The Moment I Met You (Chapter 360)

By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu      

 Seeing Rebecca standing quietly, Patricia held onto her wine glass as she went to her. Her voice sounded a little surprised. ‘I know that you are not a low-profile person, what are you thinking?’                                   

‘Your son has humiliated my family, do you think I can walk around freely?’Rebecca said as she laughed with anger clouding her eye.

‘I brought reporters to this event. I knew this would happen so I didn’t make the mistake of not telling them how I want the headlines to be. I wonder how my son will react if he sees the article.’ Patricia gently shook the wine glass in her hand while she gazed at Michael.                                                                                                                                                 

‘Michael isn’t easy to break. To get to him you need to put Chioma were she belongs. Teaching her family a good lesson will make her dump Michael, and Michael would have no choice than to land on my daughter.’                                                                                                                          

Patricia smiled but didn’t say a word.                                                                    

Meanwhile, Edward had to apologise to the guests on behalf of Michael. Then, furiously, he went upstairs to his bedroom as the guests went back home.                                                                                                                  

                   

The doctor that Michael brought over to Chioma’s house was about leaving after checking on Louisa, just then the electric stove that Chioma bought yesterday while returning home from work beeped, signaling that the water had finished boiling. Chioma immediately went over to the stove while asking the doctor to wait and have a delicious akamu, akara and bread.                                                                 

‘Doc…let’s have dinner with you.’                                                                             

The doctor adjusted the glasses sitting on his nose bridge; he was looking smart in his snow-white lab coat, which he wore over a fancy grey high-end suit. ‘Next time, Miss,’ he said and walked towards the front door.       

                   

Chioma shrugged, and then prepared dinner. The three of them sat at the dining table to eat. Suddenly, Chioma’s mobile phone began to ring.                                                                                                                            

‘Audrey, do you want anything?’                                                          

‘Yes, I am coming over tomorrow. Tell your mother to prepare delicious ofe ede and akpu for me. I am craving for that.’                                  

‘Definitely, she will,’Chioma answered, but her gaze fell on Louisa who was busy with her food.                                                                           

Louisa noticed Chioma was looking at her when she raised her head. ‘Who is it?’                                                                                                   

‘Audrey wants to come over for lunch tomorrow.’                                                

‘Tomorrow is Sunday. Ask her to come over.’                                      

Just as Audrey was about to hang up, Chioma said, ‘Let me call Chisom and Daniel as well.’                                                                                      

  Audrey chuckled. ‘That will be very nice of you.’                                               

‘Oh, hey, I just remembered that I will be the only one left. I can’t just watch you people act your public display of affection for me to watch, I’ll pass on lunch tomorrow.’                                                                   

   ‘If you want I could bring Michael over, am sure he will sleep here,’Audrey pouted.                                                                                                          

  ‘You’re evil.’                                                                                             

‘You’re lucky that Michael have to catch a plane to go on a business trip tomorrow morning else I would have invited him,’ Audrey paused. ‘What if I tell him to come, I know that Michael will be more than willing to sacrifice everything for you.’                                                            

  ‘Please don’t.’                                                                                                     

‘Okay, I won’t. But you will add pepper soup to the menu tomorrow.’ Then, Audrey hung up.                                                                            

Chioma laughed as she put her phone on the table.                   

‘Why are you laughing?’Andrew curiously asked.                                    

‘Audrey is coming over for lunch as well as Chisom and Daniel, happy now?’Chioma replied.                                                                        

Andrew was elated. ‘Mum, you will also add ofe ugu. That’s Chisom favourite soup. She like it with akpu…’                                                      

  ‘What do I get in return?’Louisa chuckled.                                               

‘A big hug,’ replied Andrew.                                                                   

Chioma rolled her eyes. ‘Who eats hug?’ she turned to Louisa. ‘Mum, don’t agree. Make him gift you with toys.’                                   

Andrew laughed at what Chioma said. Louisa didn’t know whether to cry or laugh.                                                                                            

   ‘How could you boldly say that to your mum?’ Louisa feigned appalled.                                                                                                                                               

‘My goodness! Mum is superb. To think that she would pretend not to like toys,’Chioma laughed. ‘I’m dying from laughter. Mum looks cute when she is pretending to be upset.’Chioma picked up one akara from her plate and shoved it into her mouth. She chewed on it with satisfaction.                                                                                                       

‘What happens if I am really upset?’                                                             

  ‘You turn into a panda,’Chioma joked and they laughed. The akara that Louisa made tasted like heaven in Chioma’s mouth, so she looked at Andrew and asked, ‘Can I have some of your akara?’                             

‘No,’Andrew refused. He seemed to be enjoying the akara as well.                                                                                                                                 

  ‘I will pay you five naira,’Chioma said.                                                         

   ‘Still not enough.’                                                                                   

  ‘One thousand,’Chioma said.                                                                           

Andrew looked up and smiled at her sweetly. Chioma laughed because she thought Andrew will agree to sell them to her after which she would beg him to forgive her debt. After all, he couldn’t see his sister cry. However, to her surprise, after he smiled, Andrew reached for akara and put it into his mouth, enjoying the look on Chioma’s face.                                                                                                                  

  ‘I know that you wouldn’t pay. I better not waste my akara on you.’                                                                                                                                 

  Chioma couldn’t take it anymore, and just like magic, the akara balls in Andrew’s plate disappeared into her mouth one by one until nothing was left.