AMBER ROMANCE

AMBER ROMANCE

WHEN THE HEART KNOWS

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Then he looked at Nma knew that there was no way he was going to let her go now. She was meant for him and only him. Angela’s next flow of words cut into his thoughts.

“Is that all you can manage ma Cherie” she laughed

“No I seem to remember thinking Nma looked breathtaking this evening” he smiled at Nma. “Have I told you that honey?” he asked her

“Several times already but I still want to hear it” she smiled and kissed him on his lips. He wanted to deepen the kiss but she laughed and took a step back “Uche behave yourself, everyone is watching”

“Yes” Angela said, her face a mask of anger and temper. “Everybody is watching” she turned to Nma and looked at her like she was a pest. “It is not over till it is over; you are not married to him yet”

“Nice meeting you again Angela” Nma threw at her

“I wonder if she would always be this way”

“She is not important” he told her, “Do you want to sit while I get you a drink, I am very sure the waiters are not passing around any non alcoholic”

“I will just look around” she told him and watched him leave.

Nma took her time to look at the hall, the  great chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and  the opened French windows made her itch to go to the balconies and look at the sea but Uche would wonder where she was. Then she looked at the guest milling around, the country richest were all accounted for here. All of them shimmering and reeking in designer clothes and precious stones. She wondered if she would ever fit in. if she married Uche, she will become a part of this people. She would move in their circle. Was this really what she wanted, this pretentious life. She smiled, she was thinking too far ahead, Uche had not asked her to marry him yet and he probably wouldn’t. So her fears were needless.

“What a pretty girl like you doing here alone?” a deep said behind her

She whirled around and looked at Stanley smiling down at her. Her first thought was the guy had the most fascinating eyes she had ever seen.

“Hi” she managed to say to him, offering her hands

He shook it “Don’t tell me he left you all by yourself here”

“Well he went in search of a drink for me”

“I see, I should steal you away for a while that will teach him never to leave you alone”

“But I don’t mind being left alone” she smiled at him “And moreover have you not left someone alone to come here and steal me away”

“You are quite clever but the girl I am with is used to this crowd and can never find herself alone”

“Oh but I will rather wait for my man” she told him “but you can keep me company, since your girl can find her way around here”

“My pleasure” Stanley said.

“How is business coming up?”

“Fine I guess”

“You look good night; I wish I saw you first”

Nma laughed, “I didn’t catch what you did the last time we were together”

“I have sizeable beverage company and another one for house hold equipments, etcetera etcetera. Let’s say I am crazy about manufacturing”

“Beverage Company?”

“Sweet water” he told her

“I am your number one customer, this is really great, and I especially love your diet range”

“Now what would a skinny girl like you be doing with diet range”

“It takes discipline to remain skinny” she laughed at him

“I guess” he agreed with her

Angela walked over to Stanley’s date Chris and the girl smiled at her. “Angela you look exceptional tonight”

“Thank you” Angela said “And where is your man, have you wondered?”

Chris laughed “Stanley is not my man but tonight he is my date”

“I see but where is he anyway?”

“He is over there talking to Uche’s girlfriend”

“You mean that whore!”

“Angela! Now I know why you might resent the girl but that name calling was uncalled for”

“When a girl snatches another girl’s boyfriend, what does that make her?” Angela asked

“But you knew Uche wasn’t very serious with you, everyone knew”

“He would have been if that scheming bitch didn’t come up and ruin all my plans”

“Sweet heart look around, there are still plenty bachelors around who look at you with stars in their eyes”

“I want Uche” she snapped at Chris

“Well it doesn’t look like he wants you. Forget him darling and move on with you life. You are a very pretty girl, and you shouldn’t be alone for one second pinning for a man who has eyes only for one girl”

Angela smiled “I know you might think I am mad but true love overcomes in the end. I truly love Uche and I think that’s what’s going to count at the end of the day”

“But Uche looks like he truly love that girl and at the end of the day it is he who decides who he wants”

“You are supposed to be my friend Chris but all you have done so far is support the girl you snatched away my future” Angela cried

“Yes because I am your friend and sometimes I want to bang your head with resounding object and clear it of the cotton wool in it. It’s ok to have a crush on a man when you are a teenager but when you are a grown woman it becomes foolish” Chris said calmly but already her eyes are widening “Oh my goodness it is BODY TALK”

Angela watched the person Chris was referring to walk into the hall in the hands of an international singer. The woman wore a shimmering short green gown that clung to her perfect curves.

