Chapter 21 Lost appetite

Lost appetite
TINA'S POV When Jordan told the other team members that we are parting for the time being but they are free to call him at any fucking time, I felt a rush inside me. I was excited that we both would be left alone. I don't know why I feel that way, but I knew I was going overboard, which is not too professional. We got into his car. I don't know where exactly we were going but just followed. His car was bullet proof. It amazes me how he could be using such a car. It's worth millions to afford such a car. He is a detective and uses such a car? I kept my curiosity to myself and decided to be quiet. Being a lonely person all my life, I have learnt not to be talkative. Who was I going to talk to, no mother nor direct siblings. I grew up in a boarding school and my tertiary institution was also done, away from home and family. Family? Do I call that a family? Do I really have a family? My dad is often not home and my stepmom despises me a lot, in a simple word, she doesn't like me. After my mama died, dad remarried and my stepmom has three kids, a girl and two boys. In total, my dad has two daughters and two sons, isn't it? My dad had married her when I was four. I was not yet two when my mama died and hence dad stayed single for two years and a few months before he married again. That time, before he married again, my dad and I were best of friends. He practically adores and cherishes me. My grandma told me a lot how my dad loves me to the moon. But everything changed when dad remarried. He spends all his time with his new wife and seldom remembers that I was there. My grandma came on a visit and found me left with the servants while my dad went on vacation with his pregnant wife. She asked the servants how long had my dad and his wife gone and they replied saying it was three days already and they intend to spend a fortnight. I remembered and saw how a lone tear fell off my grandma's eyes. She was sad. If her daughter hadn't died, her granddaughter wouldn't have been left behind on a trip for vacation. She got my things and took me home with her. She informed the servants that when my dad returns, they should tell him she had taken me with her. That was how I remained with my grandma for another five years. It appeared my dad was happy that he got someone to push my responsibility to. It was while I was with my grandma that she told me how my mama died. I was eight years old then, but I remembered everything grandma told me. She said the truth of it was never discovered. It wasn't investigated, someone blocked it and my mama' s memory was forgotten just like that. She told me that my stepmom was my dad's ex-girlfriend before he met my mother. She had come shedding tears that my dad should marry her in place of my mother. My dad, being in love threw her out of his apartment in fury wondering how someone could be so stupid in her request. They never saw her again. My parents got married and they lived their lives. I was born and the day I became a year and a month, mama took her car and went out. I was at the back seat, my mama was driving and a car aimed at my mother's side, at a 'T' junction and crashed into my Mama's car. I was told my mama fell out of the car and she sustained a head injury. She was bleeding but I was unhurt, I didn't even have a scratch. People came to our rescue, got me out of the car, and my Mama and I were rushed to the hospital. A brain surgery was going to be performed on my mama and she asked to speak with my grandma. Her voice was gone but she requested for a writing pad. She scrambled the word SCORPION on a piece of paper and pointed to her upper arm. That was all she could pass across and was taken to the theatre. She came out of the theatre but became a vegetable. She never recovered. She was placed on a life support machine for a few months before finally, she was left to go to rest. That incident had made me shed a few tears several times. I had wished my mama was alive,that she came out strong and stayed alive for me. I hadn't stopped shedding tears because of it. Especially when I was told the fellow was arrested and overnight, the case was turned upside down. They said my mama was not obeying traffic rules and the accident happened. My father requested for the surveillance camera and it was already deleted. Nothing to justify my mother and she is not in a good condition to defend herself or say exactly what happened. The case was dismissed and the file closed. That was how everything became forgotten. Several times dad tried to reopen the case but it all proved abortive. My grandma told me she told my dad to forget about it. They wouldn't win, someone strong is antagonising them in the dark. That way, the man went unscratched and my mama died. She left this wicked world at the time she wasn't supposed to leave. These thoughts flashed through my mind within a few minutes. But no tears this time. If I was alone, I would shed a few tears. I was with someone, so I would pretend to be strong. Suddenly Jordan's phone started ringing. He answered through his Bluetooth. He called the fellow ' baby' I knew he was talking to a woman. He couldn't possibly call a man baby. He was happy when he was talking. He smiled, laughed and chuckled. He is definitely in love with that woman. She probably is his wife, I guess. I discovered a trace of jealousy building in my heart. For God's sake, what am I jealous about? He is not my boyfriend, we are not even friends. I scolded myself and started checking my social media accounts on my phone. When I heard him tell the woman that he would be home soon to her, he would soon be through, I felt my heart beat almost skip. He is envisaging his return to his wife. How I wished I also have someone who is day dreaming of returning home to me soon. Even though he said we were going for lunch earlier, I discovered I was not hungry anymore. I don't want to eat anything. He was through with his calls and glanced at me. I felt sweet when he glanced at me, at least he still knew I was in the car. He asked me about places I know in the city. That question made me feel happy. He was initiating a conversation with me already. I was happy and smiled as I told him I didn't know anywhere else besides the way to the force headquarters from my house. I saw him smile. He said he would take me for a ride one day. I looked forward to that day when we would ride together and he showed me places. It's going to look like a romantic tour. I scolded myself again. What has taking me for a ride got to do with romance? Soon we arrived at the restaurant. It's a big hotel and the restaurant part of it was Large as well. The place looked attractive. Flowers planted everywhere in the compound, giving it a beautiful look. The steward held the door for us to go in and bowed slightly when he saw us both. Everyone who saw us would think we are lovers We took the seat for two at a strategic corner, where we could see who was coming in and going out. My heart felt a turmoil when Jordan made this statement: