Rise of the Billionaire actress

” I love you so much, mom! You’re the best!”

Deloise listened to her roommate’s conversation and felt shame well up her system. It was mother’s day and she was yet to put a call across to her mother.

Matter of fact, she dreaded the pending inevitable conversation with her mother. Since her little adventure, the fact she hasn’t been the closest to her mother wasn’t news.

For some reason, her mother hadn’t picked offense at their waning relationship since her move to Royal Arts. Sometimes, she felt her mother was having the time of her life with her away from home.

A thought that brought a bittersweet taste to her mouth.

Deciding to get things over with, Deloise pulled her phone from underneath her bed, laid on her back and dialed her mother’s line.

“Baby! What a pleasant surprise!”

The warmth in her mother’s voice brought a fresh wave of shame on her conscience.

“Hey mom, how are you doing?” She squeaked, “Happy mother’s day!”

“Thank you so much darling! I feel like it’s been ages since we spoke. I’m sorry if I’ve not been present sweetie, I hope you are holding up well.”

Esther felt she was at fault for their withering relationship. Due to the storm that breezed into her personal life, she kept her daughter at an arm’s length, an attempt to get things handled without hiccups.

“Sure! Just here, doing my best and staying happy while at it.” Her voice wavered as she approached dangerous waters, “I apologize for staying away too, I should do better.” She said remorsefully, “what have you been up to lately?”

Esther froze at her words, but expertly recovered herself.

“Ah! I didn’t tell you, I got a deal to cater for a huge company event. This is my first time working with a brand that big and I’m loving the thrill of it.”

That was news to Deloise.

“Oh my gosh, mom! Congratulations! Why didn’t you tell me?” She said, feeling excited and proud of her mother.

Deloise loved the idea of her mother getting stipends from her love of baking, despite the slow years experienced at the start of the business.

Having grown with the business, she knew firsthand how happy her mother would be at the breakthrough and felt bad not being able to witness it.

“Thank you so much. Again, I’m sorry. It all happened so fast, I didn’t have time to fill you in.” Esther said with a smile, happy to know her daughter still cared about her. “Enough about me, tell me, what has school been like for you. Is law school as hard as they say?”

It was Deloise’ turn to freeze. How on earth was she supposed to answer that question?!

“Great! Just great! I’m having a great time.” She chuckled nervously, wondering what the hell she was talking about.

“That’s wonderful to hear. I knew you were made for it, thank goodness I didn’t let up on it.” Esther felt genuinely happy, “tell me, what is it like? I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer but I couldn’t do that. Now you’re there, I’m permitted to live vicariously through you.”

Deloise didn’t like where the conversation was headed. She hated having to lie and if they kept up with this conversation, more lies shall be told.

“There’s nothing to tell, just out here, focusing on what’s important.” She shrugged, counting the seconds that followed.

“Deloise. I want to believe you aren’t holed up in school, talk to me like you would Anna. Is there any boy I need to know about?” She asked, wiggling her eyebrows in expectation for the tea.

Deloise nearly peed her pants at the mention of Anna. Where was her mother and who was this chatty lady? For the first time ever, Deloise considered feigning a bad network.

Esther made to pester her daughter for details when her door flew open, revealing the unyielding face of Karen.

“Why was a man in your house, Esther?” Karen hounded without missing a beat.

Esther’s eyes widened as she remembered her child was on the line.

” I’ll call you a bit later, okay baby? Have a good day.” She rounded off in a second.

A stunned Deloise looked down at her phone in wonder at the way she was dismissed. Nevertheless, she knew how to take small wins and appreciated whatever helped her out of that corner.

Meanwhile, in Esther’s house, Karen sat on the chair, refusing to move an inch until everything was downloaded to her.

“I promise you, there’s nothing going on between us. That was just-”

“I don’t buy it. You were seconds from eating each other. Even a blind person could see the tension between you both. You don’t call that nothing.” She pushed, refusing to back down.

Esther felt a headache coming. She knew it was going to be tough trying to convince her friend but she didn’t think it’d be this tough.

“Okay fine. Yes, we had something. But that’s past.” She admitted and Karen’s curiosity piqued.

“I knew it! Tell me, what happened between you guys? Are you in a relationship with him? Wait! Is this some sort of rekindled first love?”

“Karen! Now you’re pushing it.” Esther said to her fawning friend.

“You said it yourself. You’re both in love with each other. Is that why he refused to get married and take his relationships seriously? Oh my goodness, it’s like a movie in here.”

Esther remained silent, tired of her friend’s assumptions. This was just the beginning, and she was already tired. Only God knew what the future held.

“I had something to do with him, but that’s long over. We may have held something as kids, but that’s all it is. And I need you to respect that.”

“What was he doing so close to you? How did he even know where you live? It’s a world class star we are talking about here. Excuse me, but I can’t unsee that even if I tried.”

Esther let out an exasperated sigh and Karen held back a sheepish smile.

“We met at the grocery store. Somehow he was in town and we clashed at the grocery store.” She reiterated, “Are you satisfied?”

“Don’t look so miserable. You must be the only one in the world ashamed of being with Daniel Greenwood. If I had such an experience, I would make his underwear into a plaque and hang it in my living room for proof when I retell the story a thousand times.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Karen’s words sounded all shades of wrong to Esther. Nevertheless, she held her peace and pushed down the irritation that boiled in her guts.

“Whatever, keep this between us and I might give you the glorious details of our interactions later.”

“You got yourself a deal.” She agreed, happy to hear more. “Tell me, how did it feel?”

She urged but was left with an eye roll that prompted a roll of laughter. “C’mon!”

*****

Aaron was having a terrible day. He couldn’t leave campus due to his car refusal to start upon trying this morning.

As a result, he couldn’t visit his grandma. A fact that added to the awful mood and countenance he wore.

“Pick up the darned phone, man. I will go crazy if I hear that tune one more time.” Tony spoke up, his tone spoke of his irritation.

Apparently, he wasn’t having a great day himself. But that was the least of Aaron’s worries. He lived by a policy- his house, his rules. No one was going to encroach on that. Not even his friend.

His ringtone blared into the air once again and with a loud sigh, Tony made his way out of the house, unable to bear it anymore.

Since the early hours of the day, An unknown number consistently rang Aaron’s phone. That wasn’t the problem, his refusal to pick it up and appease whatever desperate weirdo behind the calls was the problem.

On the outside, he seemed like a jerk but only Aaron knew his reasoning behind leaving his phone unanswered. He knew that number too well but refused to give the person at the other end the satisfaction of getting a reaction from him.

The phone stopped ringing for sometime and just when he thought it was over, it began for the millionth time. Aaron grabbed his phone with a blinding swiftness and his anger simmered at the name that starred boldly on his screen.

Deloise.

Thoughts on how terrible her timing was filled his mind as he swiped green.

“What do you want?” His tone was taut and unfriendly.

Deloise wasn’t having it, and replied with as much attitude she could muster.

“Speak to me when you don’t have a stick up your ass.” She said and ended the call.

Leaving Aaron baffled at what just happened.