Mr.CEO

Part 28

Monica Rhodes

My brother and I matched tonight. He wore a yellow shirt with me. We were at the gate greeting people and then came Bethany, Ingrid and her husband Tim. I forced myself not to roll my eyes at the women. "Hi Tony." His neck shot in like a turtle and I tried not to laugh. "Hi." He looked at me for help. "Why don't you guys go mingle and have some fun with the others." Unwillingly she moved. "Thank you."

I looked around and things were looking good so far. "Monica I want to see you in the kitchen." Mom said without even looking at me. I looked at Anthony who gave me the hunger games whistle. That dick. When we got inside, she gave me a tray with finger foods. "Serve them and come back for more." I sighed before walking away.

Dad was playing pool with some of the men while women looked on. Married women really don't know when to stop around here. "I would like one." I turned to face a chest. "Again, my face is up here." It was Theo. "Hey! I didn't know you were coming!" He grins. "Yeah, your mom invited me." I nod. "Well enjoy the party, I guess." I turned and walked away from him. 

"Joseph I told you to get the grill ready!" Mom scolded him. "In a minute, dear, I'm on roll here!" She huffed at him but all he did was kiss her,calming her down which sent everyone in a frenzy. Women were jealous while the men praised him. Ridiculous. Mom just rolled her eyes at her husband and saw me talking to Theo, oh no.

"Theo, I'm so glad you made it! I see you've met my daughter." She shook his hand. "I wouldn't miss it for anything and I have to say, your daughter is one in a million, you'll never see any of these young women around here going after what they want. You made a good one." Mom looked at me, her face held a smile but her eyes held disgust. "You don't have to tell me, I know."

Tony walked up to us and smiled. "I need a favor from you boys, as you can see, my husband isn't prepared to leave his game so I was wondering, if you two might grill for us tonight." Theo looked at me then at my brother. "Only if you want to." Tony asked him. "Yeah, I don't have a problem." Mom clapped her hands as she dragged them away. 

My phone started ringing and I answered it. "Andrea misses you and she won't sleep unless she hears your voice." 

"Put her on the phone then." I haven't been keeping my promise to my baby girl.

"She's listening." I heard her babbles.

"Hey baby girl, I miss you so much." She squealed and claps.

"I can't wait to see you when I get back home, I'm gonna kiss and cuddle you until you get tired of me." I heard Micheal chuckle in the back.

"She's asleep. So what's up with you? I miss you as well, you know. Plus I have a feeling that your mom isn't treating you the best right now." He was so right but I wasn't going to drown him in my issues. I missed him.

"I'm fine down here, my brother is with me so that's good. I miss you a lot and I can't wait to get home." Looking around, I saw Ingrid and her daughter looking at me. "Let me go somewhere, there are ears trying to get into my conversation." He chuckled as I made my way to my room.

"How's work? Anything new?" He grunts in response.

"I opened a new building in Spain so that's good. Mom and dad want to properly meet you as my girlfriend." I stopped him right there.

"Really? They want to meet me?" What if they didn't like me? What if they didn't like my skin?

"I can hear your thoughts from here and stop worrying, they will love you, you wanna know why? You make me happy and you make their granddaughter happy as well, once those things are crossed off, you're set."

He made it sound so perfect. "I'd love to meet your parents."

"Great because I already made reservations for you to meet them next week Friday."

"Now just wait a minute-" He cut me off.

"Oh look at the time, I have work tomorrow!" He rushed out

"Micheal, you better not-"

"I'll talk to you later, love you, bye." With that he hung up and all I could think about was

He said that he loves me!!

Micheal loves me.

Micheal Banes loves me!

A stupid grin made it's way to my face as Tony walks in. "You look stupid, stop smiling."

Nothing could ruin my day right now. "I don't care, what do you want?" He points behind him. "Dad wants you and we're almost finished with the barbecue." Heading to the yard, dad called me to him. "I would like to make a toast everyone!!" What was this old man doing?

"I wanna thank God that I could see my daughter again after so long, I know she's a busy woman now and I know I can't see her when I want to but when she came here to surprise me, I see how blessed I am to have her as my daughter. I want to let you know that I'm proud of you and who you've become in life and let no one tell you otherwise. You've grown and matured and I'm glad you followed your dream." Tears blurred my vision, he kissed my head and raised his glass. "May your dream never die." Everyone cheered his little speech.

"Don't cry, you big baby." Dad teased me. "You know I can't help it." Wiping my tears away. "That was so sweet, Joseph." Tina smiled at my father who only nods at her. He learnt that he shouldn't give these women the time of day, all they like is trouble. "I would always tell Linda that she had a strong daughter." Gina pushed Tina out the way.

"Ladies, your husbands are here, at least try to act faithful when they're around." I smirked, dad snickered but covered it with a cough. "W-" With that I took my dad to the grill where Theo and Tony were. "Doing good boys!" Anthony grumbled while Theo smiled. "Thanks, sir." Dad gave me a chair to sit on as I waited for the food to finish.

Things were finally going fine, then I spoke too soon. "So, Monica, tell us about your rich, white boyfriend." Bethany grinned at me. "What? You have a boyfriend?" Theo asked me in shock. "What the hell, Bethany? How is that even your business?" My brother defended me. Everyone started whispering. "Come on, Monica don't be shy, is he the one that cheated and had a kid? Micheal...Micheal Banes, right?" My heart pounded in my chest.

"That's enough Bethany!!" Anthony came in front of me and got in her face. "What? I was just asking! You didn't want us to find out? We may be a small town but we know about the internet. I even heard that you're the mother of the daughter and you came back to him because you ran out of money." My anger boiled in me.

"Well if you wanna know so badly, I am dating him and I love him for him, not for his money, I don't know what type of man your mother told you to love but mine will always be true. Him being rich has nothing to do with me loving him!! And when it comes to his daughter, she isn't mine biologically but she is in my heart." I pushed Tony out the way.

"And I'll beat any dumb bitch who speaks about my kid." The yard was dead ass quiet. "Don't ever loose your place and put my daughter's name in your mouth. I won't be so merciful the next time I see your hoe ass." I shoved her face out of mine and looked at my dad. "I'll be in my room, call me when the food's done."