Mr Daniel

The following morning at work, I came in really early.

This was the first time I called in this early at work.

Immediately after the morning prayers, I walked up straight to Ella and dragged her with me to the restroom.

"Mr Daniel stop!" She called behind me but I didn't listen.

"Mr Daniel, what is it, you are going to hurt me!!"

"Look here Ella, let's settle this once and fall all." I said to her when we finally get to the restroom.

"What is it to settle Sir?" She mumbled underneath her breath.

"Really Ella? You are just seventeen!!" I exclaimed, truly shocked about the whole situation.

"And so what??" She mumbled underneath her breath.

"Don't get on my nerves Ella!"

"What is it why are you suddenly acting like my father?? You are not my father, so stop questioning me!"

"Really?? So should I go tell your Dad??" I asked.

"No please, he's going to be really disappointed. Please sir, don't do so" She pleaded.

I looked at her perplexed.

"So what next?" I asked.

"I don't know." She said, acting like a child.

I took deep breaths then asked her the question.

"Ella, what were you doing with a sex toy??"

There was no response.

"You know you can tell me." I said, assuring her.

She looked around as if to check if someone was there with us, listening to us.

"Promise me you won't tell."

"I promise."

"Well, I have a little bit of a secret....."

"And what is it??" I asked curious.

"I have been having this urge, you know."

"What urge??"

"You know...to let someone touch me!"

"Are you for real now?" I asked, really confused, but you're still so young.

" I know. I just don't know why I let those girls convince me into buying a sex toy."

"Which girls??" I asked even more confused.

"Liz and Molly." She said to me.

"Ohhh, I never liked those girls." I said.

"It was a mistake and I promise not to do it again, but please do not tell anyone, most especially my dad." She said to me holding out her hands as a form of plea and I found that really cute.

"It's all good." I said. "No one would here about this."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Cross heart??"

"Cross heart."

"Ahhh thank you so so much." She said jumping on me. I held up my hands to avoid touching her.

"Ok Ella.." I pulled her away from me. "Let's get back to work!"

"Oh, Yes!" She said and we both moved out.



***

After work, I had a chat with my best friend- Frank.

"What guy? A Sex toy?? No possible way??"

"Well, it's the truth," I said casually, trying not to make a deal of the situation.

"How is that even possible?? A seventeen year old??" He asked amazed.

"Oh yes Man, it's really possible, and I saw it with my very eye!"

"No way." Frank was really surprised.

"She called me one random morning and dragged me to the office premises, just outside the main door. I think she was trying to show me something else. A promotion letter or something. Then it fell off her bag."

"Oh my...." Frank was holding his mouth with his hands. "Is she not meant to be in school or something??

I heaved.

"Do you not know Mr James??" I asked Frank.

"Of course I do, the business mogul, the big CEO, your uncle right??"

"Yes, you're right. The one I always talked to you about. The one that took me in when my father passed."

"Oh yes, I know him, of course. Who doesn't?"

"He has this reputation of helping the poor and needy." I continued.

"Okayy."

"So Ella's father, Mr Matthew, had this huge debt and he could not pay off." I continued.

Frank smiled at me. "Now I see where this is going." He said and I just nodded my head and continued my story.

"He offered to pay off his debts. Trust me the poor man was so overjoyed! But as we all know, no offer comes without a price."

"So what happened?" He asked.

"He promised to pay off his debts on the condition that he works for him for little to no pay."

"Oh my that's cruel." Frank remarked.

"Hmm you do not know Mr James well, he is my uncle, and he is an shrewd business man, but I don't blame him though. Skin by Nature would not have this level of success- a global sensation if he was not that shrewd."

"Yea that's true!! But what happened to that Man-Ella's father?"

"Oh Mr Mathew, he was over joyed by the offer. He worked at Skin by Nature for years, and he even brought his only child and daughter Ella to be blessed by Mr James when she was born."

Frank held his mouth with his hands to stop himself from laughing.

"Ella has always been with us since then. He brought her to work at any slight opportunity."

"But how about her mom??"

"We don't hear much about her." I said.

Frank was so alarmed by this weird story.

"So you mean this Ella girl is not schooled??" He asked.

"Of course she is.

Skin by Nature has rules concerning young people working with them. They can only work in the evenings after school and they are to do the most minor jobs. I and Ella worked at the commercial stores counting goods for years till we had multiple promotions to work at the head office." I said.

"Oh that makes sense." Frank said.

"Yea!" I replied.



****

The following day at work.

"Good morning Sir. You are highly welcome Sir."

I turned my head to see who was being greeted that way. It was only I that got that sort of greeting in Skin by Nature, except....

"Mr Maxwell, you're highly welcomed Sir."

I heard a voice in the stair way.

I came out of my office.

"Max??" I thought. "Maxwell was not due to be back from England till the next Season. What is he doing here??" I thought to myself.

I climbed down the stairs and was shocked to see my cousin standing right there before me.

"Oh Max!" I ran downstairs pretending to be happy to see him.

"Daniel." He called back, giving me a smile. We both jammed into a heart warming hug.

"You look good Man!" I said.

"You look better!!" He said teasingly.

"How is England?" I asked.

"We'll longest story." Maxwell said. He looked exhausted.

"Oh don't mind my manners, come on. Let's go in, I meant up the stairs to my office, we have loads of stuffs to talk about."

"Sure." Maxwell replied.

We both climbed up the stairs and multiple thoughts crossed my mind. I was not happy about Maxwell's return, most especially this early.

I felt Maxwell always took my place in this company but what can I do, he was Mr Jame's first son, the heartthrob of Skin by Nature and no matter how hard I try, I would always be just "The other son."

"Here we are." I stepped into my office, opening the doors very wide for Max to step in.

"Thanks brother." He said walking in.

"Hmm..." he said "This place still looks so chic and classic."

"Yea." I replied. My office was easily the most beautiful and choicest of all the offices in the building.

Since I held blood ties with Mr James, he never mind letting me choose the office of my choice and, as greedy as I was, I chose the best. It was located in the part of the building with the best view.

It was at the top floor. Ella so much loved this office and she comes there multiple times a day to catch a glimpse of the view . I and Ella had become so close over the years.

"Father was so proud of you when you chose this office." Maxwell said to me while helping himself to a seat in my office.

"I can still remember his reaction. He literally smiled and tapped your back. Saying well done!" Maxwell kept on saying, and I was wondering what he was driving at.

"Well Maxwell, let's just say I think just the way father thinks." I said.

"I know that you understand father better than I. The only reason I'm still at Skin by Nature is because I'm his first son... "Maxwell said thoughtfully. " He prefers you to me!"

"Now don't say that brother!" I said to him but he seemed not to be listening to me.

"I remember when I had to choose an office and I chose the simplest looking one thinking he would be proud of me but he just smirked."

"Max!" I called. "Do not let this kinds of thoughts invade your mind please, I beg you. After all, we are all one big family." I said trying to console him, but I did not think that it was working........