CHAPTER TWO

  Antiono in the middle of his frustration shifted backwards, Irene falling down straight to the floor ,she was frozen ,she couldn't move an inch. 

  “Miss Irene , what was that for,am I some joke to you,where you sent here,”Antonio shouted angrily looking down at Irene who just laid on the floor

    “Am_ s sorry sir,I tripped mistakenly. I would take my leave now. Irene said as she used her hands as a support to get up from where she laid ,she already made up her mind that she wasn't going anywhere close to getting this job ,not after her short embarrassing drama,she just wished the ground would open up and swallow her up. She was about drawing the handle of the door when Antoino's hand drew her closer towards him .

  He stared at her eyes for several long seconds.

   

  “Am not done with you Miss Irene”,his eyes piercing deep into hers. Irene removed her gaze from the imposing figure in front of her ,she looked down at the floor her heart pounding fast as Antonio's hands let go of her dress. Irene's face reddened as she looked up at Antonio , Never has she been made to feel so small, a difficult feat when she was little over five foot two.

   

   Antiono almost smiled at her bravado when she tilted her chin up and met his gaze stare for stare, Irene offered a grim smile.

    “Why do you need this Job Miss Irene”, Antiono said heading towards his desk , leaning on this desk with his forearm crossed he looked towards the delicate figure standing before him .

    

  “I need to support my mom in catering for my family, the little she earns isn't enough to feed us for the time been so I decided to apply for the job”. She gulped loudly,her eyes shimmering with the barest hint of tears “I don't want my Ma suffering as a chef anymore”.

  

  They stood silence 

   

 Antiono pressed his lip together, taking in a deep breath to steady himself before he would find his voice .

    “Sofia” he spoke softly into the phone while looking down at the petite blonde before him. 

  

  “They are here already!, okay give me a minute”. Antiono said packing a few documents on his desk.his face ,he was sure appeared calm and unemotional to his audience but in the inside he was in turmoil. Antiono hated the sensation_ it was a sign of weakness.

   

  He examined the woman before him.

   

“Am going to give you a chance Irene, I actually need a housekeeper especially for my kids,don't thank me for that”.he barked when Irene attempted to open her mouth.

  

Irene quickly snapped her mouth closed ,her eyes where training firmly on his, blinking rapidly to clear the tears which had started forming , Antoino winced but continued to meet her stare .

“But on one condition , It's only going to last for a short period of time,I have business matters to attend to so am actually in need of your service. I would draw up a full employment contract for you to review later. “I would call my driver to take you to my home since it's still early in the morning, you could get to know my pumpkins better, alright then." he said as he walked away leading Irene out of the huge office.

  

Irene didn't know if she should laugh or cry, just a few minutes ago this man was about to dismiss her and now he's telling her to stay, she wanted to give Sofia a hug for distracting him.

  

  Irene got into the Rolls-Royce Sweptail , she knew Mabel had her work in mind so she didn't bother looking for Mabel . It was all happening so fast, she was getting the job many young women of her age would sacrifice a lot for.

    Just a few drives away from the company,they arrived at the large mansion,Irene mistook the large building for another of Antoino's companies. With her eyeball widely opened ,her mouth fully opened she gazed at the mansion in front of her.

“We are here Miss”, I would head back to the office now. Irene alighted from the car,She headed towards the building,the security staff led her into the building.

 Everything was tastefully decorated,yet homely , the furniture were tastefully crafted ,the fancy fans hanging on the ceiling of each floor ,the portrait frame of the whole family hanging on the wall close to the large wall clock in the living room.

  “Twins”, Irene said slowly as she gazed at the family portrait. Antiono Resmella was more complex than she imagined , intimidating business man and a devoted family man? somehow she hardly believe it was the same man.

    Just few moments later, Antonio was back into his house,he rushed in just to see Irene gazing around every where she would place herself. Just as he had thought she would be , right there.

   

  “Miss Irene, I would introduce you to the children now and Mrs Helen would explain your duties here to you”, Antoino said making no attempts to look at the figure he was talking to,he headed straight upwards through the stairs he disappeared to thin air, sounds from his shoes could be heard all across the room .

  Irene wondered why he was being mean, especially when he had such a lovely family like the one she saw on the portrait frame, could it be he was always like that.

    “Daddyyy!!”, a scream as loud as a whistle snort was heard upstairs, Irene immediately guessed who it was, his daughter. She waited patiently for them to come down, Mrs Helen an old woman around her early 50 appeared into the living room,her face was pale and in the lines of her face trideness was plain to see.

  

  Trying not to frown Irene offered a smile.

   “Hi ,am Irene, the new housekeeper.”

