A Love Bargain

Epilogue

Ten months later.

Pearl

The past ten months of our relationship had been a journey, but the love we had for each other propelled us through it. I had come to love Kachi Phillips more than I ever imagined to love any man.

He was my soul mate. 

Happy chatters, lovely laughs and clinking sounds of glasses filled the private executive lounge in one of the Phillips hotels. We were done with our meal and everyone was enjoying some slices of cake and wine. 

It was Kachi's thirty-third birthday.  

After I learned the reason why he stopped celebrating his birthday, I planned a surprise party for him and the way he had been smiling since we got here, showed that he loved it. It was more like a little gathering of our loved ones. The people who mattered in our lives. 

At the head of the table was the birthday boy, clad in sky-blue native attire. He was gazing at me smiling, and his right hand was holding my left one resting on the long table. He was as handsome as ever and each day, there was something new to love about this man. 

The sound of a spoon hitting a wine glass filled the air, and everyone's attention was drawn to it, followed by the silence which fell in the room. It was James, who was seated at the end of Kachi's left-hand side of the table and before him was Felicia, who had finally divorced her husband after he almost killed her. Their divorce was messy and her mother was still mad at her. Felicia was a strong woman and we all knew her mom would come around someday.  

There was also my mother who was seated before Felicia, and then Kaima. Before Kaima was Mrs Phillips and her husband who was seated right next to his son. 

"Ahem," James cleared his throat amusingly, rising to his feet and everyone at the table cackled out a laugh. 

He had been clowning heavily since this gathering and for someone that was broken up with just a month ago, he sure was dealing with it nicely. Yes… it's what you're thinking. That relationship he was making a heavy fuss about had ended.   

Smiling, Kachi turned to me, "You would have left his name out during the invite." He said, squeezing my hand in his and I chuckled lightly. 

"But he is your best friend." 

"Too bad, right?" He raised his brows at me and I chuckled. 

James had been making us laugh our asses out, just like Jonathan, the second comedian at the table who was seated next to me. Next to him was Chike, my brother who had now gotten his dream job and was so grateful for that. Next to Chike was Amara, and then there was my best friend Geraldine and her husband, who was seated at the end of the table with Angel sitting in his lap.

"Okay," he started and silence fell through as we all listened to him.

Except for Kaima, whose spoon clattered on her plate as she continued to eat her cake happily. There was also Angel, whose baby chatter voice continued to fill the room as she played with whatever she was fumbling. 

"I just want to say a special happy birthday to my best friend." He glanced around the table, before focusing his gaze on Kachi. "You're amazing, man. We've been best friends since what? Secondary school and as an only child, life was lonely until I met you. I knew what it felt like to have a brother after I met you. No, two brothers," He glanced at Jonathan, who was smiling just like all of us. 

And a few 'awws' from Amara, Felicia and Geraldine filled the air. 

"Guy, you're going to make me cry," Kachi said, and faint chuckles filled the air before silence once again took over.