Chapter 23
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“Mom what are you doing here?” Daniel asked his mom who was smiling widely as she looked around the new assembly hall of the orphanage which had become his office for the meantime. The smile dropped at his tone, “What do you mean by what am I doing here, I came to see you. Unfortunately you are not even happy to see me” she threw her hands in the air dramatically, “I knew I should not have come but I had no choice”

He smiled at her, standing up from his desk, he moved to stand in front of her, “Of course, I’m happy to see my mom” he pretended to hug her, she took a step back.

“Oh no, I know what you are trying to do. Young man, don’t you even try it” she said shaking her head in warning, he ignored her and hugged her paint stains and all. She sighed patting him on the back, “Please let go now, I have to go”

He released her, “Going so soon?”

“Doreen missed you so I brought her” she looked behind him, “One question though what is that place?”

He looked in the direction she was asking about, “That’s a door”
She slapped his head, “Silly boy, I know it’s a door. What’s behind it?”

“It’s just an empty room, Pastor Aaron decided we could add an extra room, so they could use it for whatever they may need it for, maybe a storeroom. So in fact they are not just getting an assembly hall, it’s rather a two in one deal” he said while rubbing his head.

“Ah I see” she nodded satisfied with his answer.

He looked around the room, “Where is Doreen?”

His mom pointed to one corner of the room where the girl in question was staring at some painting on the wall, “There, now you guys have fun” she was gone without another word.

Hearing the door close, Doreen’s head whipped to the door before turning back to his direction.

“Uncle Dan” she squealed running to his arms. He picked her up, but had to drop her to the ground, to her feet of course. She was heavier than she looked now. He could feel his muscles strain when he carried her.

“You grew heavy” he exclaimed kneeling to her height, she answered with giggles before placing her little hands on his face, “Your beard is gone”

A shrug, “Yeah I decided to shave it. Do you like it?”

She moved her hands on his jaw, “It’s smooth now”

He stood up and winked, “You know it”, she giggled “Come along to the table, maybe you can help me since you are here instead of being with your brother” he walked to the table patting the chair and helping her up unto it.

“That’s because Denzel is boring, he just eats a lot and poops a lot and cries a lot” she said frowning.

Daniel laughed, “He is a baby so that is understandable. You were like that once you know”

Doreen’s head whipped to look at him, a frown drawing her eyebrows down and her mouth pulling into a pout, “No I wasn’t”

“Yes you were, I was there you know”

Her frown was still present as she made to talk but the doors opened capturing both their attention as a young woman walked in dressed in a blue dress, a cream hat and sunglasses that finished her look. Her dress would have suggested that she went to the beach. For a moment it felt like he was watching a movie where a character walks into the room.

“Yes dad, everything is covered, this is Vanessa you are speaking to, remember, my parties are to remember for a long time. And trust me Rain will love this birthday party” she looked up and saw two pair of eyes watching her, “Okay dad I have to go”

She walked to the table taking off her hat and sunglass revealing it was Vanessa. “Hello Daniel, Rain said to take the lead. So this is what you guys are working on?” she looked around the room. “You guys did well”

Daniel stared at her thinking on how to respond but finally did so after a small pause, “Thank you. But we’ve still got more to do”

“I’m sure everything will turn out right in the end” she had hardly finished when her cousin walked in. Doreen jumped off her chair running to the figure, “Sophie!”

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The little girl hugging her legs and smiling widely at her reminded her of the first time she met her. She smiled, “Hello Doreen” not bothering to correct the little girl on her name, having a feeling she would always remain Sophie to Doreen. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, I got a little brother now. His name is Denzel” she talked as though talking about a new toy her mom bought for her. She nodded with a smile, “That’s nice” as they approached the table, where Daniel and Vanessa appeared to be conversing.

“Thank you” Daniel was telling Vanessa once they were close to the table. “Hello” he turned to her that was when she noticed the beard’s absence. It sort of made him look younger and she could see how prominent his jaw was. A hand tugged at hers making her realise she had been staring. Covering up her embarrassment with a timid smile, she said a small hello pulling up a chair and sitting down opposite him and Nessa with Doreen by her side.

“So what do you think?” she heard Daniel ask

“What do I think?”

A smile twitched its way onto Daniels face, “I was asking what you think of the final preparations”

When did he ask that and why hadn’t she heard anything. Oh right she had been staring at him too busy to hear

“Oh” she looked around, the place had been transformed with paintings made in bright colours giving off a sort of happy feeling, “I think it’s great, I love it so we just have to wait for Pastor Aaron to give the go ahead right?” he nodded.

“Why don’t we ask Nessa on her planning of the party?”

“What party?” Nessa asked cautiously.

“Sorry, I didn’t tell you earlier, but can you make it happen?” she decided to use the key words Nessa could never say no to, “Please you are the best at planning a party”

“But it’s just one day to prepare, how can I do that?”

“Please Nessa”

She threw her hands up, “Fine, I’ll see what I can do” she said already calling a number as she walked out of the hall, “But you better write down what you’d like for the party”

“Of course on it” she took out her pen and paper

“Can I help?” Doreen asked.

“Sure” her input was necessary too as they had to have a child’s opinion on the party as it was for them after all, they worked on ideas for a little over thirty minutes when Pastor Aaron walked in and he was not alone.

“He said he knows you guys” Nessa was saying looking at him suspiciously, “So do you guys know him?”

Rain looked at Daniel before looking back at Nessa, “Nessa, that’s Pastor Aaron. He is the reason why we are here in the first place”

Nessa looked surprised, “Oh I’m sorry sir, but you shouldn’t just walk up to people and ask them who they are, it’s considered rude. It doesn’t matter whether you are the leader of a project”
“Nessa!” Rain felt embarrassed, “Please don’t mind her words, she doesn’t mean anything by it”

The man in question nodded, “She’s right though, I’m sorry Miss I didn’t mean anything by it. I apologize if I offended you”

Rain was ready to speak so as to prevent Nessa from making another statement, “Yeah you did, a tiny bit but I guess I’m also sorry for asking you the same thing” Nessa said before she could

“No problem” Pastor Aaron said, “By the way it’s nice to meet you, Nessa, am I right?”

“Vanessa Mills, I’m Rains cousin, it’s nice to meet the famed Pastor Aaron”

Pastor Aaron laughed, “I doubt I’m famous”

As she watched the two converse, Rain felt herself on edge probably because she didn’t want Nessa to make another blunt statement. “You know you should breathe, you look like a bomb that is about to explode, just waiting for someone to pull the pin” Daniel said quietly beside her.

Shifting in her stance to look at him, she sighed realizing how stiff she stood, “Sorry” she looked back at Nessa and Pastor Aaron talking before walking back towards the table where Doreen sat. Daniel followed.

“It’s okay, because I would be the same in your position. But as you can see, there is nothing to worry about. Nessa is just being herself which is quite interesting to see” Daniel said with a shrug. Rain looked at him, “Yes, that is why I feel like I’m standing on needles every time she lets out a sentence. But it seems Pastor Aaron has no problems with her”

“Guess she’s welcome to the team then. I have a feeling she fits in already” Daniel said his eyes on Pastor Aaron and Nessa.

A / N

Today I just want to say thank you to you all for the support so far.

So a different side of Nessa showed up, what do you think about her now?

osayukiBJ this is for you. Thanks for the pointers I really appreciate you. God bless you dear ☺

Ko si se me te monka.... Stay blessed😊😊😊