  Her phone rang. It was Daniel calling to tell her he was home. They talked for a few minutes before hanging up.
  Tania looked at her smiling but she ignored her. 
  &quot;How is mum?&quot; She asked
  &quot;Mum is fine&quot; She sends her greetings. And also said to tell you...
   	Mitchell hurriedly stood up from her seat and headed for her room, shutting the door behind her to drown her sister s voice. She knew what was going to follow. Her mother doesn t send any other message aside for her to bring a man home. She was tired and the last thing she needed was someone telling her to get a man. What does she need a man for anyway?
  Her ex made sure he killed her likeness or trust for any other man. The man she cared for was her father who was no more. Her boss, who had been her mentor and also playing the fatherly figure in her life since they met, and Daniel, her best friend. As clo

  She stepped out of the bath, towel herself dry, and moved to her closet to select her favorite pajamas. After she had put it on, she headed for the sitting room where her sister was still seated, with eyes glued on the TV.
  She went to the bar and poured herself some wine.
  &quot;I made noodles, care for some?&quot; Tania asked not looking away from the TV
  &quot;No thanks. Had my fill already.&quot; she replied.
  Tania grinned. Mitchell shakes her head at her as she heads back to her bedroom. 
  &quot;Goodnight&quot; she called out to her.
  &quot;Goodnight. Love you,&quot; she answered.
  &quot;Love you too.&quot; Mitchell closed the door behind her and sat on her chair, she needed to get some work done. There are files to review before tomorrow. Her secretary had called her to tell her Lyon had rescheduled their meeting for tomorrow. She was going to meet him tomorrow and hear h

  They entered the car. And Daniel drove off towards the direction where Mitchell lives.
   	Thirty minutes later, he pulled up in front of her house. After exchanging familiar greetings with her security man, he turned to Mitchell, 
  &quot;I see Abdul already brought your car,&quot; he said smiling
  &quot;Yes,&quot; she answered. Her gaze moved towards where her cars were parked
   	&quot;Thank you for today.&quot; he said. I enjoyed myself.
  &quot;I did too.&quot; She replied.
  &quot;I hope it won t be my next birthday before we get to do this again?&quot;
  &quot;No, you forgot my birthday is just around the corner.&quot;
  &quot;I didn t but I remembered vividly that your last birthday was spent in your office with you working till eight in the evening. The one preceding that was....&quot;
  She laughed knowingly, cutting him off before he could say anything further. 
  &quot;Certainly, we have to celebrate this one. Because I will be clocking the big three and zero.&quot; She said making gestures with her hand.
  Daniel looked at her like he was going to say something, instead, he pulled her to him for a hug before he got back into his car after promising to call her when he got home.
  He drove off into the night.
  CHAPTER THREE
  Mitchell came to an abrupt stop on her stairs. She notices rays of light coming out of her apartment. She was sure she had switched them off before leaving for work that morning and she had also been certain they weren t on when Daniel drove her home that afternoon for a change of clothes. At the last minute, she d felt she looked a little overdressed in her clothes and had persuaded Daniel to take her home for a change into something more casual and evening-worthy.
  &quot;This could only mean one thing.&quot; She said, &quot;Her sister, Tania was around.&quot; 
  She was the only one aside from her housekeeper who has an extra key to her apartment, and her housekeeper couldn t have come around today, since it was her day off. 
  Mitchell reached for the doorbell but even before she could press it. The door flung open, admitting her sister.
  &quot;Welcome sis,&quot; she said. Hugging her warmly.
  Mitchell hugged her back. Returning the greeting even more warmly
  &quot;How did you know I was back? I haven t rung the bell yet,&quot; she said walking into the room with her.
  &quot;The window curtain was drawn,&quot; She simply provided and laughed.
  &quot;Was it?&quot; Mitchell queried. And joined her laughing.
  Mitchell dropped her bag on the sofa before she sank into it tiredly.
  &quot;Wasn t that Daniel that came to drop you? Tania asked, eyes full of questions
  &quot;Yes.&quot; She answered. Then stopped at that.
  Her sister, expecting more, looked at her to continue. But she said nothing.
  'And?&quot; She probed. Perusing her up and down
  &quot;And what, Tania!? It was his birthday and we went out to celebrate.&quot; She said, ignoring the humor in her sister s eyes.
  &quot;Well...,&quot; she dragged. If you asked me, you two certainly looked like a pair and quite cozy together in that embrace from earlier.&quot;
  &quot;Thanks. But I wasn t asking. So, shut up and let me rest.&quot;
  &quot;Yes, your Ladyship,&quot; she said mockingly. Throwing her hand up in a surrendering gesture.
  She took her seat next to her and focused her attention on the program showing on the TV. Mitchell looked at her wondering why she was there. She must have caused some mischief at home again to have come over to her place unannounced.
  Tania has always been the wild one among the two of them. Always acting young, impetuous, and immature with a lot of excesses no one could tolerate but her. Even mama sometimes gets fed up with her and at moments like that she just sends her over to Mitchell. At twenty-two, she still believes the world is at her feet.
  Mitchell hoped that for whatever reason it was she was here now, that it wasn t serious. She had always been cleaning up over whatever mess she made right from small. Always been protecting her. Sometimes Mitchell even took the blame for what she did. This made Tania love her so much. She loves her too, she was after all the only sibling she has, and as such protecting her always comes first.
  Mitchell looked across where she was sitting. She had grown up over the years from her little Tania to a full-grown woman. A beautiful one also. She should no longer pamper her unnecessarily. It was time she told her to start taking responsibility for some things. Her actions to start with. She won t always be around to clean her mess or protect her, she needs to learn to own up to her shit.

Her phone rang. It was Daniel calling to tell her he was home. They talked for a few minutes before hanging up.
  Tania looked at her smiling but she ignored her. 
  &quot;How is mum?&quot; She asked
  &quot;Mum is fine&quot; She sends her greetings. And also said to tell you...
   	Mitchell hurriedly stood up from her seat and headed for her room, shutting the door behind her to drown her sister s voice. She knew what was going to follow. Her mother doesn t send any other message aside for her to bring a man home. She was tired and the last thing she needed was someone telling her to get a man. What does she need a man for anyway?
  Her ex made sure he killed her likeness or trust for any other man. The man she cared for was her father who was no more. Her boss, who had been her mentor and also playing the fatherly figure in her life since they met, and Daniel, her best friend. As close as they were, her feelings for him were purely noble and nothing else outside the box of frien

Chapter 20