Chapter 39
Soundtrack: (Memories by Maroon5)π΅πΆ
Three months later...
The butler who stood at the entrance to the Bestman inc. Handed him his fur coat efficiently as he sighted his boss's son stepping out of the elevator with some of the company workers, they were all engulfed in their deep conversations that they didn't notice anyone else around.
As business tycoons they were, every other thing around them didn't matter at all until they were out of the company premises, It was all strictly business. After a few banter with his colleagues, Jason finally took the opened door and stepped out into the cold winter. It was Christmas already.
The streets were filled with Christmas vibes with decorations of white, green, and red everywhere. Children in the playground built snowballs and castles. You could see the anticipatory smiles on people's faces because it was a season of love and sharing.
Jason observed as he drove through the little neighborhood leading to his apartment. He was bound to catch his flight by 9:00 pm London time back to Nigeria for the Christmas celebration. He knew his mother wasn't one to let him stay abroad while they celebrated, she would pester him till he returned. Best to him, he loved the thought of spending his yuletide in London alone in his condo and drowning himself with office work or a preferable face time with Sean and Mason who were back in Nigeria.
Lucky enough Sean got better and started life afresh with his music career. Mason pulled a few strings that got his cousin signed into a nice deal with an upcoming label. It wasn't ideal but it was something and Sean was happy. He'd send Jason some of his audio clips and they'd laugh over his cheesy but regular serenades.
Consciously Jason beat the traffic and made it home and inside his clean, calm condo with his bags already packed. All thanks to the well-paid porter all part of his father's company package as an employee.
He managed a warm bath quickly getting intoΒ soft cotton trousers and a wife-beater with the number of coats and gloves. Sliding into his comfy boots Jason hurriedly took his bags and rushed out of the house promising himself to return soonest.
He loved London. The atmosphere was good to him, at least he could boast of a nice sleep and concentration unlike the hassles in Nigeria.
Olivia kept ringing his line like he was a prodigal son who had refused to return home. His father Ernest had sent him over to London to manage their new branch and improve his business skills, It was a nice opportunity and Jason wouldn't miss it for the world. So he took the offer with doubts but as he normalized his stay, he got over his culture shock and got to realize the positive effect it had on him, he adjusted to life in London.
"Hello ma" he retorted tired.
"Have you missed your flight or what Jason? Don't tell me you're doing this on purpose because you don't like Nigeria anymore!" She questioned.
"Mum it's not that way... Its_" she interrupted him hastily. "It's what son?! You have to return home I've missed you, your father and I have, right darling?" She shuffled over like she was adjusting the phone to where her husband Ernest was.
Jason could hear the surprised reply his father gave and smiled into the phone.
"Son you know it's your birthday on the 24th and I had all our relatives invited. Everyone will be waiting for you at home once you return to welcome you home, are you at the airport already?" She realized for the first time since they started talking.
"Yes mum I am and you could have perceived first before jumping to conclusions" he accentuated.
"Oh, son pardon my motherly attitude, at least I know I'll see you soon hope you have your coats on to prevent cold and stuff?" She pestered.
"Mum!... Alright bye, I'll see you soon, this is it" Jason furiously ended the embarrassing call and sighed in defeat.
***
Song: Selena Gomez (Rare)
Baby,
You've been so distant from me lately
And lately
Don't even wanna call you baby
Pre-chorus
Saw us getting older
Burning toast on my toaster
My ambitions were too high
Waiting up for you upstairs
Why you act like am not there
Baby, right now it feels like
Chorus
It feels like you don't care
Why don't you recognize I'm so rare
Always there
You don't do the same for me
That's not fair
I don't have it all
Am not claiming to
But I know that I'm special yeah
And I bet there's somebody else out there
To tell me I'm rare
To make me feel rare.
***
24th Christmas eve π²π²π²
Subtle background music played in the huge outlet meant for the birthday party and everyone moved about having a nice time, suddenly the hip-hop switched to afro jams. Omah-lay's godly blasted through the bass speakers igniting the atmosphere.
Guests hollered joyously at the vibration the ones who could alight the floor did so with their afro dance.
People laughed and drank to their satisfaction.
Jason stood in between his clique putting on a sleeved shirt with chinos, complementing his foreign looks with an expensive cologne. The immediate effect of the harmattan evident on his parched lips which he ceaselessly moistened with the wine in his hand...
They laughed over silly things with Sean promising to go on stage and give his best hit and the rest throwing shades at him. Everyone laughed along until Olivia mounted the podium and quietened the music.
"Hi everyone, Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year. Thanks so much for acknowledging this invitation. It's to all that my son Jason is celebrating his twenty-fourth birthday a special one" everyone cooed to his greatest embarrassment.
"Your mother derives great joy in taunting you" Mason chipped in.
"I tell you man" Sean agreed with a tap on Jason's arm.
Olivia's voice could still be heard from a distance.
"But aside from it being a twenty-fourth birthday on the twenty-fourth of December, it's also a special package day. I've been wanting to give it to him since I realized how important it was to him" she continued keeping everyone in suspense.
