Hearken

Chapter 3: I'm My Daughter's Best Friend

Perambulating on what they had done. No one could enter to meet me. All the workers stood outside under the scorching sun, in their expensive suits and jackets.

"Come on guys, what is the meaning of this?" An elderly man in his late fifties busted out. "To think that I was unemployed more than half of my life until the Beckett housing company came to my rescue. How do I go back home to tell my wife and my two college kids that I got sacked?"

"This is terrible!" Clare, another worker, exclaimed. "It looks like our enthusiasm has gotten us into trouble."

"This is still a puzzle to me." Another guy hissed. "And I wasn't to support this idea from the start. You all got me into trouble."

"Neither did I want any of this!" Another lady kissed at Oaklyn. "You told us it would be a cool idea. It's a disaster!"

"Calm down, guys." Oaklyn, who had kept mute since she joined them, cut in. "It's the first time we're planning a surprise for her. Birthday is a celebration of joy. Why would she fire us like this?... I'm not so surprised, she hardly replies to our greetings."

"Shut up!" someone fired, and they all quarreled. The noise and chattering got intense by the second. Tony Flynn watched them confusedly and contributed.

"Okay, calm down! Calm down everybody, please. We only tried to make her happy. Didn't we?"

"Of course." They agreed.

"But it seems our efforts are ruined now except...."

"Except what?" They hissed at him, still pissed, but he signaled for them to come together. He brought out his phone and dialed a number.

"We have new estates. Bellaire Estates, blueberry, green city, and..."

'Knock-Knock-Knock!'

Someone suddenly tapped on the brass door.

“And Luxury estate. I can connect with you as an agent. As long as you like the place, you can get the property before the month end.” I said to a customer over the phone.

'Knock-Knock-Knock!' the person interrupted again.

"Who the heck is that?"

'Knock-Knock-Knock!'

"Sorry, I'll call you in a minute." The words rushed out of me while I cut the call.

'Knock-Knock-Knock!'

"Who is that? Come in!" I snapped and pestered at whoever it might be.

"Happy birthday to you, Mummy.
Happy birthday to you."

Three girls danced in along with Hazel Beckett, my twenty-year-old daughter. A smile spread out of my lips immediately I caught sight of my princess. Her eyes which were Hazel as a baby are now azure blue. It reminded me a lot about Dan. Immediately she stepped in, Hazel's blue eyes opened wide in surprise and she giggled proudly towards me.

Pausing in the act of welcoming them. I gave the girl's firm hug. Hazel came to hug me. She dressed in a cream crop top and black rubber short skirt with black knee-length booths to fit. Her azure blue eyes and raven-black hair caught my attention. Just like Dan's.

I clasped her slim figure tightly in my arms as if we hadn't met in a while. Her friends hugged me equally with excitement.

"Awwwn... Thank you, thank you." I replied with a smiley face.

The girls brought a cake for me. It was chocolate cake coated in creamy vanilla and chocolate icing.

"Happy birthday, Mummy!" Alice Jasper jerked at me, thrilled. I knew her as Hazel's closest friend. It's been years since their friendship. The other girls are Jane and Blue.