   

 Mrs Helen smiled back ,weariness evident in the slump of her shoulder , and the way she clug to the staircase for support .

  “I’m Helen”.

  

  “It's nice to meet you Helen”, Irene said bowing her head down .

   “Let me finish with what I was doing I would be with you shortly dear”.the white haired woman said as she headed back to the kitchen . Irene without being asked followed her into the kitchen.

  

  Irene closed her eye and opened it again,she wasn't dreaming was she.it was all real .

   The kitchen was beautiful, floor coated the marble counter tops, eggshells crunched underfoot and batter covered very available surface , brightly colored lamps bulbs on the ceiling, it was just amazing to behold. 

  Antiono stepped into the kitchen behind Irene,his body so close to her she would feel the heat of his body radiating from his skin , she rubbed her hands up and down to get rid of the goosebumps which had appeared. 

   

 Just behind him where the twins ,as adorable as they would ever be,the girl child was obviously taller than the boy. Her long curly black hair, sparkling brown eye, and pointed nose was just a feminine reflection of Antiono,she clunged firmly to her Dad ,who was now carrying the boy close to his chest.

  “Okay , Isabella, Thomas, this is Miss Irene,she would be staying with us for the main time,she would also be assisting Aunty with the chores here , okay”. Antoine said patting Tommy at his back,he was the last of the twins.

    Although Isabella was just Six she already knew how to make eye contact with a stranger with such boldness as her dad, Irene could already see the striking resemblance between father and daughter.

   

  Giving the kids a warm smile,Irene offered a hand to Isabella who's attention was no longer in the figure standing before her,she quickly ran over towards Helen , lifted the plastic plate that was close to the floor,on an attempt to get a cookie from the plate she slipped the cracked egg yolks on the floor .

   “Isabella!. Antiono yelled out as he pointed at the mess she just caused 

   “How many times do I have to tell you to ask before you take anything from the kitchen, now look what mess you made.

   Irene’s attention was deeply rooted at Antonio’s voice, the way he pointed at his daughter mess and the way he just handled everything, sent triggering sensentions to her, wasn't he just the perfect dad. She brushed her fingers on her nose as she made an attempt to wade off the feeling bubbling within her. 

  

 Few moments later, Antonio was headed back to the office,he called Irene who was now busy cleaning up Isabella. Everything about Irene, from the way she walked up to him threw him off balance,he held the door handle trying to maintain his composure, what was she doing to him.

  

   “Am leaving now,I would be back probably late tonight,I have a tight schedule at work.” Antoino said as he stared consciously at Irene ,he walked back to the kitchen,he quickly gave Helen a peck on the cheek as he left the building.

   

  Straighting her spine Irene sought her strength . Everything rode on this Job and two children definitely wouldn't be her downfall. She headed back where she left Isabella,who was now no where to be found. She didn't know the kids would be this lively. On an attempt to move out of Isabella’s room, Tommy made a tickling sound, immediately followed be a smack on his back. Irene decided to play dumb by ignoring the sound she heard,she shut the door behind her , immediately the kids jumped out of they closet,they gave a loud yell when they saw Irene standing in front of them .

“Ghost!!!!”,they shouted as they ran around the room finally falling on each other . With a loud laugh Irene lifted Tommy up and gave him a pat at his back. 

    

   “Am not a ghost Tommy, I just fooled you both”. Tommy smile back as he pointed at Isabella who was now feeling neglected.

    

    “She caused it , she ran away and hide there.” Tommy said pointing at Isabella who was now crying out loudly she ran towards her large teddy and cuddled him.

  

   “No no no no babyyyyy!!!!, don't cry , you would make Tommy cry too . Alright let's play some more hide and seek, how about you hide and we seek”.

   

  With a tilted face, Isabella gave out a mischievous smile as she ran away from the room, Tommy gave out a loud shout 

   “One,Two,Three,Six,am coming Issa”.he ran towards the hallway,Irene running after him. Just as she was about entering the room she heard Tommy laughing as he cut a hint of Isabella’s black hair under the bed.

   “Where could she be Tommy”, Irene said looking over at Tommy who was now red in his attempt to control his laughter.

     

     “Isabella!!,ooh she's so smart,we can't even find her ,Ahh maybe we should go out then”. Tommy not willing to play along with Irene gave out a loud yell.

   

   “She's right there!!!”. Isabella came out Jumping, screaming and laughing at the same time, Tommy hugging her and laughing too was just an amazing sight for Irene alone ,she gave out both of her arms as the two adorable kids flew towards her.

   

    “Time for a bath guys, let's go”. she said as she carried Isabella close to get chest, Tommy ran past them as he removed his pants and shirt .