Perambulating on what they had done. No one could enter to meet me. All the workers stood outside under the scorching sun, in their expensive suits and jackets.
"Come on guys, what is the meaning of this?" An elderly man in his late fifties busted out. "To think that I was unemployed more than half of my life until the Beckett housing company came to my rescue. How do I go back home to tell my wife and my two college kids that I got sacked?"
"This is terrible!" Clare, another worker, exclaimed. "It looks like our enthusiasm has gotten us into trouble."
"This is still a puzzle to me." Another guy hissed. "And I wasn't to support this idea from the start. You all got me into trouble."
Neither did I want any of this! Another lady kissed at Oaklyn. You told us it would be a cool idea. It's a disaster!
"Calm down, guys." Oaklyn, who had kept mute since she joined them, cut in. "It's the first time we're planning a surprise for her. Birthday is a celebration of joy. Why would she fire us like this?... I'm not so surprised, she hardly reply our greetings."
"Shut up!" someone fired, and they all quarreled. The noise and chattering got intense by the second. Tony Flynn watched them confusedly and contributed.
"Okay, calm down! Calm down everybody, please. We only tried to make her happy. Didn't we?"
"Of course." They agreed.
"But it seems our efforts are ruined now except...."
"Except what?" They hissed at him, still pissed, but he signaled for them to come together. He brought out his phone and dialed a number.
"We have new estates. Bellaire Estates, blueberry, green city, and..."
'Knock-Knock-Knock!'
Someone suddenly tapped on the brass door.
“And Luxury estate. I can connect with you as an agent. As long as you like the place, you can get the property before the month end.” I said to a customer over the phone.
'Knock-Knock-Knock!' the person interrupted again.
"Who the heck is that?"
'Knock-Knock-Knock!'
"Sorry, I'll call you in a minute." The words rushed out of me while I cut the call.
'Knock-Knock-Knock!'
"Who is that? Come in!"
"Happy birthday to you, Mummy.
Happy birthday to you."Three girls danced in along with Hazel Beckett, my daughter. A smile spread out of my lips immediately I caught sight of my princess. Her eyes which were Hazel as a baby are now azure blue. It reminded me a lot about Dan. Immediately she stepped in, Hazel's blue eyes opened wide in surprise and she giggled proudly towards me.
Pausing in the act of welcoming them. I gave the girl's firm hugs. Hazel came to hug me. She dressed in a cream crop-top and black rubber short skirt with black knee-length booths to fit. Her azure blue eyes and raven black hair caught my attention. Just like Dan's.
I clasped her slim figure tightly in my arms as if we hadn't met in a while. Her friends hugged me equally with excitement.
"Awwwn... Thank you, thank you." I replied with a smiley face.
The girls brought a cake for me. It was chocolate cake coated in creamy-vanilla and chocolate icing.
"Happy birthday, Mummy!" Alice Jasper jerked at me, thrilled. I knew her as Hazel's closest friend. It's been years since their friendship. The other girls are Jane and Blue.
Hazel clung to me in another embrace. “Happy birthday, my precious mum. I wish you a long life and prosperity. I love you so much. Words can't express how grateful and lucky I am to be your daughter.” A set of dimples rippled from both sides of her cheek, on her oval face.
'Her smile is pretty. Mine is like that too.' I thought. The only resemblance my daughter had to me. Everything else she takes is of Dan's. Even the sound of her laughter. Staring into her glittering eyes, Hazel placed a hand, adjusting my straight hair.
"You're so gorgeous, mum but the main reason I rushed here is... Forgive your employees. They're your workers."
My gaze raised, and I realized that Tony Flynn was the one holding the cake they'd brought. Oaklyn stood behind him with hers. Guilt written all over her face. I just rolled my eyes at the both of them and a hateful hiss escaped my lips.
"Well, we all know that the entire plan was kinda stupid. The execution was bad, yeah. But I want to let you know that the intention matters. The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attitude of the strong. It is the virtue of the brave.” Her voice came as a plea. “After all, you always tell me that when your intentions are pure, you don't lose anyone. They lose you. Don't let them lose you for doing good. So why are you pissed? Today is your birthday, mum. Come on!"
Hazel's warm hand squeezed my arm. Speechless, I cuddled her, and she grasped at me like a baby.
“When I heard someone say that you were pissed, I had to run out of school to find out who that was." Alice cut in our daughter-mother moment.
"Who disturbed my mum on her day? That was why I brought my friends to deal with whoever that was." Others chuckled and my eyes caught the fake smile on Tony and Oaklyn's face."You're all forgiven." My words shocked them like electric feels. Making them bow with held enthusiasm.
"Only because of my daughter and her friends." I clarified.
"Thank you, boss." They smiled, placing the cakes on my table.
"Aren't you supposed to have a lecture now?" I retorted at Alice, who seemed more excited than the others.
"Excuse me, ma. Oaklyn caught my attention. About the other surprises I told you about. Should we still invite Rihanna and Ed?... " She paused, biting her lower lip.
I tore my gaze from the girl's back to her. Lifting my well carved eyebrows, my mouth twisted wryly, making Oaklyn short of words.
