AFTER THE ENGAGEMENT

One

Janelle smiled at herself in the mirror, looking so pleased with her appearance and her beauty. She was a beauty to behold. Her friends will be thrilled by her news.

A twenty four year old fashion designer and top of her class, going to school abroad was never a problem especially when you're an only child. And mostly when her parents were so rich, they even knew the governor in person.

She had everything she wanted, because she was a very pampered child who had even the greatest friends in the world.

She looked up and returned the hearty smile her nanny gave to her. Nana Clara was the best mother figure when her parents were never around.

Nana Clara had always been there for her from when she was a baby, up until now. The woman was never married and so took Janelle as a child she never had.

"How do I look, Nana?"
Janelle's said, displaying her perfect set of teeth to the mid-fifties old lady through the mirror.

Nana sighed as if in content. "You look stunning, my cherry."

My cherry.
That's what she would always call Janelle every time. Since she was little.

"Of course. I always look stunning."
She said, picking up a matching emerald earring to put on. "Do you think Denzel will love this dress?"
She asked.

A frown crept up Nana's face. "Denzel or James?"

Janelle stopped like she froze and looked at Nana through the mirror. She gave a nervous laugh and shrugged.
"Denzel of course. Oh, come on, Nana. Denzel is coming tonight and he always compliments my outfit. Not like James who finds a fault in it most times. So, I want to look best for both."

Nana's smile was stiff and her nod was as if her head was made of wood.
"Of course, dear. But what about James? Isn't he coming tonight?"

Janelle smiled like she was sitting in a pool of fire and living the pain. The knock on the door saved her and she jolted up like she had been bitten by a viper and dashed to the door. Normally, Nana would get the door but she'd rather do her the favours.

The forty year old butler stood there, adjusting his tie when she opened the door.
"Er...Ma'am, your guest have started arriving."

"Oh! Thanks, Pascal." She flung the door shut and rushed to the mirror to give her outfit a final check.

The look of uncertainty wasn't hard to notice on Nana's face and Janelle could see it through the mirror. Just as she turned to leave, Nana stopped her.

"You haven't said anything."
Nana said.

With a raised eyebrows, she asked, "About?"

"Is James not coming?"

Janelle scoffed. "Of course, he is. He just has an important stuff to handle. You know all these family business can be difficult to, you know...He...He will come."

Nana sighed. "Nnem, but Denzel works at the same company."

"Yes, but a different branch. Pffh! You worry too much, Nana and I love you, but I've got guests waiting."
She gave Nana a kiss and dashed out of the room. Nana was hard to he fooled and the truth about James was not far fetched.

Jenelle shut the door behind her and tried to compose herself. Nana was a guru at reading her expressions and she wondered why the woman didn't just become a cop instead of a nanny.

Her greatest fear was about to get to her and she won't allow it.

Denzel is downstairs. She reminded herself. She placed a smile on her face and proceeded down the stairs.