"I'm a mother who swore never to see my child suffer at the mercy of what money could provide. And I gave my son Jason everything money could offer... Now he's all grown up it turns out what he ended up needing most was what it couldn't buy which I couldn't provide... I felt I had failed him at some point" she paused to wipe her teary face with a towel.
People murmured wondering what she was all about.
Jason stood transfixed watching his mother wondering what pranks she came up with next to embarrass him.
"Jason do you know what she's onto?" Sean asked sincerely. But his friend shrugged.
"Even as he left for London I knew he'd left a part of him here in Nigeria so I insisted I'dΒ do something about it even it took me going against what I wanted. You all know I love getting my way with things but this time it's different. So Jason..." She turned to her son squarely. "I brought you a present" she smiled coyly and at that point Jason knew his mum had pulled the last and strongest string ever!.
Sophia walked out from the midst of the crowd right before him in a nude silky gown and tendrils over her neck looking like a Chanel model.
Everywhere stilled...
Background music: Marren Morris
(The bones) played.
Hitched breaths, sweaty palms, jittery feet, and whirlwind emotions, he felt them all.
They stood there for so long until Sean whispered to Jason to get closer and he did.
By then everyone present circled them in anticipation, waiting to write the end of this love story.
"Hi..." She squeaked but in the nick of time, Jason gathered her into his passionate arms aloof to the world surrounding them. It felt like the old times, letting out the pent-up emotions he'd fervently hidden.
They cried into each other's arms, everywhere, holding on like their lives depended on it. Jason moved away in time to capture her ever succulent lips, merging his patched ones with hers and in time smoothening off the rough nature for better viscosity.
As planned Olivia lit the fireworks with ignited series of applaud from the observers.
Stanley stood in the crowd clapping gently. At least she was happy and he felt fulfilled even though it hurt so bad. His previous intention was to leave the country before the supposed planned birthday. He didn't want to stay as to witness how happy they would be at reuniting, it would eat him up but on second thought decided against it.
Sophia had never been herself after the encounter she had with Jason at the hospital before his unprecedented travel. She sulked and starved till Stanley could bear no more. So he made arrangements with Olivia Bestman who was so eager to see them both together for some reason.
It took Sean, Mason, and his friends to pull the lovelorn couple away.
"Enough man, you're making us the single ones hate our present situation!" Mason cried making everyone laugh.
"Ah! I don't got nothing to say to you Mas, excuse me I need a private moment with my wife" Jason ordered playfully and his friend cooed in unison.
"You using the damn accent on us?" Mason hollered.
He took her hand and marched across the flowery patio and up the stairs to a vacant room, he shut the door with eagerness and faced Sophia squarely.
Again with his undivided ardent stares that made any woman want to rip off their clothes at his command. Jason advanced like he wanted to claim what was his.
"H...how is London?" She started distracting him from his previous mission.
Jason chuckled lightly. "Are we doing that now?" She shrugged the effect causing some of her packed curly to fall.
"London is there... I don't want to talk about it, it's you I want to talk about. Only you Sophia" he whispered close to her.
"How is your leg?" He moved back a little creating space between them.
"I'm finally able to walk... Thanks to doctor Stan" she smiled. Jason nodded tightly.
"He's here?" He asked suddenly.
"Oh no, he already left for abroad."
"Mh, I should've loved to thank him for taking good care of my wife while I was gone" he retorted in sarcasm.
"When will you ever get over him?" She laughed as he drew her closer holding onto her hips.
Sophia placed her wavering hands on his tough shoulders as an effect. "Maybe never!" He joked. "I missed you... London was nice and calm but it wasn't therapeutic as you did" he commented all the while staring at her plump lips.
"I thought of you every day, on my way to work, while eating or having lunch with my colleagues even when I sleep, my dreams were filled with your images and I couldn't bear it. I started thinking I was obsessed with you. I knew coming back to Nigeria to wait for you was the worst thing I'd do to myself cos I might find myself stalking you which is very bad, so I stayed over there alone" he cupped her face in his masculine hands, mastering all the angles and contours to it.
"Last I heard was that you left the country with doctor Stanley and I wasn't sure which particular one. It's so scary Sophia, I thought you finally made your decision" he confessed.
"I missed you too" Sophia began.
"And I regret putting what we had in a cliff-hanger but I needed it to realize how invaluable you were to me. But I was so scared Jason" she professed.
"Of what?."
"That you'd fall in love with someone else and I'd be an old story especially with a Londoner" she smiled Jason barked with laughter, clutching her tiny waist with vigor.
"That's impossible, you're the only key to my heart, and it's locked and if you ever left no one else can unlock it," he said sincerely.
Sophia smiled at him bashfully. "How did I ever meet you Jason Bestman?."
"I guess I should say apart from your silly stepmother throwing you out that night with me drunk on high, it was all fate that led us here Mrs. Bestman" he replied kissing her vehemently.
Don't forget to vote.
