ITS GETTING REAL

Walking past Hope into the house, Special startled in shock as Hope raised her hands towards her. She felt the woman was going to hit her. It brought a frightening childhood memory back to her mind.

"I just want to look at your wedding rings. it is very fine o. Where is the husband?" She asked sarcastically.

"He had a small emergency at work, he would join us at the King's resort tomorrow". Special replied quickly.

"Okay. We will see him then. Go and join the caterers in the kitchen to pack our cooking items and prepare small thing for us to eat. We can't afford many cooks so you would join them in cooking and cleaning." Hope said looking away.

"Okay ma." Special responded moving quickly into the house as if she had a option. She would love to tell Hope to go to the hottest part of hell and burn for all eternity but she couldn't.

Walking into the sitting room, there laid Treasure her immediate younger sister. The first child of Hope lying down on the sofa with her nails being manicured by a female nail technician. No greeting or ounce of salutation from her to Special and Special didn't seem to mind. She didn't even raise her head to recognize Special's presence.

Special walked straight to the dining room where Ashley was arranging spoons in a buffet tray on top of the table and struggling while at it. "Let me help you with those." Special interrupted her. " Good morning Sis Special" Ashley greeted smiling.

"Good morning Ashley let me assist you." That was how she began to work tirelessly in the dining and the kitchen. Ashley was a lot nicer than Treasure and she chatted whilst she worked congratulating Special on her marriage.

Hard work has never frightened Special and nether was the situation in front of her. The caterer called Bose was with her assistant a Fiona that seemed irritated somehow by how Special worked with excellence. Hope introduced Special to Bose as one of them.

"Come this girl if you nor want make your shirt stain, go pull am because when we reach the resort, na better cooking and work we go do. See as she dey form Porsche". She rudely told Special who was cleaning the gas cooker gently. Special had learnt to ignore so many hurtful words in her life and this statement was classified as one of them.

Hence she did not reply Fiona. Bose being a very large woman simply gave orders on how the foods were to be packaged while sitting down on one spot and she was quite impressed with the way Special arranged the foods in each food flask as well as the coolers.

"Are you done? Is time to leave Madam Bose."Hope announced as she walked into the kitchen dressed, looking elegant with Treasure also gorgeously dressed behind her.

"Please I want a plate of food." Treasure requested avoiding the kitchen door frame from ruining her nails.

"Special dish food for your sister. She cant do it because of her nails. She needs to be well fed o. So our king would propose to her". Hope stated smiling.

"Yes o" Madam Bose contributed. "Such a beautiful girl. You would make a wonderful queen" She added. Special hurriedly collected a plate and serve Treasure who took the food without any appreciation.

"Special join them and carry the coolers to the van outside. We are leaving for the resort in the next ten minutes."Hope instructed again.

"Yes ma. I will." She replied as usual.

With that, Hope walked out of the kitchen like the commander she was. Special and Fiona Carried out all the food coolers, cartoons of drinks and provision with Fiona complaining every step of the way. They also carried food stuffs to be used in cooking for the whole week at the resort.

Her father was already in the car as Hope joined him at the front. Her two daughter behind. As Special approached her fathers car to join them, Hope came down immediately.

"Go and join the cooks in the van. I don't want anyone to inconvenience Treasure or ruin her dress. Your size is too big for the space."

The tears threatened to fall but Special held them back. "Yes ma" was simply her only reply. The van carrying the food lacked chairs behind as Fiona and her boss Bose were already at the front. Special entered the van with her luggage and sat on the surface of her luggage as the van zoomed off.

"Why is Special not joining us in this car?" John asked when he saw the van set to drive out of his compound. "I don't know. She insisted on joining the van. You know your daughter is very proud. You are the only one who sees perfect in her"

"Hope don't start again! Please annoy me." John replied.

"Let's go my husband. This week is about you o. So don't get angry." She teased him.

Driving to the resort was more fun for Special as her phone beeped and messages from Derek filled her screen. She excitedly opened them and began reading with all joy.

"Red is hot on you! This beautiful picture is my wife and mine alone!" was the first message in response to the selfie she sent him in the morning. She thought he ignored the picture because it was not fine. Oh how wrong she was.!

"My heart is filled with joy and I can't wait to express myself and let the whole world know that you have captured by body, my heart and my soul forever." was the second message from Derek her husband and she blushed as she continued reading.

"Even in my busy schedule, i think of you my wife.Do you feel the way I do

My Queen? Do you smile at the very thought of me because I do that always regardless of who is in front of me. You are my joy and my piece of mind. This weekend is special and as your name is, I promise to make it special for you."

