Chapter 7

• CHAPTER FOUR
• DAY FOUR
• Exactly twelve in the midnight, it signifies another day entirely, and it is Christmas day, and also Alicia birthday.
• Meanwhile the party is at full swing, the guest no longer danced, and the band were only playing to entertained the guest, most of the song played were mostly Christmas song, hence it shows the time of the season in the year.
• The guest are not sited entirely, the elders are the ones sited on the available seat in the sitting room, and dining room, the young men and ladies are standing, and few who happens to finds chemistry with one another are standing in pair, and chatting with one another with much cheerfulness in their expression.
• Almost all the guest had a glass of wine in their hands, and they only drinks at their pleasure time.
• Alicia and Stephen are also among the young men and ladies standing and talking, the pair is actually in the group with Lola and Faith; the four are at one side of the room chatting happily.
• Most of the discussions are centered on business, love life, work, and few discuss about Christmas, and some even made plan about the Christmas this year. Stephen especially talk about Christmas with Alicia, Lola and Faith, and the ladies listen attentively, as he talk about the long history of Christmas, and some other event in Christmas too.
• When exactly it is twelve in the midnight, Lola is the first to know about the new day, she probably had previously set an alarm, at least her plan is simple, she wants to be in her daughter life, and she is going to begins that by been the first to wish her a Happy Birthday.
• “Excuse me guys, I have an announcement to make.” Lola said to Alicia and the rest, before she left the scene.
• Lola walks to the stage, and she use a spoon to hit the glass cup in her hand, Her intention is to get the guest attention, and she did get it, because the moment she hit the cup, the guest all turn to her direction, even the bands playing also stops.
• “Ladies and Gentlemen, thank for showing up for tonight cocktail party, even though it was on a short notice. Thanks for honoring me, and I wish you all a Merry Christmas.”
• Lola raises her wine glass in the air
• The guests also raise their wine glass up in the air too, and they said in unison.
• “Merry Christmas”
• Lola then continues.
• “About thirty years ago, I had the best encounter of my life, I met my husband, he is the one good thing I ever haven, and when I said one good thing, I mean he is the greatest achievement I have in life, though dead, still he lives in my memories forever, because, he left for another part of himself.”
• The guests are all silent as Lola made her announcement in a somber tone, couple with a sorrowful expression, not even a single noise was heard, and the atmosphere is sorrowful atmosphere.
• But all the sudden, Lola expression that is previously sorrowful and devoid of life and happiness suddenly gain live, it begins to glow in radiance and much tranquility as she continues her speech.
• “…….., But on this day about twenty nine years ago, I had my precious daughter, she is the sunshine that I look to whenever I miss my husband, the greater part of my husband, the one gift my husband gave to me before he dies.”
• Lola gaze turns to the direction where Alicia is standing with Stephen and Faith, but she is shaking from the inside, as her mother talks about her. Lola continues.
• “Ladies and Gentlemen, I want you to welcome my own daughter as she comes over to the stage.”
• Immediately there is round of applause from the guest, even the adult who had previously sat down all stands up as they clap their hands together for Alicia, the birthday girl.
• Meanwhile, Alicia was not prepared for this kind of attention, she is ready to face her fears, but this is the first time, she had this kind of attention. Hence she felt reluctant to go up the stage, because she is shaken on the inside.
• But then Stephen notice her reluctance, hence he nudge her on the shoulder, he said to her.
• “Go on, it is your day, it is your moment too.”
• “I am shaking, I had never experience this attention in my whole life.” Alicia said back to Stephen.
• “Then experience it today. It is time you have to stop hiding, your father is gone, you have your mother and your friends, and most important of all, you have yourself, because you are far stronger than you thought.”
• “Stephen, I am nervous, I am afraid I might cause damage that might be unremarkable to my reputation, by losing my steps.” Alicia said worriedly.
• “Then take it nice and slow, walk like a Princess, take your time, it is your moment, nobody will blame you even if you are late, because everybody in this place came for you alone.”
• Stephen said while looking at Alicia in the eyes, and finally he kisses her lips in a brief, then he said to her again.
• “Go, everybody is waiting.”
• Alicia is drown in the kiss from the kiss, she least expect it from Stephen, but she would wish for nothing else again right now, just that the kissing time is too short, and she is not able to savor the moment to her satisfaction.
• But then Alicia realize something very important with the abrupt end to the kissing, she must snap out of her illusion, and she must head to the stage.
• Even though she felt reluctant about it, still her feet change position, she moves to the stage, but the walk from her spot to the stage is like million miles to her, but to her shock, she does not fall on the way, nor does she lose her charisma in any way along the way.
• In the end, she made it to the stage, and she stands beside her mother. Lola raises her hands in the air, and immediately, the clapping stops, and Lola continues her speech.
• “There and now, Ladies and Gentleman, I will implore you to help me celebrate my precious daughter, lets sing to her a very beautiful song.”
• Immediately everybody in the hall all join tones together and they all sing.
