chapter one

It was jada and Judy's birthday today, Jada had suprised her sister  with a cake, wine, small chops and sweet delicacies at her  office with which they had a little get together during their launch break.

She smiled satisfactory with the look of contentment on her sister's face earlier today. She missed when they were still together, they both would hang out together and throw wild parties with friends to celebrate their birthday but all that changed when Judy got married.

She wouldn't blame her, she now has a home to take care off and what man in his right sense would allow his wife engage in such? definitely not African men. She knew a lot was going on with her sister but she could not pinpoint exactly what it is. She had thought maybe it was her marriage but she discarded the thought as soon as it came, she and her husband use to be happy couples back then and even when she spent the weekend at her sister's place last week all seems to be well, but whatever it is she would make sure she gets to the bottom of it.

"She and her sister has always shared a very strong bond when they were kids and they practically hide nothing from each other, so why would Judy want to change that now" she thought biting her lower lip worriedly.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and she jumped back it fright.

"Babe you scared me" she said holding her chest in relief.

" You would have seen and heard me calling you if you weren't so Deep in your thoughts"

" So what was my beautiful angel thinking about that has made her have worry lines on her face" he queried

Her cheeks heat up at his endearment, it been one year since they started dating but she still hasn't gotten use to his compliments because he uses them randomly and unexpectedly in such a manner it would make you blush.

" Nothing"

"Are you sure?  or you would  you tell me later tonight" he added the last part wiggling his brow.

She laughed at his expression, hitting him playfully on the chest.

"Happy birthday my baby girl, see the way you are sitting opposite me like we are in a conference meeting"

" Come here joor" he said pointing at his laps.

She looked around then back to him, she wasn't sure she heard him properly. he wants her to sit on his laps in an eatery for that matter? not only that, there weren't even the only one present.

" Baby you don't have to be shy now, everyone here is minding his own business even if they are looking at us what bad in sitting on your boyfriend's laps" he said persuading her

" Ivan it not that I don't want to but..." She said using her eyes to indicate the people sitting  directly opposite them.

Ivan stood up and went to her, he sat closely beside her and lifted her by her waist onto his laps in a straddling position, he squeezed her ass and brought his lips closer and took her's in a passionate kiss.

She hid her face in his chest when he broke the kiss.

" See the way you are acting shy as if we have not done worst than this before"

"It different, Ivan we are in public oh" she whispered screamed.

"And so? Don't you know on our wedding day we  are going to kiss before our families, which is more worst"

She laughed and shook her head as she pictured it, she was definitely going to die of embarrassment... "Wait did he just speak of marriage... As in marriage with her? Maybe he was just trying to paint a scenario, it noting serious Jada" she thought, she quickly pushed the thought aside, this was her birthday and she was not going to ruin it worrying about Silly stuff..... Marriage will come and marriage with Ivan will be a dream come true, of course he is every woman's dream. Jada you are over  thinking again" she said as she rolled her eyes for allowing such thought bother her.

"You said?" Ivan asked

" What"

" I thought I heard you say something"

" Oh yes I should am famished, we should order" she lied covering it up with a bright smile.

He helped her to sit back and stood up to sit opposite her. When she picked up the menu to  place an order he took it from her and took her left hand in his.

" What" it was her turn to ask

"Nothing I had a special dessert prepared for us, so we would have that first before ordering food" he said kissing her fingers as he stared at her intensely.

He signified the waiter who responded with a nod. About five minutes later she came with another waiter walking closely behind her.

They  dropped the contents of the tray on the table and left. When she attempted opening the first plate he had playfully told her that was his and the second one was her's. "Has he ordered pizza for himself? cause he knew how much she dislikes it and besides that she thought it  wasn't worth the hype" she shrugged nonchalantly.

She hurriedly opened the stainless covering, Hoping to dive into it immediately when the contents of the ceramic plate stared back at her. She looked closely with her eyes almost popping out of their socket then looked back at him as he smiled mischievously.

Before her was a tiny piece of cake with the inscription " MARRY ME"  and beside it was an open red velvet  box which housed  a beautiful emerald green stoned engagement ring. Her hands flew to her mouth as she let out a loud gasp with attracted the attention of the others.

She quickly fitted the ring on her finger and ran to his side to engulf him in a warm embrace.

She cupped his face in her hands as she plastered kisses all over them.

He held her firm to himself and when the euphoria has died down a little he look her in the eyes " babe you didn't answer the questions oh" he queried playfully

" So all those jumping was for what??, Oya yes since you need answers" she said and they both laughed.

" He took the velvet box and found out it was empty, he raised his brow in confusion as his eyes roam the table  just incase it had fallen down during her little display or did he waiter take it out" he thought as worry lines began to form on his forehead.

" Babe what is it" Jada asked as she noticed how distracted he was.

" The ring" he muttered looking under the table

" Oh here is it" she said stretching forth her hands and smilling in admiration on how perfectly it fits.

