Dropping Bombs
CLUB NEVADA….
Club Nevada had become a usual spot for Phoenix and Sterling whenever they just wanted to run away from the harsh and crazy reality of the real world. To Sterling, Club Nevada was a place he didn’t want to frequent because it no longer appeased him; why would it when he had Phoenix by his side! He only made exceptions when he had business deals that required him leaving the office and for Phoenix, she wasn’t much of a drinker or club goer but she only did so when they was something to celebrate that didn’t require her staying at home.
After her comeback to host the Cooking Fest show with Miss Debby Williams, Phoenix was in a celebratory mood, so Club Nevada was her to-go place; along with Olivia, Debby, Liyah.
They got into the club and as always, it was buzzing. Loud music in the background that disturb Phoenix ears a bit, Debby didn’t have a problem with it though because she was already moving her body to the rhythm of the song, Liyah and Olivia just kept gawking at the place; trying to find a booth that they could go to.
Phoenix noticed their stares and said,
“It’s no use, let’s just go to the VIP section,” Phoenix said, screaming the words out while covering her ears.
“Oh, okay… hey ladies, let’s go to the VIP section,” Liyah said, repeating the same action Phoenix made because the music was becoming insanely loud.
The rest of the ladies nodded in agreement and went to the VIP section upstairs. After finding a comfortable spot to drink, Debby spoke up first.
“Okay, before we all start chattering about our lives, let’s all order some drinks and I’ll go get it at the bar,” She said.
“Debby, it is a VIP section, they are supposed to have a waiter here,” Olivia spoke up.
“Ahh, yeah, I forgot that; sorry ladies,” Debby said, giggling at her stupidity.
“Jeez, when last did you go to the club?” Phoenix teased her further.
“I honestly haven’t been to one in a really long time,” Debby admitted “Been too busy with work, busy with Cooking Fest; trying to help out. I mean, I don’t even have the time to be in a relationship,” She moped.
“I’m so sorry love. If it makes you feel any better, I haven’t been to one myself in a long time and you all know it; I’m like an open book,” Phoenix said, moving close to Debby and giving her a side hug.
“Me too; I’m too much of a nerd to do that. I only go clubbing once in a blue moon,” Liyah said, adjusting her glasses. Anyone looking at Liyah from afar off would think that she was a super model but she saying that she was a nerd made all the other ladies gave her a crazy look.
“Me too, I mean, it’s been a month or should I say ever since I stopped working in one,” Olivia said…
“Well, cheers to us for being such crazy ass career ladies,” Phoenix said, laughing.
“We’d actually cheers to that if we had a drink to do that,” Debby said, laughing at Phoenix
“Oh right, we should do that. Waiter, over here,” Phoenix called out to a waiter and ordered for a bottle of Champagne which was the usual celebratory drink and a glass of Orange Squash for herself.
After placing the order, Phoenix turned to say something to the ladies when she saw them looking at her in a strange way.
“What, what is it? Why are you all looking at me like that?” Phoenix asked, returning the stare to each and every one of them.
“Orange Squash?” Olivia said with one of her eyebrows raised a little more than the other.
“My thoughts exactly; why would you order that?” Liyah asked too and Debby just kept staring at her.
“Ahh, about that, can you ladies keep a secret, like be lip sealed?” Phoenix said, looking at everyone with a soft expression on my face.
“I speak for myself, I would keep whatever it is a secret; I don’t know about the rest though. Sorry ladies,” Debby said, apologizing to Liyah and Olivia.
Liyah and Olivia both nodded in agreement.
“Well, the truth is, I’m pregnant,” Phoenix dropped the bombshell and waited for a reaction from all the ladies.
“Wait, what?” Olivia was the first to say something.
“You’re kidding, right? I mean it’s a joke, isn’t it?” Liyah said.
“Well, I guess congratulatory messages are in order because it obviously belongs to Sterling; you guys are dating. I’m so happy for you girl! I’m going to be a godmother soon, yeah!” Debby said, obviously more excited than the others.
“I am so happy for you. Wow, you’re going to be a mother and Sterling a dad. Honestly, you guys are a match from heaven,” Olivia said. Deep down within her, she now clearly understood why Sterling wants a baby nursery decorated. Seeing Phoenix now, it looked like she had no idea about the surprise. To Olivia, it was a very romantic gesture.
“Yeah, about that, Sterling isn’t the father of the baby,” Phoenix dropped another landmine.
Every one of them had one thought ‘If Sterling wasn’t the father of the baby, who was?’ they couldn’t say what the thought out loud but their expressions said it all.
