Eloïse cleared her throat, "well, given that models have specific criteria required based on distinct modeling agencies, those eligible for this agency, that of course, you attribute to, are confidence, coolness," she unconsciously fidgetted with her pen. "Adequate height, uh, flawless facial ensemble, perfect skin, and—" "Hmph! I'll love it if you were more personalized and a lot more elaborate, if you do not mind, that is." She swallowed, not understanding why she was so uncomfortable with the request. "You..." She saw him nod once. A confirmation of what he wanted to hear. "Have quite some rare attributes, for instance, your symmetric face. It's delicate, smooth, clear, and perfectly trimmed in the right areas. Defined. It has this...naturally coaxing wonderful eyes that completely stands out and gives this sense of seriousness and hotness at the same time. To it is this surgery-free ideal nose; thin, straight, and pointy." She scanned, "your lips...your lips are intricately stru
There was a thunderous knock at the door as almost always and the little boy feared, more than ever, his mother's fate than his. In the darkest corner of his small room, was the terrified lad, his knees buried in his chest as he sobbed bitterly. Obedient to his mother's order to not leave his niche no matter what, all he could do was listen, cry, quiver, and listen. All he ever wanted was his mother's happiness and if it meant wishing his father to dot out of the earth, Santa Claus should be expecting his first ever wish list. For the first time, he wished for the white-bearded old man to exist. The fight had gone on for too long this time around that he fought to keep his sanity with his hands plugged to his ears yet, it helped no less; he still heard them as clear as day. 'If you're not going to leave I'm calling the police on you,' His poor mother's quaky voice crept into his room. 'I won't do that if I were you. Just give me my son and you'll be out of trouble's way.' Heavy,
Her father's meeting with the Indo-Chinese consortium lasted two consecutive days. In other words, two days stuck in their various hotel rooms self-entertaining. Thank goodness for Marila and Bennie's company, and of course, her date to-be's—Craig. When her mother validated her relationship with Craig, she was as happy as concerned and guilty. Not that she questioned her mother's easy endorsement, but the lack of confidentiality she'd proven towards the lady recently, due to her undying and rigid devotedness to her husband, ached. 'Eloïse, tell me, are you having feelings for Craig?' Her mother had asked with a barely detectable tinge of worry. 'Why? Are you against it?' Zaphrina's eyes glistened with sincere joy. 'What mother will be against such good news? If anything, I'm very happy for you.' 'Be happy while it lasts.' Zaphrina frowned. 'Because once you tell dad about this, we don't know what turn it'll take.' With ample understanding, Zaphrina sighed. 'I understand. Pe
For the surprise worth its name, the family arrived in Buea—the city of legendary hospitality—from Limbe—the city of friendship—very late. When they knew Ace will be deeply buried in the environs of his hotel room doing what he knew best. Thanks to another one of his historic tantrums, their parent's susceptibility headed as far as granting his stay in a hotel for three consecutive years. St. Claire was their stop at roughly 10:30 pm. Tired yet not sleepy due to the excitement of seeing her brother again after months, Eloïse manipulated a little with her phone. True to her perception, Rilla had grown into a radiant mother of one consequently crowning her a grandma: as captioned on the videos she had posted on social media. Gombu was the male born's name as reported by the game guard. And was only two years old. Rilla's mother was reported to have died a couple of weeks back. A piece of agonizing news it was. Eloïse had tried Craig's line twice to no avail. Minutes later, he messa
Before departure time, Eloïse had avoided and ignored Ace all day, Craig had not responded to any of her messages, and she'd learned the news from her father about Ace not having plans of returning home anywise. All that devastated her. On their way to the airport, she refused to board Ace's car with the little ego she had. If he didn't feel the need to apologize for his poor behavior, then she will have to fly back in unchanged circumstances. Too much of everything becomes a disease. Ace had always had people coming around despite his wrongs and that made him feel extraordinary, empowering, belittling, and keep him wanting more. So what if the roles changed, will that lead him to an early grave? Eloïse thought as she pretentiously scanned through a magazine while they waited to board the plane in a few minutes. Before her next eye-blink, Eloïse's left hand detached from the magazine and was being pulled alongside her body by a force unknown to physics to a place yet to be known
"We should have told him everything. There were chances of him changing his mind," Zaphrina complained as she neatly hung her husband's shirts in the closet. To say Ace's behavior didn't trouble her will be an understatement as she happened to have observed that it worsened if anything. Perhaps flying him out wasn't the best idea. Perhaps she thought wrong; that Ace would someday change and that, that was the best and only place. That it was the only solution. "I doubt that. You know how he gets whenever the company's mentioned. His mind is made up." Marley typed away on his laptop. Zaphrina's eyes glistened with sorrow thinking back to her son's profile after mentioning the reason for their visit. He must have felt like an outcast. Bethany was right after all. "Honey," Marley pulled out his glasses, set aside his laptop, and deserted the bed after realizing his wife's withdrawal. "Come now, you need to rest, relax, and not think too much." He gently massaged her shoulders whilst
