Chapter Thirty Two of Ruthless.
Son and Mummy's conversation 😊

"Happy Birthday to you... Happy Birthday to you..... Happy birthday, Happy Birthdayyyyy.... Happy Birthday to you. Surprise!"

"Oh my God!" Mrs. Brown cried out after they sang for her. Her eyes came out twice its size, showing great delight at what Kate was holding. "Jesus."

"No mum." Kate interrupted, not feeling the excitement she expected her mum to give out. She dropped her hand holding the key she picked somewhere by her side. "It looks so fake mum. You need to act it well that people would really believe you."

Kate came closer to her mum. She had learnt about the new car her brother, Nathan bought for their mum. It wasn't just any car, but the car their mum had always wanted which her husband never bought for her, asking why she needed to drive an expensive car like that at her age. When Mrs. Brown learned from Kate that Nathan had bought her the car of her dreams, and he was going to present it on her birthday, she couldn't contain her excitement. She was all over the place and her expression seemed to have gone wild. Kate took her Mum's position.

"Look at me Mum." Kate said. Suddenly, her two hands flew to her mouth. "Ahhhhhhhh!" She yelled, stamping her feet on the tiles, her eyes dancing with the exciting smile that graced her face. "I can't believe this. Oh my God, oh my God! Jesus! What have you boys done for mummy." Then a tear slowly came down, spoiling her mouth like she was really going to cry. "Why now???? Sincerely, I'm speechless Nathan. Mum will be forever grateful." She said, walking towards her mum before embracing her into a big hug, kissing her nose, forehead, two cheeks, ear, and eyes before laughing.

Everyone who seemed to be totally carried away by Kate's acting laughed when she portrayed her mum's behavior so well by kissing her mum just the way she was always kissing all of her children. Kate's expression looked so real that anyone would have thought it was. No, they actually for a while thought it was real.

Anthony's laughter filled the whole room, suppressing the rest of the maids own and Mrs. Brown herself. He was on the long sofa in a corner watching them after diverting his attention from his phone to them. "Mum," he called. "I beg you, do not kiss Nathan like that. Kate has spoiled the whole surprise for you and I bet Nathan knows it's no longer a surprise by now the moment he knew Kate found out." Anthony turned to Kate, his laughter gone. "Surprise should be surprise."

"What!" Kate feigned a tired look. "I'm only helping her surprise look epic."

"Did you just say epic." Anthony's laughter came out louder at Kate's response, but stopped when Mary yelled. "Mr. Nathan is back."

Everywhere dissolved very quickly. The maids hanging around at different places. Mrs. Brown running to take a seat next to Anthony. Kate rushing to the dining table where her phone was, but ended up taking a seat when the door slowly eased opened.

Nathan walked into the living room. His eyes glancing around the whole living room,wondering why everywhere seemed so quiet. He shared a quick glance with everyone as he was being greeted before replying them less enthusiastic, making his way up to his room. The moment he was gone, Mrs. Brown faced Anthony. "What is wrong with Nathan lately. I've been suspecting he's not being himself. He's being too quiet and all by himself."

"Well, I've noticed that too since he has been coming over to my place to sleep."

"Your place?" Mrs. Brown readjusted herself on the seat next to Anthony. "I thought you were the one going to his place including his friend Jamal. His house is as well busy with the new cook and cleaner. What's going on with him?"

"You?"Anthony responded, letting his mum's eyes questioned him, but immediately added before she could speak. "You are one of the reason he's having this hard time mum. At first I didn't know what was going on but somehow, I found out he's really into a woman."

Mrs. Brown's face soften. It was as if she saw it coming already.

"Oh, you seem to know her already." Anthony's eyes came down on his mum, spreading his plump lips into a sad smile before it disappeared. "It's obvious he likes the girl Tacha so much now, but he's yet to make a decision to pursue her because you are one of the reason why he wouldn't do it, and the reason she wouldn't agree being with someone like him seeing the kind of family he came from. Inconsiderate, violence father, sense of revulsion, self-centered, and who knows what else she must have seen."

Mrs. Brown was quiet for a second. She raised her eye lashes up, staring at his son. "How can you say something like that about your family my Tony. No family is perfect. I should be the one complaining, because all you ever had was a good life before you could all stand on your own."

"Then why are you trying to decide for him. This makes no sense. The truth is I've never seen Nathan that way. I'm the closet to him and I can tell you my brother is one of the most pompous person than I or than the people I've known. When he wants certain set of people out," Anthony snapped his fingers. "He will make sure they are gone and nothing whatsoever can change is mind. That's cruel but I love him with his insecurities. And now... I knew something was going on when he asked me bro, are there really some things I do that's too cruel?"

A tear rolled down Mrs. Brown's face. Her eyes seemed even more wet, but a small smile spread on her lips seeing the worried look on Anthony's face. She was their mother and would always want the best for them. Listening to Anthony talked about how Nathan was willing to be a better person made her so emotional because he was proud of them for always having their backs without their mother.