“She is truly the most beautiful woman alive” Chris said “When she didn’t manage to ensnare Uche, I thought no one could” she added.  They both turned to look at Nma who was still Stanley, they watched as Uche joined them and they both gasped.

“Now I see the connection” Angela said

“It turns out that the tat is not a tat after all”

“Just because she related to Amber doesn’t mean she is not from the gutter. If my mother was Amber I wouldn’t be wasting my time with that small hut of a boutique trying to make ends meet” Angela snared

Chris smiled but remained silent. She was more interested in the kind of look the woman was getting from men and women alike. Men stared with blatant interest while the women seemed to tighten their holds on their men. And no one seemed to have seen the resemblance between the woman and Nma yet.

Nma was laughing up at Uche and Stanley.

“You owe me a dance for keeping you company while this rascal here went about doing who knows what”

“I will be glad to dance with you” she beamed at him

“Haven’t you heard of taking permission from the man” Uche cut in

“What man?” Stanley asked in mock shock looking around. Then he swore and had all of them looking at the same direction he is looking.

“It is BODY TALK” Nma said with excitement.

The woman was indeed lovely, Nma thought, more lovely than any of her posters she had seen. “She is incredible” Nma murmured

But the guys were looking at the two women and making comparison. “And she looks exactly like you” Stanley said with awe.

“Yes she does” Nma agreed

Stanley looked at Nma startled, “You know?”

“She is my role model; I have her poster in my bedroom. I believe she is the most creative designer I have ever seen”

“You have not wondered why you look exactly like her” Stanley asked

“Yes I have but I have also found out that we have no blood relationship”

“You are sure”

“Yes she is” Uche answered. “Nma is an only child”

“I was thinking that she could be her mother”

Uche gasped because he knew how sensitive Nma was with anything that had to do with her mother, and it didn’t help that she barely knew her the woman or that she had run off when she was still an infant.

“Nma doesn’t like talking about her mother” Uche said

“I am sorry, is she dead?”

Uche rolled her eyes

“Didn’t you come here with a date?”

“I am just being curious”

“She is not dead. She left when I was about eight months old”

“Oh! I am so sorry”

“Yes me too but it is her loss not mine” she managed a smile

Uche knew differently so he gave his friend one of those not too friendly look.

“And I’d better find my date” he said “And don’t forget that dance”

“Don’t mind Stanley, he is a very curious person. He should have joined the force”

“It is a natural reaction. When I was younger, I used to day dream that I was her daughter and that one day she would come back and we will become a family again”

She turned to look at him quietly “If indeed she was my mother, don’t you think she would have looked for me since then. I mean she cannot be that cruel to forget she had a child?”

The look on her face pained Uche and for the first time, he saw how much she wanted and missed having a mother. He drew her into his hands and he pressed a kiss on her fore head.

“Look what a success you have turned out to be without her, I can assure you there are so many girls out there who grew up with their mothers and yet lack the impart of motherhood. But you are a priceless daughter any mother would wish to have. So I say it is her loss, not yours”

She looked up at him and smiled. Then she kissed him fully on the lips. “Why would anyone worry about having a mother who didn’t want her when they have got you” she said.

“What a romantic picture?”  Deep husky voice that sounded close to her own said behind her and Nma turned around and gazed into the eyes that were exactly like her own. If the woman was surprised at the way they resembled each other, she hid it well and smiled at the both of them.

“Amber!” Uche said getting a fierce hug from her.

