Beautiful Mask - Episode 6

Caroline:

"So you mean you saw his buns" favour, my one and only bestie exclaims

"buns?"

"I meant his ass cheek, girl"

"Out of everything i told you including about me getting fired on day

1, that's what you are more curious about?"

"in only one day you got to see his buns girl, this must be what they

call fate" she say excitedly.

"You are crazy, you know that right?" I say giggling

"I know. And I also know that you love my craziness" she answers with a

big grin on her face.

"But seriously, from what you've told me, he seems like he cares about

you. Else, why would he go after you and console you?"

"I don't think he does. Look at me favour. why would a rich and

goodlooking guy care about me" I protest weakly. He wouldn't have fired

me if he cared.

"Am looking and i don't see anything not to care about in you. You

have a big heart and a big ass. Who wouldn't care for that?" she asks

and i laugh. Yea, nothing like your bestie to make you feel better.

"don't worry Caroline, if that job is for you, they will surely call you back"

"thanks favour

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/beautiful-mask

. I feel better now" i say and hug her. She hugs me

tighter and my heart feels lighter.

"You really should stop this your habit of hugging everyone. This is

what got you in trouble with bitchrich" she tease and i release her.

"I cant believe you called her bitchrich" i giggle

"i sure did girl." i shake my head at her.

"I have to head to the farm now. We have to bring home the cassavas we

uprooted yesterday so we can peel them" I say.

"alright girl. Goodbye"

I bid her goodbye and head to the farm. Father is already there. We

gather the cassavas in silence with my thoughts still on yesterday's

drama. Simon should have atleast given me the chance to explain. Maybe

i should tell his mother about all that happened yesterday. No, i

shouldnt bother her. She has done alot already. Hours later, we have

loaded the cassavas in sacs and we carry them home in a tricycle. When

we get home, i see a venza parked in front of our house which is

weird. I remove my mind from the mysterious car and help my dad to

offload the tricycle. We pay the driver and he drives off. These sacs

weigh so more but i don't complain.

"Chinedu should be the one doing this with me" my father grumble

"its fine dad. I am equal to the task" I assure him.

"The biggest miracle of my life is finding you in that river years

ago. You are an amazing child" he says and squeeze my shoulder. My

father doesn't usually get emotional. This must be because of mother's

big surgery which is next week.

"Caroline, let me help you with that"a voice yells from our gate and i

stiffen. I know that voice.

Simon:

Last night, i couldn't sleep. I just kept turning in bed. I just

couldn't stop myself from feeling bad about firing Caroline. I just

didn't want Beatrice to cry because of me. She had already been

through alot in the past because of me and i saw yesterday as an

opportunity to do something for her. I had gone to work early this

morning after not being able to fall asleep till dawn. When i got to

the office, the security guard who opened the gate asked me about the

girl who got slapped. I thought he was talking about Beatrice until he

pointed out that the girl with the scarf was the one who got slapped.

That was when i knew i messed up. The security guard must have wanted

to help Caroline by indirectly telling me she was the victim

yesterday. I had quickly called my mom to ask for Caroline's number.

My mom told me Caroline didn't have a phone but thankfully, she gave

me her address. After getting the address from her and assuring her

that Caroline was okay, i drove out of the company to find Caroline.

After looking for her place for almost two hours, i finally found it.

I had already prepared to beg as soon as she came out of the house but

i was greeted by a middle aged woman. I told her i was Caroline's boss

and she let me in. I have been sitting in their cosy sitting room

impatiently for hours before i heard a tricycle outside. I rushed out

to check and thankfully, it was Caroline. She's carrying a sac that

looks ten times her weight.

"Caroline, let me help you with that!" i see her stiffen but i ignore

it as i take the sac off her hand and carry into their house. With the

help of her father, we carry the many sacs inside.

"Caroline, can i talk to you outside please?" I ask as soon as i am done.

"Am busy right now. I have to peel these cassavas so that i can take

them to the processor tomorrow." she says and start opening a sac.

"But that would take hours" I say

"then you better join in so it would go faster" her mother put in.

"mother!. Look at him. He wouldn't be able to do it" Caroline says and

they laugh. At me!. Oh, i am going to show them. I take my jacket off,

roll my sleeve up, and pop some buttons off to get comfortable.

"Where do i start?" I ask and caroline's mother laugh.

"There, son" she points to a tiny uncomfortable stool by the sacs.

"Mother! Shouldn't you be resting?. You should be sleeping" Caroline

chastise her mom

"I'll sleep when i am dead.

Read " Stolen innocence " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. God knows if I'll survive that surgery

next week" she says but Caroline usher her to her room.

"Here, son" caroline's father hand me a knife.

Iits easy. Watch me" he continues. He takes a cassava and peels it with flair.

''Show-off'' i grumble. He peels another cassava then hands me one.

"You can start now" he says. This shouldnt be that hard. I try to peel

the cassava but end up murdering the cassava. Caroline walks in again

and i pretend to know what i am doing. I pick another cassava and pray

to the gods of cassava that they save me from embarrassing myself in

front of caroline. My prayers aren't answered as this one turns out

worse than the previous.

"here, let me help you" Caroline grabs my hands and directs me. We

succeed in peeling the cassava and i cant help but feel excited.

Caroline is so close to me and i can feel her breathe across my face.

If i turn a bit, our lips would connect.

"thank you and i am sorry. Please come back to work" i whisper.