"Mum." Anthony called, his right hand questioning why their mum was crying in a conversation that doesn't require all she was doing. He leaned closer to her and kissed her under her eyes. Anthony didn't know how blessed their mum was having sons who cared for her. She cried even more because of her son's act to make her stop crying. She was so proud of him, proud of them for how well they've grown, and how much they respect the women in their lives.

"Mum." Anthony turned his gaze at her again. "Should I leave?"

Mrs. Brown's face slowly changed to a smiling one that made Anthony chuckled. Mrs. Brown sighed. "Realising I have more boys, I felt it's a way God was using to speak to me. I couldn't let anyone of you marry someone like your mother." Her face expressed a bit of shame, but this was her son. She didn't mind, so she continued. "I want you all to marry women who are ambitious and would do anything to achieve their goals. Not someone like me who allowed her dreams to be bought away from her."

Anthony remained quiet.

Mrs. Brown expected him to speak, but he kept quiet and that gave his mum more room to continue.

"I didn't connect Lola with Nathan just because she's my friend's daughter, but because she seems really ambitious. She was in school when she started her fabrics business despite coming from a wealthy family that guaranteed you pocket money every week. A woman like that whose head is always thinking of what to do will help her husband no matter what he's going through," she said. "I feel like going back to when I was still a famous AOP. Not as if I was earning something very big, but I loved it. I love anything that deals with talking and my show was never boring or run out of relevance. That was just how active, well known I was." A smile spread on Mrs. Brown's face. "It was through it I met your Dad and different men who wanted to go out with me." She chuckled. "I don't talk about it cause after I dedicated my time, energy into the relationship picking him over everyone, he suddenly told me to end my career if I want to marry him. He said, you can't marry into the Brown's family and do some cheap work like that." Mrs. Brown looked into her son's eyes. "That's just how smug, arrogant you all boys have become. I wonder how the women in your lives are coping cause I hated it then. I guess have become just like him."

Anthony's face were brightened. Listening to his mum who never really discussed her personal life with any of them because of shame and how obsessed her family was with their Dad. They saw it. And now that they've grown so well, they share in that responsibilities too, and they did it all for their mum. Anthony looked into her eyes. "Mum, there is one thing I want you to know. I want you to know your dream was not bought away from you. You chose to leave it behind you, but even when you did, this man never stopped you from being yourself. How many women after marriage can actually spend that much time or put so much out their on social media. No, because not all married women like you have the privilege. If their husbands are not complaining, or telling them how to even manage their social media account, he's probably against something. Or what to post and not to post. How to dress and not to dress. How to live as a wife and what to do. Tell me," Anthony's voice came out like he was lecturing a student. "Has he ever restrained you from doing what you love?"

He continued. "Everyone in this house grew up with maids. To assist you and let you have more time for yourself. He proposed you leaving your job because it might be what his parents told him to before he could marry you. You know how grandpa can be. He's capable of saying no one marries into the Brown and live like an ordinary person anymore. We know him. That man is capable of saying that. But what happen after you got married? I don't think I can count how many ring light we have in this house just to make your YouTube videos." Anthony couldn't help laughing.

Mrs. Brown grinned. "You guys keep breaking it so he would buy in advance if any of you break it again."

"So mum, I want you to appreciate him. He makes sure you didn't give up your dreams. You might stop working at the station, but you still live your dreams to this moment. He allows you to be the kind of woman you want to be. What I don't know is why he suddenly cultivate the habit of hitting you. There is no excuse for that and we will have to face him whether he likes it or not." Anthony grabbed his Mum's hand. He brought it up and place his mouth on it. He kissed it again and again causing Mrs. Brown to laugh. He held her hand holding it tightly. "Thanks for making this home a place we can come to and not feel stressed out or bored. You are the reason why we all want to come home if we haven't laughed for days."

Mrs. Brown laughed so hard. "Is that how you woo your girlfriend?"

Anthony grinned. "I agree I can be a little bit cocky mum, but just like I cracked my brain to make you laugh, I cracked it even more whenever I want to see her smile or laugh when she has too much to worry about. You taught me that mum, and it has become an habit."

Mrs. Brown's smile became so wide. It was quite emotional seeing how much her son had grown. Her friends always asked her how her sons were able to open up to him at times and appeared in her videos. She only smiled and laughed it off, but she knew how much she tried even days they seemed too annoyed to see her, not enthusiastic to talk to her but she still initiated the conversation. Days they seemed very angry and she tried to make them laugh but they thought she was silly and still laughed anyways. Days they were rude to her and she scolded them but still went back to say sorry and stop them from being angry with the house itself. Days she chose to play with them, asked them silly questions but felt very uncomfortable to answer her till they became comfortable around her. She had put in so much hard work and love to have them around her. Listening to what Anthony said, her whole face lighted up with a big smile. She was the happiest that they were proud of her no matter what.

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