“My runaway boyfriend” she responded letting him go then she turned to Nma.

“I have been hearing the rumor that Uche is dating my daughter and I came to see”

Nma gasped with shock and for a moment they could only stare at each other. Only when Uche drew her closer to him did it occur to her that she had been squeezing the life out of him.

“Not that any of the rumors are true honey” Amber laughed.

Nma could feel herself beginning to breathe again.

“So I heard you own a clothing line NMA”

“Yes, I do” Nma answered

She saw what looked like a flicker of pain flash through the woman’s face but it only lasted a moment and she wondered if she imagined it.

“You are as lovely as your name, Uche I think this time around you have made the right choice”

“She didn’t tell you her name was Nma” Uche was quick to observe

Nma saw the woman’s smile falter for a second or two.

“Well she didn’t have to but I read that article on the paper, the one that had both of you in each other’s arms on front page” Amber replied smiling again

“Nma I believe both of us should get together, I can tell you that this resemblance and the speculations going on with it will sell millions of clothes for us honey”

“I guess so” Nma replied finding her voice at last. She watched the woman open her purse and bring out a card and handed it to her.

“Here is my card, call me” she said, she turned and looked at Uche. “I am glad you didn’t end up with Angela honey but I believe right now you have got the best there is for you, waste no more time” she smiled and blew a kiss at him and sashayed away back to her lover arms.

“She is nice, don’t you think, not like a baby deserter” Nma commented

“I guess” he replied “let’s dance” he said.

The rest of the evening went well, Nma danced with Uche to a slow love song and also danced with Stanley who tried to set Uche off by placing his hands on her waist sugestively as they danced. They all had a good laugh when Uche walked to the dance floor to get her away from him.

It was fun and she actually forgot they were on water and not on solid safe ground. But she had to go spoil it by deciding to freshen up her make up.  

Nma was standing watching her reflection on the mirror and thinking that it would be her period soon, it was already showing on her face, a very tiny pimple which she was not going to let grow big was faintly on her fore head. She brought out her translucent power ready for a touch up. The door opened and Angela came

“Same scene, another take” Nma murmured and continued with her make up.

“I can see you are enjoying being the lady of the day”

“That particular title will go to the celebrant fiancée” she told her and decided her face was perfect after all.

“Not running away are you?”

“No but I am actually done here”

“As he would be done with you soon”

“I don’t see that happening soon and I can tell you why?” Nma said, maybe it was time someone told the girl the gospel truth”

“I am dying of curiosity” Angela said and walked to mirror to pat her face.

“I am very different from you; I work hard everyday at being different from you. The thought of you gives him the shudders”

Angela gasped and looked at her, “I can see you are becoming confident. Let me see why, oh now I see, being the bastard child of BODY TALK is getting to your head”

It was Nma’s turn gasps “I am not a bastard” she told Angela and began to leave but the girl caught her hands

“Sure you are. I mean I know Amber had a child she doesn’t talk about and won’t acknowledge but seeing that you are gunning to become the wife to the heir to Okoha throne. She comes out to give her bastard daughter some motherly support”

Just then Amber walked in. and she looked at Angela with disdain, Nma actually saw the girl step back and she was surprised, she didn’t think anybody could get to Angela’s rock solid self esteem.

“Didn’t think you would still be playing the bitch for a guy who is as good as shackled Ella”

“Only my friends call me that” Angela sneered

Amber laughed and walked over to the mirror “Not that it is any of business honey but when I hear my name in connection to a bastard daughter, I feel connected”

“I know what games you are playing Amber, first you became his mother’s best protégée, then you tried to trap Uche and when he chose me over you, you decided to present your long forgotten bastard daughter”

“Wow, I see you have it all worked out” she turned to Nma “You are lucky Uche is love with you because I wouldn’t want to see you this bitter some day”

“He is bewitched because he is too intelligent to love a bastard!”

“Good thing I am not one Angela, but then bastards are mostly known from their attitude, see you around” Nma nodded at Amber and left.

