By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu
Audrey couldn’t stop smiling from ear to ear as she walked hand-in-hand with Daniel after having fish and chips from a nearby café, talking and laughing.
Audrey wanted this moment never to end. Above and all around were the neon lights, looking up at the ever-changing messages and advertisements flashing green, red, yellow and blue, Audrey seemed not to grow tired of this moment.
Daniel was wearing a brown coat, and he had a white scarf round his neck and matching shoes. He was looking elegant and handsome, though it was obvious his outfit had come from a street market but they looked good on him.
Audrey was wearing a purple Dior ensemble with black tights, pumps, and matching clutch. She looked poised and elegant.
‘Today is perfect because we are together,’Audrey whispered.
Daniel smiled. ‘Your beauty made it very beautiful and aromantic.’ He put his arm around her and they walked on.
Audrey couldn’t help but laugh at Daniel’s word. Everything about this cool evening thrilled her; from the brightly lit buildings, the lights, sweet fragrance in the air and the waft of cool music coming from heaven knows where, couples walking while holding hands. The street shows, people buying ice cream from a dessert shop. It was all marvellous.
A smell of chestnuts roasting on a brazier made her giggle, a barbecue stand on one corner, a pet monkey jumping up and down on a tree used for street decoration, an old lady selling grilled corns and a man selling roasted bush meats, which had people lining up to buy from him.
Still holding hands, they diverted to another street, lit by bright street lights that were shaped like water drops. The view was very romantic.
‘Are we going to walk round the streets?’
‘Mhm.’
Audrey smiled. ‘I read from a book that those in love will have to slowly feel things with their hearts, we can’t experience it with driving. I’m excited.’
‘I know, but if we walk too much you might hurt your feet.’ Daniel looked at her shoes. He felt that she wasn’t used to walking for so long. Walking up a few steps, he suddenly knelt down, looked back at Audrey and said, ‘ Audrey, get on.’
‘Are you going to give me a piggyback ride…just like in movies?’Audrey looked up at Daniel and asked with a smile.
Daniel nodded.
‘But…I’m really heavy, and we are not going to the top of the mountain…’Audrey laughed.
‘If I can’t carry my woman, then I am not qualified for you. Get on.’
Daniel’s persistence moved Audrey. Yes, she was enjoying the walk but then, they had walked for too long and she was getting tired already. Slowly, she walked over and put her arms around Daniel’s broad back. Holding onto Daniel’s neck with her graceful hands, Daniel slowly rose up.
Daniel walked slowly and Audrey felt like she was the luckiest girl in the world.
‘I really love you,’she whispered into his neck.
Daniel smiled. ‘I love you more.’
The night was still very young as they walked quietly on the road, lit only by street lamps and a few other couples who were probably going on dates.
‘Can we do this more often?’ Audrey stuck her head lightly to Daniel’s back, looking at the beautiful night sky as she asked.
Daniel didn’t know how to express his joy for this special moment. He truly loves this woman and was willing to do anything for her.
‘Really?’ Daniel said with a teasing smile. ‘Are you the one to give me the piggyback?’
‘How dare you ask me that? Are you tired of living?’ Audrey raised her hand and flicked Daniel’s head hard.
‘How can I be tired of living when my queen is still alive?’
‘I am asking if you will give me piggybacks for the rest of our lives,’ Audrey asked in a melancholic tone.
Daniel paused in his tracks. Could it be that Audrey was willing to marry him even though he hadn’t proposed to her yet? She wanted to be with him for the rest of her life. Daniel couldn’t help but said to her with a smile, ‘I would gladly love to give you piggyback if you want me to.’
‘Then I will eat and become very fat.’ Audrey joked on purpose.
‘And I will go to the gym to increase my muscle,’ Daniel said as he walked on.
I love you more than anything in the world. I will always cherish every moment that I am with you, Audrey thought as she rested her head on Daniel’s back, drinking in the beauty of the moment.
On the other side, and at Golden Hotel Lokogama, and inside the ballroom of the hotel, many people with gorgeous dresses all mingled with friends.
After chatting and drinking for a while, the party entered a dancing session. Nearby the dance floor, there stood a band group invited all the way from Canada. They started playing a melodious waltz tune.
Majority of the guests along with their partners, spread out on the dance floor as they started ballroom dancing.
Celine didn’t want to dance. She only wanted to watch the dancers while drinking her delicious red wine. However, she suddenly saw that Julia stood beside Prince and the twins at the corner of the dance floor.
Frowning, Celine quickly walked over. As she was about getting close, Chibueze Iwu offered his arm, smilingly made an accurate posture for a dance invitation before looking up at Celine politely. ‘Miss Celine, as the celebrant tonight, do I have the honour of inviting you for a dance?’
Celine smiled. She didn’t want to dance with him. She wasn’t stupid; she knew that Chibueze was trying to tell Prince that he was capable of making her dance with him. The Njemanze family was like a status boost to anyone around them.