"Hazel! I'm going to call the recruitment agency for these people!"
"Hey, mum! Take it easy on them. Today is your day. Let them do whatever they want, but please, pardon them. It's goodwill." Exclaimed Hazel, leaning beside my chair. "Did you guys noticed? My mum and I are wearing the same colour of shirt."
I noticed the spark in their eyes. They were indeed excited.
"I see you girls are dressed up, meaning you want me to take you out?" I brought up with an exasperated sigh. "That would have been fun, but I have meetings."
"Meetings!" Alice raised her brows, licking the top of her cherry red lips.
"My mum just said she has meetings!" Hazel cut in romantically, and others busted out into an uncontrollable laughter. It was ridiculous. They were laughing at her attitude.
I just watched the girls, startled.
"So, mum... Who is the Mister?" They asked, interested.
I smiled and shook my head guiltily. I shouldn't have said that to the girls.
"Who among the three of you are teaching my daughter this stuff?"Hazel, Alice, and Jane pointed to Blue, and she denied. They started an argument about who was spoiling who and who wasn't. Blue ended up taking the blame. It's interesting to know that despite their differences, nothing comes between their friendship.
"Alright, Hazel... Give your friends $500, no... $1000 each."
"Woohoo!" they cheered with thrilled furor.
"My mum said give your friends $500." Hazel stressed.
"What? It's $1000!" That snapped at her, mockingly.
"You girls are so funny. I chuckled at my daughter. Tell my manager, James, to give you my ATM and Hazel, know your limits!" I warned out, with my index finger pointed to her.
"Mum, you know you promised me money last week. Minus my birthday by the end of the month. Are you still giving me another $1000?" her blue eyes eagerly searched mine.
"If I don't spend on you, who will I spend on?" I replied to her question with another.
"I love you, Mummy." She clasped her hand around my neck, giving me a side hug.
"I love you too." I squeezed her arm, and she gently pulled away. Wiping out what I assumed were tears of joy.
"Alright, since you all love shopping? Who's driving?"
Alice raised up her hand and Jane looked away.
“Fine, Alice. You'll take my white BMW for the weekend. You need to drive slowly and carefully.” I warned.
"I'm fine, ma. I'm 20." She gave a baby face.
"Don't get into trouble. You can do whatever you like when. You get to the hostel. Study hard and make me proud. You know the rules. I stressed on my last words. Placing my middle and index finger together to create a hole. "I love you girls." I said, nuzzling into her neck.
Hazel is almost as tall as me. For some selfish reasons, I'm glad that she isn't taller. The speed at which children grow up defines the law of time, indeed.
They stood up in together and hugged me in unison. "We love you, Mummy!"
I took a selfie with them before they finally cut the cake. It was fun with the girls. Hazel kissed me goodbye as her friends impatiently masticate on the left over cakes, like cats and rats while they walked out.
Hazel, along with her friends, went to a white-coated bungalow. She knocked on the door.“You are in your boyfriend’s house; you don’t have to knock on the door.” Alice spat and pushed her away from the door. Kicking it open at once. The guys rushed to them, welcoming them in.Alice gave her boyfriend, Adam. A 6ft, olive-toned skin guy a welcome hug. Same as Hazel and Felix. Felix has blond curly hair, forest green eyes and he’s 6 ft 4. After the hug, he swept her off her feet and Hazel clung to him like a lifebuoy.“Drop me down, please!” She cried like a child.Noah and Jane are very close friends, too. The boys had simple t-shirts, singles, and shorts on. Blue timidly sat on the couch. Roman, who had an eye for her, sat right next to her. They were all tattooed except for him. Roman handed her a red plastic cup, and she held unto it.“What can I offer you?” Adam asked Alice, bushing a finger through his thick, black hair behind his ear. He had a glint of excitement in his honey-bro
“So what if she’s your boyfriend’s niece?” Hazel continued the talk immediately after they got to the hostel. “You would have been upset too if it were you. She didn’t give me any family vibes, I swear. She gave me side check vibes. What was I supposed to do?” Alice explained to her friends. And that really got me upset. “Alice!” Blue called. They sat at the dining table. “Yes.” she replied, facing her direction. “I’ll come back to you.”she raised a dark gaze at Jane. “Jane, Don’t you ever!” she pointed. “In your mother-fucking, stupid, miserable life, try that rubbish that you did this afternoon with me again.”Jane’s Grey eyes wandered confusedly. The sides of her slim mouth pulled down in innocence. “What’s your problem? Must you always talk?! Just because we’ve been friends for over six years doesn’t mean you should talk about me to people I don’t even know at all! You said I don’t have a boyfriend doesn’t mean nobody admires me because you’ve never seen me with a man! Do you
