Same Clothes

CHAPTER 11… Same Clothes

.*.*.*.*.*.*.

Austin hummed and watched her take a few steps before calling out to her.

"Miss Roosevelt?" Jazmine turned to look at him. "Great job with dinner. You did very well."

Jazmine blushed and tucked an invisible strand of hair behind her ear.

"Thank you, sir. Glad you like it."

Without another word, she walked into the room and crashed into bed muffling a happy scream.

Austin liked her cooking! He did! He complimented her job! Wow!

*****

"Daddy?" Alicia turned and opened her eyes.

Austin, who was a light sleeper, opened his eyes and looked down at her.

"Are you okay, Alicia?"

"Yes," the little girl smiled. "Where's Aunty Jazmine?"

Austin ran a finger through her hair and pulled her closer. "She's in her room. Possibly sleeping. Why do you ask?"

"Can I go sleep with her?" Alicia asked timidly, hoping her father would agree. She liked Jazmine's warmth and her smiles were sincere.

Austin arched an eyebrow.

"Why? Do you like her?"

"Hmm," Alicia nodded. "I just want to sleep beside her."

"What about me?" Austin frowned.

"You can stay with us…" she said and got off the bed, tugging at her father's arm. "Let's go."

Austin got off the bed, reluctantly and followed the child out.

Meanwhile, Jazmine who was about to kiss a charming prince was angry about the incessant knocks on the door.

She put the pillow over her head and kept hitting her legs in the air in irritation.

"Aunt Jazmine?"

Jazmine's feet hung in the air when she heard Alicia's voice amidst the knocks. She rushed out of the bed and opened the door.

"Alicia? Mr. Sylvian?" Jazmine was surprised to see the father and daughter at the door.

Didn't she sleep?

Austin looked at Jazmine carefully. Her red hair was tied in a messy loose bun yet she looked beautiful. He could almost not take his eyes off her face.

"Aunty Jazmine, can I sleep with you?" Alicia mumbled.

Jazmine smiled and held her hand.

"Sure, baby! Come on in."

"Thank you"

Jazmine turned to face Austin who was lost in his trance and yawned.

"Sir?"

"Yeah," Austin shook his head and smiled awkwardly when he realized he had spaced out. "Miss Roosevelt, goodnight."

"Goodnight, sir."

"Goodnight, daddy."

*****

After breakfast the next morning, Austin was trying to dress Alicia up when Jazmine knocked on the door.

"Come in, Miss Roosevelt"

Jazmine walked in carefully, in case he wasn't dressed up already. She was already dressed in a two piece black suit that fitted her perfectly. She had paired it with a pair of black heels before braiding her hair into two large cornrows.

Alicia looked at her for a few seconds before turning back to look at Austin.

"Daddy, I don't like this dress anymore," she stated, causing Austin to nearly scream.

He met her gaze, not bothering to hide the fact that he was glaring at her. But the child didn't mind. She was smiling, as though she was enjoying his look.

"Alicia, this is the sixth dress you have rejected in twenty minutes. What exactly do you want?"

"Her kind of dress," Alicia didn't think before pointing to Jazmine's clothes.

"What?" Jazmine looked at herself in shock. She looked back at Alicia who was smiling.

Was she always this sly?

Austin took a deep breath and calmed himself.

"You do not have a two piece suit, darling. Where am I supposed to get one from?"

Hearing that Alicia didn't have a two piece suit, Jazmine knew she needed to change her clothes.

"I'll wear a black flower gown. Sure she's got that?" She asked and Austin raised a brow.

"Why would you do that, Miss Roosevelt?"

Jazmine shook her head and kept her smile on.

"Well, we have only twenty five minutes until the conference begins, sir."

Austin sighed and nodded. Jazmine left the room to change while he picked a black flower dress for Alicia.

When Jazmine returned in a dress that looked almost exactly like hers, Alicia jumped on the bed happily.

Austin hissed and walked out of the room, leaving Alicia and Jazmine to follow him.

Jazmine grabbed Alicia's hand and gave it a light squeeze. She bent over and whispered softly in the child's ear, "You've pissed daddy out."

Alicia giggled childishly and replied, "He's fine, Miss Jazmine."

