Scene 9

(This scene opens with Fredrick on the phone with Anna).

Anna: Hello.

Fredrick: Oh, hope I didn't wake you.

Anna: Oh no sir Fredo, I was going to wake up... now. Besides 6 am is the normal time to wake up on a Saturday.

Fredrick: (Laughs).So I take that with you still being you, my kids haven't killed you yet.

Anna: No, only loads of failed attempts.

Fredrick: (Laughs). I guess I must be missing a lot then?

Anna: Plenty.

Fredrick: (Chuckles and is quiet for some seconds). Well I just wanted to check on you guys, I know I will be coming back tomorrow but I just wanted to know what kind of situation I would be walking into.

Anna: The best.

Fredrick: I feel safe already. (Smiles). Let me let you go back to sleep.

Anna: Oh you don't have too. (Laughs).

Fredrick: Oh I insist. (Laughs). See you tomorrow, have a nice day.

Anna: And you too sir Fredo.

(Fredrick ends the call smiling biting his bottom lips. He shakes his head still with a smile as his secretary Susan walks up to him).

Susan: Sir they are ready for you.

(He nods his head as he button's his suit then Susan waits for him to walk ahead and she follows behind him. Anna is then shown standing in front of Jennifer's room door. She then places a speaker at the front of each door down to Whitney's. She then goes to stand by the side by the stairs and with a smile she presses play on her phone and the music blasts out of them. 3 seconds later the three of them come out of their rooms and when they look at her, she stops the music seeing that she has their attention.

Isaac: What!

Anna: Day don break.

Whitney: It's six in the morning.

Anna: Na the same thing I been talk.

Jennifer: It's a Saturday.

Anna: Na so God make am.

Jennifer: The point is why are we awake by this time on a Saturday?

Anna: Bae I get brain no reason me finish. But to all the pikins in the house... today na sanitation day.

(All three of them look at each other then look at her and she smiles mischievously. They are shown as they are waiting while she shakes her hand. When she stops she opens them and gestures for them to pick a paper each out of her hand. They all do and she still keeps a small smile on her face as they open the papers).

Whitney: Toilet?

Anna: All of them.

Isaac: Let's switch?

Whitney: What did you get?

Isaac: Laundry.

Anna: No machine.

Whitney: Thank you I'm good.

Isaac: What about you Jenny?

Jennifer: Got 'em plates, I'm great... And I guess no washer?

Anna: Babe wey sabi. Oya to your duty post, halele.

(They all leave and then they are shown one by one as they look at what they were given to do. Isaac is first shown as he looks at the heap of clothes laying on the ground, the small water and detergent).

Isaac: Where did all these come from, do they even belong to members of this house?

(His part is shown now on one side of the screen while Jennifer is shown on the other part of the screen as she looks at the pile of dishes that are in the sink and all over the kitchen counter).

Jennifer: All this plates can't be from this house, we don't even use steel. (She bends down to sniff the plates and scrunches up her nose). Lord, how many years have they been in this condition.

(Whitney is shown as all bathrooms in the mansion is shown in the mansion entering them and as she opens the doors, she stands for 3 seconds before she faints. Anna is then shown sitting in the living room and they all scream. She smiles and at the time Ene walks in and sees her smiling)

Ene: Adiah () this one you woke up this early, and you are smiling...

Titi: (Walks in with Kunle and Chuks following behind her and Titi cuts into the conversation). Ahahn, Anna na you be that, why you con wake this early for morning, and we you dey happy?

Ene: Na the thing wey I ask her so as you enter.

Anna: I no fit just wake early momo like this dey happy again?

(The four of them look each other).

Chuks: Where dem pikins?

Anna: Saturday sanitation.

Titi: They are cleaning the house?

Anna: Sure. So make una go back rest, enjoy your Saturday. Everything them go do.

Kunle: Wetin you talk so. Abeg babe no dey use me play.

Chuks, Titi and Ene: Us.

Anna: (Chuckles). Kuns I no be small pikin, I no dey joke. (She gets up smiling). Guys, I got you. I got you guys. Just chill, today na una day.

