Chapter Thirty-Four

I called Grace to ask what had gone wrong, but she didn't answer her calls.

I tried the girls too, they aren't picking as well. I was worried, what could be the problem?.

I waited for a few minutes and tried my staff number again, it went through.

“ Where are you? Why do you leave that place? And why don't you pick up your calls when I call?” I need an explanation from them.

“We are sorry for not picking up your calls. We are on our way already. You will see us soon.”

“ Just tell me what happened, don't keep me waiting”. I instructed them.

“We met about eight girls when we got there, and they were all getting ready for a photoshoot. Grace inclusive. She asked us to start doing make-up for the girls which I declined. I told her I needed to call you because that wasn't the agreement, you told us we would only work for her. Then she causes chaos and before I could realise what was happening, she gave me a slap and started throwing our things out”. She narrated.

“ She instructed some bodyguards to chase us out of the venue”. 

I was so pissed hearing what Grace had done, but I needed to hear from her as well.

I called her again and she picked this time.

“ Where are the girls I sent to follow you, what do you do to them?” 

“ Which girls are you asking me about? I am sure they called you. Those girls are senseless, they don't want to work. I gave them simple work to do but they declined. They claimed it wasn't part of the agreement. They left without informing me”. She lied, I can sense it in the way she talked.

“Grace, it's obvious you are lying, I warned you before you left to be careful with them. I know how angry you can be. You should at least give me the respect to report them to me even if they wronged you” I angrily spoke to her.

“ I know you won't believe me, you will always take sides. Why do you hate me this way? You never believe anything I say”. She started her crocodile tears.

The girls arrived and were very angry from their looks. I had to calm them down.

“ You girls need to calm down, please for my sake” I pleaded.

“ If we didn't consider you, we would have retaliated. She slapped me, for what? If not that I considered you, I wouldn't have left there without making her look horrible”. She was still angry.

I picked up my phone and dialled Dad's number.

“Hello Dad, good afternoon, how's work? I want to report Grace to you, please warn her for me, she can't spoil the brand I am just trying to build”. Dad noticed how angry I was, and he tried to calm me down.

“ I haven't seen you this angry before Rachel. What is it? Calm down and explain to me”. He tried to persuade me.

“ Two of my staff followed Grace to work, she started giving them orders different from what we agreed and the girls declined. She then asked a bodyguard to beat up the girls and chased them away.”I explained everything to Dad”.

He calmly listened to me and when I was done, he gave me the shock of my life.

“ Rachel, you can be funny sometimes, ain't you supposed to be the big sister? You dare to complain about your little sister to me. I thought you would be busy with the studio you opened, but it's obvious you don't have work to do. Don't ever call me for this kind of rubbish again. You dare disturb me from my busy schedule”. He hissed and hung up the call

 I was speechless for a few minutes, I felt like I didn't hear what Dad said to me. I thought Mom was worse but I can clearly see that Dad is the worst.

“ Is this what you would also say, Dad? Instead of scolding Grace for what she did wrong, you are still blaming me. When exactly will you stop blaming me for others' mistakes? Despite what Grace did to me, I tried to forget and let go of everything. She always makes me sad and you as parents always take sides. Is this how good parents do? I always ask myself if you are my parents with the way you treat me”. I freed my mind and ended the call. I promise myself to distance myself from my family and not call them again. They are not worthy to be called a family.

Dad called me back twice but I didn't pick up his calls.

I haven't called Roselyn since the last time I went to the club. I need to call and apologize for the way I spoke to her the other time.

“ Hi Roselyn, long time no call. I know you are angry with me, I am sorry for what I did that day, I was under the influence of alcohol and you know it.” I admitted I was wrong and begged her.

“ Oh! You just realized your mistake today and decided to call me? Anyways, I wasn't angry, I knew you were drunk and was waiting for you to call. I saw your husband took you home that day so I wasn't bothered, you guys must have made up and must be enjoying each other's company.” She laughed after that statement.

“ Yes my husband is now a changed person, I am loving the man he is becoming. I don't think I will ever think of divorce again if we continue this way”. I am serious about this.

We spoke for almost thirty minutes before finally hanging up.

I called Lawson to ask when he would be home.

“ Hi baby, how have you been? I would love for you to come home early today, I want to show you something”. He was happy to hear that and promised to come early.

“ Beatrice, I am close for today, I need to go home now. Take care of the shop.” I left the studio and went straight home.

I planned to surprise my husband with a home dinner today. It's not going to be the normal dinner, but a surprise one for Lawson and me.

I got some fresh flowers from a flower shop. I have candles and table cloth at home.

I got home and gave Caroline two days off to go see her family , she was happy and quickly went to pack her things.

The food I ordered arrived and I neatly arranged the table with my white tablecloth. Dishes, cutleries and a wine with glass cups were well arranged as well.

Petals were scattered around the dining area, with candles on the table.

He unlocks the apartment expecting a normal evening… Then pauses.

The apartment is glowing softly. Music is playing. He smells food. I appear from the kitchen smiling nervously.

He stopped just inside the doorway, loosening his tie slowly as his eyes traveled across the apartment. Candlelight flickered against the windows overlooking Manhattan, turning the room golden.

“What’s all this?” he asked quietly. I smiled, suddenly shy despite all the planning.

“A date,” I said. “With my husband.”