King

Strips of sunlight seeped through the window I was standing in front of, turning the brown shelf a shade darker. With a hand in the pocket of my grey slacks, I stared at the buildings of different heights that lined my vision in no particular order. Then at the tall shrubs that decorated the entrance of the building that housed my office, which was located several stories above the ground.

Retracing my step back to my swivel chair, I placed both hands on the edge of the desk, closing my eyes as I took deep breaths. My fingers drummed against the desk in a sharp staccato when my gaze descended on the date circled on the table calendar. It was four more days until Monday, my deadline and there was still no luck with the land ownership. 

Instantly, my left hand went to my face, pinching the bridge of my nose. I couldn't concentrate. The only thing I managed to accomplish since stepping into the office today was ruining my mood with a constant replay of my last meeting with Tibi. I should never have gone to see her.

"We don't need to have sex."

Her voice floated into my subconscious and I scoffed. Not only was she asking me not to be a part of the child's life, but she also wanted me to masturbate into a container. I scoffed again. I'll be damned if I let a kid of mine, wanted or not, roam this earth without knowing me.

Mild scratching of an object against a surface filtered into my ears, reminding me of the rats from boarding school that would scrape the edge of our cupboards. Those creatures always knew the locker with the highest number of provisions in it. The sound persisted and my head steered in the direction of the noise, somewhat thankful to have a distraction from my haphazard thoughts.

Esther was seated on the tiled floor with her book on one of the two beige sofas, scribbling aggressively into the note as though her life depended on it. Curiosity gnawed at me and my neck stretched to have a look but I couldn't make out what she was writing neither could I explain why she was awake, unlike Emma who was snoring gently on the other sofa. 

"What are you writing?" I asked, already moving towards her. 

Her back was to me so she didn't realise I was standing behind her until she heard my voice. It must have startled her because she flinched then shut the book with force, shoving it into the backpack that was beside her. I had already established since picking them up from school -based on Uti's request- that she didn't like me but her action still amused me. 

Plopping onto the sofa, I stared down at her, trying to figure out her line of thoughts. She peered at me with eyes a tone lighter than her mother's, blinking thick lashes that looked too long for a child her age. With her hair braided into two cornrows, she looked like a younger but unfriendly version of Uti.

She made no motion to talk, glaring defiantly at me like I was the reason their mother didn't come to fetch them from school herself. Tired of our staring bout, I redirected my attention to her brother who shivered slightly at that moment. Picking up the AC remote, I reduced the temperature and then shrugged off my coat to place over him.

Esther's eyes followed my movements like a hawk ready to attack, waiting for me to make the wrong move on her brother. I would never harm him or her and I was about to tell her that when the door pushed open. Groaning internally when I saw my unwanted visitor, I stood up to greet him. 

Mr Wole strutted in like he owned the office, a mocking smile on his face when his eyes rested on me. I wanted so badly to knock that smug look off his face but we had a strict no fighting policy. So, I consoled myself with images of me using his head -after thoroughly squishing it- as a golf ball.

"The reports of last month." He dropped a thick file on the table which landed with a loud bang. Standing upright with his chest puffed out, he placed one hand on top the other like he was a ballet master at a ballet school.

As usual, his lanky frame was inside clothes that were starched and ironed to perfection. His glasses were perched on the bridge of his nose and his brows were as bushy as ever. The only thing new about him was the air of confidence around him, one he should have gained a long time ago.  

His smirk put me off, reminding me of what he stood to gain if I messed up. Staring him straight into his eyes, I muttered dismissively, "you didn't have to bring it." 

The assistants and errand boys were getting paid for a reason. Besides, I didn't want to see my rival's face, not except I had to.

"I wanted to." He stole another glance around the office, "I also wanted to have a look around my soon-to-be office."

"Thank you," I replied, deliberately ignoring his last statement. There was no sincerity in my words neither was there any affection in the tight-lipped smile I offered him. 

Tapping my feet impatiently on the ground, I waited for him to take his leave but he didn't. Instead, his voice lowered and in a malicious tone, he whispered, "you shouldn't bring your little monsters to the office." 

It took less than a heartbeat for his words to register, then I felt my anger slowly rise like a beast that had been on hibernation. My insides churned, my fingers trembled, itching to wring his neck with the aid of his black tie or make a permanent hole in his face.

I dug my nails deep into my palm, focusing on the pain rather than the slow-motion image of my fist colliding with Wole's face that was repeating itself over and over again in my head.

"Uncle Kiki?"

Only one person called me that, well, two people now and I forced myself to think of the owner of that high pitched voice rather than the immature adult who was trying to tempt me into hitting him. Definitely not today. Turning briefly to Emma, I smiled, more like grimaced, hoping that none of them picked up Wole's whispered jargon.

Shaking my head slowly, I took another look at Wole. The violence wasn't necessary. All I had to do was snatch his glasses and the fight would be over before it even started.  

But that was for another day, I was going to let him win this time. Pointing at the door, "please leave."