Chuks: Anna, Anna.

Kunle: Mama, mama.

Anna: Nah only Ene be the only mama for here abeg oh.

Titi: Oh baby. Oh baby.

Ene: This babe... this babe.

Kunle: Babe wey sabi... Anna I don love you finish

(She laughs as she enters her room. Titi starts dancing. Chuks joins in and Ene. When Kunle joins in and starts dancing anyhow, they all stop dancing and begin to walk away. When he realizes, he stops dancing and quickly follows them as they leave. The kids are shown as they clean everywhere and everything in the house. They stop at some point and stretch or start complaining. After they are done, it evening, they lay on the bed tiredly).

Jennifer: Who knew working would be so hard.

(Whitney and Isaac shake their heads in accordance).

Scene 9b

(This scene opens with the kids shown sleeping. As they are sleeping, they all hear a knock on their doors.

All three of them: (They groan). Anna.

(They open their doors one after the other as they speak).

Isaac: What is it this time, more not worn clothes?

Jennifer: Ancient of days dishes?

Whitney: Or pit toilets?

Anna: (Smiles)

(They are then shown as they are fanning her).

Jennifer: You know this is borderline maltreatment, it's just wrong.

Isaac: On so many levels. The fan is working, so is the AC. And there is light. Even though there is no light, the amount of fuel in the generator can last us all day for 3 weeks in a stretch, given its size... This is just child labour.

Jennifer: Abuse.

Whitney: I'm going to tell dad when he gets back.

Isaac: Smart choice.

Jennifer: That's the right thing to do. Our hands are hurting badly, for how long have we been doing this? At least tell us for how long we have been standing?

Whitney: That would be appreciated.

Isaac: And the use of your heads will be appreciated too. If she wanted us to know what the time was while we were at this exercise, she wouldn't have rounded up all the clocks in our rooms and the living room or our phones. And no other staff will be coming in till she is done, so forget it ladies.

Jennifer: Mr know all, we don't need a lecture, wait Anna are you even listening to us?

(Anna doesn't).

Isaac: Why would she, when she is using our own playbook against us. Using the phone all the time when we are talking to her, courtesy of Jennifer, playing music loudly but enough to hear us but pretend that she doesn't cause the music is "way too loud".

Jennifer: That's not true. If so where does Whit fit into this?

(As she speaks, Whitney looks at Anna and sees that she is not looking and jumps up to step on Anna's foot only for Anna to remove them when Whitney's feet were close to hers causing her to stomp her feet hard on the floor. She gets a bit unbalanced and falls to the ground sitting).

Isaac: There is where Whitney fits.

(Whitney gets up and cleans her back with a frown on her face. Jennifer sighs and calls Anna three times but she doesn't answer. She then taps Anna hardly but she still doesn't answer. Isaac mouths to her gentle touch. She rolls her eyes and taps Anna gently then Anna answers her).

Anna: Ehn, oh una still dey here na, dey go, afternoon chop time don reach na.

Jennifer: It's launch time? What's the time?

Anna: Wetin time talk, wetin time talk... okay, time be 2 for afternoon.

All of them: What! (They all sat down).

Whitney: We have been giving you first class treatment for 8 hours.

Jennifer: Now I get why we don't get to know what the time is, it just makes you weak.

(Anna gets up and stomps her feet on the ground, drawing their attention to her. She then leaves).

Jenifer: She did that intentionally right, just so we could see that she could walk straight?

Isaac: It's definitely why she did it.

(As they are still seated on the floor, Ene walks in from the kitchen).

Ene: Launch is ready.

(All three of them give sighs of relief then attempt to stand up but they can't. Thye try and before either of them could take more than one step, they fall back to the ground. Meanwhile Ene looks at them confusingly as they struggle. They give up and Jennifer starts to crawl. Isaac and Whitney see her, they look at each other and then join her as they crawl to the kitchen. Ene stands looking at them, and is trying to hold her laugh but she smiles. As they move on, Anna is shown standing at the corner where the rooms are and is recording them as they are crawling. Ene looks to her direction and sees her, she tells Ene to keep quiet as she is about to yelp. Anna continues to laugh as she records them as they crawl even faster).

