The Moment I Met You (Chapter 440)

 By Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu

Felix had just finished meeting with a foreign client at Paradise Hotel. When he checked the time, it was two in the afternoon, so he didn’t intend to return to the office just yet. Instead, he decided to pay his mother a surprise visit.                                                                        

Luckily for him both Paradise Hotel and headquarters of Central Bank of Nigeria were both in the central business district, which was easier for him. He reached the place in five minutes.                                 

Seeing him arrive, many people that recognized him as Isabelle’s son greeted him with respect. Felix had a dignified aura that made others look upon him in reverence as he took a strong and steady steps into Isabelle’s well furnished office. It was like he was born to be high and mighty just like Michael.

When he entered the familiar office, Felix noticed that his mother was busy as always. At the crystal desk was Isabelle who wore an elegant white dress coat, with a sunflower brooch and sat on the leather chair. Her hair was in sleek waves and her natural completion was slightly fair. She was beautiful as always. She stared at a document with her glasses on, and wrote on it with a fountain pen. On the computer screen in front of her was CBN statistical Bulletin.  

Noticing that Felix was the one that walked into her office, Isabelle was pleasantly surprised. She smiled and put down her pen and glasses, ‘Son, what have you come to do, don’t you have work at the company?’

‘Mum, can’t I come and see you anytime that I want?’ Felix walked over to his mother, picking up the black-rimmed glasses that Isabelle had taken off. ‘Besides, I was thinking that you could take me out.’   

 Isabelle smiled, taking back the glasses from him. ‘You know it’s not easy for me to have time to go out for lunch.’

 ‘But I can make that happen right now. Mum, just hand everything to your deputy, let’s go out.’                                                            

Isabelle sighed, feeling defeated. ‘Okay, but we will just go to a nearby restaurant, eat for five minutes, then I will return back to my work.’ Picking up her handbag, she pulled out her phone and rang her chauffeur to drive the car to the entrance of the bank. Before they stepped out, the white Maybach was already waiting for them at the entrance, and the chauffeur stepped out of the car, handing the keys over to Isabelle.

 ‘Mum, I will drive,’Felix said, thinking his mother was going to drive the car.                                                                                               

  ‘Son, I was about to hand over the keys to you,’Isabelle turned to Felix and said with a smile as she handed the keys over to him.                       

  ‘I will gladly be your chauffeur today,’ Felix said, opening the door for her.                                                                                                    

  Isabelle nodded and gracefully went inside as she smilingly put on the seat belt. ‘My son is treating me today, so I shouldn’t be merciful towards him.’                                                                                      

‘Mum, you can finish a big pot of food if you want, but I’m afraid that you would turn into a pig and Dad might leave you,’ Felix jokingly said and Isabelle chuckled.                                                                                  

  ‘If your father lives me then I will ask your uncle to give him a good beating.’

 Just like that, the mother and son chatted as they headed to eat lunch, and in less than three minutes they arrived at a western restaurant. Today, Felix wanted to treat his mother as his special queen, so when they arrived, he quickly stopped Isabelle from opening the door. ‘Mum, I will open the door for you,’ he said with a smile as he stepped out of the car and walked over to the other side of the car and elegantly opened the door, and took her hand to help her out. ‘Special queen, this way please.’                                                                                                

The two waiters at the entrance of the restaurant saw this and couldn’t help but smile at the unique mother and son entrance. The building had a European style and was furnished exquisitely, soothing the upper class people that came by. The chandelier which lit up the room with dim warm lights, made the place relaxing and romantic ambiance.                                                                                                   

‘I’m too old for such a place,’Isabelle whispered.                                      

‘Are you implying that I should call dad to be with you instead?’Felix glanced down at his mother and asked with a smile.                                

Isabelle shook her head. ‘Your father must be busy too.’                     

Felix smiled and didn’t say more. The two of them went straight to the top floor and into the small private room.                                  

As soon as they sat down, Nicholas pushed open the door and entered.                                                                                                 

‘Darling, why are you here?’Isabelle was surprised to see him here. She turned to Felix, who was smiling meaningfully.                                  

 ‘Isn’t my son treating us to lunch?’ Nicholas walked over, looking elegant and graceful in his grey suit.                                                           

‘Don’t you have a meeting with the president?’                                     

‘Felix had it cancelled for me.’                                                                         

Felix smiled as he looked at his parents who were pleased to have such opportunity for lunch together.                                                             

‘Are you too done? If you are done, let’s order,’ Felix said.                      

The couple sat facing each, and without them noticing it, a handsome foreign musician with blonde hair and blue eyes appeared and began playing Richard Clayderman’s Lyphard melodie. Isabelle glanced around, pleased with her son for bringing her here. She had always buried herself with work that she didn’t have time to eat out with her husband.                                          

 Felix ordered a bottle of 1985 Lafite Rothschild. The wine was very expensive but it was just like buying toothpick when it comes to the Njemanze family. He also ordered steaks, plus order dishes. The table was now filled with western delicacies.                                                     

  ‘Enjoy your meal together,’Felix said as he slowly stood up. ‘I will settle the bill on my way out.’

Isabelle was stunned. ‘Didn’t you come here to have lunch with me?’ She asked as she picked up her fork and knife.                                          

  Felix smiled, taking the bottle of Margaux he had ordered for himself. ‘I wanted to have lunch with you but I think father is the best man to do it with you.’ He turned to his parents. ‘Have a good time together.’ He turned again and left, leaving his parents alone in the room.          

The couple began eating in small bites, and sipped the wine gracefully as they chatted over the many things that happened over the past years. There were plenty of things for the couple to reflect over, which they might not do if they sat down at the normal dining table at home.                                                                                                                   

 While they were in the midst of conversation, Audrey rang Isabelle, and said with a smile, ‘Mum, what was Louisa’s maiden name?’               

 ‘What are you talking about?’Isabelle was confused.                          

‘I mean Chioma’s mum. Didn’t you want me to find out if she was still the same Louisa of old?’                                                                                      

‘What wrong?’ Nicholas noticed the way Isabelle was racking her brain to remember something, he couldn’t help but ask. He had finished the last piece of beef, and wiped his mouth with a towel.                           

‘We wanted to know if Chioma’s mother was the same Louisa we have been looking for many years. Audrey wants to know her maiden name.’                                                                                                             

‘Louisa Ugo,’Nicholas said. How could he forget the name of the woman he was madly in love with? He even wrote down her name in so many of his books, and engraved her name in his heart.                                     

‘Louisa Ugo,’Isabelle repeated to Audrey who was still on the phone.                                                                                                                                       ‘Okay,’Audrey said and hung up.                                                                  

Isabelle put down her phone on the table and took a sip of her wine.