36 - BOOM

“Yeah, I’ve always meant to ask the same question, Lola,” Peniel took over, she wasn’t drawn to the hookah or the bottles and glasses of wine like Morgan and Auralia who had their eyes on the pipes even while they spoke.

“How did you guys meet each other?"

“At the office,” said Lola, “I was his…”

“Personal assistant,” Morgan finished the word for Lola and they laughed. They knew who she was, but they seemed to have intended to make a mockery of the fact that a personal assistant stole the spot a co-founder dumped a year ago.

“You know already?” Lola asked.

“Yes, we have eyes around the company, and sometimes, our brother confides a few things to us,” said Morgan. “He said he would engage his assistant.”

“That was exactly the greatest spot to pick from,” came Peniel, “someone who had served him, someone more royal than an equal would ever be.”

They laughed. To Lola, it wasn’t funny, not one bit, but she joined the little game of laughter, senseless laughter, while she waited for her opportunity to throw her jab at their jaws.

“And who is this Mary you speak of?” Lola asked.

They all paused and looked at each other, then, another laughter came up. The DJ had turned on soft music so, their voice was able to go above the effect of the sound of the music.

“Maybe she’s too petite for you to grab a sight of her,” said Morgan, mockingly. “But I bet she’s always there in the company she founded alongside our brother, though she doesn’t have a definite office there, as she’s only a big stakeholder.”

Lola narrowed her eyes. She could get it now. The Mary they speak of was no other Mary but the one she knew. The one who hated her with so much passion. The one who wanted her to resign and offered her a million bucks to let Lucas be and promised her nothing but failure in her bidding to attain justice.

“Wait, you mean the Mary I know?” Lola asked.

The ladies stopped. They had been all smiles and laughter, but now, the excitement seemed to evaporate into the thin air. Maybe her query just made them realize something. Something she was yet to figure out.

“Didn’t our brother tell you he’s got a first marriage that didn’t work because he and his wife were workaholics and they lack that emotion that is required in marriage?” Peniel asked.

“Don’t speak of a brother as though he was wrong in his bidding with his first marriage,” said Peniel. “He married class, not wife.”

They all laughed. Lola struggled to take part in the laughter but she couldn’t. the smell of hookah was getting strong in the room and she isn’t a fan of tobacco with too much scent added to soothe the smokers and make them feel they have something different from what they have in cigars. It was comical honestly.

“You don’t laugh at any of these, huh?” Morgan asked. “Listen, you should know the man you’ve gotten yourself engaged to, he’s always busy with business, and if you are his kind, it will be hell for the both of you.”

The laughter didn’t come this time.

“That means, you have a challenge, Lola,” Peniel leaned in on Lola’s shoulder, “you have to make him the human Mary could no make out of him. That’s exactly what we want.”

The music went off. Someone had just barged into the room and made for the DJ’s stand, and that person wasn’t up for any peace. She snuffed out the music before the DJ could realize she was there.

“What the heck is this!”

It was Freya, with two maids. She, too, was attired in a bathrobe like the young ladies in the pink room, but hers was black. She was not back from the good time.

“Morgan!” she called.

“Mom?”

“You did this!”

The party was over. The ladies, all of them, used the door. some were so drunk they tripped, but they didn’t stay back, they all used the door. they were without choice.

“Lola, honey,” Freya edged over to Lola who was nestled at Peniel’s side, “I can see they dragged you into this mess.”

“Mom, this isn’t a mess, it’s just…”

“I’m not talking to you, Morgan,” said Freya. “Just shut up and let me have a good time with your brother’s fiancée.”

Morgan raised a brow, and Peniel smirked. They don’t have much to do whenever their mother chooses to take sides.

Freya’s fingers braced Lola’s cheek. They were soft, and they moved tenderly on her face like that of a lover on the cheek of her beloved.

“My daughters as spoiled brats,” Freya began, “you can see that already, but you must be like them, else, Tobi’s lack of affection will screw your ass.”

They laughed. Barbaric sort of it, not the funny one. They all knew Tobi Grey was something, but Lola had yet to see any of those even though she was made to sign a contract at the office, and the contract bore all of Grey’s terms and conditions.

“I know him already,” Lola said.

Everywhere went silent. The echo of their laughter had suddenly vanished at just one utterance from her pretty little lips.

“Of course, you know a part of him, the one you got to see while you were his assistant,” said Morgan. “But let’s be honest, the man you are about to marry is heartbroken.”

Lola felt the hit. It was hard on her face.

“He swore never to have any shit with women again,” said Peniel, “because Mary stroke him in the balls.”

Freya laughed and closed in on Lola.

“Tobi is just like me,” said Freya. It was clearly her turn to speak. “But the difference between I and him is that while I was for the fun and luxury, he was for the business and the money and nothing other than that, but he was once in love. He loved his first wife so dearly even while he was too busy to show so much affection.”

“But she left him,” said Morgan, “so, you are here to heal him.”

“Can you?” Freya asked.