Meanwhile, Chioma left the bedroom she shared with her mother and went to the kitchen to grab a can of chilled cola. She was already dressed in her pink sleeping gown.
Andrew, who had been sitting in the living room watching TV, heard the sound of Chioma's footsteps and glanced over at her. 'Bring me one,' he requested.
Chioma nodded, opened the fridge, and took out another can of cola. 'Here you go,' she said, handing the drink to him. Instead of retreating to her room, she settled into an armchair, drawn to the flickering images on the screen.
Andrew caught a whiff of a new fragrance. 'Something smells delightful,' he commented, turning towards her.
'What smell?' Chioma asked, curious herself.
'A nice perfume smell,' Andrew clarified.
Chioma, a subtle smile playing on her lips, explained, 'Oh, Audrey gifted me CR7. Cristiano Ronaldo's perfume.'
'The whole set?' Andrew raised an eyebrow.
'Just the fragrance,' Chioma replied, taking a sip of her cola.
Finishing his drink, Andrew tossed the empty can into the bin. 'What does the girl want from you?'
She shrugged, her expression thoughtful. 'What could she possibly want from a girl of low status like me? She's not a bad person.'
'I never said she's bad,' Andrew clarified, his tone gentle. 'Just be cautious, okay?'
Chioma nodded, picking up the remote from the centre table and flipping through the channels.
'Don't you like the news channel I chose?' Andrew asked. He had been watching the Nigerian Television Authority Network News.
Chioma giggled. 'I want to watch Coco.' Coco happened to be an interesting 2017 American computer-animated fantasy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was one of Chioma's favourite cartoons.
'We're watching an interesting news program, and you want to be accidentally transported to the land of the dead, seeking help from your deceased musician great-great-grandfather... who, by the way, won't be there to help you return to the living,' Andrew joked.
Chioma laughed at Andrew's words, and he joined in her laughter.
'I'm not afraid because I know you would help me return to the land of the living,' Chioma said, still laughing. She was grateful to have an amazing brother like Andrew. Then she stood up, gave him a goodnight kiss, and went to the bedroom for the night's rest, no longer interested in watching Coco. Andrew smiled and, after a few moments, turned off the TV and retired to his own room.