Branch One Hundred and Twenty Nine
“Jason says he is having a hard time ending the meeting,” Alicia said as she read from her phone.
Jessica sighed. When Alicia had told her that Xavier was having a hard time concentrating on his work she was worried he would be back before she could prepare it all but now she was worried he won’t be back at all. After all, he had told her to skip dinner preparations for him.
“I have an idea,” Leslie said making all heads turn to her. Jessica was planning to talk with Leslie after everything was done because she was unlike herself these days.
“What if Jessica calls him home? They have gotten closer these days so I’m sure it might count for something” she said blinking so rapidly that Jessica was afraid she would be whisked away by the force from her eyelids.
“Should I?” Jessica asked in a panic as she fumbled with her phone in her hand
“Try it. I think we can get all the help we need to pull him away from his work” Alicia said urging her to do so.
The work for the party preparation had been long done but they had been trying to get him home for an hour and a half already.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.
“Hello,” Jessica said.
“Oh, he picked up?” Alicia mouthed beside her in joy. Xavier was known to reject unimportant calls during his meetings. And by unimportant he meant calls that were not business related or to the meeting at hand.
“Erm, Is it possible for you to get home quickly? Something urgent is up with Genevieve”
She could not believe how easily the lie rolled off her tongue. She Could consider herself an honest person but seeing the way she lied these days she was not so sure about herself anymore.
“What’s wrong” he asked standing up in haste from the chair.
Jessica somehow felt heartwarmed that he answered her call. She knew of his work ethic and she knew the reason why her friends looked at her like she was some kind of alien or rare stone that was just found lying around the earth.
“I can’t tell but you need to…”
“I am on my way,” he said cutting her off and cutting off the call.
“I need to go, Jason, there is an emergency at home. Maybe we can resume this tomorrow?”
Jason signed but tried to mask it. He had been trying to get out of this meeting for over an hour and all it took was a simple call from Jessica. Why did they not think of that option?
“Fancy you using my name to lie?” Jessica was startled to see Genevieve standing there.
“How much did you hear?”
“Everything”
“I am so sorry” Jessica said rubbing her face with her hand. “I have become a liar,” she said in annoyance.
“I am not annoyed at all. I know you have to get him home tonight or else the whole party planned would go to waste. I understand” Genevieve said walking to them.
“What I want to know is how you did that”
“Did what?” Jessica said facing Leslie. This was the first time she had seen color in her eyes the past few days of their meeting. She had been gloomy and quiet keeping to herself.
“Did that? ” Alicia asked. In both their voices amusement was evident.
“Did what?” she asked again.
“I mean, are you and Xavier now in a romantic relationship? Like I mean are you two doing it?” Alicia asked her excitement showing.
“What?”
“Then how did you get him to pick up the phone so fast?” Leslie asked.
“And get him to come too?”
“What’s going on? Where is Genevieve?” Xavier asks as he enters the house in a hurry. Jason and Brian followed behind him closely. They were invited to the party so they volunteered to be the ones who would escort him there while trying their best to keep the show going on. They had no other choice anyway.
He stops when he notices a lot of strange things. The house was dark but there seemed to be a light red and bright at the back of the house. He turned without a thought to the direction of Genevieve’s room.
“Wait Xavier why don’t we check outside” Jason said pointing towards the door leading to the kitchen.
Alicia had told him to ensure to deliver him to the party and ensure he didn’t go around looking for Genevieve.
“Why would I go there? I was told something was wrong with my aunt” he said as he tried to turn again.
“Wait,” Brian said. He knew he had to step in.
“What is it,” Xavier asked turning to face him. “Or do you think she has been taken to the hospital already? I better call Jessica and ask her what happened” he said fumbling with his phone in his hand.
“Or we could go out there and check what that bright light is all about,” Brian said. “At least when we know what it is we can then look for Lady Genevieve”
“If you say so,” he said walking towards the place when the red light caught his eyes. ‘Was it fire?’ he thought to himself as he cautiously walked towards the place with both men quietly on his trail.
The house staff were not around. He had not seen a single soul apart from the security guards who were at the gate.
‘What could be wrong?’ he thought to himself as he walked to the light at the back. He found the whole situation suspicious but his mind could not wrap around the reason for the suspicion.
“He is here” Roselle whispered. She had agreed to stand guard for them. The door knob turned and rattled and the door opened.
“Surprise, Happy Birthday” the people at the back screamed. He heard the noise from all over and startled he took a step back.
He was pushed back inside by Jason and Burke who were standing behind him. He had forgotten his birthday was today and with the early call her got from Jason his mind was out of it all day.
“What is this?” he asked as he moved closer to them.
“A party for you,” Jessica said walking towards him with a huge smile on her face and a bouquet in her hands.
“Happy birthday,” she said handing him the flowers. “Happy Birthday” every other person chorused with a smile.
“You too?” Xavier asked as he turned back to face the men he had come with.
“Jessica asked us for help. How could we turn her request down?” Jason said coming from behind him to stand beside Jessica.
“Moreover my baby wanted this to walk so badly,” he said glancing to his back at Alicia who looked like the prettiest to him.
“Are we getting this party started pt what?” Leslie asked.
“First the men have to change,” Jessica said.
“Ladies take your men” Alicia shouted happily.
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