CHAPTER FIVE
They had been moving from one designer store to another all morning, from Gucci to Prada to Victoria secrets. She couldn't deny it, she was enjoying the whole shopping thing but the prices they way paying for the pieces of clothing were outrageous. She couldn't even afford buying one of these dresses especially with her responsibilities. But it turned out that her in laws were billionaires and these were just crumbs to their bank account.
"Sweetie try on this dress it’s so lovely, I want to get it for your engagement party," Jessica said handing Joanne the dress and nagging her towards the changing room.
"Wow you look so pretty, I wish I was also getting engaged", Cindy uttered mesmerized.
"I knew it. You look so beautiful dear, we are taking this", Jessica told one of the clerks who was responsible for them.
"Does he know, Joanne uttered getting the attention of everyone specially Jessica who instructed the clerks to give them some privacy. Will he accept me? I am African. What if I am not his type, let alone close to the type of woman he would be interested in?
"Too many questions but there is really nothing for you to worry about. My baby will love you his sucker for beautiful things and you are beyond beautiful. You are amazing on the inside and the outside, the perfect match for him. Don’t worry your pretty head. In fact you will be meeting him today, his coming home for dinner. He will meet your mother and together we shall set the date of your engagement party. Come on let’s continue our shopping trip".
"We are still shopping there's a lot already",
"Sweetie that's nothing we still have to buy you girls’ shoes and a lot of other staff. Being a Hunter bride comes with a certain image, so come long we still have a lot do."
Finally done with the shopping spree, they went for a late lunch at a famous French restaurant. They were calmly enjoying their lunch when they heard commotion outside. The restaurant manager came and whispered something in Jessica's ear before walking to the entrance with four security guys.
"Is everything alright", Cindy questioned.
"It’s all good dear eat your food". By the way how is that transfer thing coming along?
"Well am yet to receive the university's report on my performance from home. But everything is looking up".
"What transfer," Joanne asked
"Oh sorry we didn't tell you. We didn't want to worry you dear but since Dorothy is going to stay here longer for her treatment, we decided to enroll Cindy for her classes at NYU to finish her medical degree right here close to her family. And before you start worrying about her tuition fees, we will be taking care of all her study needs. Remember she is also a daughter of mine. Now eat we have to leave soon. Before the vultures increase”, that last bit Jessica said moving away from girls to make call to her husband.
"Yes sugarplum”, Mathew answered.
"Hey love, well we are at Mateo’s right now but the paparazzi have swamped the place, can you send some people to help us get out of here".
"Okay am sending Tim right now sit tight," he ended the call.
Tim their head of security showed up a few minutes later and asked them if they were ready to leave.
"Okay my dears we are leaving, stick together until we are in the car", Jessica said as they walked to the entrance where blinding flashes of light were coming from. The camera men kept on shouting Jessica’s name, asking where her husband was, what she had to say about the split between her son and Olive Lively. They didn’t stop there. They who the young ladies with her were. The cameras were in their faces people were pushing up on them. It was crazy.
On getting in the car, Jessica spoke up,
"Well remember when I told about a certain image of the Hunter family, well now you kind of get what I meant. Am sorry sweetie but as the daughter in law of the Hunter's you will have to deal with this kind of chaos and sometimes courtesy of your soon to be husband. That boy likes to create scandals".
They got back home just as there mother was also returning from the hospital. They all went to the gardens for tea. But as they were still enjoying it, the butler came for Mr Mathew and later on Jessica followed.
"Oh my Ken my sweet baby boy", Jessica said ecstatic hugging her only son.
"Hey mother. Welcome back, how are you?
"Am perfect dear but what about you as Rosa been taking good care of you, come let me look at you", she said turning him around
"Am okay mum. well I was okay before dad told me you guys went ahead and brought me a bride. Who I have to get engaged to in a week’s time"
"Well dear she is a sweet girl you will love her".
“I don't think so mum and besides am with Liv,"
"I had you guys broke up just five hours ago, anyway I don't care about that. I want you to meet your bride and mother in law. That's why we called you out for dinner today."
"Mum, dad listen am not getting married to anyone even if she is the great queen of Africa. I don't give a damn. Sorry but am leaving."
"Well too bad for you because your engagement party is already set one week from now and son if you don't show up. Hear me right, I will not sign off the trust your grandfather left for you".
"You can't be serious dad I need that money".
"You know what you have to do if you want to get that money," Mathew finished.
