"You asked for me?"

"Yes I did, this is yours," Ernest dropped his passport on the mahogany table before Jason.

"What's the need for it then? Thought you seized it?"

"Your mother told me you accosted her because you wanted to elope after your wedding," Ernest said, adjusting in his armchair.

Nodding in realization, Jason spoke. "She tells you everything. What's left to say then?"

"You insulted her!" Ernest slammed at his desk. "I'm alright with you disappointing and disrespecting me, but your mother?"

"It wasn't my intention to," Jason defended himself. "I was pissed, I felt like a teenager! I'm an adult for god's sake and still have my parents seize my passport without my knowledge." He cried.

"We wouldn't treat you that way if you had the least respect for yourself."

"Then why give it back? Or you think I've become comfortable in my new home or I've suddenly become responsible because I'm married?"

Ernest shot him a narrowed look. "No, far from it. Your mother and I have decided on a better approach, she wanted this not me. But I want you to know that the next time you dare disrespect her, I won't think twice about disowning you. You won't go treating your mother or women like that." he finished with a dangerous tone to his voice.

"Yes sir," Jason huffed. "As I've said, it wasn't my intention to do so."

Ernest studied him for a while. Jason still had a long way to go. But he wasn't pushing his luck so hard today. It was a miracle he even agreed to see him.

"So your professor tells me you're through with your project just waiting on the defense?"

"You had to call him to be sure?" Jason frowned, this was his problem with his parents. Always intercepting his everyday activity. He wouldn't be surprised to know they have someone spying on him in his new home.

"I had to. You and I don't necessarily talk that much, you stall. And I wanted to make sure you still have school in mind because I still want you in my company."

Surprised. "Really? but I only did literary studies at the university and it has nothing to do with managing a business."

Jason always wanted to work for his father's company but he wasn't focused at all. His idea then was that working for his father's company would be easier than anything because he'd have the freedom to do as he pleased and still get paid. But he was wrong, Ernest was a serious-minded man even in business. Jason tried working as an intern while he was testing the waters but couldn't cope after some weeks. He quit without notifying his father and went back to his usual extravagant lifestyle.

"You can take a program online just to know the basics but my manager could teach you."

He wasn't sure how he felt about the offer, he was glad his father still had mercy on him even after his misbehaviors. But he had to find himself first and sort out his messed-up life.

"T-thanks Dad, I appreciate your efforts, yours and mum but I have to think this through and give my reply."

Ernest smiled for the first time in a long while. At that moment he strongly believed that the best decision they ever made for him was to get him married.
When he finished with his father he left his office and ventured down the stairs with a little limp. Olivia met him on the way and ran to his rescue.

"Why are you limping? Did you fall?" Concerned.

"Just tripped, I'll be fine though. I've already put an ice pack there and taken some pain reliever."

"It's not enough, let me see it," she insisted, helping him to one of the large white couches in their extravagant living room.

"Mum!" He cried. "It's nothing, I'm alright I can take care of a minor home accident." he complained while she rushed to get the first aid kit. Jason sighed inwardly. she always did this to him, Sometimes he hated being an only child, every attention was on him even unwarranted attention.

She returned with a first aid kit and sat beside him on the couch.

"You say home accidents? Did the maids forget to clean up spilled water or what?"

"No, just on my own" he lied. His mother was worse than his father when it came to prying into people's privacy and he didn't need that now.

"You'll have to take off your trousers, I can't see your knee from your jeans" she cleared her throat awkwardly, knowing Jason would never agree.

"I'm leaving, I can do it myself at home just give me the ointment. This is so embarrassing" he muttered.

"Here, make sure to apply it on your knee every chance you get, it will ease up the pain alright?" She said and handed him the neurogesic.

"I'm sorry" he said all of a sudden. Olivia stopped talking to look at her son in shock.

"For what dear?"

"For disrespecting you when I couldn't find my passport, it was very poor of me."

She managed not to cry, he hated such cuddly mother and son moments so she held in her tears and spoke.

"Oh dear, it's not necessary, you were right to be angry. We treated you like you were still our little boy, not like an adult who should have an upper hand in his life decisions. I guess we didn't think our little boy has grown into a man and doesn't need his parents at some point."

Jason nodded in affirmation. He thanked his mother, not wanting to get all emotional, he left. At least he wasn't driving, he had his driver take him wherever because of his knee.

He recalled the previous night and the outcome right before him. He remembered how scared and ashamed he felt for being caught sleeping off in her room. He had to use a lie and save himself from further embarrassment.

And thank goodness she bought his drunken lie. Or he'd never have cause to look her in the face again. Then he had to trip on something or rather hit his knee on something making the worst of the situation.
Though it earned him quite something. He slept so well last night and had very peaceful dreams about himself smiling at nothing in particular. What an antidote could not do, she did. He still wondered how her presence alone could get him all riled up and yet calm at the same time.

