Chapter Two

“ Hey! What are you doing here at this hour?” I asked.

“ Uhm, you forgot this. He present a record in front of me. I didn’t think your father’s birthday ritual would be complete without his favorite tracks so I thought if bringing it to you.” 

“ But how did you…?  before I could finish my sentence he took my hands and  placed the record in  them , then he kissed my forehead . I will see you tomorrow okay? Goodnight.” He turned and continued to the elevator. I stood right there awestruck as I watched him pushed the button and got into the lift, he turned and waved at me right before the lift door shuts. On realizing he was gone I went back into my apartment and shut the door.

Resuming from where I had left with the preparation of my dad’s birthday ritual, I I placed the record in the record player and astoundingly the record played my father’s favorite songs by “ Leonel Richie “. It still baffled me on how he figured out what kind of music my dad liked and bringing it to me just in the nick of time. As the thought of all these ran through my mind, I looked down at my dad’s picture on the dining table and smiled with tears in my eyes. “ Hey Dad, did you see that? You needn’t worry about your little girl anymore because she has found herself a good man, just like you. And dad, did you see how he came to my aid just at the right time? I wiped my tears with the back of my hand and smiled. I know I had promised you that I will not cry on him his day but don’t mind me these are tears of joy.”  I came back to my senses again and went back to the kitchen to get his favorite Chocolate soufflé cake, then I came back to fetch the two plates of pasta and brought them to the dining. I slowly placed them there at the table then sat down and had dinner with an envisage that he was sitting right next to me and eating with me. After dinner I wished him a happy birthday and blew out the candles, I then cut a little live from it and munched it down while I listened to his favorite song . 

The rest of the night went by so fast I woke up and found myself at the dining with a fork glued on my face. “ I must have dozed off while listening to ‘Lionel Richie ‘ all night long. 

As I struggled to keep my sleepy eyes open, I took as brief glance at the wall clock and it says half past 8am, I jumped immediately when I realized I only had thirty minutes to get ready, but looking at the condition of the kitchen and dining I decided to do a little tidy up before I leave.

Festinate, I cleared the table and moved the rest of the candles to my room, then a little touch of Dusting on the kitchen counter and dining table before I went and freshened up for work.

Fifteen minutes left, I headed out and weirdly on getting down stairs, Andre didn’t come over to pick me up like he always does. I thought maybe he might be occupied with some work so I took a cab to work. 

I knew I was getting use to Andre's pampering and care towards me, within the three months we had started dating, it has been amazing. Just like my dad told me  “ When you are in love everything looks beautiful in our eyes and words will sound just like music in our ears.” I could proudly say that I am a true believer to those words of his regarding Love during the early days of my relationship with Andre. He was attentive to all my wants and needs even before I could say them, Romantic. Oh Gosh! If romance was a person’s name, it would have been  Andre’s middle name .

The feeling of being around him, I felt safe and I felt like I was on top of the world riding on a love boat taking us which ever way the wind blows, the feeling is inexplicable.

   I was a bit late when I got to work so I resumed my duty immediately. The day was just like every other day, Rosalie came over to ask me about how my day went yesterday and we spoke for  a little while before she headed back to her work unit . I continued with my work serving customers all day long.  

Once I was done serving my last customer for the day. I went back to the kitchen, looking at my writ watch it says past six and I was supposed to round Up  my shift by six sharp so I thought I’d wait for the last customer I served to complete his meal.

In twenty minutes, the customer was done with his meal and requested for me. I came to take his payment and after which gave me a bouquet of rose with a “ happy birthday” on it. Suddenly it hit me, today is my birthday. Last year I refused to celebrate my birthday because my birthday buddy isn’t with me anymore. Normally,  dad and I always celebrate our birthdays together and since his was on May 7th and mine is on May.8th , He would postpone his birthday celebration so it will match with mine and we can celebrate our birthdays together, We called ourselves birthday buddies.

But on the 8th of May, I had forgotten my own birthday. I appreciated the customer and just as I was about to leave another customer walks up to me with a gift bag and wished me a happy birthday, before I knew it my hands were filled with gifts and birthday cards I couldn’t keep counts.

However, how and who told these customers that today was my birthday remained a question in my confused mind until the light went off and back on again. I turned around to find Andre standing in front of me just like a magician with a magical smile on his lips.

“# Happy! Happy! Happy! Happy birthday #

# Happy! Happy! Happy! Happy birthday#

#Everybody wants with you a happy birthday#”

Just like this, everyone including him sang a birthday song for me as they presented in front of me a gigantic ten tear cake . He lift me up as u made a wish and blew out the candles. 

My heart was overjoyed seeing how he went out of his way just to see me happy and smiling on my birthday which I literally had forgotten. 

“ Happy birthday baby.” He gave me a warm hug and a kiss on the lips.

“ Dre baby, how did you do all these?” 

“ that shouldn’t bother you now babe because I have more surprise installed just for the love of my life on her special day. Come with me .” He took my hand as we headed outside the restaurant.

While we were outside, he stops and turns to me with a car key in his hand. “ Babe, this is my first birthday gift for you. He handed the key over to me. Why don't  you push the button?”

I did and there it was a brown new Mercedes Benz parked at a corner for me. I was speechless for a minute as I walked closer to the car and touched it, it felt right. 

“ Do you like It?” 

“ of course I do baby but this is too much. You have done so much already!”

“ there’s nothing I can’t do for you baby and getting you a car is just a token of gratitude from me to you for being a part of my life.”