CHAPTER THREE

   I found it really hard to sleep the night after we had the discussion about me starting work. I hated having a lot on my mind to think about. It always made my mind unsettled.

   I woke up and realized Ridwan was already getting dressed up for work.

  "Good Morning" I said sitting on the bed

      "I will be leaving for work soon, you can call me from the office if you need anything. I will send it to you" he said and I really was expecting to hear something else from him. Maybe an explanation for what happened or something like an apology or something or was I expecting too much and overthinking everything?

   "Okay, I will be going out with Hawa later today" I said.

   "You can't go" he said like I was asking for a permission to go see my best friend. I was just letting him know.

   "You can't say that, hawa is my best friend and you know her. She is in abuja, we are just going to be going out for some drinks and all" I explained.

   "She can come here to see you, you don't necessarily have to go there to see her. The house is big enough and you have everything you need here. You should invite her over" he said and me being shocked is an understatement. I didn't understand what was going on. I am not a kid so why can't I go out.

    "You can just tell me what and what not to do everytime"

   "It's for your own good anyways" he said kissing my forehead and I really didn't understand what he was driving at.

   "This isn't right"

       "Okay, you can go out to meet her but I have conditions for it"

    "What?" I asked

    "My driver is going to come and pick you, you have to send me the address of where you're going to and don't spend more than 1hr 30 minute outside"he said and I just raised my eyebrows up looking at him.

   "Okay" I agreed not wanting to argue further about what and what not.

    "I love you" he said kissing me on the lips before leaving.

   "I love you too" I replied then he left.

     Few minutes later, my phone buzzed then I realized it was a message from Hawa sending me a location of where we were going to meet. I was excited to see Hawa coupled with the fact that I wanted to see Abuja. I had not really had the chance to see the city and how beautiful it was. I immediately showered and got ready and Ridwan's driver was already waiting for me outside.

     As the driver drove to the restaurant I was supposed to meet Hawa, I could get a good view of some places in Abuja. The city was serene, everyone walked calmly with not a lot of people on the road unlike Lagos which was always very busy , loud, congested and bustling. I fell in love with the city already but then there still will never be a place as exciting to be as Lagos.

   Few minutes Later I got to the restaurant Hawa had booked for us.

    "Thank you, you can go now, I will find my way home" I said to the driver

   "Oga said I should make sure to bring you back home immediately and that we shouldn't go anywhere else but here" he explained and even though I didn't like the idea of being policed and watches around like a kid, there was nothing I could do.

   "If you insist" I said, then walked in to the restaurant.

   As I looked around to locate where Hawa was sitting, I couldn't help but notice how beautiful the restaurant looked. It was beautifully decorated. It looked so warm and inviting. I finally saw a hand waive at me and realised it was hawa because I was already feeling stupid looking around at people eating.

     "Hell baby girl, you look amazing" hawa complemented as I sat down on the chair opposite her.

    "You look beautiful too darling" I said smiling.

"Marriage sure looks good on you, I wouldn't mind getting married this minute seeing how fabulous you look"

    "Hawa!! Stop this flattering" I said and we both laughed.

   "This place is amazing"

"I know right"

    "How come you already know places like this in Abuja, didn't you just get here" I laughed knowing the kind of friend I had.

   "You know me na" she said

"Anyways, Jamal brought me here the day after I got to Abuja from Lagos." She said and I raised my eyebrow smiling

   "Who is jamal now" I asked

"See, this is him" she said showing me the picture on her phone.

   "I think I have seen him before somewhere but I am not so sure" I said trying to recollect where I had seen him.

   "He is Ridwan's friend from Abuja, he was at your wedding. We met there"

   "I think I like this one" Hawa said

"That was what you said about the last one too" I said smiling.

   "I am serious, I am ready to settle down, have a family just like you. I am done leaving the street life" Hawa said and we both laughed.

   "I will remind you of this day" I said

"So, tell me what has been going on with you" she asked "how is marriage life, Ridwan and everything in general" she added

   "I guess everything is fine, it's okay. It's better than I expected"

   "Nice, I am so happy for you" she smiled.

"So, I wanted to ask you how I could apply for internship at where you work and if they are still accepting candidates" I asked not sure what I was doing. Ridwan was clear about he not wanting me to work but I didn't know why my rebellious side just wanted to try. Maybe if I got accepted, he wouldn't have a choice but allow me to go.

    "I will help you get a form, and let you know when you will be writing the exam" she said. "I can't wait for us to work together" she said excitedly.

   "There is a cinema down the road, we should go and watch a movie" she said. I checked the time and it was almost 1hr 30minutes but I wasn't going to also say no to my best friend.

   "Please don't say no" she pleaded  "I don't know when next we will have this kind of time" she said.

   "Alright, alright" I said after being convinced.

"And please don't sleep off" Hawa said and we both laughed.

    "Just wait for me, I will just tell the driver to leave" I said, standing to go outside.

    "I need to get somewhere, you should go" I said to the driver.

   "But, he asked me to bring you back now" he said.

   "No buts, I will talk to him myself when I get home" I said leaving to go and meet Hawa.

   I and hawa finished watching the movie and I ordered an uber home after. It was getting late already and I had a feeling Ridwan was home already.

   As I got down from the car, I could hear shouts from inside the house and I was wondering what was going on. Immediately I stepped into the house I saw Ridwan slap the driver angrily. I wasn't sure he had seen me yet then. I immediately rushed to where they were standing.

   "What are you doing, it wasn't his fault, I told him to go" I said knowing fully well it must have been about me.

  "You're fired, get out of my house now" Ridwan said to him not minding if I was there or not.

    "You can't do that to him" I said facing Ridwan as the driver walked out.

    "I can do whatever I want to whomever I want. He is my employee, so stay out of it" he said angrily.

   "And where have you been, I instructed you to come back with the driver home and you went against my order!!!" He screamed angrily at me.

    "You don't have to scream, I was perfectly fine, I was with Hawa" I said

   "I need to go in to change" I said and was about to walk away when he held onto my arm tightly and wouldn't let loose.

   "Let this be the last time you will go against my order!!"

    "You're hurting me, let go of me" I said as tears were about to fall down my cheek. His grip on my arm was too much and it was really hurting me.

   "Everything I am doing his for you, you will not be leaving this house unless I give my permission too" he said still holding arm tightly.

He finally let go and a tear slipped down my cheek as he walked away to the room.

    I was confused, why was he acting like this, who was he? I wasn't sure if he was the same person I had fallen in love with because where did this anger even come from.