The party

CHAPTER ONE

"C'mon, sweetness. This dress is perfect for the party." Chief Onapuruagu's smile teased. "Let me feed you this piece of cake."

"I feel like the dress is too much..I feel like the Cinderella Princess." Coco said.

His mouth curled at the term. "Cinderella? It's perfect, okay?"

Coco frowned. "Fine, but the second it gets uncomfortable I'm changing."

He laughed at her ill temper and mood swing, as if she amused him. "Agreed." Chief Onapuruagu reseated himself.

Six months had passed and not so much has changed in Dirty South.

Vanilla cake pops, bagel buffet, casserole, spinach and cheese strata, smoked salmon and cream cheese pastries, candied smoked chipotle bacon, crockpot potatoes and exclusive wine bottles from Chief Onapuruagu's newly opened wine company were arranged for Coco's party.

Coco Kaave Ray is heavily pregnant and almost due. In the last months, her doctor had warned her to be extremely careful as she suffered pre-eclampsia in her first trimester.

It took Brandy a month to pester Coco before she agreed to have a gender reveal party.

Coco and Brandy picked a royal gender reveal theme featuring crowns, castles, and framed printouts of royal settings. Including a prince and Princess decor on one side of the table. Swords, tiaras, cupcake toppers, a hefty gold crown, and stuffed animals in regal outfits were also neatly arranged.

For someone that wasn't interested in a gender reveal party, Coco's mood so surprised Brandy - she was extremely hyper, excited and active.

Coco took in a small crowd of only Chief Onapuruagu's family and her friends. Coco, Chief Onapuruagu, Mrs. Claudia, Brandy, Pearl, Carey, Tems, Georgianna and Inna, who was serving alongside two extra staff members of the household to assist her, were the only people in the exclusive gender reveal party. The guests all appeared excited, sitted in the private garden of Chief Onapuruagu's mansion.

Chief Onapuruagu was in his element, as staunch as a four-star general planning a strategic attack, he had Coco hugged up to his side, and they both appeared to be enjoying the gender reveal party.

The rest of the guests gathered around, drinking and celebrating.

Overwhelmed by it all, Coco slumped back against Chief Onapuruagu's chest. Everything was truly all right, and the party was a good idea, she realized. She loved every bit of it and found it fascinating. Tears filled her eyes, if only her dear dad was still alive... but they were happy tears. She missed her mum too.

"The dress is getting uncomfortable," Coco said, almost laughing. "Don't switch up, we agreed.." She let out a small laugh.

Chief Onapuruagu smiled, having no intentions of letting her out of his sight, not at the moment. "Sweetness, I really love this dress on you, you think you can wait till after the party?"

Chief Onapuruagu and Coco were dressed in matching, pearl-embellished ensembles that aligned perfectly with the theme of the party.

Coco's entire dress, gloves, choker, and headpiece were covered in beads and ornate jewels. Thigh-high slit on her luxe frock and a billowing satin overskirt belted layered at the waist, adding some instant volume and a quintessential train. Her crown was a flawless hybrid of religious and regal.

"Mom, she's so beautiful," Tems whispered into Mrs Claudia's ears, blushing. "I love her dress, newly launched design from TRENDZ fashion."

Mrs Claudia rolled her eyes. "At least she looks decent, unlike her usual rascal self. Well, I am readying myself to tell Fred about my plans."

"Which are?" She took a big bite from the vanilla cake pop in her hand.

"My grandchild will not be trained by criminals," Claudia shrugged. "I need custody of the child so I can raise him rightly.. he needs to be far away from Coco."

Tems laughed loud and when she saw that everyone was now paying attention to her, she seized the laughter and shifted into her chair, smiling mischievously.

"Quit day-dreaming," She said, her voice a whisper. "you'll be heart broken."

Chief Onapuruagu led Coco to the center of the garden and both had a cute little dance before addressing their guests for the fifth time.

"Thank you," Coco stared into their faces, smiling. "Thank you very much for coming out to celebrate with I and my husband, the pleasure is all ours."

"We are pleased to announce that we're expecting a baby boy..a prince that will someday succeed his father and become a king." Chief Onapuruagu paused for a while, observing everyone's expression, he continued. "Thank you for coming out to celebrate my forth coming son, merry with me until morning, cheers!" They all clapped, smiling and cheering. There was no bursting of a big balloon to make it more playful. No one complained though.

"I envy Coco," Pearl said to her sisters. "this is everything I pray for everyday of my life."

Brandy and Carey turned to give her the side eye, not surprised. The trio were seated on a table, quite a distance from Tems's and Claudia. Georgianna was seated alone on her own table.

"You pray to get married to a drug baron or you pray for a child?" Carey asked, intentionally set to annoy Pearl. "Which?"

Brandy laughed, raising her hands to signal Inna for another bottle of wine. She glanced at Coco still in the center of the garden, dancing, Chief Onapuruagu stepping out to answer a phone call.

"A family!" Pearl emptied her glass of wine. The wine was too good. "Do you ever think of having a family? And yes Brandy, I am also referring to you."

Brandy was too engrossed in her wine drinking, Chief Onapuruagu's new wine, Sexy green, had become her favourite. It gave her everything she wanted, the exact kind of high she needed. "Family?" She mumbled, then shook her head. "Husband, kids?" She gave a scoffing laugh. "Let's just say dreams are different.."

"Excuse you," Carey leaned forward to glare into her face. "What dreams? Are you saying your dream is to remain Coco's sidekick or... wouldn't you want to do something meaningful with your life?"

Brandy frowned, getting a bit pissed. "In other words my life don't have a meaning?"

