Anita danced round and round her tiny apartment, her heart bubbling with joy at the success of the first step of her plans. True, she hadn't gotten a publishing deal yet but she knew that with the way the day had ended with Rio, she was on her way to getting one pretty soon. The other company has also rejected her work but she didn't mind one tiny bit, knowing that she already had the big fish in her net.
"Anita Dowell. USA today bestselling author." The smile on her face was huge as she envisioned the reality of her dream. "Oh, I can't wait until then!" She screamed and whirled around the room, whistling the tone from West life album 'I have a dream'."And can you tell me why you keep acting like you won the award for the best lawyer of all time?"Anita turned around in shock as she heard a voice say behind her. When she saw that it was only her roommate, Gracy, she relaxed her nerves."Won't you answer me?" Gracy asked again when her roommate resumed her joyful dancing steps."Very soon, your best friend is going to be the next best selling author of the USA," Anita finally answered.Gracy squeaked in joy for her friend, her blonde hair tossing around as she moved. "Your parents finally gave in?!" She shouted in excitement."Of course not. I told you I won't tell them until I have my books in paperbacks.""Then, you've managed to secure a publishing deal?" Gracy asked her friend again."Not yet," Anita corrected. When she saw her friend's expression fall, she added, "But I will very soon. Don't doubt that."Gracy stopped wadding around like a fool and sat down on the only two-sitter in the room."How the fuck are you going to secure one? The way you keep dancing around, one would even think that you signed the contracts already." She hissed at the redhead."Just watch, Gracy. Just you watch," Anita said. She still didn't stop her jubilation.Just as she suggested, her roomie kept watching her with amusement, wondering what had suddenly gotten into her.***********Two years old Riley sat on a chair, staring intently at the cake in front of her like she expected it to grow two or more horns."Baby, let's just wish you a happy birthday and let you cut the cake, okay?" Her grandmother, Stacie suggested, wrapping her arms around the little girl.The girl shook her head violently, "No. We have to wait for daddy." She insisted, just as she has kept doing since she woke up that morning excited it was her birthday. She had gone to look for her father and had returned disappointed when she saw the man's empty room."Daddy might be working right now." Grandma tried to persuade her again."Daddy won't miss my birthday." The girl insisted. She looked up at that moment and saw her father walking into the room. "Daddy!" She screamed in joy."Rio, you're here. Your daughter has been–""–Stay away from me!" Rio barked at the little girl who was now hugging him. "Now!!"The little girl unwrapped her arms from the scary man instantly and moved away at a very long distance. Tears welled up her eyes but her father didn't act like he even saw the emotional tumor he had just sunk his daughter to."What's happening here? What's with all the cake and stupid candles?" He asked his mother.The old woman glared at him, "There is a cake and stupid candles in the house because it's your daughter's birthday." She reminded him."Oh. I forgot it was the same day as Sarah's death anniversary." He said nonchalantly."Rio! How could you forget your daughter's birthday?" His mother spat at him. "Anyway, she's been waiting for you to return so that she can cut the cake." She informed him."I'm too tired for such a thing, mum." With that, he disappeared into his room.Stacie turned a sorrowful look at her granddaughter who was wailing silently, "Daddy is just tired is all. Let's cut the cake together and I'll take some to him so he can cheer up. What do you say?""Okay, granny," Riley answered amidst tears."Now wipe your eyes clean, love."The two of them sang the birthday song and they both cut the cake. Once Stacie made sure that her granddaughter was no longer sad, she took a piece of the cake and went to meet her son. She knew that she was going to meet a thick wall when she approached her son but that was exactly what she wanted.She was tired of the way he acted ever since the death of his wife. She knew that he was doing it out of guilt over the death of his wife but enough was enough. She had to make him see reasons to forget the past and move on with his life.In preparation for that, she had arranged a few blind dates for him to join the dating class once again. The only problem she had to counter was making him see the reason for going out with the girls. But stubborn as her only son was, she was sure that she would have to try two hundred times over."Rio? Can I come in?" She asked him, knocking on his door softly.Rio grunted at the voice of his mother that he heard. He knew that even if he declined the request, his mother would simply push her way in. TV"Do I have any other choice?" She bellowed at her.Stacie pushed the door open, "No, you don't." She laughed as she got into the room. "Here. I brought you cake." She