Scene 9c

(This scene open with the Kunle walking into the living room with Fredrick's luggage in his hand as Fredrick follows behind and is on the phone and they go up to his study).

Fredrick: ...Yeah, I just got in now... no Lorry... I think I and my staff will share this same perspective that our personal lives be kept personal and that you wouldn't ask me if she is pretty.

(He mouths a thank you to Kunle and motions for him to take his box to his room and to pick up a small bag and take it with him. Kunle says a thank you. He mouths to him to get Anna for him and waves him off).

Fredrick: ...What is it Lorry, are trying to set me up with my staff... you are just saying. Lorry anytime you are just saying or just asking you have other plans. You started this conversation 7 minutes ago with I'm just asking and look where we are, you are still asking... (Anna knocks and Fredrick sighs deeply as he heads to open the door. He does and lets Anna in gesturing for her to sit, he then rolls his eyes to the conversation he is having with Loretta).

Loretta bye.

(He sighs then smiles to Anna as he puts his hand on his forehead and takes his sit).

Hey.

Anna: Hey. It wasn't me, hope the air hostess didn't pin it on me.

Fredrick: What?

Anna: The last time you called for me, dinner went wrong. And I have witnesses that will back my alibi that I've been here all through the weekend, so I couldn't have done it.

Fredrick: What? (Looks confused for a second then he realizes what she is saying. He then starts to smile). Oh... oh, oh no, believe me she pinned nothing on you. There was no pinning. (Laughs).

Anna: Okay. (Laughs). Good, that's good. Welcome back sir Freddo.

Fredrick: Umm, thank you. It's good to be back. Couldn't wait to see your beautiful face.

Anna: What?

Fredrick: What?

Anna: I just thought I heard something.

Frederick: Oh I said I couldn't wait to see your beautiful faces, all of you.

Anna: Oh, okay, faces.

Fredrick: Yeah. Where are the kids?

Anna: They just went out for a while, they will be back soon.

Fredrick: Alright. Here (He reaches for something under his desk and brings out a bag and places it on the desk and motions for her to pick it up). It's for you, I thought to get you something.

Anna: No, you didn't have to.

Fredrick: It's nothing.

Anna: (Opens the bag and brings out a box and when she opens it, she exclaims slightly as she sees the diamond ear-rings).

Fredrick: To be honest I couldn't get a read on you so I wasn't sure what to get you but I thought you wouldn't like something too big so I went for small.

Anna: I do, thank you sir Freddo.

Fredrick: There is no, "No sir, it's too much".

Anna: I believe that the attendant and the price tag made that very clear, I don't need to revisit that. (Fredrick chuckles). Thank you sir, I appreciate this a lot.

Fredrick: You're welcome. So how were the kids?

Anna: Oh, nothing than angelic. They were breath taking.

Fredrick: Why do I sense sarcasm, like lots of sarcasm in those two sentences?

Anna: That's because you have a good ear.

(They laugh as they continue talking. Then the other staff are shown in the kitchen)

Kunle: This one wey oga Fred bring better come back, wetin dey sup?

Chuks: Fear me too o. I know say e dey bring things when e come back, put no be after short journey like this and no be clothes.

Ene: True talk. Usually, e dey bring plenty paper come back. (They laugh).

Titi: Sha today wey e bring better God go bless am.

Kunle: So the time wey e no bring better, you no dey ask God to dey bless am, even after e don pay salary on time.

Titi: Ehs. Abeg. No be only you dey here but na only you go talk. (Ene and Chuks laugh as they are about to start an argument. Chuks quickly cuts in).

Chuks: As Titi talk, no be only una dey here. Mama don tire, even me sef I won go sleep. And una never dey end. So make we open this package oga bring come so, carry our own from inside, then when we don settle finish una go continue from where una stop.

