the door to Juwon's house when they arrived and she looked at Gini like a pestering fly that wouldn't just go away. Gini held Juwon's hand tightly and walked passed her. When she got to the living room, she saw about four men all relaxing in different weird positions. Juwon who was by her side went to an older man to hug him. He introduced him as Roman and Muna shook his hand then beamed. He was about her height with no excess weight hanging around his frame. His bald head behooved his full beard and Gini noticed blackhead scattered across his black face.

Gini was introduced to Femi who was wearing a white durag that looked too tight to stop blood flow. She also beamed at him as he took her hand in a strong grip. Juwon mentioned that he was a construction worker but Gini could have guessed. He had rough hands that showed he was a laborer and his handshake was super strong.

Someone cleared his throat and Juwon introduced him as Gbenga. Gini retained her beam as she shook his hand too. He was on the muscular side and his arm flexed as it moved. Gbenga introduced her to Collins who he called his friend. Collins was overly handsome and Gini couldn't stop herself from grinning when he hugged her unlike the others who shook her hand.

Juwon touched her back when the hug ended then pulled her to his side.

"This is Ginika everyone, some call her Gini but I call her my dove or birdie."

"She's birdie to us all then," Gbenga said and everyone laughed.

"Don't you dare. She's Gini to you rascals."

Gini looked around for Muna amidst the banter going on but she wasn't around. She didn't know exactly what was wrong with the woman? It was okay to be protective of her boss but she was going about it the wrong way.

"Have you guys had dinner?" Juwon asked as they all sat.

"Your assistant ordered pizza. What's her name again?" Femi asked.

"Muna."

"There's a box in the fridge and you can share with birdie."

"You can't eat pizza, J," Gini reminded him.

"Are you still allergic to those stuff?" Gbenga asked.

"It's a forever kind of thing," Gini answered for him.

"What do you eat then? I know it's none of my business so it's okay if you don't want to answer," Collins quickly added.

"Nah, it's fine. You're a friend of my friend so you're automatically part of the group. And to answer your question, I eat vegetables mostly and sometimes fruits."

"I'll find something in the kitchen to fit your allergies," Gini offered.

"Nah, I'll just tell Muna to order something."

"Alright then."

Juwon was rubbing the back of her neck while they rested on the sofa when Collins asked how they met. Juwon shifted in his seat and Gini answered when he didn't. "In secondary school."

"Are you serious? You guys have been together since then?"

"No, I left town few months after we started dating and we didn't stay in touch. My dad died recently and I had to get back into town, J was around so we picked up from where we stopped."

"That's amazing and sorry about your father's passing. I can't imagine what I'd do if my dad died."

Gini nodded. She looked around the room and noticed a different type of energy. Juwon's friends were now looking at her with curiosity and Juwon himself was tugging on his left ear. He must have told them about her as that was the only explanation to justify the weird glances she was getting from them.

"What did you tell them about me?" Gini whispered.

"Nothing, they're surprised that's all. I never told them about my past."

Gini was satisfied with the answer. "That explains their reaction then."

"Yea. I need to get drinks from the kitchen."

"I'll go with you."

Gini went to the kitchen with Juwon. He passed champagne flutes to her and she rinsed then dried them with a napkin.

"Are you sure your friends like me?" Gini couldn't resist asking again.

"Yea."

She carried the flutes while Juwon held two bottles of champagne then they joined his friends. She noticed Muna was back with the group and Gini gave her one the flutes. She didn't say 'thank you' and Gini didn't take it personally.

Juwon got her two slices of pizza and filled her flute to the brim with the bubbly liquid. She ate in awkward silence and buried her head in her food to avoid making eye contacts. Juwon was by her side being uncomfortable and she couldn't put her finger on what was making him so. His salad arrived after she finished her pizza, she declined another glass of champagne and excused herself when she couldn't stop feeling like she was at the wrong place. She went to the master's bedroom and opened the sliding door to the balcony. She called her sister and sat on one of the multicolored chairs as she waited for her to pick up.

"Hey. I'll be home soon," she explained immediately Mama answered her call.

"What's the hurry? Don't you want to spend more time with the love of your life?"

"I miss the kids."

"They're ten years old, they'll be fine."

"I just need to be back home."

"You don't like it there?"

"Not really. J's friends don't like me and his assistant isn't pretending to be nice." Gini rubbed her temple as she became emotional thinking about it.

"You have no business with them so pay them no mind. It is what J thinks that matters."

"I just feel uncomfortable with his friends. They were nice at first...I don't know, I think I'm overreacting."

"I've never known you to overreact."

Gini sighed. "How are you doing?"

"Fine, went out with her today."

Mama was in a relationship with both a woman and a man and all parties involved knew about the other. It was something Gini couldn't comprehend and she never tried to.

"How did it go?"

"Not good. She's leaving town."

Mama was talking about her girlfriend, Mia who was one of the persons she was in a relationship with.

"Is Mia really serious about joining the Navy?"

"Dead serious. It's over, I couldn't convince her to stay back."

"Are you doing okay? I could return home tomorrow."

"I'm not doing okay but I don't want you to worry."

"How can I not?"

"Gini, enjoy yourself. At least I can say I've been in a stable relationship that lasted for years, you can't say the same. This is your one shot, I don't want to ruin it for you."

"You won't be ruining anything."

"What's the lawyer saying."

Gini sighed at the change of subject. "He said we could keep the store, that's dad's, also the house but not the others outside of town."

"What's everything worth?"

"About twenty million, that's including other properties. Should have been more but dad was owing some debt and he also sold some properties."

"He wasn't utterly useless, he left something for you."

"For us, Mama. You don't have to dance at the strip club anymore."

"I'm not emotionally ready for this talk. Are you keeping or selling the store?"

"Might sell since I won't be able to operate it from the city."

"You can buy a better life for yourself and the boys with that."

Gini started crying but stopped to yell at her sister. "Why do you keep excluding yourself?! What's wrong with you, Mama?!"

"Now you're overreacting. Don't make me cry also, I don't want to cry."

"I just don't like when you do that."

"Fine. I won't do it anymore."

Gini heard her sniffing and wiped her tears. "Thank you. Can I talk with the boys?"

Mama passed the phone and Gini talked with her sons. Before she ended the call, she urged them to look after their aunt. Kenny couldn't care less about matters like that so she put him in charge of making sure Mama was okay. That should teach him not to be so flippant.

Gini returned to the living room after washing her face of any evidence of tears. She didn't want to worry Juwon with her problems so she smiled as she sat in her spot. His friends were playing a game of guess while sipping champagne and Gini watched them as they gave clues and waited for someone to give a correct answer.