They both watched their son storm out of the office. It was two years back when they noticed the changes in their son, he became so distant and more of a workaholic. He spent his time with the pop star Olive. Who from their sources was only after his money. They wouldn't have intervened if the young woman treated there son right and was a good influence but that wasn't the chase. She was even having affairs on the side and poor Ken always believed her story over theirs. It drew a rift between them and their son. But with Joanne they rested assured that they would get him back.
Kenneth left his father's study angry, how could he threaten to deny him what was rightful his. He was betting on his trust fund to finally partner with sheikh Navide in the oil business. But no his parents had other ideas, he was walking to the door but stop when he saw three African ladies seated in the garden. The older one was most definitely his soon to be mother in law. He wondered who among the two African princesses was to be his wife. One of the ladies was on the phone and the other was feeding their mother a biscuit. But what threw him off was the intense attraction he felt towards the one who was on the phone.
"She is so beautiful", he admitted but instantly snapped out of the daze he was in. He only wanted one woman and that was Olive, Ken tried to convince his frantic beating heart as he left his parents’ home.
She couldn’t believe he came and left without greeting her mother or even meeting her. Kenneth Hunter was the spoilt entitled brat she thought he was. If it hadn’t been for the maids who were cleaning her room gossiping about what happened she wouldn’t have known he even showed up at the property.
But she had to admit she was anxious and a little bit excited to meet him, from the pictures she saw of him around the house she had concurred that the man was truly gorgeous and sexy as hell. There was a picture of him and his parents at a beach in Barbados, he was in white beach shorts, shirtless showing off his six pack that could make any woman drool, his grey bluish eyes drew her attention. “They were enchanting”, she thought as she nibbled on a slice of melon.
“Joanne dear”, Jessica spoke. “You will be meeting Ken for lunch today”.
“Huh come again, I will be meeting Kenneth for lunch”.
“Yes dear don’t sound so surprised you two are getting engaged in a few days, and you guys do need some time alone to get to know each other. Anyway the chauffer will drive you to the restaurant it’s right across his office building”, Jessica finished sipping her tea.
“Okay mum”, Joanne replied as everyone went back to eating their breakfast in a comfortable silence. She was out in the garden when one of the maids that were assigned to her showed up announcing that Mrs Hunter had instructed her to help her get ready for her lunch date with Sir Kenneth. She took a shower, got dressed in her black and white striped maxi dress with embellished golden flats. She then held her hair up in ponytail before leaving the house for her first date with Kenneth.
Three hours later and Kenneth was still nowhere to be seen. Having arrived at the restaurant at midday it was frustrating that the man was literary ignoring her. Stealing a look at her watch, she concurred that the man knew how to turn her buttons. Joanne prided herself in having the utmost patience but Kenneth was making her run low on both her calm and patience.
Across the road in the top most floors, Kenneth ranted to Michael his best friend and executive director of his company.
“Man I don’t know what my parents want from me; it’s as if they don’t want me to succeed. Dad is hell bent on not signing my trust fund to me if I don’t marry the bride they brought for me, for pits sake this is not the medieval era where marriages are still arranged but no they are still insisting I get engaged to Malaika”.
“Come on man all your parents wish for you is the best and nothing but the best. And to them Miss Malaika is the best option. You should give it a try, I saw her picture in the papers, and she’s a very beautiful lady I must admit”. Michael said slouched out on the couch.
“That’s it I think I found the solution to my problems”
“And what would that be?
“You my friend are the solution. You are going to seduce her, make her fall in love with you, and then I will find out about your relationship and call off the wedding. My parents won’t know a thing and my dad will sign the trust over to me and we’ll get in the oil business finally”.
“Are you crazy cause you sound crazy. are even listening to what your suggesting”.
“Shut it buddy and get up, you have a lunch to attend”, Ken said dragging his friend to the lobby where they separated. Ken stayed in the lobby watching the restaurant across the road where his beautiful arranged bride sat patiently before she suddenly stood up turning to leave when see bumped in to his best friend.
“Wow there don’t want you falling and getting any part of this beautiful body injured”, Michael said holding a shocked Joanne around the waist. Getting her balance back, she immediately removed herself from his arms.
“Thank you”
“You’re welcome beautiful, by the way the name is Michael. Your name beautiful”
“ Malaika” Joanne said and before she could continue the weird stranger grabbed her hand and kissed it. She grabbed her hand back trying to side step him but he blocked her away.
“Please don’t leave so soon, have lunch with me”.
“I can’t. Am leaving”, she spoke in finality
QUOTE
LOVE IS MYSTERIOUS
LOVE IS STRANGE BUT BEAUTIFUL.