Ene: Sense.

(They keep quiet then Titi opens the bag and empties its contents on the counter. They start to pick out what they want and struggle over some with each other. As they are at it, the kids enter into the kitchen and stop as they see them struggling over the clothes).

Isaac: What's going on?

Whitney: No idea.

Jennifer: (Opens the fridge while she speaks). Titi is dad back?

Titi: Yes, not too long ago. He is in his study.

(The kids quickly run out of the kitchen and head to his study. They barge in and Fredrick and Anna are cut short laughing from the act. They then look between Anna and Fredrick as they still themselves).

Fredrick: Seems like the door wasn't even there.

Jennifer: Sorry dad, we just were excited to see you, we are sorry for barging in.

Fredrick: Forgiven. Only because I missed you guys too and for the way you guys behaved while I was gone.

All three of them: Dad it's not what you think.

Jennifer: Anything she told you is a lie.

Whitney and Isaac: Yes.

Jennifer: She set traps for us.

Isaac: Plenty. No school, no food...

Jennifer: Then the maltreatment...

Isaac: Child labour that one. She used our own things against us.

Whitney: Now I'm out of glitter and my behind still hurts. And that fake smile, english and attitude of a refined and sane person...

Isaac: Oh don't get me started on that, that was the performance of the year... (They all started to ramble on and Fredrick and Anna smiled to each other).

Fredrick: Guys, I'm commending you guys for good behaviour. Anna here was just telling me how you guys behaved. (They stopped talking).

Isaac: Was she now.

Fredrick: Yeah. I got to say I'm surprised, I expected nothing of such from your guys but you surpassed my expectations. I'm proud of you guys for behaving well.

Whitney: Thank... you dad, I guess.

Fredrick: And I heard that you guys missed a day of school. And before you will deny and try to explain, Anna has already told me everything. You guys were ill so you couldn't all make it to school on Friday. Don't worry, I've already sent a message to your principal so there's nothing to be worried about.

Jennifer: Thank you dad, you love us too much.

Fredrick: Why I'm even happy about that is that I wasn't around when it happened cause I think it was a family outbreak.

(They laugh weyrdly).

Okay, um excuse me, I'll just go talk to Anna outside and I'll be back and I'll be all to you guys.

Jennifer: Before you leave, dad Anna refused to wash our clothes.

Whitney: And mine too.

Isaac: Whit, she said our, she's for us.

Whitney: Oh, sorry. Carry on.

Fredrick: Okay, maybe she might have been too busy. But she just heard you now and she'll get to it. (Fredrick looks at Anna).

Anna: Yes I will.

(They nod. Fredrick and Anna then leave the room. As he closes the door he looks at Anna and she shrugs and Fredrick chuckles).

Anna: Told you.

Fredrick: You were right. You said they were going to say bad things about you and blame it all on you and they did. (Laughs). You know I would attribute this to you being a prophet but actually you are just that smart.

Anna: (Smiles). Thank you.

Fredrick: (They stay quiet for a while). I, I should let you get to your room. You need some rest.

Anna: You said it right. Prophet or smart?

Fredrick: Ah... (he steps closer to her). What's your professional opinion?

Anna: (Silent). Why don't I get back to you on that, let me sleep on it.

Fredrick: Okay sleeping beauty. (He steps back a bit and then takes a slight bow with his hand held out). Your bed awaits.

Anna: (Laughs). So does yours. Rest. (She turns around and starts to leave but turns back after when she's close to the corridor leading to her room). Goodnight.

Fredrick: Night. Sleep tight.

Anna: I'll beware of that while I'm turning.

(She leaves smiling and Fredrick still stands there for a while, smiling till he hears her door close. He chuckles and shakes his head. He turns around and sighs deeply).

Fredrick: What will I do about those ones, why did I have to have three of them. Lizzy, hope you are watching and you are happy. (He quickly mutters this to himself before he opens the door and smiles to them). So what did I miss?

(He enters the room and they continue talking).

Scene closes.