dropped the cake beside him on the floor."I don't want it.""Stop it, Rio. It is enough already." She reprimanded."Stop what?" He feigned ignorance.She decided to take the bill by the horn, "When are you bringing home another woman for me?" When she saw his somewhat surprised expression, she frowned. "Don't tell me you don't intend to marry again."Rio took three deep calming breaths before he responded, "Glad you know it.""Now look here young man. I will not tolerate anything like that from you.""Mum, don't start.""I'm fed up with you and your characters." She complained to him. "Look at how you even ignore your own daughter.""Only because she reminds me of Sarah a lot. I don't want any reminder of who she was and that is exactly what that girl does.""Will you even listen to yourself? Will you? Stop being so pathetic, will you?" His mother screamed a little loudly at him."I'm tired today, mum." He tried to discourage his mum."I know you are. Which is why I've set you up for a date tomorrow itself. That should refreshen you." The older woman said."What?!" Rio screamed but his mother didn't bother to answer him. The woman got up and went out the door before he could recollect himself. "Mum! You dare not!!" But he was only talking to an empty doorway.**************"Nice job today, everybody." The music director commended everyone in the room. "Especially you, Mimie."Mimie beamed at the appraisal. After all, she thrived at the compliments she received from people after she had finished performing. She hated herself whenever someone else thrived or got the better praise than her at any events.Ever since Rio had complimented her for being the best at what she did back then at the concert where she had berm singing along with her musical idol, Rihanna, she had decided that she was going to marry him since he could recognize a raw talent when he saw one.The two of them had kept in touch after that. While she had been summoning her courage to come clean of her feelings for him, his wedding had been printed on every newspaper she knew of.To say she had been devastated would be an understatement for her feelings back then."Mimie!"A scream brought her back to the present and she reprimanded herself silently for losing her focus."Why did you scream my name?" She asked the drummer boy who called her."I signed you up for a blind date–""–You did what?!" She screeched."Let me finish,will you?" The 17 year old guy reprimanded him like she was a baby. "Anyway, you got merged into a handsome dude." He looked at the screen of his phone. "His name is Rio." He finished.The moment she heard the name, her deja vu kicked up like the name could only belong to one man. Her man. Now, she was intrigued and ready to see if she was right about her assumption."When is the date?""You're interested?" The guy asked, clearly surprised."Just answer me.""Tomorrow."Tomorrow? She thought with a smile. She might be wrong about who she thought it was but her mind kept telling her that she was right and she was ready to take the risk.If he really was the one, she would know that even nature was trying to pitch her together with the billionaire publisher.It was early into the night, and the weather had a warm quality to it. An excited Mimie gazed into the vanity mirror before her. Her dark brown eyes reflected from the mirror and so did her unbelievably hot body. She was so beautiful and this, she knew. She also knew that beauty was power. You just had to be smart in using it to wield that power. A smile appeared on her lips. She was excited. She still couldn’t believe that she would be going on a date with Rio. It was her second chance to make him hers. Her last chance too, she believed. Though the last attempt to converse with him had failed woefully, she was determined to keep pushing. She sauntered to her closet, pulled the doors open and eyes all the dresses lined up. Making a choice, she grabbed a short red dress–something that screamed raunchy. She was intent on impressing Rio. She wanted too to get him to remember that he’d once complimented her singing. It still hurts deeply–his inability to remember it. She shook off the tho
Embarrassed, Mimie remained seated at the table alone. She ignored the prying eyes of others around and tried to calm herself. She was utterly short of words. She drove her gaze back to where Rio had sat. And how he’d dismissed her with his unkind words. This was the second time he’d abandoned her for that red-haired girl. Just because she looked at his wife, she was sure. She could feel tears streaking down her cheeks. Silent tears. But she made no vocal sound, picked up her purse and sashayed out of the restaurant. She couldn't let people see how much Rio had gotten to her. She sniffled lightly as she waved down a cab. She got in and held close to herself. Didn't Rio know that nothing could bring Sarah back? He was better off moving on from her.“Are you alright ma’am?” the cab driver pried into her emotions. She looked up at the rear view mirror. His green eyes appeared so worried. The tears on her face must have given her away. She’d been sobbing silently.“I’m alright,” she lied.