"Not exactly so," Pearl bit on her lower lip. "how can Coco be so comfortable that you're literally doing nothing with your life except follow her round the world? Common, focus on some business or finding a family and give her space."

"Example, Pearl, is about publishing her first book, she just got a promotion as a college teacher, and as for me, I'm busy with my restaurant." Carey bragged "There has to be something you're doing, aside following Coco around. You're practically wasting your education."

"Being Coco's friend is a full time job," Brandy snapped. "How else do you think I got the mansion you both are sleeping in and using my house food supplies for your restaurant and personal business? By the way, hardworking women, where's what to show for all your hard work? Seems this jobless fellow is doing the magic."

Pearl and Carey frowned. They swallowed hard the mock and jab Brandy was throwing.

"All the money you'll make from your restaurant business, publishing books and teaching in colleges, now and in years to come will be nothing compared to the figures in my bank account."

Carey laughed hard, almost choking. "Stop joking, imagine when Cay's Pot will be as big as McDonalds? Your jobless self would never come close."

Pearl shared in Carey's laughter. "You've got an idea who a world best seller is? Might probably be richer than your boss.."

Pearl abruptly stopped talking when she glanced at Coco. "Brandy! Carey.." She pointed at Coco dumbfounded, her eyes darting around, trying to make sure every other person was seeing what she saw. She sounded devasted and was shaking.

"Coco!" Brandy yelled, standing on her feet.

Coco was bleeding, her dress soaked in blood.

Chief Onapuruagu heard Brandy scream Coco's name and immediately ended the phone call, looking around to see if everything was okay. He raced to Coco when he saw her soaked in blood.

Coco looked down at her legs and in between, heart pounding, it seemed like a pregnancy complication, she raised her head slowly, looking at everyone, then slumped. Chief Onapuruagu was there to hold her into his arms.

"Coco!" He called, glaring into her eyes. She was unconscious.

"I called the ambulance," Brandy said coldly.

Chief Onapuruagu carefully carried her into the ambulance and they left for the hospital.

Brandy sank to her knees as she watched the ambulance drive off.

"What happened?" Pearl asked.

"Tell me she'll be fine." Carey said, trying to squat beside Brandy.

Brandy ignored, jumping to her feet. "I need to be there.." She mumbled, searching inside her handbag for her car keys. When she found the keys, she looked around for her heels, she had taken off her heels when Coco slumped.

"Here," Pearl took off her sandals and offered to Brandy.

Brandy snatched the sandals, running to her car barefoot.

Pearl and Carey looked around, their eyes meeting with Claudia, Tems, Georgianna and Inna.

The atmosphere suddenly turned extremely cold.

"Everyone be calm, she'll be fine," Mrs Claudia said. "It's best if we all go to the living room and wait for my son to come back or at least give a call."

Talk of the devil, Chief Onapuruagu ringed Mrs Claudia's phone.

"Have you gotten to the hospital?" Claudia questioned, glaring at everyone staring at her.

"No one must leave the scene," Chief Onapuruagu said, his voice sounding a threat. "except for Brandy whom is driving directly behind us," He went on. "Everyone must remain in the garden until I come back or say otherwise."

Claudia frowned. "I am of better suggestion we wait for you in the living room..the garden is getting cold...hello?.." Chief Onapuruagu ended the call conversation.

"What's big bro saying?" Tems moved closer to Claudia.

Claudia exhaled, studying everyone's expression. "The instruction is for no one to leave the garden until he's back or say otherwise."

Georgianna by now was already in tears. "Why today?"

After an hour of pacing around the garden, they all lowered themselves to sit on their tables. It seemed as though they could all hear their hearts beat in fear of the outcome.

The garden was cold, sending chills over their bodies.

"How long are we going to be trapped here?" Pearl asked Carey. "I am very cold, my coat is in Brandy's car."

Carey shrugged. "I pray nothing bad happens."

Mrs Claudia reached for a different flavor of Sexy green and sipped the wine. "It's cold out here, this might help."

Tems looked around. "The gender reveal party was a big mistake, the doctor warned for her not to stress."

"She'll be fine," Claudia said. "I bled while I was pregnant for you during my last trimester."

"I hope so," Tems stood to her feet. "I do hope so.." She paced round the garden.

***

Brandy looked up to meet Chief Onapuruagu's gaze. She was leaning against the theatre wall, on the floor, the lines of dried tears were still visible on her face.

"She needs blood." He muttered lifelessly.

"I've given Coco blood in the past, we're a good match." Brandy responded.

Chief Onapuruagu nodded. "You think you can still do it? Their blood bank is empty and before we can find a blood donor.."

Brandy cut him off. "Even if she needs all my blood, I don't mind."

Chief Onapuruagu stretched forth his hand, pulling her to stand on her feet. "Thank you."

"Will she be fine?" Brandy questioned, looking into Chief Onapuruagu's eyes. "And our prince?"

"The gender reveal party wasn't a good idea.." Chief Onapuruagu said.

"The party wasn't stressful, I handled all the preparation and arrangements, Coco did nothing except try to have fun.." Brandy defended.

"We'll talk about this later," Chief Onapuruagu grunted. "For now, Coco needs blood! Urgently!"

"Where do I have to go to?" Brandy questioned, trying to stay sane and strong.

"Follow me."

Chief Onapuruagu led Brandy through a wide passage. The silence between both wasn't awkward. Both were used to ignoring each other.

Chief Onapuruagu opened the door and Brandy stepped into the office.

"Hi," She said to the doctor. "How much blood does Coco need? Is she in a critical condition? I want to know the details."

"Hello Brandy," Tate said. "you see.."

"How much blood does she need, doctor Tate?" Brandy asked impatiently. "And who's taking my blood sample to run tests?"