"Mum? Can I talk to you?" She found her mother in the workshop pinning a mixture of brick red and blue material on a mannequin doll. Zaphrina made sure to discard the pin that kept her mouth sealed on her work table before dedicating her whole attention to her daughter. "About what?" She removed her apron and sat down gesturing to Eloïse to sit too. "About Leo's proposal." "Okay?" Eloïse was about to talk when someone knocked. It was Daisy, a new apprentice, who wanted Zaphrina to check out her work. "I'm busy right now, Daisy. Just give me some time and while you're at it, could you please come up with a mock-up of Mrs. Ogechi's traditional outfit? Use the calico I left on Sandra's work table. If it's not enough, get some from the storage room. I'll check on that too when I'm done." "Sure thing, ma'am." "Okay, so, back to you, what was your conclusion?" "I agreed." Her mother proudly smiled. "Because Julien Vauthier was the catch." Her mother's eyes widened. "Jesus. I know he
Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, Dubai.8:13 a.m "Mr. White," The man in a beige Bisht atop an unblemished white kandoora called in his thick Emirati accent as he received his guest's hand for a shake. "Nice to see you." "The pleasure is all mine, Sayyid Kareem." "Have a seat." The tall brunet young man in a black tuxedo obeyed with a smile on display. Almost immediately, waitresses filed in with assorted platters of breakfast pastries to occupy the entire table. "How are you enjoying your stay in Dubai so far, Mr. White?" "Wonderful is an understatement." He watched his cup being shaded with black coffee, expressed his gratitude to the waitress, and watch her leave. "My delight to do business with you is beyond words, Mr. White." "Same here. After all, what other bank can I rely on with my money, eyes closed, but yours?" He watched Sayyid Kareem sip his coffee with glee. "I've heard a lot about it from associates running their businesses over here. It's been reported to have be
"You see, even though Finna had her fair share of bad attitudes displayed, they weren't as bad as those the man she had come to love so badly had begun to portray; he didn't sleep home some nights and not because he spent it with another woman, no. He didn't show her affection anymore, didn't take her out on dates or business parties, he didn't eat at home, indulge her into conversations, and all that." "All these worried Finna considering that she had fallen too deep and madly for this man and could not picture a future without him. So she sat him down on a faithful day and asked him what she'd done wrong, if he didn't love her anymore. And if it were the case of the latter, she'll peacefully leave. Guess what he said to her." Eloïse shrugged "That he still loved her. So much even." "Then why was he acting that way?" Eloïse hastily asked. "'Cus she didn't show interest in things he was excited about." "Hm, that was...a silly reason to behave like an arse." "To you. You should
"I uh..." Craig soothingly tightened his grip on her fingers, rubbing them simultaneously. "I have to leave the country soon fo—" Craig's beautiful face instantly tensed, a conspicuous frown in sight. "How soon is that?" "Less than a month." Eloïse's eyes denied meeting his. "Sorry I interrupted. Please proceed." "My designs were exhibited to an haute designer who approved them and he's willing I work with him. So...yeah." She shrugged. Eloïse felt Craig's stare warm her face all through her little speech. "How long will you be gone for?" "Six months or so, I'm not quite sure." Craig pondered. "Is this the trivial situation you referred to?" Eloïse said nothing. "You assume you're insignificant to me?" She still did not speak. "Where is it?" "France." Craig sighed, "I have nothing to lose as of now. As much as it hurts to admit, I'm tremendously skeptical about getting this job any moment soon. Implying that I'll have to start applying for a job in France then." Eloïse would
"Next," Troy, the photographer, said. "Tilt your head a little more to the left. Alright, perfect." "I thought he'll be here by now," Zaphrina worried as her eyes met her watch. "We are five minutes in. You sure he's not forgotten or something?" "He'll be here soon, mum. Perhaps something came up or he's caught in traffic," Eloïse shrugged and chuckled. "Funny how the roles have turned. Where's the mother who tells me 'a worried mind isn't healthy' hmm? And look at what you're worrying over, it's not even that much of a salient event." Zaphrina comported and focused on the photo shoot meanwhile, Eloïse faded away from the aggregate of photography staff to make a call. It had been ten minutes ago since she'd called Craig to no avail. Not known to be late, Eloïse, however, was certain he would show up since he'd assured her two days ago and earlier that day. She went to voice mail after two rings and wore the crown of persistence this time around. For the first time. Saints on her s