Special lacked words to reply Derek. She lacked the vocabulary to truly let him know that she was deeply in love with him and she was glad she was all alone at the back of the dirty bus smiling and replying her love message. She would have been too shy and nervous to do it in her fathers car with Treasure and Ashley beside her.

It was an hour long drive but it was a few minutes as Special traded messages back and front, giggling inside the van like a child as they arrived at King Osagie Resort. It was a magnificent building overlooking a beach. Special's mouth was opened as she gasped at the beauty and elegance of the resort. It was a three storey building with a large length and width. The flowers were beautiful and arranged in such a manner that you would definitely know that this was an offshoot of a palace.

Bose quickly ordered Special down from the van to begin bringing out the things as Mrs Hope had called for Fiona to help them with their luggages. They checked into the resort easily as they were informed only two guest per time despite having 10 suites with multiple rooms in them.

The Nosa'a took a suite of 5 rooms. As they got in, Special noted how large the sitting room was filled with paintings on each wall. Wanting to explore the large suite, her attention was called to Hope's speech as she was assigning them their rooms.

John and his wife were to stay in one room while Susan who arrived before them would also take one for her and her husband. Treasure was assigned to one alone while Ashley was assigned with Susan's son as she was pregnant again and needed the space. The cooks and Special were assigned to the last one closest to the kitchen.

Special didn't complain as she walked into the assigned room still beaming from the love messages she had traded with Derek. She knows when Derek comes, he may be able to afford a nearby hotel for both of them.

Bose entered the room to inform her that she doesn't share the bed so she would be sleeping on the floor with Fiona who was frowning at the sleeping arrangements.

They went about setting the tables for an outdoor lunch with the beautiful scenery. More often than None, John complained bitterly as Special served them while Treasure pressed her phones. At a point, he got up from the table because everyone was seated and his daughter was not at the table.

"I lost my appetite" he announced despite his wife's pleading.

As soon as he was out of ear shot, Susan spoke out "Mummy what is even your problem? What is wrong with you? I thought this weekend is all about Daddy? why would you make Special a maid at this event." Susan yelled.

"Will you shut up, just because you are married now doesn't mean you can talk to me anyhow" Hope fired back.

"I am not talking to you because I am married. I am talking to you because I am a mother. Just imagine for a second, that i am dead and my husband remarries. If anyone treats my Peter the way you treat Special, I swear I will rise up from the grave and cause misfortune for them and their loved ones" Susan yelled.

"Calm down, my love. don't talk to your mother like that" Her husband comforted her. Hope's eyes shone in astonishment as she has never see any of her daughters talk back at her.

"In fact I have lost my appetite. let's go to our room. I packed us some snacks. Peter honey, let's go" Susan declared to her toddler. The trio walked out of the lunch area likewise.

"What is happening? I thought this was a weekend of fun Mummy?" Ashley asks innocently.

"Its Special and her bad head. She has brought misfortune upon us once again. " Hope responded.

"I agree Mummy. That is why I can't let her near me before she puts a spell on me to remain single like her when am destined to be a Queen." Treasure stated in support of her mother.

They had a quiet lunch while Special and the cooks ate in the kitchen. By evening, John was yet to come out of his room to participate in a video clip of his first book launch being shown on live television as part of the event laid out for the week.

"Special!!!" Hope called out from her seat at the living room.

"Ma" Special replied running from the kitchen to the sitting room wiping her hands.

"Go and call your father. Tell him that they are airing him on television and we paid for this time. He should come and see it."

"Okay ma". Special replied as she walked towards her Father's room.

"Daddy" She knocked on the door. She heard the clicking of the door as her father came out dressed.

"The television program just started and they paid for it to be about your first book launch. Please go and watch it

" She pleaded.

"Let's take a walk" John said grabbing his daughters hand outside walking past everyone in the sitting room, ignoring them, which angered Hope the more.

Walking towards the beach area,

John conversed with his daughter. He had not being a happy man for long as he missed Dorothy her mother. He also watched how Hope made a stranger of his first child.

"Tell me about your husband. What do you like about him?"

Special blushed tirelessly as so many responses ransacked her brain.

"Derek is kind, so thoughtful, Handsome and calm"

"Hmmmm just like me huh" John asked his almost 30 years old girl.

"Special does he treat you right?"John asked amidst the tears dripping down his face.

"Daddy don't cry on your birthday week.

Derek treats me like a Queen. I absolutely feel Special whenever I am near him. Even from the first day I met him"

"Then he is certainly carrying out your mother's wish because I failed her." John broke down sobbing in His daughter's arms as she consoled him. Not so far off, hidden in the shadows was a wife whose bitterness increased knowing she could never fill a void left by her predecessor.