Day 2: Pool Party

(Phoenix POV)

In my dream state, I could hear my phone ring and with great difficulty, I opened my eyes slowly and I used my left hand to search for my phone on the lamp stand and brought it closer to my ear before answering, “Hello,” I answered groggily. Who was it that was disturbing my precious sleep?

“Rise and shine sleeping beauty; it is time for your tour,” the voice said and it sounded awfully familiar.

“Debbie, is that you?” I asked, taking the phone out of my ear and looking at the caller ID.

“Duh, yes, it is me; what, did you y’all drink last night when I left?” she asked.

“I thought everything was a dream; uhm, where are you and isn’t it too early to be going on a tour around the state?” Did she not get any sleep or was she staring at the clock all night? Damn, this girl.

I heard her sigh from her end and I rolled my eyes are her dramatic nature, “I am downstairs, at the lobby and no, it is not too early; have you checked the time yet? It is fifteen minutes past 11am! How on earth is that early?”

I took the phone out of my ear and checked what the time was and it really was fifteen minutes past the hour of 11. How on earth did we sleep in that long?! I got up from the bed and removed the duvet from Sterling’s body, leaving him stranded in the cold before shaking him violently to get up and while all this was happening, I could hear Debbie laughing and at that point, I felt like strangling her.

“We’ll be down in fifteen minutes,” I told her and hung up before rushing to the bathroom to brush my teeth and take my bath in flash time and even Sterling was surprise at my own speed. I came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my chest and looked around to find Sterling standing by the wardrobe, still trying to pick an outfit and I face palmed myself inwardly.

I walked towards him, dragged him from where he stood and pushed him into the bathroom amidst his banters, “Take a quick shower and will find something for you to wear when you are out,” I answered to stop him from asking further questions.

I looked into his suitcase and looked through the shirts I packed and took out a grey shirt that matched the color of his eyes, a white baggy like khaki and I took a white pam footwear from his shoe suitcase and a very nice sunshade that I tucked away just in case. The aim was to look as casual as possible. What was the point of a vacation if we dressed all serious looking like agents from the CIA!

I dropped all the outfits I picked for him on the bed and ransacked through my own suitcase for an outfit. I found a grey off the shoulder maxi gown that had black patterns on it and placed it on the bed then picked put a black sandals and black sunshade to match and placed it on my own side of the bed before oiling my skin with my body lotion and drying my hair.

By the time Sterling was out of the bathroom, I was done dressing up and I was at the vanity table, styling my hair in the best way possible.

“Those are your clothes over there. I carefully selected them. Do whatever it is that you need to do by the time I am done styling my hair, please,” I smiled at him while still focused on the task at hand which was styling my hair and then I remembered something, “Hey babe, what are the possibilities of finding a pool party today?”

“I don’t know; don’t you have Debbie for that? Why don’t you ask her when we get downstairs,” he shrugged his shoulders as he was done wearing his clothes.

“That is true; okay then, since you are done, let’s head downstairs and get breakfast because I am starving and I could eat a whole cow,” I sighed dramatically before sauntering to where he stood and kissed him lightly, “Good morning babe,” then walked away.

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(Author’s POV)

When Sterling and Phoenix got downstairs, they found Debbie chatting with someone and the couple walked towards her and she didn’t notice them until the person she was chatting with nudged her in their direction before she stopped and let out a bright smile that was bright enough to light up a room.

“Good morning to you both, my favorite couple of all time. For a while there, I wondered what had happened to you both, did you both drink to sleep in like that? See, it is almost noon,” Debbie said, showing them what the time said through her wristwatch.

“Oh please, stop, we just slept a bit late, that’s all and before you say anything, it is not what you think,”

“Guilty already? I didn’t say anything. Alright then, Sterling, let’s head over to the café there have in here for breakfast because I am pretty sure that you guys didn’t order anything to eat last night and this morning too,” Debbie said, locking arms with Sterling and Phoenix as she lead the way to the where the café was and found them a booth that allowed them to see everything.

They beckoned on the waitress and she came over and placed menu cards in front of all three of them before saying, “Good morning, can I get you anything before you place your order?”

Debbie coughed lightly and then said, “Yeah, I’d take a can of coke, what about you, Phoenix?”

Phoenix looked up from the menu card and looked at the waitress, “Can I get a glass of Orange Squash?” before looking at Debbie and giving her the ‘that’s available here, right?’ look and Debbie chuckled loudly before turning to Sterling and asking him what he wanted.

“What about you big guy, what will you have?”

He pointed at Phoenix to the waitress and said, “I’ll just have what she’s having,”

“Okay then, I will be back with your drinks and by then you all will be ready to place your orders, please excuse me,” The waitress said professionally and left the three friends alone.

“Well, well, well, while we are still trying to get our orders right, need I say that you guys look splendid and your outfit is almost couple goals. I would say, post it on social media but you guys don’t even do anything there; you didn’t even announce the birth of your child but then again, I understand you guys; the social media freaks and the paparazzi will be crawling all over your home to get a picture of the baby,” Debbie spoke up freely without mixing words.

“Yeah, you got it all right but we will do that when we think that it is right but for now, we’d like to keep her out of the spotlight because you know this people, they never stop,” Sterling said, looking up from the menu and shrugging his shoulders.

“Oh hey, is there a way you can find out if there is any pool party happening tonight?” Phoenix asked.

Debbie raised her right eyebrow before saying, “Pool party? Girl, we never run out of those sort of things here but you are in the luck because the hotel is hosting one tonight and it’s strictly invitation only but I can talk to whoever is in charge to let us in when its time and thank goodness that you guys on a weekend but may I ask why you want to go to a pool party?” Debbie folded her arms and turn towards Phoenix.

“You know what happened the and how I didn’t get a great childhood while growing up; well Sterling has decided to help me through it by granting me a months’ wish. Coming to Nigeria has always been at the top on my bucket list and now that I am here, it has been crushed off,” Phoenix said and Debbie’s expression softened but before she could respond, the waitress was back with their drink orders.

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After brunch, Debbie took them to some places in the city but they did notice the traffic that was time consuming but they still had fun throughout the tour and finally it was time for the pool party. Debbie went home to get change and bring over her husband and Phoenix had to already planned ahead of time and she wasn’t left stranded because she already had their swimsuits ready.

At exactly 9pm, Debbie called to inform them that she was downstairs at the lobby again for the second time that day. Phoenix changed into her grey bikini because she wasn’t looking to attract attention to herself and then wore a kimono lacy jacket over the bikini to cover up a bit while Sterling just wore a while polo and a black khaki and the same footwear he wore during the day. They checked for last minute do-overs before picking their phones and headed out to the lobby.

The pool party hosted by the hotel management was lit and everyone was having a great time and when the duo met downstairs, Debbie introduced her husband to Sterling and Phoenix.

“Hey guys, this is my hubby, Clifford James and he is a Nigerian. I already told you about his job,” Debbie locked arms with that of her husband as she made the introduction, “Babe, this is the couple I told you about back at home,” she smile brightly like she just won a jackpot.

In his baritone voice, he responded, “Hey guys, for almost 30 hours, my wife has been talking a whole lot about you both and I’m pleased to meet your acquaintance,” Clifford shook hands with Sterling and Phoenix before holding hands with his wife and saying. ”We better get out there because the party has already begun and true to his words, the party was so lit and the DJ was doing a good job already.

The couples weren’t left out of the fun either and they danced to the music. The ladies gave their husbands lap dance and rocked their world to the core and while each men was enjoying the moment with their women, the ladies were already turned on from the groans coming out of their partners lips.

At that moment, it was just four of them in their respective worlds, having the time of their lives.