Chapter Ten

      I saw Andre get out of the car while talking over the phone, he was carrying a bag in his hand. I stood there at the door and watched him. He seemed irritated with the person over the phone and I heard him threatening the person he was talking with over the phone unknown to him that I was standing at the door waiting for him. He turned around to proceed in once he sees me, he jumped.

“ Hey baby! You are up already?” He smiled while he approaches the door.

“ Yeah.” He walked past me and I followed.

“ I didn't want wake you up since you were sleeping so peacefully, so I went out to grab us some dinner. He drops the plastic bag on the cabinet. Did you miss me that much?” He turns to me wearing a smile. I wondered if he is the same person I saw and heard raging over the phone just a minute ago.

“ Babe, why were you sounding annoyed over the phone earlier?” I came close to him starring him right in the eyes.

Immediately He turned away to avoid making eye contact with me. “ It was nothing babe, just one of my employees getting on my nerves.” He took a walk to the wine bar and picks out a bottle of Red wine with two glasses. He opened it swiftly and poured the wine into the two glasses . He then offered a glass to me.

I took it from him and sips it. “ you shouldn’t get so upset over trivial things like that babe.”

He glanced at me and looks away. “ You have no idea the kind of fools I’m dealing with babe, so just let it be.” He gulps down the entire glass of wine at once and drops the glass on the cabinet.

The clank of the glass against the tiled cabinet startled me. “ I will be at the terrace.” I hesitantly left his presence. He sighed as he watched me leave.

While at the terrace, I stood there with a long face and gazing at the Stars in the sky as I waited for his temper to calm down. Andre grips me from behind and held me closely. “ Baby! I'm sorry if I made you feel bad. I just don’t like it when someone ruins my mood especially when I’m with you love. “ he sounded so cheesy but I know continuing with the conversation would drag things too far between us so I chose to let it go.

And that was My biggest mistake, over looking things and thinking they would get better and with time fall into place since Andre was not giving me reasons to doubt him. Though I do witness his anger towards his workers or the people around.

I continued working at the clinic and with time I have become so familiarize with my job and everyone in the office including Doctor Stimson, The MD . He treated me like a daughter and showed me so much affection, though Andre was not in support of my working there. He would seldom pick offences when I spend more time at the office but it was never serious.

    One year of dating Andre and on our Anniversary night, He specifically made preparation for a fancy party and invited his friends, family and business partners. It was the night he proposed and I said yes without thinking twice.

My life couldn’t get any better, my engagement with Andre was the talk of the town. It was on the news, radio and social media. I became the envy of every lady who dreamt of having Andre as theirs but I never paid heed to them because I know why I love him and My love isn’t because of his status or wealth but because I believe he is a good human being.

A week after the engagement and on my day off , I decided to stay in bed all morning and rest. While my eyes were shut, as I enjoyed the serene environment since my room mate had gone to work and it was just me at home. I remember wanting to get as new place since I no longer work with the restaurant but Andre insisted I continue living here. Just as I hugged my pillow closely to continue my beauty sleep my phone rings and I took it and slide my fingers on the screen to answer it with my eyes shut, the voice I heard over the phone took the sleep away from my eyes instantly. It was my mum on the line.

“ Hailey, My dear. How are you?” her voice sounded so cold that I felt guilty immediately.

“ Mom?” my voice croaked.

“ Yes Hailey, your Mom. It’s been one year, one whole year Hailey and you never cared to check on your mother, With so much difficulty I managed to get your contact information through a colleague of mine just so I could reach my daughter. I know we weren’t close but I never knew you hated me so much, you didn’t miss your mother or contact her all this time. She paused and heaves. I heard you are engaged, I saw on the internet and your social media posts. It has been mine and your father’s dream to see you get married but since he is no longer with us I thought I’d make his dreams come true. Please come see me just once my dear?” I could sense her voice crack as she tried to hold in her emotion.

 What have I done, I couldn’t utter a word as my conscience mocked me. Because of my choices, I heard my mom for the first time cry over the phone. I have never seen my mom cry before even when she lost her husband, she was only quiet the whole time.

I made my strong mother cry. I pleaded with her over the and promised I’d come to visit her over the weekend, then she hung up the call.

Sleep departed from my eyes. I felt so vile for how I had abandoned my mother, as I sat there in bed Andre walks into my room.

“ Hey babe, what’s up I’ve been knocking outside but no one came to get the door for me. When he saw my gloomy face, he came and sat next to me in bed. Hey, baby why the sad face, what’s wrong?”

I embraced him as tears roll down my cheeks. “ I’m a bad person Andre.” I cried.

“ What? No baby, no. you are not a bad person.”

“ yes I am, I’m selfish and Cruel!”

“ No baby, stop! Tell me what’s going on?”

I pulled away from his grip and looked at him while he wipes the tears off my face. I took a deep breath and tries to get the words out of me while he waited patiently.

“ Now will you tell me, what and who made you cry?”

“ No one, I just got a call from my mom and it made me acknowledge how distant I’ve been from home and her. Baby, I am feeling guilty for not including my mom in the happy moments of my life.”