CHAPTER SEVEN: ROMEO'S ARRIVAL

"Hello May"

Romeo Cletus called happily has he saw his friend approach.

"Hello Romeo".

They hugged eachother tightly.

It's been a long while they saw.

"May, you never changed" he joked and they laughed.

Mayfield looked at the young lady beside his friend.

"Isn't this Jim?" He asked

The lady bowed slowly to him.

"Yes" Romeo replied proudly.

"Wow! You've grown so much. How are you my dear?" He patted her shoulder.

"I'm fine sir" she gave him a sweet smile.

Mayfield ushered them in and immediately the men fell into discussion. Moving from one topic to the other and laughing ta their jokes. They left the poor girl beside them to just listen to them talk and wait patiently for them to be through.

"Where is your boy?" Romeo suddenly asked.

"He should be here soon. I told him to come immediately" he replied.

His daughter has always heard about her father's friend only son but she never met him. With the way they rhapsodizes about the guy, looks and ability, she couldn't wait to see him.

"I'm so curious of how that little brainy boy of yours looks now" he said with a wide grin.

"Don't expect too much" Mayfield said smiling.

"He should be preparing to get married now. Isn't it?" He asked curiously.

Mayfield raised his nose. "Who is preparing? I don't think it is Drew" he snorted. "All ladies hate him" he added in grimace.

Romeo didn't believe his friend so also does his daughter.

"No lady ever hates a rich handsome man" she thought.

"Come off it" Romeo said not believing him. "That boy that even at tender age had lot of female fans. How come they now hate him when he is all grown up and has lot of achievement. Women never hate good things" he said laughing.

"They do when they see bad attitude" he replied casually.

"Bad attitude?" He twisted his lips.

"Have you ever seen a guy claiming to be in a relationship and he doesn't know where the lady lives neither does she know his?" He asked.

"How is that possible?" He seems surprised.

"My friend, it is possible with Drew Kmetko" he said with pressed lips.

"That's not a relationship. The boy isn't into them I tell you" Romeo said nodding .

"I don't know if that boy ever wants to get married. I'm just so fed up with his excuses about all the ladies I've introduced to him. He will surely see fault in them" he complained.

"Hey calm down boy. He's going to get himself a girl when he is ready to" he smiled at his disturbed friend.

"When Romeo when. You know he is my only child and I am not getting younger anymore. Shouldn't he be considerate?" He said sadly.

"Be considerate and marry the wrong woman? Let the poor boy be. Don't rush him" he scolded.

"Do I have a choice here?" He said dryly.

Then men quit talking about Drew and went back to their former conversation. After Drew strolled in with his hands dipped in his pocket while Melissa followed behind.

"Hi dad" he greeted.

"Wow here comes the real Kmetko. I knew you won't be nothing less than dashing" he praised happily.

"Hi Mr Cletus" he bowed.

"How have you been?" He asked giving him an handshake.

"Fine and you?" He received it.

"Getting older" he joked.

"We all are getting older" he said and they laughed.

Drew didn't seem to notice the little lady beside his father not until he talked about her.

"This is my daughter" Romeo brought her to his notice.

Drew looked at the shy lady. "Is this not the little girl your wife was carrying the last time we saw?" He gave an inquisitive look.

"Wow! You remembered" he said laughing out loud.

"Sure I do. Her name should be...Je..mi...ma" he called softly.

"Yeah that's right" the man shouted.

Jemima looked at her father from her under lid. She didn't know the reason he is so happy.

"Hello Jim" he said to tg lady who lifted up her head slowly to look at him. "How are you?"

"I'm fine and you?" She replied in her very soft feminine voice.

Drew offered her his hand which she took shyly. "Fine and it's nice having you around".

The way he showed interest in the girl got the men focused on them. It was rare for Drew to offer anyone an handshake.

"Thank you".

"I must say, you look beautiful" he said giving her a vigorous look.

Now Jemima's thank you was a whisper.

"Wow!" Romeo !outhed to his friend.

Although Mayfield has not seen Drew behave to anyone this way but he didn't want to trust his boys mere words. He can be very tactical at times so he wasn't moved at all.

"There's something about your eyes. It looks so familiar" he said raising his index finger and shook it trying to remember.

This got Mayfield serious. Drew has never noticed someone's look not to talk of eyed. Jemima got more shy at his words while the men focused on him.

Drew turned to Melissa who stood at a distance and signalled for her to come. That was when everyone noticed he had company.

"Melissa" Mayfield called surprised that she came.

Melissa moved closer and bowed to them.

"How are you my dear?"

"I'm fine sir and you?" She replied politely.

"I am where you kept me" Mayfield replied jokingly.

Melissa snorted and smiled.

"Dad can't you see they've got same eyeballs" he said looking from Jemima to Melissa.

The men looked at Melissa. Even the ladies couldn't help but exchange looks.

"You are right" the men chorused while the ladies smiled at eachother.

"I've got seeing skills" he boasted

"But not seeing to choose" Mayfield said blankly.

"Dad!"

"What?" He asked sternly.

"Drew frowned.

"My dear please have your seat" he said to Melissa.

"Thank you sir" she said sitting beside Jemima who gave her a shy smile.

Jemima was glad that she had a female like her in the house so she felt a bit less awkward.

"And who is this beautiful lady?" Romeo asked with interest.

"That's Melissa O'Dell. Drew's assistant" Mayfield introduced.