We held each other's gaze, our contempt for each other thick in the air like the smell of burnt beans. I knew that I wouldn't be in control of my next actions if he refused to leave so when he sauntered out, I thankfully released the breath I had been holding in.

Little monsters?

The reminder alone was enough to set me off again. Yes, we had a no children policy but there were exceptions. Even if I was bending the rules, it definitely didn't warrant the name-calling of Uti's babies. 

I couldn't even recall who it was I slept with that created this rift between us, not like we were ever anything other than civil colleagues to each other. But whoever she was, I wasn't sorry about fucking her. If she liked him as much as he liked her, it wouldn't have been so easy for me to work my way into her skirts.

"Uncle Kiki!" 

Looking away from the door I had been staring at like I expected Wole to return, I narrowed my eyes playfully at Emma. He was drowning in my jacket which hung over his shoulders and I couldn't help but laugh.

Esther shuffled out of my sight as I approached them but I paid her no attention. She was probably going to ignore me again if I asked any questions.

"What's up, big man?" I crouched to his height and was just about to help him tuck his arms into my jacket when Esther stopped me with a tap on my shoulder. 

Emma and I looked at her, no doubt wondering why she was holding her water bottle in one hand and a single Kleenex in the other hand. Carefully, she sprinkled water on one end of the tissue then handed the bottle over to Emma who dutifully collected it.

Still unsure of her intentions, I unwillingly released my right hand to her when she motioned for me to do so. It was when she held the tissue closer to my upturned arm that I noticed the dried blood around the fingernail marks littering my palm.

How did she even see it?

A scowl replaced her blank expression when I attempted to collect the tissue from her and a smile pulled at the corner of my lips. The first daughter of the Agbah clan was finally warming up to me.

"Uncle Kiki!" Emma called out again, this time the exasperation in his voice was detectable. Esther was all done and was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, waiting for him to talk. "I'm hungry."

Stealing a glance at my wrist, the watch showed it was past four, two hours since I picked them up from school and a few more minutes till the close of work. The official closing hour was 5 pm but I didn't care, we were done for the day.

"Alright, buddy," I replied, thinking of the containers of food in my freezer.

The housekeeper had stocked the refrigerator with soups, stews and whatever meal that could withstand the cold. It couldn't be that hard to whip up a meal for all three of us, right?

My laptop was the first item to go into my bag, followed by the charger and then the file Wole dropped. I could always go over it at home. Taking another look around the office, I nodded to myself, everything was in place, we were ready to leave.

"We are going home now," I told Emma when I noticed the defeated look on his face. I made a mental note to call Uti, to inform her about the change of location and also find out what was keeping her; not that I wasn't enjoying the babysitting job.

Esther picked up their school bags and lunch boxes, placing it on the rug in the centre of my office. I could remember telling her not to bring them out of the car but that fell on deaf ears. So, I ended up carrying them upstairs with me.

"Carry me." Emma suddenly said in a teary tone like he had asked me before and I refused. He stomped his feet on the ground, stretched out his arms that were hidden inside my jacket. "Carry me!"

My attention was on their bags, now trying to figure out a way to fit Emma's weight and that of the bags so I hesitated in walking towards him. Esther must have interpreted my hesitance as a refusal because she went over to her brother, bent down in front of him so he could hop on to her back.

"No." He moved away from her, raising his voice, "I want uncle Kiki."

Watching in confusion which slowly transformed into amusement, I reclined on the edge of the desk, waiting for her next reaction. She rose and then dusted her knee, turning to face me with her usual blank expression.

"Carry him." An eyebrow raised at her command and at the impudent manner in which she spoke. Also noting that this was her first statement to me without any prompting.

I laughed as she placed one hand on her waist, trying and failing to arch an eyebrow. She settled for raising both eyebrows which still worked in favour of the domineering look I assumed she wanted. She looked fierce, ready to beat me up if I didn't do what her brother wanted. And I was glad to know that Emma had someone who could defend him in his mother's absence.

But her antics weren't enough for me to move from my position on the table. Not until she said the keyword.

"Say please," I told her but it was Emma who answered me.

"Please carry me," he muttered with a pout, still stretching out his arms eagerly. The blue shorts he was wearing was barely visible underneath my jacket that he had now claimed as his own.  

Esther's lips quivered and I thought she was going to repeat what her brother just said but she didn't. Her hands only moved to dust the invisible speck of dirt on the sleeves of her black gown. At least I knew who she inherited her stubbornness from.

Rolling my eyes at her, I carried our backpacks and then picked Emma up. I waited until I was certain she could handle the weight of the lunch boxes alone before walking out with her in tow. 

We were in front of the private elevator when she spoke again. "Thank you."

*****

Media: King's office.

I like E-square (Emma and Esther), they make me want to have babies. And I also like that they are all bonding. 🙃🙃

How's the week coming along? Mine has been good so far. I hope you are staying safe, washing your hands and keeping them away from your face.

Random question: What's your favourite colour?

PS: We will start mentioning a book for each chapter from the 21st chapter. If you have a suggestion, you could let me know, I might have also read it.