Ugggggghhh!!!Mimie screamed as she stamped her feet on the hard surface of the floor. This was something she did whenever she was upset. She was restless. Things were not going according to her plan. In her line of work, confidence and a strong aura was something that came naturally to her. She had always gotten her way with this, and she was used to this pattern. This was how things were meant to be but not this time. She had no idea how else to navigate through this situation."I've never failed and it will not start with Rio!". She made this resolve as she stared at a photo of Rio. The picture was probably taken recently, Rio's hard unsmiling eyes stared at her through the picture. He was everything she wanted in a man."What's the fastest way to get to Rio?" She asked herself.Yes! Mimie smiled as her eyes rested on the second figure in the picture. Rio's two-year old daughter. If she could win over his daughter then he'd naturally come to her."Time to get to work", she smiled a
Rio was smiling all through his drive back home. Anita was truly a different breed. She was funny and they had ended up spending hours talking about her book and similar story plots.He could not remember when last he had felt genuinely free with anyone. Everyone who came around him usually had an ulterior motive, wanting him to help them one way or the other but Anita seemed different.He liked the way he was feeling, nobody has ever made him feel this way since Sarah's death. Rio entered into the house, unaware of all that had transpired in his absence.It was pretty late so he knew Riley would be asleep already. He was anticipating his next meeting with Anita and was unaware of the smile that graced his godly facial features.Rio's mother watched as he entered the house smiling. It had been ages since she saw him smile like that. Not the tight, rehearsed smiles he used during interviews but one that showed he was happy for some reason. She couldn't imagine why but she was happy wit
Anita, came back to the house, threw her bag on the scattered looking bed and as usual made one of those her celebratory dance. She was so into her celebratory mood she didn’t notice when Gracy, her roommate entered the room.“I’m beginning to like this new mood of yours, I don’t get to see the ever worried Anita anymore”.Gracy said as she made way to drop her books on the table.Anita smiled at her response. Her dreams were finally coming to life. She walked towards the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of cold water from the mini fridge they had in their kitchen and in an instant she had gulped everything down her throat.That celebratory dance must have taken a lot from her, she joined Gracy in arranging the scattered looking bed after which they decided what they would be having for dinner.“Lets order take outs! Who's paying?” Gracy asked before she could finish her sentence.“Don’t worry I’ll handle it” Anita said, scrolling through the menu of the online burger store. I’ll be having
Anita was handed over to the police as soon as the policemen arrived. She was still in shock at how the expensive earrings ended up in her purse, and she was not a thief even her parents could vouch for her on this.Anita’s lifestyle was a simple one, she was not a high class lady. She was not a fan of unnecessary attention so she saw no need for those earrings. Many thoughts ran through Anita’s head on their way to the police station.What would her parents think if they got to hear of this?What would Rio think of her? This was messing with the plans she had been working with, One little mistake could cost her all and everything could be blown out especially if her parents come to hear of this.They would not only call, they would show their face and that would mean exposure of the undercover work she was doing to get her books published and become a popular author.They got to the police station and she was pushed out of the van that had picked her up.She was taken to the interrog
The day of the wedding rolls up. Rio cleans and dresses nicely, he had gotten a haircut the previous day. The edges of his hairline were well pronounced, the barber had done a great job on his perfectly molded head.Rio was different from others”. He was a lover of good looks so he carefully took his time in preparing when attending a function. He was a beautiful man perhaps not in the conventional sense, but he had the appearance that could make him stand out in any large gathering.He had a thing for sleeveless shirts that revealed his muscular arms but that wasn't an option for the occasion. Several photographers had caught him on camera in this outfit and taken the liberty of posting the pictures on the internet. The comments that followed were majorly from ladies which had earned him the tag of a playboy.He could pass for a ladies man but Rio was more of a one woman guy. He never fantasized the idea of frolicking with many women.He took out his lime green Tom Ford Suit from his
"I can explain," Rio calmly stated, turning towards Anita, who sat beside him."She's my daughter," he began, his voice filled with a mix of hesitation and regret. "I never mentioned this before because I didn't see the need, and the right opportunity never presented itself," Rio explained, fastening his seatbelt.Anita shook her head, struggling to find the right words to respond."I apologize for not sharing this with you earlier," Rio said, his tone sincere."It's fine," Anita replied, forcing a smile. She had no choice but to accept his apology, even though it complicated her mission."Shall we proceed?" Rio asked, starting the car.Lost in her thoughts, Anita couldn't believe he had a daughter. This caught her completely off guard, and she hadn't prepared for it. She had no idea how to proceed with Rio now that she knew he had a daughter, a charming little girl at that. This unexpected discovery consumed her mind as Rio drove them to the wedding venue.Anita snapped out of her th