Fredrick sighed, frustration in his voice as he scolded his brother“It baffles me that the first person you went to ask for help from is someone who abandoned you years ago.” “And Aiden will be saying those same words to Adele some time in the future if you two don’t figure yourselves out.” Noah riposted with a smirk etched on his face.Margaret chimed in her voice feeble and weary,“You’re being really annoying right now, Noah.” “You should apologize for the distress you caused everyone of us here.”Tears welled up in her eyes as she whispered, “I defended you blindly, and it hurts so much…”“No, no! Don’t cry, Mag” Noah said, wrapping his arms around his sister.“I’m sorry.” He apologized, his eyes brimming with regret.Alex, indignant, removed his hands from Margaret, replacing them with his own.“I’m sorry, please don’t cry… I love you” he whispered, gently patting her back.“You didn’t defend me blindly, you defended me rightfully.” Noah continued.“I wouldn’t dare kidnap any
EIGHT WEEKS LATERThe most expensive hotel in Greenville opened its ballroom doors to a vast number of guests trooping in. “The Right Wedding of The Hughsons” Fredrick insisted on calling their second wedding that.Of course, Alex was his Best man.“I’m delighted to be ministering at my best friend’s second wedding- to the same person, don’t get me wrong…” Gary said, taking the microphone as the MC of the occasion.Avery was beautifully dressed in the wedding gown Nei-Nei had gifted her, but this time, it was adorned with tiny diamonds, making her glow in the spotlight. Her blonde hair was straightened out and tied in a bun behind her head. Soon, the keyboardist made a procession of the most popular bride song in the world; announcing the arrival of Mrs Hughson.“Here comes the bride, here comes the bride…” The rows and expensive chairs of the ballroom filled with the richest one percent of Greenville, rose in a standing ovation of the prettiest wife ever.Avery scanned the room a
The next morning in the large mansion at White Avenue was quite a whirlwind.“Can’t you stay for a bit? Say two more weeks?” Avery sighed softly.Margaret and Adrian chuckled wryly,“I don’t want to go neither” Margaret replied.“But I have to…”“My fiancé needs me” she added, extending her arms so that Avery and Adrian would see her diamond ring.Avery rolled her eyes and pouted slightly,“You can have a fiancé and still stay here… don’t leave me!” Avery cried.Her cries were so outrightly falling on deaf ears because, as Alex emerged from the hallway with bags in hand, followed by Fredrick, Margaret leaped towards him,“Hi there, my fiancé” she squealed excitedly, hanging on her husband’s arm. Avery shook her head playfully, and gestures to her husband too.“I guess it’s just us from now on...”“I know so..” Fredrick replied.“Invite us to the wedding, if you please” he added.Alex nodded agreeably,“That definitely, you won’t miss.”Turning to Adrian, he laid his free hand on his s
It was a rainy night in the south of Greenville, the nights Avery Graham loved the most. Working as a barista, she soon realized that the mornings that followed the rainy nights were very profitable. The coffee shop had more customers and more customers meant more tips and Avery Graham was all about the money.When she was thirteen years old, Avery Graham was saddled with the news of a tragic car accident that claimed the lives of both her parents. She was left with a younger sibling of eight years old to take care of. Well, for the first five years of her parents’ death, they were moved around from one aunty to another until they finally settled with Aunty Aubrey, their mother’s youngest sibling.It wasn’t long before her need for money became apparent. When she finished high school, she managed to take care of her brother and contribute to the household welfare by doing meager jobs like being a babysitter and dog walking. On her eighteenth birthday, Uncle Ben, her father’s friend
For the umpteenth time, Fredrick’s phone persistently buzzed while he was driving causing a slow irritation on his features. Fredrick Houghton was known to be strict and uptight, he was a man of principles and he genuinely believed in rules.Answering a phone call while driving was a self made rule, he loved to focus and complete a task before moving to the next one, in fact, he was a perfectionist. As the phone buzzed on Fredrick glanced at his car screen, it was his grandma. When Grandma Jojo wanted to be dramatic, she knew exactly how to do it but today’s charade was questionable. Fredrick contemplated a possible situation that could demand such pertinence, his mind swerved at the possibility of an urgent situation and he immediately went to grasp his phone, forgetting the dangers of a bending corner. Just then, he noticed a blonde figure on a bicycle almost colliding into his car, he abruptly slammed into the brakes while his opposition driver tried to veer off course to avoid the
The next day, Avery Graham set off to work, as usual Mr Sinh and Wallace were already at the Cafe. The morning rush hour began and Avery was swamped with work and deliveries. “You look different” Wallace confessed seeking back up from Mr Sinh.Avery didn’t think letting her hair loose would be much of a difference, the ponytail style was her look all the time.“Good different or bad different?” She asked curious to know significant differences in the hairstyles.“Both” Mr Sinh replied. “Bad because it’s a coffee shop Avery, cover your hair! Good because you look less troubled today. Did something good happen?” Mr Sinh added.“Not really, I got into an accident yesterday” she said sadly, remembering the events from last night.“What?! Are you hurt?”“Where did it happen?” Mr Sinh and Wallace asked simultaneously.“It wasn’t anything serious, it’s just a skinned knee. I handled it” she said shrugging it off.Mr Sinh gave Wallace a look that said “everything is not okay.” “I still thi
Fredrick Hughson observed from his rear view mirror as the displeased Avery watched him drive off. He couldn’t understand why he suddenly felt bad for leaving her, but partially he knew Avery could take care of herself.By the time Avery got home, Adrian was already waiting, he looked pale and tired. Seeing him, Avery saw the need to make this contract with Mr Hughson work. She needed more money to take care of her brother.The next day came so rapidly, Mr Sinh had told her to take some days off until she felt better. She was about to risk part of her savings to look better, after all, whatever she spent, she was going to replace it with the payment. She saw with her mind’s eyes all that she needed to change within her, beginning with her hair. Sadly, Avery wished she had a friend to go shopping with, a friend, a sister, anyone. But growing up the way she did, her only consistent friend was her brother.“what are you doing?” Adrian asked startling her from her crouching position.“Who
Grandma Jojo had outdone herself. The food she sprawled on the table was eligible to be called a feast. The entire evening, she stayed glued to Fredrick like an obsessed lover, and for the first time, Avery noticed a cheerful look on Fredrick’s grumpy face. Nei-nei was definitely the way to his heart, Avery thought.If Avery was impressed by the grandiose nature of the mansion, she was doing a good job hiding it, one thing had surely caught her attention- the portrait on the wall! It was a portrait of the younger Nei-nei and Fredrick, he looked about eight in the picture. This peaked Avery’s curiosity, “has it always been the two of them?” She looked around stealthily anticipating another portrait or a photograph of some other people in the house.“Is something wrong, darling?” Fredrick called out, startling Avery and distracting her from her contemplations.“Not at all” Avery said as she shot her million dollar smile at him.“Freddie, it seems you really like this one” Nei-nei said. O