• Happy birthday to you,
• Happy birthday to you,
• Happy birthday, Happy birthday,
• Happy birthday to you.
• Alicia is smiling as the song she once love and loathed is sung by a group of merry wisher, because the song brings back a lot of memories for her.
• Suddenly the band took up the party from the guest, it is a track sung by Stevie Wonder, it is titled Happy birthday
• Happy birthday to you,
• Happy birthday to you,
• Happy birthday,
• Happy birthday to you,
• Happy birthday to you,
• Happy birthday.
• It is at that moment she realize how much she miss her birthday, not that she is a freak for childish things like birthday, just that when she should be enjoying her adolescent age, together with her parent. Everything suddenly stopped abruptly.
• Hence, when suddenly she is face with it once again, she so emotional about everything, and the more she understands that she still have a lot friends and family, who will always be there for her all the time.
• You know it dosen’t make sense,
• There ought to be a law against,
• Anyone who takes offense,
• At a day in your celebration ‘cause we all
• Know in our minds
• That there ought to a time,
• That we can set aside,
• To show just how much we love you
• Alicia is just smiling happily, she really wished time could pause forever, or if possible, this moment could be looped forever, so she can live in it forever.
• But if wish are flowers, Alicia will buy a bunch of it, but it is called a wish because it rarely came to pass.
• In the background, the bands continues to play
• And I am sure you would agree,
• What could fit more perfectly?
• Than to have the world on the day you came to be
• Happy birthday to you,
• Happy birthday to you,
• ……
• …….
• And so as expected, the band suddenly stopped playing abruptly. And Lola continues.
• “Thank you for coming to celebrate with us. But this is not over, Christmas is here, so celebrate with us, celebrate with family, because Christ is born.”
• The guest clap their hands together, they all cheer loudly as Alicia and Lola left the stage, and once again, the band take up the show.
• Once back to their previous place, Alicia is totally emotional, she embraces her mother so dearly, and she even wept.
• “I am sorry Mom, I am really sorry for everything I did and said to you in the past.”
• The reason for Alicia tears is because; the hatred she had for her mother for more than fifteen years ago is gone.
• Actually the reason she left without looking back four years ago did not just began because of her marriage and childlessness, it is as a result of hatred and silent quarrel that had accumulated for more than fifteen years.
• And that is not all, she is so sorry for the misunderstanding she had about her mother.
• Well back then, it was always her father, hence her reasoning was so short just to what she saw. Hence she felt her mother does not care.
• But now she knows more and better. Hence she is deeply sorry for everything right from the beginning.
• Lola as well smiles and she embraces her daughter happily too, because she is now sure that she had her daughter back to herself. Well she did know that everything is dues to the arrival of Stephen to the scene.
• “Thank you Stephen, I don’t know what I would have done, if she had not meet you.”
• “The pleasure is mine Mrs Fred, I am also blessed meeting her.” Stephen replies, while maintaining that smiles of his, the smiles that can light up a barn.
• “You two can go enjoy yourself elsewhere, we are almost done here.” Faith suddenly cut in.
• Lola wants to say something, but then her gaze falls on Faith who also had an undefined expression on her. Lola understands what Faith is trying to say and do; quickly she also nods her heads too.
• “Yeah, I do agree to that too.”
• “So what do you think?” Alicia asks Stephen.
• “It will be my pleasure too.” Stephen replies immediately.
• “Then can you be a gentleman and take me to my room?”
• “As your Ladyship pleases”
• Stephen did take Alicia hands, and both head upstairs.
• Both Lola and Faith watch as the duo left the party and escape to upstairs, for a minute or two, the duo gaze still lingers on the empty stair case, because Alicia and Stephen are both already in first floor or already in Alicia room already.
• When finally Lola and Faith look at one another in the eyes, they both have the same thought running in their mind. Lola speaks first
• “Faith, how long has it been?”
• “I think more than thirty years now, When I saw a young bright full staring at my son with the most loving eyes I ever seen, I wonder how my son even discover the young lady, because she is somewhere so hidden.”
• Lola also smiles too, and then she said. “I wonder how he found me too, I was just in a plain jean and top, yet he pulled me out and asked for a dance, he didn’t just ask for a dance alone, she asked for my contact. I was surprise the next day when I received a gown and date letter.”
• “Yes, just like his father, he always grasps whatever he found to his liking.” Faith said and then she suddenly frowns, and she asks. “But I wonder why you refuse to remarry even after many years your husband died.”
• “Faith, I love your son so much, so much that the short time we spent together is more than paradise for me. I doubt if I can ever love someone like that ever again, and nobody could ever make me feel so happy like that ever again.”
• Lola said each word calmly and her expression is not someone who regret, but someone who is very please and satisfied.
• “Hence, let me just be alone, at least I do have my daughter. What else do I need in life again?”
• Lola said with a finality tone.
• “It is your decision, not mine.” Faith also said too.
• The adult both laugh and they join the ongoing party.
• **************************