Ding dong!
"I'll get it!" Lola roared, standing up from the sofa, looking at Lily, who also sat on the sofa but seemed busy on her phone, then repeated herself.
"Ouch! Seriously, my ears!" Lily exclaimed.
"Lily... the door, please, they're here," Adline said, walking down the stairs.
"Like I said, mom, I'll get the door, looks like favoritism making Lily do the good," said Lola.
"Just open the door or I'll do it myself!" Connor snapped.
Lola went to open the door. Lily stood up while her mother and brother did a little tidying up, a helper rushed in through the back door hoping to open the door, but Adline signaled that they had it under control. All this happened in the time it took Lola to get to the door and open it.
"Arrrgh!" Lola rolled her eyes after opening the door.
"Hello," Anita waved.
Lola stared at her from head to toe, she was dressed in a blue flowery agbada gown with a black handbag. Lola's eyes caught Dean.
"Perv!" Lola rolled her eyes.
"Your manners, madam," Adline said to Lola as she rushed to the door.
"Huh," Anita said, a bit surprised.
"She doesn't mean any of that," Adline blinked, looking at Lola as she just walked away.
"Hello, handsome!!" she said in a shrieked voice to Dean.
"Hello, ma'am," Dean bent his head in respect.
"Hey!... no need for the bending thing, come in!..." Adline said, directing mother and son to a seat.
While Dean and his mother sat and listened to Adline's excited talk, a helper came to ask what they'd like to eat; they politely declined but asked for a drink instead. Lilly rushed downstairs to get her mouse for her computer, smirked at Dean, who waved at her, then ran back up the stairs to her room.
About 20 minutes later, Mr. Cole came down the stairs in beach shorts and a Tommy white top, he'd probably picked up on some Nigerian way of showing courtesy, and he did it well with the visitors, then took a seat. Shortly after, Connor joined in rough jean shorts and a black polo.
Connor walked to the kitchen while his parents chatted with Anita, then came back a few seconds later with a tray of five wine glasses. Dean got up to help him, but he waved him off, set the tray down, and headed to the wine cabinet.
"You take red wine?" Connor asked Anita.
"I don't think you need to ask, Connor," Mr. Cole said.
"No, it's okay, dear, I take red wine," Anita nodded.
"Alcohol?"
"Yeah, it's okay," Anita agreed.
"And Dean?"
"He's seventeen, I don't let him drink alcohol," Anita clicked her tongue.
Connor gave Dean a crooked smile, set the wine down on the tray on the center table.
Dean looked bored, it didn't look like a day he'd get to talk to Mr. Cole, since the adults only talked adult stuff.
However, he could swear he caught Mr. Cole staring at him through his reading glasses. Connor stayed quiet the whole time, mostly on his phone, Gen Z were addicted to technology like that, so Dean decided he too could scroll statuses and watch memes. Soon Anita loosened up and began telling the Coles about Dean's birth and childhood, and Dean answered a few questions.
"Hey, um... Connor, mind taking Dean on a tour?" said Mr. Cole. Dean let out a sigh of relief.
"Sure, of course, pops, didn't think you were gonna ask."
"C'mon, Dean, right?"
"Yeah."
"You're gonna love my room!!" Connor laughed.
"Woah!!! I sure do love your room!!" Dean exclaimed at the sight of Connor's room.
"Told you," Connor laughed.
"Okay! Okay!, woah, wait a minute... is that a Money Heist costume!... it's even got a mask!" Dean admired the costume hanging on one side of the room.
"Have you watched Money Heist Korea?" he continued.
"No!... but I could watch it, I have a huge crush on this Korean girl at my school," Connor smiled.
"That's not all... I also have a disco bulb," he added, turning it on.
"What are these disco balls for?" Dean asked.
"Well, I make my parents believe it's for TikToks... but I just invite some friends over when they're out," said Connor.
"Woah!!" Dean was obviously trying to hold a polite expression.
"And a Terrifier mask too!!"
Dean was full of excitement, noticed a massage chair, and had to try it. Connor helped turn it on.
"Sooooooooo... cooool!!" You could feel the vibration doing massage justice to Dean's lazy bones.
"Wait a minute, is your room like a studio or what?"
"Technically, I'd say yes," said Connor, with a little pride, sitting on his swivel chair and giving himself a spin.
"I mostly use the costumes for TikTok videos, duets to some songs, and funny skits. My room in America has more costumes than I have here in Nigeria," Connor explained.
"So, umm... how many views or likes do you get for all that effort?" Dean was curious.
"My last video was a transition one, and I got like 1.2 million views and a million likes... isn't that awesome!!!, I just need a hundred more followers to hit a million, maybe one of these days I could feature you."
"Well, you have a TikTok account, right?" Connor asked, but nodded before Dean even answered.
"5,000 followers, my mom has rules set out for me, she thinks social media is a bad influence," Dean shrugged.
Connor opened a drawer from his desk, brought out a bottle of wine and two glasses, and smiled at Dean.
"You drink? A little alcohol?" Connor asked.
"Not around my mom... but yeah," Dean said. Connor handed him a glass of red wine.
"So... tell me about yourself, your relationships, and how you deal with boring moods, because right now, I feel like I'm staring at a loner," Connor sipped, Dean sipped along.
"Yeah, about moods, my máá's fiancé is always there for me, and relationships are kind of awkward, sometimes I get scared because I get this scary thought that I'm going to get a girl pregnant and she'll have to make sacrifices like my mom did, I just feel like I'm not ready, so it's all school for now," Dean explained.
"Ah!... momma's good boy, so now you gay or what?" Connor clapped.
"Shh... my mom hates that word... but I love boobs, just not ready for them yet," Dean whispered.
"My mom hates it too, but anyway, I love boobs and coochie... like God made that for men... nothing can make me choose my own gender, or assume a gender that's not mine, over boobs!! Boobs is life, bruh," Connor laughed, heaving a heavenly sigh.
"How about your school, how come you and your sisters don't talk about school?!" Dean changed the topic.
"My sisters are homeschooled for now," said Connor, spinning his chair.
"And slow down, we just met, anyway... I'm in college... I know how I handle my shit."
"Is it me, or did you just talk me into changing the topic, eh?" Connor gave a mild look of disapproval, Dean smirked.
"Still on house tour... do you like to read? Books, comics?" Connor stood.
"Comics," Dean approved.
Connor urged Dean to set down the wine glass and follow him. The house looked even prettier the further they went, and soon they were at the study room. The door was shut. Connor excused himself, said he'd forgotten something in his room, and told Dean to check the study room out. He seemed to forget Dean should have knocked, Dean opened the door and his jaw dropped at what he saw.
"I'm so sorry!" he immediately apologized and was about to head out, but he got pulled in and the door was shut and locked.