Craig had respected the curfew to the latter; he'd taken her back home seven minutes to time. Four of which they'd spent walking the short distance he'd parked his car away from Eloïse's home. When she asked why, his retort was to spend a little more time with her hand in his. "How do you cope living here?" He asked. "In what context?" Partly conscious, as a result of his big hands warming hers in addition to the circles he made with his thumb at the back, Eloïse wondered. "It's serenity. A little too deafening." "I'm used to. Born and raised in it. What I find deafening is the commotion out of this area." No one spoke for a while. "Don't you admire such places?" "I do. A lot. I love me some alone time every once in a while just like I love some commotion." "How's that?" "It's the way I grew up; my mum was the quiet type and my dad, the calm irritated type. They didn't last long. Spent time fluctuating from one to the other. Eventually lost both and had to live with granny." "I
It was no doubt a miracle that her father worked overtime that Friday evening yet, he did not fail to have a message passed on to Eloïse's date despite it that her mother unfailingly passed on. 'She should be home before 8:30,' she had said with a smile of admiration. 'You two have the fun of your lives.' Eloïse narrowed her eyes at her mother as she read and understood the assignment between the lines. Earlier that moment, while she was being dolled up, Zaphrina had given her one or two seductive pointers. And of course, she planned not on using any. Eloïse cringed at the thought. "You okay?" Craig worried. "Okay. I mean, yeah, I'm okay." She straightened up as the waiter who took their orders returned with a pitcher of minted water and a bottle of champagne. Craig gave her an intense smoldering stare while she watched the waiter fill their glasses and immediately he departed, she cooled her heated body with the cold glass of minted water. "You look good," He complimented for t
Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, Dubai.8:13 a.m "Mr. White," The man in a beige Bisht atop an unblemished white kandoora called in his thick Emirati accent as he received his guest's hand for a shake. "Nice to see you." "The pleasure is all mine, Sayyid Kareem." "Have a seat." The tall brunet young man in a black tuxedo obeyed with a smile on display. Almost immediately, waitresses filed in with assorted platters of breakfast pastries to occupy the entire table. "How are you enjoying your stay in Dubai so far, Mr. White?" "Wonderful is an understatement." He watched his cup being shaded with black coffee, expressed his gratitude to the waitress, and watch her leave. "My delight to do business with you is beyond words, Mr. White." "Same here. After all, what other bank can I rely on with my money, eyes closed, but yours?" He watched Sayyid Kareem sip his coffee with glee. "I've heard a lot about it from associates running their businesses over here. It's been reported to have be
"Mum? Can I talk to you?" She found her mother in the workshop pinning a mixture of brick red and blue material on a mannequin doll. Zaphrina made sure to discard the pin that kept her mouth sealed on her work table before dedicating her whole attention to her daughter. "About what?" She removed her apron and sat down gesturing to Eloïse to sit too. "About Leo's proposal." "Okay?" Eloïse was about to talk when someone knocked. It was Daisy, a new apprentice, who wanted Zaphrina to check out her work. "I'm busy right now, Daisy. Just give me some time and while you're at it, could you please come up with a mock-up of Mrs. Ogechi's traditional outfit? Use the calico I left on Sandra's work table. If it's not enough, get some from the storage room. I'll check on that too when I'm done." "Sure thing, ma'am." "Okay, so, back to you, what was your conclusion?" "I agreed." Her mother proudly smiled. "Because Julien Vauthier was the catch." Her mother's eyes widened. "Jesus. I know he
"We should have told him everything. There were chances of him changing his mind," Zaphrina complained as she neatly hung her husband's shirts in the closet. To say Ace's behavior didn't trouble her will be an understatement as she happened to have observed that it worsened if anything. Perhaps flying him out wasn't the best idea. Perhaps she thought wrong; that Ace would someday change and that, that was the best and only place. That it was the only solution. "I doubt that. You know how he gets whenever the company's mentioned. His mind is made up." Marley typed away on his laptop. Zaphrina's eyes glistened with sorrow thinking back to her son's profile after mentioning the reason for their visit. He must have felt like an outcast. Bethany was right after all. "Honey," Marley pulled out his glasses, set aside his laptop, and deserted the bed after realizing his wife's withdrawal. "Come now, you need to rest, relax, and not think too much." He gently massaged her shoulders whilst
Before departure time, Eloïse had avoided and ignored Ace all day, Craig had not responded to any of her messages, and she'd learned the news from her father about Ace not having plans of returning home anywise. All that devastated her. On their way to the airport, she refused to board Ace's car with the little ego she had. If he didn't feel the need to apologize for his poor behavior, then she will have to fly back in unchanged circumstances. Too much of everything becomes a disease. Ace had always had people coming around despite his wrongs and that made him feel extraordinary, empowering, belittling, and keep him wanting more. So what if the roles changed, will that lead him to an early grave? Eloïse thought as she pretentiously scanned through a magazine while they waited to board the plane in a few minutes. Before her next eye-blink, Eloïse's left hand detached from the magazine and was being pulled alongside her body by a force unknown to physics to a place yet to be known