THE KIDNAPPERS

What Wonderful Parents!

Carly awoke to the revving of the car engine. They were currently in her parent's house. The building was huge. It was a twin duplex . It had a Penthouse on the roof of one duplex and an open roof on the other. The walls were painted white and the windows green. From the car, she could see her father in the Penthouse holding a glass to his lips. She rolled her eyes . Her father was getting drunk again. The reunion might not even turn out the way she wanted it to.
The driver alighted the car and opened her door for her. She smiled at him.
"Thank you..."
She said. He'd made her day . He'd flown her to Nigeria all the way from California, he'd helped her at the airport when she couldn't make her way, he'd driven her home all the way from the airport and had helped her with her bags and now‚ he'd opened the door for her being the gentleman he is.
"Very much, for everything."
She continued.
"You're very welcome madame."
He replied mirroring her expression.
She smiled again . She then alighted the car and walked to the booth where he was standing.
She watched him carry her bags one by one out of the booth. He did it with grace. After he had brought all bags out, he began carrying the bags into the house.
She could not just stand there and watch, she took one of her bags and began wheeling it into the house.
Mrs Flora Davenport was sitting on a couch in the parlour, her leg resting on a stool . She was a very fair person.From the crown of her head to the sole of her feet, there was not a single discolouration. She was beautifully dressed in aso oke and her hair was hidden under a matching scarf.
She was reading a novel and sipping some wine when her daughter wheeled one of her bags in. 'What's she doing here? Isn't she supposed to be in school?'
She thought to herself.
"Good afternoon mum.''
Her daughter greeted.
She wouldn't acknowledge her presence, instead, she lifted her novel higher and flipped a page not even sparing her daughter a glance.
She wished Carly would just go away and never come back. Oh how happy she would be. Her marriage would be amended and she would adopt a child to make her husband happy. It'd be perfect again if only this brat called Carly would leave her life. She didn't want to see Carly's brown face again. She wanted Carly out of her life for good and she would give anything for that to happen because she hated Carly with passion.
Carly didn't say a thing when her mother didn't reply her. She'd expected it anyway, so much for a caring mother. She simply wheeled her bag into her room . She was about to close the door when she saw the driver coming from the stairs.
He was carrying another bag . He dropped the bag on the floor where he had dropped the others .
''That's the last one. ''
He said , dusting his hands on a rag.
"I can't thank you enough."
She began
'' No it's okay, it's my job. I get paid for it."
He countered.
"But I can still do something."
She continued.
"Don't worry about it. I'm Ok."
He said.
"If you ever need anything, I'm only one call away."
He said removing a piece of paper and placing it in her hand.
She looked at the paper. It had a phone number written on it with the name Abu A written across it.
''Thank you, I really appreciate this.''
She said smiling.
'' No need to say thank you."
He replied smiling.
"I'll take my leave now."
He said. His smile had faded and was replaced with tight lips in a thin line.
He turned to leave.
She couldn't let him go like that so she took a few dollars out of her purse.
"Wait"
She called out. He turned around. He was at the door looking at her.
"Here, have this.''
She said extending her hand towards his. She had taken a few steps so that she was close enough to open his hands and put the notes in them.
He was looking at her, eyes filled with surprise. She paid him. What did she think he was? A poor pilot? He'd done even better jobs than flying a plane. He looked at the money, mouth agape and back at her for an explanation.
She smiled sheepishly.
"I just couldn't bear the guilt."
She said looking away then back at him. She took her time to study him. He had dark tanned skin. His face was spotless. No pimples or eczema with thin brown lips a pointed nose and beautiful white teeth that showed whenever he smiled. He had a boyish haircut and a teddy. Her eyes darted to his chest. She could see his abs and they were big. She could also see the muscles bulging out of his shirt.
In general, he was attractive.
She realised how close their faces were and took it as cue to step back. She took a the same number of steps she took forward back to where she had stood in the beginning.
"Thanks"
He said, no expressions in his eyes.
She had just paid him in dollars meaning she didn't want to see him again.
He didn't know what to do. She had just paid him off.
He took one last look at her and inhaled deeply.
Then he left.