Chapter 194
**TWO WEEKS LATER**
Lake:
“Yes, Mrs Watson. I want the balcony decorated with as many white and blue lilies as you can find. The picture I sent you… yes, the one of her. It also needs to be on the walls, with the lighting and all. You know how you do your stuff.” I took a sip from my already cold cup of coffee on the table and gently placed the cup back into the saucer as I placed both my legs on top of the center table.
“Yes, it’ll be a party of about…” I looked over at my mother who was seated on a couch with Mel’s ipad on top of her lap. Both women were busy trying to pick cake designs. I had also put the both of them – Mel, most especially – in charge of the guest list, so I trusted them to be the ones with answers to my question.
“Mum, how many people are we expecting at the party tomorrow?” I asked. Without looking at me, she casually threw the number thirty into the air. I was not aware Jojo knew up to thirty people in Rush pack, but I could not question my mother about anything, especially when I had the money to cover for everything.
“Yes, thirty people. I have sent you an email, for the refreshments, specifying the food and drinks that I need to be served. Yes, please go through it and make sure everything is done according to taste and style. Of course, I trust you. Alright, thank you madam. The last of your payment would be sent once the party is in full swing. Of course. Pleasure doing business with you too.” I ended the call and placed my phone on my table.
The past two weeks had been more that hectic for me.
Ever since my mother told me Jojo’s birthday was was tomorrow and Mel said she had never celebrated a birthday before, I knew that I had to step out and do something. Something as beautiful, grand and gracious as Jojo herself.
I got in touch with the best event planner in the whole Western region, just to make sure that everything turned out as planned. I had seen the wonders of Mrs Watson’s company in many events. She was the one I trusted to make that day as dreamy as I had imagined it.
Jojo was going to have the 21st birthday of the decade! The century! She would hold the record for being the most luxuriously celebrated female in Rush pack for as long as I lived. For her, I was going to carve her auspicious birthday into the ageless stone of time.
“Lake, why don’t you take a look at the design Mel is about to show you and tell me what you think.” My mother’s voice stole into my thoughts. I snapped out of my wandering mind and turned to look at her.
Mel was walking towards me with her iPad in her hands. She lowered the screen for me to take a closer look at it. The cake in the picture was white and gold. The steps of the cake where white, but it had a name and an age written on it with golden royal icing. I smiled at the screen, it did look like something Jojo would really love.
“I do not know much about birthday cakes, but I do know that Jojo would love the white colour. I’ve noticed how much she loves the colour and all that it stands for. I can already see her screaming at the top of her voice.” As I spoke, her beautiful green eyes flashed in my mind. For the past month, I almost couldn’t do anything without seeing her face.
I saw Mel flash me an approving smile before she turned to my mother. My mother stared at me with proud eyes, she nodded gently. I narrowed my eyes on both of them. Why did they look at me as though they knew something that I did not?
I knew I couldn’t be wrong about Jojo’s love for the colour white.
“You’re really learning well. I like that you pay close attention.” My mother said to me. Mel nodded in agreement as she settled into the couch beside my mum.
I smiled to myself. I was proud of how attentive I had become. Jojo had unlocked that part of me, even without me knowing.
“Of course. You know I pay attention to the smallest things. And that is how I know she would absolutely love this…” I picked up my phone and opened a picture of the dress I had ordered for Jojo.
I stretched the screen to both their faces and I could see their jaws drop in shock as they eyes flew open. I could swear Mel’s eyeballs were going to fall out of her socket. It was nice to have her here in Rush. Of the three of us seated in the room, she was the one who knew Jojo the most, so I knew I had to bring her down here and use her help. She was still getting to know me, but I knew Jojo had found a sister in her, and I could see why.
“Hell no! This is fire, and I’m not even shitting with you right now. Gosh, alpha Lake! I cannot wait to see Jojo in this dress. Infact, I can’t wait to see the look on her face when she sees all that we have planned for her!” Mel was so excited, and her excitement was contagious.
Before I knew it, my heartbeat started to race. I was suddenly all gittery and nervous inside. I looked down at the dress on my screen and nodded my head.
“Me too. Me too.”
*****************
**8PM THE NEXT DAY**
Jojo:
Yes, it’s my birthday today, I thought to myself as I finally managed to wrap my red hair into a lose bun above my head. I did not know what had come over Mel, but she insisted on doing my edges before I held my hair up. I turned to look at her while she struggled to pull her black dress past her butt.
“I told you your ass got thicker.” I teased. She turned to me with a sharp scowl.
“You’re lucky it’s your birthday today.”
I chuckled and focused my gaze on my mirror again. It was only at that moment that I realized I had never really thought much about my birthdays. Before now, it meant nothing to me, and I tried my best to make sure it meant nothing to anyone else again. But this year, Mel insisted that we go out and have some nice girl time.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.
To that effect, she got me this really pretty emerald coloured silk dress with straps for sleeves, a hem that stopped above my knees and high cut slits all the way to my hip. She gave me a pair of white Zara block heels to match the dress and this really luxurious jewelry set that comprised of an emerald stones earrings, bracelet, and a cute heart sharped pendant.
I looked like a goddess. I was almost mesmerized by my own appearance.
To be honest, I would have rather stayed at home, binge watch TV series and eat a lot of cake. But Mel would have none of that. She even went as far as sending my mom, Valeria and Lucian over to Ashley’s house to baby sit two of them, so that we could have a “wild girl time.”
With everything that had been going on, Brandy’s banishment, Ashley’s retiring and her issue with beta Kenji, and Zita’s normal disdain towards me, I did feel like I just needed to smile a bit more. My life was starting to fall back in place again, and there was also a big decision I had to make. Having some fun wouldn’t kill me.
And to think that Mel came all the way to Rush for me and probably emptied her bank account to get me all that I was currently wearing? Come on! You don’t say no to a gesture like hers.
We finally got dressed and stepped out of the house. Mel called this Range Rover as an Uber, and I was forced to ask myself how long she had been saving for this particular occassions. It was really sweet to see that she’ll do something like this for me.
We drove into the parking lot of Hotel De Royale, basically the most exquisite and expensive hotel in the entire Western region! How the hell did she even come up with the money for this? I asked with a dropped jaw.
“This is crazy, Mel.” I had to speak when I turned to her. She was making one of those her numerous chic girl videos on her weird app that made her look like she had more makeup on her face than she actually did.
“You didn’t tell me you’re now a millionaire.” I teased as he climbed down from the Range Rover. I held my white clutch close to my dress and Mel looked as pretty as could be in her black body con dress. I wondered if she planned to eat at all tonight.
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t be for you, mi amore.” She casually threw over her shoulder as we stepped into the glass doors of the hotel.
It looked and smelt like heaven.
“Our reservation is in the restaurant on the top floor.” She said again, leading me into an elevator. In ten minutes, we were walking into a completely dark hall.
I narrowed my eyes. There was nothing to except the light that showed on the man playing the grand piano towards the huge glass window by the side of the room.
I turned to look at Mel, or perhaps, what I thought was Mel.
“You didn’t tell me we were gonna have dinner in the da…”
My voice trailed off as the lights in the room were turned on at the same time. All of a sudden, a group of people standing in front of me all chorused at the same time.
“Happy birthday!”