"You look really beautiful" he said and Melissa bowed and thanked him. "I thought Drew brought us a lovely wife" he teased Drew who looked at Melissa and smirked.

Melissa frowned when she noticed Drew's eyes on her.

"Melissa why are you here?" Mayfield didn't know about her coming so he thought he came for him.

"I was commanded" sh replied giving Drew a hidden grudgy look.

Mayfield wore a stern look. "Why?"

Melissa shrugs. "I don't know" she replied quickly.

Mayfield looked at Drew.

"What" he asked pretending to be oblivious to the question asked.

Mayfield didn't quit glaring at him. He even made it more stern.

"Didn't you ordered me here?" He asked finally.

"When I did does that include tagging the poor girl along?"

Mayfield knew Drew brought her intentionally so as to use her as an escape route to run off.

"Dad we've got things to do".

Mayfield eyed him." What the FAFF are you doing that you can't do in your office " he blurt out.

"Hey dad, calm down. Didn't you tell me to leave whatever I'm doing to come here? And I obeyed".

"And did I include her?"

"Dad....."

"Don't dad me. You didn't even pity the poor girl. Didn't you two just arrive this morning?"

Drew didn't reply, he just looked at Melissa who was looking at him with her head bent with pouted lips.

"My dear you are free to go if you want to" Mayfield said to Melissa.

"Thank you sir" she said looking at Drew who gave no expression.

Melissa knows that look very well. She knows it means "I dare you to leave" she didn't even bother to stand up. She just raised her nose briefly at him in displease.

Romeo smiled as he watched them. Even though Drew's face looked void of expression he knew they were communicating.

They continued their chat. Even Melissa got carried away despite the fact that she wasn't saying a thing. Drew on the other was busy looking at Melissa, who glances back once in a while if she noticed his look and frown.

It was almost an hour when Drew stood up.

"Melly" he called

"Going too soon?" Romeo asked.

"No, I'll be back in a jiffy" he said politely.

"Where to?? " Mayfield queried.

"Dad, I said I'll be back" he replied knowing his father's thought.

"Hope you are not using scope to run away" he let his thought out.

"Dad!" He called.

"I know you boy" he not still accepting his word.

He chuckled. "I'll be back" he said and averted.

Melissa quickly bowed to the men and waved to Jemima, then ran to keep up with Drew.

"He likes that girl?" Romeo said immediately they were out of sight.

"You mean Melissa?" Mayfield asked to be sure.

"Yes" he smiled.

Mayfield shook his head. "Not a bit. They are cat and rat" he disagreed.

"I wasn't asking a question. I said what I saw" he said with a serious look.

"See, it is because you've not seen them duspl that's the reason you assume that he likes her. All they do best is to fight" he said with the look that told he experienced it lot of times.

"Never said they don't fight but one thing I know is that your boy won't tag her along if he doesn't want to be with her. Can't you see his reasons was so filmsy?"

Although there was sense in what he said but Mayfield wasn't convinced.

"It is called act of wickedness. He only tagged her along to punish the poor girl" he argued.

"Are you sure?" Romeo asked with a mocking smile. He felt his friend wasn't looking.

"Of course" he replied confidently. "I just love the girl because unlike other ladies, she doesn't care about him. All she cares about is to work and get paid not minding his attitude towards her".

"Well I noticed otherwise. Because what I noticed was that he couldn't get his eyes off her all through our conversation. He wasn't even fully concentrated to us" he informed.

As he said that, Jemima smiled.

"You noticed it too right?" Romeo asked her when he saw she smiled and she nooded. Now he has another witness.

"I pray so".

Mayfield was tired of putting his hopes up that his son would get a lady or is interested in a lady. He would believe when he says it himself.

"Very very soon, it will be manifested" Romeo promised.

"I'll wait for it" he said with huge doubt.

* * * * *

Melissa got home meeting her sisters conversing. Tyndall jumped up with excitement has she saw her.

"Tyndall don't break me in two" Melissa laughed.

"Wow Melly you are really glowing" Somaria commented touching her.

They've also cultivate the habit of themselves by the nicks Drew gave them. Melissa who doesn't even like Nick's got no choice than to adjust.

"You've really transformed" Tyndall said giving her a wide amazed look.

"You are in real trouble Melly" Somaria said.

Melissa wore a confused look. "Why?"

"You know before now you do have lot of admirers but with this look, may God help you because they are gonna triple" she said laughing.

"That's true" Tyndall concurred.

"You are not serious" she hissed. "I've booked an appointment with the skin doctor for you two" she announced.

If not that Melissa never lied to them, they wouldn't have believed.

"Are you serious?" Tyndall screamed.

"Won't that cost a fortune?" Somaria asked shaking her head in disagreement.

"Nothing is too much for my sisters. Moreover it is not that expensive and I work at a cash flowing company now" she said like a boast but it was actually an explanation.

"If you say so" Somaria accepted grudgingly.

"Aren't my sis more than few cash?" she tapped Somaria's cheek and she smiled.

"When is the appointment?" Tyndall asked vivaciously.

"Well that should be next week Friday" she replied.

Tyndall screamed that Melissa and Somaria had to block their ears from her shout.

"Do you want to damage our ear drums?" Somaria asked

"It's worth it" she jumped.

"You must be kidding me" she snapped.

"Ladies I need to go rest now. I'm so tired" Melissa said yawning.

"You really need it" Somaria said and Tyndall nodded.

As Melissa left, Tyndall begin to dance while Somaria gave her a mocking look.