By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu
At Diamond Gardens, Audrey sat on the living room couch flipping through a magazine when suddenly a maid walked over and said, ‘Madam Audrey, you have a delivery. Please you need to sign for it.’ The maid immediately left, leaving no one but Audrey in the living room. Audrey was still surprised, for she hadn’t ordered for anything. Maybe her parents or Celine did order for something. Since they are not at home Audrey walked to the door, dressed in patterned dress by Oscar de la Renta.
‘I know I didn’t order for anything. Maybe my Parents or Celine could have ordered for it,’ Audrey murmured and asked without looking up, ‘what delivery?’
‘Daniel Onuoha.’
Audrey looked up in surprise upon hearing the familiar voice. It was Daniel’s handsome face under the red baseball cap.
‘Daniel? Why are you dressed like that?’Audrey didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when she saw Daniel posing as a delivery boy.
‘I know that with my kind of person I won’t be allowed inside. So I had to pretend a little…oh, yes…I have something for you.’
‘I’m sorry you had to come like this, but next time you can call me to pick you up, that way no one would be able to harass you.’
‘Don’t apologise, it’s not your fault that I had to pose like this. Besides, with what is happening now, I don’t want the media to ruin your family’s reputation because of me.’
Audrey smiled as she led him inside. She was pleased to see him.
‘I miss you so much.’ Daniel sat down on the couch and Audrey sat beside him. A maid brought coffee and left.
‘I didn’t know that you can’t do without me,’Audrey teased him.
‘I never said that, did I? Maybe you’re pouring out your heart to me,’ Daniel teased her back.
‘Since you can do without me, I will find another lover.’ Audrey playfully rolled out her eyes at him.
‘Go ahead. I bet you won’t love any of them as much as you love me,’ Daniel said proudly, making Audrey giggle.
‘Oh yes, where is the stuff you were going to deliver to me?’ Audrey stuck out her tongue.
‘You see, she can’t even do without my stuff,’ Daniel chuckled as he put his hand into his trouser pocket and carefully brought out a red box and opened it in front of her.
Audrey smiled up at him. It was enough to see him without a present, but she was still very grateful he brought something for her. Her heart was too full to speak.
‘Do you like it?’
‘It’s beautiful,’ Audrey whispered as she held the necklace up.
‘Not as beautiful as you,’ he grinned. ‘Let me put it on you.’
Audrey smiled as Daniel helped her wear the necklace.
‘Daniel, if you spoil me like this I might just marry someone else.’
Daniel almost spat out his coffee when Audrey said that. ‘What did you just say?’
‘I won’t repeat myself.’ Audrey gave him a proud look.
Daniel wasn’t deaf, so there was no way he didn’t hear her. Audrey was too lazy to repeat, maybe because she was joking with him.
‘Um…Is that true?’ Daniel wanted to cry.
‘When have I ever lied?’
‘But…how…could you say that to your boyfriend?’
Audrey laughed. ‘Did you just say that you can’t do without me? Now I can clearly see how much you want me.’
‘Please don’t joke with marrying someone else. I cant’t stand it.’
As they were talking, they heard footsteps coming from the entrance. Audrey and Daniel suddenly turned around. When they saw who it was, they were slightly stunned.
‘Aunt Patricia, why have you come?’ Audrey was surprised to see Patricia.
Patricia was wearing a Dior pale blue dress and matching pale blue hat, silver heels and a metallic clutch finished off the look. She had an exquisite face.
‘I just came from CBN after talking to your mum. She told me that you didn’t go to school today, so I thought I could come here and talk to you.’
Patricia seemed to have something very important to say to Audrey; else she won’t have bothered to come.
‘Aunt, you could have called my line instead of stressing yourself.’
‘What is wrong if I want to see my beautiful girl?’
Audrey smiled and slowly got up.
‘Audrey, how well do you know Chioma Chima?’
‘I don’t understand what you mean by that?’ Audrey looked at Patricia with a smile.
‘Well, I don’t understand how a noble man would become foolish just because of a woman.’
‘From the time I met Chioma, I only knew she was an extremely disciplined woman that sold food at Star Restaurant. She never spoke harshly to her customers. So I had interest with her uniqueness, and felt that she was good for my brother. In fact, I never thought that my brother would love her that much, but I was still hopeful because Chioma isn’t someone to make anyone sad. But, I realised another fact about her, she wasn’t a scheming bitch, she never used others to benefit herself. She didn’t give my brother any hope and she never used my brother’s love for her to rip him off.’
‘It seems the public assumptions about her are incorrect.’
‘I know that I want Chioma for my brother but I will say that I am happy that big brother Michael loves her.’
Patricia walked over, smiled sweetly at Audrey, and held her hand. ‘Audrey, I am moved to tears with the good things you said about Chioma…but I don’t like her for my son. She’s not worthy of him. Since you are close to her, I need you to tell her not to accept Michael if he comes begging to have her back. I am glad that she ended things with my sons. That’s a good sign that she isn’t meant for my son.’
Daniel said nothing but looked at Patricia quietly. He couldn’t speak up for Chioma because he had come in disguise. Anyone would think that he was a delivery boy and so wouldn’t want to get Audrey into trouble by defending Chioma in front of Patricia. Besides, this wasn’t his house and might be thrown out if he over stepped his boundaries. He was trying to protect the reputation of Audrey as well as not saying a word that would put Chioma in trouble. So, he remained quiet instead.
Audrey said after a moment of silence, ‘Aunt, I can’t help you. I’m sorry.’ She turned her face away. ‘I believe there’s a reason why GOD planned their meeting. I don’t believe GOD brought them together just to ruin Michael.’
‘My son doesn’t love that slummy girl. Felix loves her but she doesn’t love him back. She’s only after my son because she wants to ruin him.’
‘Aunt, I see that you are the only one in our family that is not able to see clearly…relationships have to be a two-way street, Chioma and Michael love each other, although big brother Michael loves you and uncle, but it’s obvious who he treasured most in this world.’
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