Reliving

CHAPTER 1 - DEAR NICOLE ROBINSON

She wanted to fight, to say everything that was wrong with her mother. How they never got along since she was a kid and that even got worse since the death of her loving father ten years ago. She never looked like she was over it, she wasn't at peace with her mother now and not even back then.
She left her mother's house angrily and went straight to the the cemetery. She looked at her father's grave and dropped the bouquet of flowers she brought him. She muttered some few words to herself before she finally checked her wristwatch then she realized she was running late for work.
Edward Robinson gave her almost everything, he spoiled her... he left most of his properties in her name "This is the only eye I have, my beautiful daughter Nicole" he smiled at her one particular morning when she was still in middle school and she could remember his smile which was the same as hers
It was just a regular Tuesday morning, she tried to adjust to the day and be cool as she got to work.
She met her Secretary Lisa..."Any message for me?" "A piece of cake was brought for you....and a note too" Lisa answered her....
Nicole was a little surprised because it wasn't her birthday but she collected them then went to her office. Well you could tell she was kind of sophisticated from the way her office was arranged, she sat for a while before finally checking the note. "This is my birthday cake and a piece for you...a very good friend of mine made it, as usual you forgot to wish me, Kenny 🙎‍♂️"

Another birthday, she forgot Kenny's birthday...it been three and a half years together. She picked her phone almost immediately to call Kenny. The third time she dialed his number he picked...there was silence on both ends for a few seconds before she finally spoke. "Happy happy Birthday Kenny, I love you so much"
"I can see that you remembered when you saw the cake"
" I am sorry, I actually had it at the back of my mind, I was so busy with work and my mom also caused a lot, we had a big fight and I even came late to work today" she bit her lips as she spoke to him on the phone "Here we go again, it is always your problem Nicole but today is my birthday okay?...make it look like it and not about yourself"
"I will make it up to you, I promise...you are going to have the best birthday today, better than last year... she wasn't even done talking before he hung up. When she realized he hung up, she was already looking stressed out thinking about Kenny for the next few minutes but her committee of planners were just a call away.

She dialed her best friend's number..."Ralph...can you hear me?"
"Hey, I was expecting your call earlier, aren't you doing anything for Kenny's birthday this year?"
"I totally forgot, sorry it is last minute but you can still do something right?" She sounded so worried
"Every single year, whatever...I will call Jada to sort out the food, drinks and probably decors"
"It is just something simple, I don't want to stress anyone and the party is at my house"
"You are probably tired right? doing the same thing every year for this particular guy"
"But what do you want me to do? I am trying do my best here just to make my man happy"
"Hmm...Veronica just needs to go to the gift shop and get the usual"
"Tell her to add something else, anything good...I will send everyone their money once it is over okay?"
"See you later" she didn't say anything for a few seconds then she spoke again "I might be late because I have a lot of meetings today but I really hope I am doing the right thing"
"Anything to make your man happy" he was sarcastic and she knew it but there was nothing she could do at that moment.

During her meetings, she lost concentration few times, she looked worried and became restless too but she knew her friends were going to do their best as always. Ralph was probably right, she had to stop this thing for Kenny, organizing birthday parties for her boyfriend in her apartment.
Kenny Malcom was always feeling less of a man, she was the rich one here and it intimidated him a lot. She doesn't ask him for anything but it was always the other way round.

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"Thanks for coming everyone, next year would be better" he had a big smile then took a toast with the invited guests. They were still clapping when he saw Nicole at the entrance with a gift bag but he already saw when Veronica gave it to her almost immediately she entered. He scoffed... "Please enjoy the rest of the night" he said as he walked away from them.
"Kenny, I am sorry I am late...Happy birthday once again" she stretched her hand with the bag towards him..."Thanks" he collected the bag, he brought out the neatly wrapped gift then put it back in the bag
"You didn't even open it" she smiled a little "I know what is in it"
"It is different, I added something extra" his facial expression didn't let her smile anymore
"You have done well Nicole, I am tired...I will just go to my house"
"I thought you would be sleeping over and the party is not over yet" he didn't say anything but looked away instead, she hugged him...."I know this is not what you were expecting but next year we are traveling, you can bring your friends and I will bring mine too"
He released himself from her..."Good night, Nicole" he walked away...she wanted to run after him but she just had to maintain her composure in front of the few people around. She turned to the other side, her friends were looking at her then she gave them a fake smile.
She held unto the gift bag tightly then walked confidently to her friends...
"Thank you guys, you saved me again this year"
"He didn't like your gift, I always pick the best of the best, I even went to four different stores"
"I couldn't cook, I was so tired but I hope you liked everything I set up"
Nicole looked around before she answered her friends, she drank two shots of alcohol instantly before she regained herself
"You guys did well, everything is perfect and Veronica he liked it...and Jada, he liked it so I like it"
"Take it easy Nicole, and just break up with him, he doesn't worth it"
"No, I am the problem, I don't treat him like a priority and...and hmm I don't give him enough attention you know men like attention from their women"
"Kenny is too toxic, he doesn't even like us"
"And we don't like him either" Ralph said immediately Veronica spoke "Guys, calm down, I am sure they will be fine but to be honest...Kenny does too much and when was even the last time he did something for you?"
They all kept quiet...till Nicole spoke again "Why are you all quiet?"
"Just think about it, Nicole we can't make decisions for you"
"You know what? I am leaving" Ralph said after he took his last sip then dropped the cup in Nicole's hands, he walked away as fast as he could through another exit
They all knew something was up because Ralph wouldn't have left like that until they sighted Jessica his ex coming in with some of her friends. "Did you invite her?" Nicole asked them..."I might have said something, sorry"
"Veronica!" Nicole and Jada shouted...