She called me Stan... Who is Stan? He thought with a frown.
The doctor
Jason recalled.
So the doctor stays in her room sometimes? That would be the only explanation as to why she would think he Jason was Stan.
The mixed feeling he had at the realization wasn't appealing to him though, he wouldn't outrightly say he felt jealous because she didn't deserve him at all but still he felt it at the pit of his stomach.

And for the first time since he moved into that house. He was in a hurry to get home rather than spend his remaining hours in a club or at a friend's house.

***

They were through with her therapy session and Stanley was there all along and helped her take stroll around the house. The sun was mild on the skin and even if it did pinch sometimes from pointedly hitting one spot, the soft breeze did a good one at numbing the pain. Sophia felt sighed when a wave of fresh breeze swarm her way and massaged tenderly on her skull, her braids feeling light and chill.

"Are you cold?" Stanley cut through her mini euphoria, eyes in concern. "You're getting goosebumps all over, should we head back inside?"

After their little stroll, they headed back inside and had some snacks prepared by one of the maids.
Stanley wasn't himself all the way, he thought of Maureen's incessant request and how appalling it sounded to him. And not wanting Sophia to even hear a whiff of it.

"You seem troubled, is it work?" She watched him carefully while they both sat at the dining table eating the last bit of their snacks.

"Just stressed out, my shifts are long but soon I'll be through with my house job and I plan on traveling abroad to further."

"Really?" Sophia choked. A sad cloud came over her in that instant. "Can't you do it here in Nigeria? I mean you'll have to be very far from home and I won't get to see you often."

"Yeah me too. But you know the takes now, I'll have to stay with my sister over there. I'll be back, I won't reside there forever." He assured with a smile.

Not quite buying it, Sophia couldn't resist to add. "Or you'll marry someone there and decide to stay forever since you have no one here to come back to. I mean your only family is over there right?" Sophia asked.

Stan smiled but her mood was far from getting better.
"My father is still here so I'll certainly return."

"Oh, this is medicine after death," She blurted.

"Yes. I'm sorry to have brought that up, it's still far right? besides you have to get used to your husband, have you guys talked at all?" Stanley inquired and he deciphered her response even before she spoke by her awkward lip expression.

They have?

"Well... Yes, we did but awkwardly. I think he tries so hard to avoid me and I on the other hand haven't found my legs to stand not to talk of reaching out to him. I just... It feels weird talking to him. I don't know him." She stated matter of fact.

Stanley nodded in agreement, he understood her. Married to someone you've never met or had anything to do with was as hard as trying to make conversations with a snub.

"At least you have Zara and Sabina to talk to, does he still return very late? I swear since I've been coming over here I've never set my eyes on him. It's like you live here alone."

"He returns late and goes out very early. I don't even know where he goes to. We're both total strangers living under the same roof." Sophia didn't want to tell Stan about the midnight encounter.
It wasn't necessary and Stan might become overprotective. she knew he disliked Jason even more than she did. If it were possible he would do anything for Sophia to avoid Jason forever.

While they were at it, Jason stepped into the living room and paused, surprised.

This was the first time he came home early.

Both Stan and Sophia were surprised to see him standing there with a scrutinizing glare, as if he'd caught his wife meandering. He was in a black fitted jeans, an OX-blood shirt black and a bicker's jacket to top off the bad boy look it didn't help that his curls were nicely styled. Jason looked breathtaking that it hurt Sophia's heart, he wasn't even deserving of that good look, that charming appearance that was all a facade. Even the intense frown marring his face didn't reduce his allure one bit.

The air was tense. If she was correct, Jason was glaring at Stanley while Stanley unnerved by the intensity of it all watched with a disappointed look on his face. Sophia had a mixed expression of surprise, edgy fear on her innocent face.

She hated awkward situations, it was enough for both of them to run into each other occasionally but a staredown wasn't part of it. And why he would suddenly return by this time was what she couldn't comprehend.

"Hey..." Jason said first, shocking everyone.

Stanley glanced at Sophia for an explanation but she barely shrugged.

"Hi, I'm Stan," he introduced.

"I know, the doctor," Jason said without a care in the world pulling off his jacket.

Stanley nodded in realization and decided to give up on ever making a conversation with him. He was a total jerk.
Jason kept still, unmoving and stared directly at Sophia as if expecting her to say something. She wanted to say something but it got stuck in her throat. He clutched his jacket hard with the car key jiggling beside him when he stormed off to his room. Sophia swallowed hard.

Stanley let out a grunt. "What a jerk, I think he has a personality disorder," They both burst into fits of laughter.

"Really? I didn't think he'd be home this early. I mean it never happened." Sophia mouthed, as if their loud laughter didn't just reverberate through the air and she was back to being discreet with her words.

"It's his home of course but he's so uptight. I don't like him," Sophia laughed again at how childish Stanley was acting.

While Jason sat in his room pulling off the remainder of his clothes, he heard their laughter from the living room. He felt the simmering heat of agitation enveloping him taunting him to head over there and shake things up. For a while he almost forgot proper reasoning, conjuring up scenarios that would be fit the smug doctor and a less dark event for Sophia. Rather he entered the shower and left them to their leisure.

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