“Your little stunt won’t work, Uche will never marry her” Angela said snapping her compact powder shut “You have always had your eyes on the Okoha’s wealth and you think you can get it through your daughter but he will see through your plans soon because I will make sure of it” she walked past Amber

“If you are right then I have a good chance of getting what I want” Amber smiled at Angela and snapped open her compact

“Over my dead body” Angela replied and left

“Be careful of what you wish for honey” Amber said watched while Angela left, she brought out her make over kit.

Nma sat beside Uche on their way home; she was unusually quiet and had been since she came from the ladies.  He didn’t want to probe if she didn’t want to tell him what was wrong with her but it was killing him to find out what happened in the ladies.  He was also wondering what to do with his newly discovered feeling for her; he was wondering if he should tell her. But he was afraid that if he told her that he would be laying his heart at her feet to step on it and crush it if she wanted to. He told himself to wait and really think about what he wanted to do. Happy with his decision, he smiled and placed his hands on hers and she squeezed his hands and smiled up at him.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes just a bit shaken, meeting Amber shook me more than I realized” she told him

“Maybe I should do some research about my mother, she must be on this earth some where”

“Why the sudden urge?”

“A seed has been planted Uche, I and Amber must be related in one way or the other. She might be an aunt. I have never met any of my relative from my mother’s side. Once she left, my father never allowed it”

“I guess its ok to try to locate a part of your family, but honey it might not be all happy home coming, they might all be jerks and selfish”

“I know they are because none of them made an effort to find me”

He stopped in front of her house and turned to her “let it go for now honey”

He kissed her fingers. “I am thinking we should spend a whole day together before I travel,. Maybe this weekend” he asked her surprising both of them. She smiled at him

“Would love to Uche” she told him but her heart was pounding but she had come to trust him with all her heart if he wanted to spend the whole day with her, she was sure that he didn’t have sex in mind. She was sure

“Do I get to know where you are taking me?”

He kissed her for answer “Somewhere special” he replied and opened the door for her. “Pack a bikini” he said and she looked at him strangely.

“Alright, I will be looking forward to it”

 At her boutique the next day, Nma was thinking about how completely her life had changed, she no more did things without thinking of how it would affect Uche. She could no longer up and leave without letting him know she was traveling and most times he frowned at it. She even stocked up half of her cupboards with his favorite food. She smiled and wondered if she was not loosing herself in him. Her mind strayed to the coming weekend and she wondered how he could think of it when he could hardly bear to stay one hour in her company alone. She knew he was afraid if he stayed longer, he would actually make love with her. And he wasn’t so wrong. She wanted him as much as he wanted her and being together only intensified it. She wondered again if she shouldn’t make love with him after all it was what she really needed. Sometimes it felt as if he didn’t really belong to her or that she didn’t have most rights that a normal girlfriend would.  No she assured herself, the choice was taken from her hand when she made her vow and she was not going to regret it. The vow had kept her focused on her goals, because of the vow she didn’t party much, she didn’t date much and she didn’t have foolish girlfriends she could talk about her exploits with, so her life had been one good and orderly one until Uche.

Just then her door opened and she looked up and her eyes widened with shock.

“Good evening” the woman said to her.

“Good evening” she found her tongue at last. She watched as Mrs. Okoha looked around her work room.

“So this is where all those marvelous clothing are created”

“Yes” Nma said not knowing what to do, what did one do? How did one behave when her boyfriend mother decided to pay an unexpected visit? Especially when that woman was Rose Okoha, who owned one of the first class boutiques around the world, and when the woman didn’t think you were good enough for her son? And she wondered again how the woman could prefer Angela for her son, was the woman blind? Nma noticed that the woman was still standing and looking at her and she remembered her manners, “Please sit down, I forgot my manners, it is not everyday Rose Okoha pays a visit”

The woman looked at the seat but smiled blankly at her “I won’t be staying long” she told her.