“That’s a joke, right? If the baby doesn’t belong to Sterling, who is responsible for it?,” Olivia asked; she asked because she wanted to be really sure of what was going on. Was the baby not really Sterling’s’? Did he know about this pregnancy and decided to father it? If that was the case then Phoenix had really found her knight in shining armor because not many men could do that; but before she concluded, she just needed to get the whole story.
The others nodded to Olivia’s question as a sign of agreement that they really were thinking the same thing.
“Well, Allen is; I mean, y’all didn’t think that he just broke into my house and beat me to a pulp, did you? He raped me and Sterling and I agreed not to let the media in on that part; so yeah, that’s the case,” Phoenix said, heaving a huge sigh. She felt relieved.
“Wow, if I say that I’m not speechless then I’d be lying,” Debby said
“Yeah, I totally agree with you,” Liyah said
“Do you know what this means?” Olivia asked.
“What does it mean?” Phoenix asked, perplex at the question.
“This means that you’ve found your own knight in shining armor. If Sterling took responsibility for the pregnancy, then he really must adore you,” Olivia said, giving clarity to her question.
“Yeah, that is totally true, I’m so happy for you,” Liyah and Debby said
“I guess so, let’s stop talking about this and toast to a better us,” Phoenix said, raising her glass Orange Squash in a toast.
While they were drinking, Phoenix reflected to what they had said; especially Olivia and she thought about it real hard.
Sterling was like a dream come true for her but her brain were sending her warning signals that he could turn out to be like Allen. Allen approached her as a sheep and later turned out to be a wolf. Who is to say if Sterling would turn out the same way?
But then, her heart said something different to her every time and it did so whenever she was with Sterling, the way he spoke to her, whenever he called her to check up on her; the little things really made her heart flutter and she liked him even more for it.
‘Could she be falling in love with him?’
Two hours later, they all thought that they’d had enough drinking for the night aas it was a weekend and they either needed to sleep or head out to church.
“Okay ladies, I’ll call it a night for tonight,” Phoenix said “See you all next week. I mean, I could have invited you all for a sleepover but then, I have to spend some alone time with my man,” Phoenix said and wink at them,” They all laughed at her statement and considered it to be true either ways.
“Bye, we’d leave soon anyway,” they all said.
“Sterling will pick me up, so, Olivia, you’d drive the car home and bring it to me tomorrow. It’s my special car; turns out we both love the same car; talk about irony,” Phoenix said, laughing.
**************************************
Back at home, Sterling had watched the show to the end and looked at the reviews dropped the show’s official social media handle and he was proud of her. Her comeback was an epic one. He knew she needed to celebrate with her friends but now, it was getting late and he was getting worried.
She hadn’t called him yet.
Pacing by the fireplace and worried sick about her, his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and saw that it was her. He picked without wasting more time.
“Where are you? I have been worried sick,” Sterling said hysterically.
“Oh, I am sorry. I’m still at the club,” Phoenix said, giggling.
“Oh, no wonder the place is noisy. Which of the club is that?”
“Uhh, Club Nevada; Hey, can you come pick me up?”
“Sure, I am on my way there; give me 10 minutes and I’d be there as fast as I can,” Sterling hung up, rushed to the table, picked up his car keys and left the house in a hurry; not for once thinking about changing into something more appropriate other than his pajamas.
10 minute later, he was at the entrance of Club Nevada and he spotted her, standing out front, leaning on the edge of a wall. He stopped the car right in front of her and came out in a rush. He went straight for her and pulled her in a hug.
“Don’t you ever do that to me again,” Sterling said, trying to calm his raging nerves down.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you’d be this worried,” Phoenix apologized, touched by Sterling’s concern. She hugged him back and felt more relax resting her head on his masculine chest.
“Are your friends sleeping over?” Sterling asked, just to be sure that he had her all to himself the next day which was a Sunday.
“No, they are not coming home with us; I wanted you all to myself tomorrow,” Phoenix said, trying so hard to cover her face as she said those words; blushing profusely.
To Sterling, those words warmed his heart in so many ways and she probably didn’t know it.
“I see, the feeling is mutual; let’s go home, the little one must be starving after feeding it with alcohol,” Sterling said, chuckling.
“No, I didn’t drink any alcohol; I took Orange Squash which is something healthy,” Phoenix said, while stumping her feet on the ground like a baby being scolded for what she didn’t do.
“Alright, alright, let’s go home and have ourselves all to ourselves and I’m cuddling you this night,” Sterling said, chuckling.