Jazmine picked her handbag and stepped out of the room. When she and Alicia reached the elevator, Austin was already inside.

He wouldn't speak a word to both of them and they didn't seem bothered, either.

When they got to the last floor, Alexander was already waiting. He was dressed in a pair of black trousers and white tee shirt. In no way did he look like one who was going for a meeting. Jazmine even thought he looked like he was going for a walk in the park.

"Jazmine, my darling," Alexander greeted happily. "I missed you."

"You missed breakfast, you meant to say." Austin mumbled and walked ahead of them.

Alexander frowned and looked at Jazmine with an arched brow.

"Alicia's handiwork," Jazmine whispered and Alexander laughed it off.

"Good morning, Uncle Alex," Alicia greeted with a smile.

Alexander bent down to kiss her forehead before replying.

"How are you, my love? Been a good girl?"

"Yes, uncle,"

"That's a lie," Austin muttered, looking over his shoulders. "If the lot of you don't want us coming here to be in vain, you better hurry."

Without a word from them, everyone hurried to the conference room but Jazmine stayed outside with Alicia.

She grabbed a few chocolate bars from her bag and handed them to Alicia who took them with a smile.

"You need them. I don't know how long the meeting would take but it would help you. Okay?"

Alicia nodded and smiled.

"Thank you, Aunt Jazmine."

"Welcome," Jazmine responded with a smile as her phone began to ring. "Go in. I'll just take this call and come in."

Alicia nodded and went inside, leaving Jazmine to her call. Jazmine pulled out her phone and received the call.

"Hello, mum?"

Vanessa was pleased to hear her daughter's voice. She had already gotten to the verge of tears.

"Jazmine, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine, mum. How are you feeling today?"

Vanessa sniffled a tear and nodded her head even though Jazmine couldn't see her.

"I'm feeling better. Rhea gave me a few pills and let me call you. You should be grateful to have a friend like her, Jazmine."

Jazmine chuckled softly and sniffed.

"I know, mum," she chuckled, "even your voice is stronger. And yes, I am grateful to Rhea for being a very wonderful friend."

"How is work, Jazmine? Hope you're not stressed? Your boss, hope he is not overworking you?"

"Mum, slow down. I'm fine. Work is fine and no, I am not stressed. My boss is not overworking me too." Jazmine said, the last part being a lie but she couldn't bring herself to tell her mother.

She didn't want the woman getting worried as that would be very detrimental to her health that was already weak and failing.

Vanessa did not believe it.

"Are you sure, Jazmine?"

"Yes, mum," Jazmine assured her in a crisp voice. "I'm perfectly OK!"

"Okay," Vanessa muttered. "I'll leave you to your job, child. Don't forget to call Rhea and thank her for taking care of me."

"I won't, mum. Take care. I love you,"

"Love you, Jazmine," the line disconnected.

Jazmine sighed and the tears she had been holding in came flooding out. She took a few steps back and leaned on the wall.

Her mother's voice was stronger and clearer and that made her happier than ever. Without a thought, she typed a short appreciation message and sent it to Rhea before tossing the phone back into the bag and heading to the toilet on the floor.

Meanwhile, In the meeting room, Austin kept turning around and looking at the door. Jazmine had not come in and they had come together.

Where was she?

"Daddy?"

Austin quickly turned to his daughter.

"Yes, baby."

"Where's Aunt Jazmine?"

Austin smiled. He took another glance at the door before turning to face the child.

"She's on her way. Let's wait a few minutes, okay?"

Alicia nodded and focused on her chocolate bars.

Meanwhile, Jazmine washed her face in the bathroom. She then applied a very thin layer of powder and also loosened her hair bun , letting it fall all over her shoulders, before grabbing her bag and heading into the conference.

"Where have you been, Miss Roosevelt?" Austin asked when she sat down on a seat he had saved for her between himself and Alicia.

Jazmine turned to him with a faint smile and leaned in to whisper in his ear, "I had an urgent call to attend to. I'm sorry, sir."

Austin nodded and looked away to face the speaker on the podium.

Jazmine sighed in relief and turned to flash a smile in Alicia's way before turning to face the speaker too.