“So I actually wanted to peek at your designs then I remembered I have been asking my son to dine with us with no success, are you the one keeping him away from me”

Nma felt anger rushed up her spine but she held herself, it wouldn’t do good to loose her temper on the woman not when you are praying to marry her son. She decided that two can play the game.

“I am surprised you lend me such importance. You are the mother and you are the one who raised the pig headed man so that no woman can actually control him”

She smiled “oh you are good, no wonder he is besotted. Well you had better start pulling your weight as his girl if you want to sell some of these in my boutique. I want the two of you at my house tomorrow night”

“I am afraid that won’t be possible, Uche has plans already for the weekend and I am not going to manipulate him so I can sell my clothes in his mother boutique. Your son is not just a means to an end. He means a lot more to me than these”

Rose could feel her heart expanding with admiration and smiled at the very young girl and her deep understanding. “Well then I guess my visit here has been wasted” she said and put on her designers sun shades.  “On both counts” she added.

Nma sat in her chair as soon as Rose left and wondered what kind of a visit that was. How could the woman be so callous and unfeeling? What gave her the right to think she could manipulate her son through a girlfriend? Ok, she was beginning to get it, Nma thought. No wonder the woman preferred Angela, she was sure Angela wouldn’t have hesitated in getting Uche to forego the weekend outing for dinner at his mother’s place. Nma smiled ruefully but she was not Angela, she was Nma and she loved Uche above all. Him and his needs came first and if he wanted a romantic weekend, his mother was going to have to wait for another weekend to have her son for dinner. Talking about the weekend, it was the next morning and she had not parked an item yet. Uche had said pack a bikini. Now she knew one person who was always experimenting with that sort of thing, with that thought in her mind, she left her office in search of Helen.

Just as Nma thought, Helen was holding a pink bikini bottom she was making. It would not surprise her if the girl ended up a lingerie designer at the end of the day.

“You look like a woman on a mission” Helen smiled at her.

Nma was still perplexed at the girl’s deep sense of perception.

“You so right’ Nma answered and went to inspect the briefs Helen was making.

“I am sorry if you feel I am wasting valuable time but it was just that….” Helen stammered

“I thought you would have broken the record and told me the reason why beauty exists”

“You are not angry”

“How could I be when they are so beautiful?”

“Thanks” Helen smiled “So what mission brought you here today”

“Actually these briefs you keep experimenting with brought me here”

“But you just said you are not angry…”

“I want to see if you have any bikini I can use for tomorrow, I am spending the day with Uche, I have a drawer full of them but I want something very special?”

“Oh, you are going away with Prince charming? That’s very romantic?” Helen cried. “And you are in luck because I just experimented on two very nice designs I am sure you would like them and they are sure to make him go gaga”

Helen went to another table and brought one sea green bikini and another hot red one. “I have not made the wrap I wanted to go with it”

Nma was still looking at the bikinis with admiration and renewed respect for the girl. “You have got a huge talent here sweetheart and don’t worry I have some matching sarong to go with them”

“You really like them?” Asked Helen expectantly

“Of course they are brilliant girl, and to show that I am honey from now on wards you are free to experiment all you want. I believe that together we can find buyers for them or better we can do lingerie exhibition”

“Oh that will be great Nma, it will really mean a lot to me”

“And to me too, now I have a long day ahead tomorrow I have to run”

“Give my love to prince charming” Helen called as Nma left. Then she started a tap dance. She couldn’t believe it, her own creation getting exhibited. Oh Nma! She exclaimed, bless you! She did more of her tap dancing and wondered where she learnt the steps from but thinking about her past or the lack of it hurt her too much.

hello friends thank you so much for reading and commenting. Precious Osas you don't know how much your excitement encourages me. you and all other ardent readers, Andrew Adah and Uzochukwu Theresa etc. And all of you you have invited friends to the blog i do appreciate from the bottom of my heart. please keep inviting people, friends, families, loved ones and colleagues. it is the only way we would grow.

i love you  and appreciate you all and May your righteous heart desires be blessed as you keep reading and sharing

Chioma Onuoha