“Yeah, I haven’t had fresh pasta with marinara sauce in a long while.” He agreed.About to take a cut of the Chinese sponge cake in front of me, Luke held back my hand. Bringing out his mobile phone.“Before you eat, because I know you’re hungry. I should do a video recording of this.” He blushed, zooming his mobile camera on my food. “I’d like to update my status, post on tictok, Tumblr and, of course, Genevieve, my darling wife. She’ll prepare this for me. My woman can cook.” Luke praised.It puzzled me for a moment.“Okay, eat. You can eat now.” He ordered. It took me a while, pondering on his words.“Pardon me.” I smiled. “You just said something about your wife. Are you married? I thought you’re single.”“Come one, Evelyn. Can’t you see I drive a space bus?”“Space bus? What does that mean?” I furrowed at him.“That’s my car. I use it to move my family around, not animals. I have three children, almost four. My heavily pregnant wife, Vive, Penelope, Charles and Elizabeth. Yes, Be
Blue held a bowl of crispy potatoe-chips while Jane and Alice were on their phones, chatting.“I’m fine, I’m just here lounging and relaxing with my friends. What about you?” Hazel asked over the phone.“Yes, Alice is here as well.” She replied.“Is that my boyfriend?” Alice interjected, giggling towards her.“Really? Okay, we’ll be there!” Hazel ended the call with a blush and faced her friends. “Guess what?”“What is it?” Jane pulled closer, interested.“The guys are having a house party.”“House party? Others cheered.“And guess what?” Hazel added. “They’re bringing strippers.”“What?!” Alice, Blue and Jane couldn’t believe that. It was a weekend house party the guys held for themselves instead of going clubbing.With the mp3 speakers booming hip hop ‘Stay with me’ by Rihanna. The guys were dancing along with the strippers, whom were on nothing but net bras and g-string pants. Jane and Blue were having fun as well. Hazel was sipping on a bottle. She was having fun with Noah, at a c
Five Months Later... Alice was alone in the room studying for an upcoming test, when a thought came to mind. It was about Adam. How he would always defend her against bullies in highschool. Being her Fairytale highschool boyfriend, she had always wanted that to continue. It was a dream come true when she got a scholarship and an admission to study at Columbia University. The same school as him. Even though she’d choose it. It was their dream university. But right now, Adam seems to be a different person. He won’t even reply to her messages. It’s funny how destiny plays its tricks on humans.Off minded, Alice sighed coldly and a wet spot appeared on the page she was staring at.“Don’t tell me you’re still on Adam’s issue. What are you thinking?”“No... Nothing, I’m not thinking. Something just entered my eyes.” Alice replied coolly, wiping the corner of her eyes with her index finger.“Just take care and move on from the past if that’s what will make you happy, okay?” Jane advised. “S
It took the girls almost half an hour to complete their make up. Blue was hesitant to put on her new dress. It was from the shopping Hazel did for them a week before. The dress was a purple short, wrap dress with transparent stones, embroidery on it. The purple platform shoe worn beneath the shirt dress was five-feet high. She stared at others, helping them with their dressing. Jane wore a light-pink dress of the same style and Alice wore a sky-blue short dress. The same designer made their outfits. Gazing at her reflecting over the mirror, Blue adjusted her sleekly black hair and fixed to her earlobes, a pair of diamond, dangling earrings. The girls were dressing and admiring themselves in the mirror when a knock on the door brought them into reality. It was Felix and Roman.They came to pick the girls up for Hazel’s birthday party. It was already getting dark, though. It was 7:30 p.m, just thirty minutes before the party begins. Hazel spent the night at home with her mum, so her fri
“That night, I had some money on me. It was for an assignment. A contract for the new company I am working with. I didn’t want to spend the money. I expected that in the matter of a few days, they would make more money to replace that, but it didn’t happen. Right now, my bosses are asking for the money.”I felt a breath close to me and turned back. One of my bodyguards, Calvin, guiding the main entrance, was standing right next to me.“What are you still doing here?” I raised a voice at him with blazing eyes. “Find something doing! Just leave!”“Sorry ma’am.” Calvin replied with his head bowed. He was another annoying worker like Oaklyn.“She said leave! It’s better you go in and shut the door!” Chris intervened. “Stop embarrassing me like this, especially in front of your workers. What kind of nonsense?!” He turned his anger at me as Calvin left.I just watched him silently with a glare.“Well, that’s not why I’m here.” Chris’s voice dropped from the look on my face.“As I was sayin
Back to my room, I closed the door and walked straight to my extra-sized bed. My legs shouldn’t hurt taking off my boots, but from so much dancing, it did. Pulling out a drawer’s chest from beneath my wardrobe, I brought out a box of facial wipes. Taking out my makeup, not sleeping with it. I hate the uncomfortable feelings that comes with having it on for too long. Wiping out my red, chapped lips, the door opened. Without looking back, I knew it was Hazel. She strolled straight to my bed, sitting right next to me. With the full smile brimming through her cherry-red lips, one could tell how happy she was without using words.“My dearest mum!” Hazel started, and I turned to her, swabbing my raised eyebrows.“Thank you for giving me the best birthday party ever!”I chuckled at her excitement in reply.“Thank you, mum!” she hugged me at once, tightly. Hazel lives doing this, especially when she’s elated.“You’re welcome, my dear.” As my arms wrapped against her slim body, I felt the text