Ms Wilson's Replacement

34: Overkill for the dinner

"Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."
~Robert Breault

Gabriel and I are waiting beside the car waiting for Eli to come out of the building so I can take him home.

He woke up this morning, got ready for work and I don't think he even realised today was his birthday. I wished him a happy birthday during breakfast and Joey did likewise too.

He was surprised, nonetheless happy and I lean in to kiss his forehead before revealing what I had planned out. I told him we were going over to the Grand square restaurant to celebrate his birthday but pointed out that we could do something else if he wanted. He said he was okay with my plans and would close early to spend the rest of the day with me and celebrate. I told him I would come and pick him up after work so we can both go on our way.

I am wearing a green lace gown that cut across the kneel on a three-inch heel. My hair is in a neat bun and my face has a moderate amount of makeup on and my eyes although touched by the mascara, is hidden in the black shade I have on and I know it's probably overkilling for the simple dinner I suggested in the morning, but oh well.

Eli's looks around at the parking lot and as his eyes lands on me, he smiles happily before proceeding towards me. He's wearing a grey long sleeve which is neatly tucked in and black trousers completely different from what he wore to work this morning and I figure Gabriel must have gotten this for him to change into. His grey eyes although looking to be a bit tired holds so much life in them and his hair is as neat as it was when he left home this morning suggesting that he took the date as serious as I did and wanted to look good enough for me and he somehow he gets my heart to beat unsteadily at the sight.

Getting to me, he kisses my lips and my heart still flutters at the touch of his lips and I don't want us to pull away for any reason and when we finally do, my heart clenches.

"You look absolutely beautiful, Anna." He gushes helplessly as his eyes scan me from head to toe.

"Thank you, do not flatter too much or I'll get used to it," I say with a wide grin and my heart flutters away.

"Well, I like that. Shall we go?" He nods and we enter into the car before driving off.

He turns thirty-one today and if I'm honest, I would say he looks much younger than a thirty-one-year-old and knowing that today will be my last day with him, I have no choice but to try and cherish every moment of it. Yes after today I will be gone but it will take a long time before I properly get over everyone I've gotten to know and meet in the past three weeks and yes I have grown to care for him and that's not going to change.

Gabriel clears his throat and I snap out of my thought to see that we are almost exceeding the road that leads back home.

"Oh Eli, I forgot my purse," I say, glancing around me, hoping to further back up the claim and then looking up at him, "I need to go back and get it."

Gabriel takes the turn that leads back to the mansion and when we got there, I step out of the car and turn to Eli who is still in the car, "Are you going to stay there?"

"Well, I thought you'd just get it and return."

I gasp in dramatic disbelief, "Come on, come with me."

Eli sighs a little frustrated and gets down from the car. I take his hand and our fingers entwine and we enter into the house and it is completely dark and I don't miss the way Eli's grip tightens around mine and I can tell he's wondering what's happening.

"Anna?" He calls out with an unsure tone and immediately the light is turned on and decorated parlour and everyone in it is revealed.

"Happy birthday!" They all yell in unison.

Eli gasps from beside me and lets me go. I cannot tell if he's happy about the stunt we pulled to get him here, but when Amade walks up to him and hugs him, a smile flash on his confused face and he turns to look at me and I'm grinning out in guilt.

"Happy birthday, darling," Jumai walks up to him and kisses his cheeks before stepping away from him.

"Thanks, Mom," he says, his eyes still fixed on me.

"You did this?" he finally asks with an unbelievable voice.

"It was a team's effort, Joey brought the idea, and Amade, Yogi and your mom helped carry it out."

He glances heavenward and shakes his head, "There was no dinner plan was there?"

I shake my head, my cheeks hurting from holding my grin for so long. "No, there wasn't. This was the only plan."

I see the look on his face and it is the look he always has whenever he wanted to kiss me, except this time he can't because we are crowded. He takes my hand and pulls me closer and he bites down on his lips desires flaring in his eyes.

"You have no idea what you do to me, Anna. If only you knew how you make me feel," He mumbles loud enough so that I can hear it.

"Well, I wouldn't get tired hearing you tell me though."

He surprised me by leaning in and kissing my lips, tenderly even though we are surrounded by a body of people. I pull back with my cheeks burning and wanting to hide away so bad. No, he has no idea what he does to me, no idea.

"Eli!" Amade calls, walking over to him with a smile on his face. He's wearing a grey long sleeve on a pair of black jean. Yogi is beside him, holding a glass of wine in her hand and wearing a pair of black jeans and a red blouse and her hair is in a neat bun. "Again, happy Birthday, man." He says before hugging him.

"Thank you, Amade and Yogi thanks for putting this together this is amazing."

Yogi shakes her head slowly, "It was all Anna's making." She responds, her finger pointing to me.

Eli turns and stares down at me with adorable eyes, sending shivers down my spine.

"Just because you didn't get an eww from me when you kissed her earlier don't mean you can do it again." Snaps Amade, already seeing what's coming and my cheeks burn.

After about ten minutes of chit-chatting, I make my way from Eli and his crew over to the corner where Joey is with Elizabeth having an interesting talk from what I can see. Elizabeth looks as though she cannot get enough of the young boy and I can't blame her, Joey is as good a charmer as he was a manipulator. His witts and wisdom supersede most boys his age and no one can deny that.

"I told Xavier that I wasn't scared of the spider and I picked it and dropped it on his head." Joey narrates and Elizabeth laughs hysterically.

"Bless your heart son, but didn't you get into trouble with your teacher for doing that?" The old woman asks, and Joey nod.

He shakes his head, "But he stopped picking on me after that day."

"Good for you, Joey," I make my presence known to them.

"Anna," they say in unison with happy smiles on their faces.

"Why aren't you with Eli?" He asks, munching on the pie in his hand.

"He's with his friends and they seem to be having a good time talking about science. I don't know much about that so I excused myself."

"Science is fun" Joey squeal and he isn't joking in his remark. "You get to learn a lot," He pointed out happily.

"You should have told him you were lost." Elizabeth simply suggests and I guess she has a point, but I didn't want them to have to change the topic all because I was there.

"Who's that? Joey asks with a narrowed brow and I turn towards where his gaze is and I see Keffi now added to Amade and Yogi.

"That's Keffi, she's a friend of Eli," I say and my teeth clench as jealousy and annoyance cuss through my veins at the sight of her flirting and running her hands all over Eli.