" Wait babe you wore it yourself?" He looked at her in amazement, then he let out a chuckle

" What na" she asked spreading her palm

" I was supposed to help you with it.... bush girl, who wears their engagement ring themselves?"

" Does it matters, infact is it written in the constitution that the guy must be to one to fit it in"

" You are a handful jade, come here" he said affectionately as he took her lips in his again kissing her slowly and she reciprocated with so much vigor

" Wait oh, how come you are no longer shy, some minutes ago you were shy of kissing me" he asked with his brow raised.

" Erhh I was trying maintain some level of decency na" she replied wiggling her brows

"So you have thrown it out of the window now abi"

" Of course now" she snuggled into him as he held her to his side, they smiled and responded to the congratulations that was thrown their way, one could see how happy they looked, love is indeed a beautiful thing.

" Baby let go to your place now, let have a steamy night, it been long" she whined as she whispered into his ear.

" Let have something to eat first, thought you were hungry"

" Ohh Ohh baby we can eat later beside I'm no longer hungry"

" Lols, you are just impatient, I'm all your darling I'm not running away"

" I know but I want you so badly already"

" Ok don't worry I will tell them to wrap it up for us"

She nodded and watched him inform the waiter they  would want their meal packed. Soon they brought their orders and they went to his car with him holding her hands as she walked beside him.

Judy opened the door and welcome her husband with a side hug, he murmured a " how are you" as he sat on the couch loosening his tie.

" How was work today" she asked sitting beside him to help him unbutton his shirt.

" Was ok " he said yawning tiredly.

" Guess you might be starving let me get you your food" she stood up and went to the kitchen.

She carried the tray of food to the dinning and carefully removed the plates and bowl of water placing them on the dinning table. Her husband joined her and soon they dived into their meal of semovita and well garnished okoro soup containing assorted meats, shrimps, fish and goat meat. She had specifically gone out of her way to prepare it  also a chilled bottle of wine and some left over cake which Jada had brought for her was relaxing in the fridge, they would use that as follow us since her husband would be too tired to go out to celebrate her birthday.

he ate the food absentminded and was occasionally gazing  and typing on his phone.

She had thought he would compliment the food but he just sat there eating and typing away, she had to calm herself down, "maybe it was work related and it was too early to ruin the night with complains she was sure he would around" she thought

Few minutes later he washed his hands and stood up.

"Are you done eating" she asked

" Yes, thanks for the meal, I have a presentation  to work on and I have to sleep early our monthly meeting is tomorrow" he said

She nodded slowly not even able to utter a word as her eyes watered, he didn't even remember her birthday and she had gone all the way out to celebrate his last two months.

After he left she washed her hands and took the remaining portion to the kitchen, she microwaved them before covering them properly. She decided to watch TV a bit before going to sleep.

As she sat down making her self comfortable on the couch with a glass of wine and a some piece of cake besides her. As she sip slowly savouring the taste of the wine her phone ranged so she stood  up to get it from where she had plugged it to charge.

" Hello" she said immediately she picked the call.

" Judy I'm engaged..." Her sister screamed happily into the phone

" Wait, what!!!!" She was shocked

"Sist am as suprised as you are"

" Congratulations, well come to the marriage world" she congratulate her sister genuinely, she was very glad her sister was getting married and their mom will be more than happy, every since she got married two years ago her mom  never ceased to disturb Jada in settling down too.

" when did this happen" she asked

" This evening" Jada replied

" awwwn Jada I'm really really happy for your" she said with all smiles.

They gisted for a while and as Jada filled her on how her evening  with Ivan went she couldn't help but felt jealous. Not jealous of her sister actually but she  wanted that kind of treatment and attention too, infact it was Every women's dream.

after the call she went into the bedroom sat on the bed, Dave just concluded whatever he doing on his system, he dropped it on the  stool beside the bed then lied facing her.

" Aren't you sleeping yet" he asked her when he caught her staring at him intensely.

" What's today?" She questioned.

" Thursday" he answered.

" Really Dave, you actually don't know what today is".

He looked at her confused, he was trying to remember if he had promised her anything today cause women hold dearly to promises.

went he continued looking at her in confusion, she went red with fury.

" Today is my birthday and My husband couldn't even remember, while I went all out for his.. wow how wonderful" she laughed dryly.

"Gosh today is August 25th, how could he forget" he thought as rubbed his temple slightly, an habit he  does whenever he was in a tight corner.

" Babe I'm sorry, it escaped me, a lot has been going on I know that's not an excuse but I promise to make it up to you" he pleaded. She shrugged his hands off when he attempted touching her.

" Please am sorry now, it would never happen again I promise" he continued pleading and after much pleading she finally accepted. He cuddled her gently and promised to treat her to a romantic dinner the next day, they discussed a little bit of how their day went before he slept off on her.

She covered him properly with the duvet since it was a bit  chilling and the air-conditioner was on.she had thought she they would get down to business tonight but seems he was tired, she yawned for the umpteenth time and adjusted herself to  lay more comfortably, before forcing herself to sleep.