In this case, Chibueze was the only son of the Iwu family and the celebrant of the party. Celine knew that it wasn’t inappropriate in any way for him to ask her for a dance. As she couldn’t say she only came to the party to watch, she didn’t know what to do as she didn’t have any good excuses.
Seeing Celine with furrowed brows, Julia said, ‘Mr Chibueze, Celine doesn’t like dancing with strangers. She prefers to dance alone with Prince.’
Chibueze smiled gently and said, ‘Julia, my invitation is very sincere. I hope you don’t meddle in this.’
‘But you are my brother…someone from my village is my brother. So, I think I should speak up for you…my aunty work for Celine’s family, and I know her too well…’ Julia acted very gently.
Dana pulled Julia’s hand to stop her from talking. This was between Celine and Chibueze to handle.
‘Chibueze I agreed to bring my woman over for your birthday, but I don’t agree that you dance with her.’ At this moment, Prince blocked in front of Chibueze. ‘No one in this hall is allowed to dance with her, not even my father who is the president of this country.’
Chibueze smiled coldly. ‘Oh, I see. I thought that as the celebrant I have the right to dance with anyone as you have the right to mingle with my cousin, am I right?’
Celine shot a glare at Julia, who was standing beside Prince. Julia felt the unfriendly glare, and she was puzzled. She didn’t provoke Celine, did she?
‘I went to talk to some old friends which Celine was aware of but your cousin, Julia, begged me to tell Nathan to love her…but I told her that love doesn’t work that way, and for sure my brother will never love a woman like her.’
Julia lowered her head embarrassed. Forcing a smile, she said, ‘Prince is right…it’s my entire fault.’
Prince turned to Chibueze. ‘So, Mr Chibueze, my girl won’t be dancing with you. Find someone else.’ Then, he turned to look at Celine who had been silent. As he walked to the dance floor with her, ‘I am sorry for leaving you alone,’Prince whispered to her.
Celine smiled. Suddenly, Prince took a few steps back. Raising his arms, he gracefully spun on the ground as he showed off his skillful waltz moves. Celine couldn’t help but laugh happily as he bowed in front of her, offering his arm.
Celine could feel everyone in the ballroom watching them. It seemed they were all waiting for them to dance. At this moment, Celine raised one of her slim arms, then, placed it onto Prince’s hand.
‘Why didn’t you accept Chibueze’s invitation to dance with him?’ Prince asked as he brought Celine to the middle of the dance floor, wanting everyone to notice the two of them. He was proud of Celine, and was proud to show her off, for everyone to see.
‘Why should I? You are the only one qualified to dance with me. I know it was rude to turn him down, but I am glad I didn’t dance with him…even if Julia didn’t step in, I would have still found a way to decline his invitation.’ She paused. ‘By the way, why did Julia stop you?’
‘For my brother…’
‘Julia wants quick success and instant benefits, but I pity her Nathan would never glance at her. He would prefer to hope for Jessica to come to him than marry Julia…on the surface she is supporting Michael for Jessica, but the truth is, she is only doing this to have Nathan.’
‘She is not that smart; don’t make her sound like a legend. She is just an ordinary person, not qualified to clean my brother’s shoes.’ Prince replied as he slowly held Celine’s back with one of his hands. ‘But I told her to stay away…she doesn’t have a chance with Nathan.’ His fingers on another hand intertwined with hers as they looked into each other’s eyes.
Celine would be lying if she said she wasn’t shy at the way Prince looked at her with his cute eyes. He was like a prince charming in romance novels. She was drinking from this sweetness that she even forgot the starting steps of the waltz for a short moment.
When Celine was in America, she learned different types of dances. Her tutors had always been women. Aside from her father and brother, Prince was the only man aside her family that she had danced with publicly. She had attended many events like this in America, but had declined every invitation to dance with any man, not because she was afraid of being stared upon when dancing, but because she didn’t feel the drive to dance with any of the men that approached her.
The two of them were eye-catching and from very rich and influential family. So when they started dancing, they received countless gazes. It seemed that the spotlights were focused on them, not even on Chibueze who is the celebrant of today’s party.
When the dance came to an end, Prince took Celine’s hand and left.
As Samson drove them home, Prince smiled and said, ‘You are a very good dancer.’
‘Any gift for that?’ Celine stuck out her tongue playfully.
‘Of course, you know the best gift for you,’Prince mysteriously said.
‘Stop joking, how would I know the gift if you don’t tell me. Did you hide it in your pants? Looking at his suit trousers, Celine jokingly asked.
‘Sounds right.’
‘You’re perverted…I sincerely hate you.’
‘If you are not going to kiss me, then I will kiss you. What do you think?’Prince asked playfully in his magnetic voice as he pinched her chin with his slender fingers.
‘No.’ Celine jokingly slapped out his hand, laughing.
The two joked on the way and finally arrived at Diamond Gardens.
Prince watched until Celine walked inside the house before the chauffeur drove away.
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