Chapter 48: Meeting with Elizabeth

48\. Is it worth all he's doing to go back?

SIX MONTHS LATER

The armchair would never need to defend itself on how it was significant in history. After being claimed by the gentleman who walked into the room.

Quietly, he pronounced his name.

"I'm Nathan."

"Nice meeting you, Mr. Nathan. It's so good to have one of the Browns in the room with me. I'm Elizabeth, your counsellor." The old woman smiled. Her bright smile lifted the dark room into a relaxing and blissful one. Nathan thought she must have been a beautiful lady with unbeatable confidence in her youth. She looked straight into his eyes, crossing her legs. Her hands resting on the arms of her chair. Then her smile thinned out. "But I would still like a bit of introduction. And then you can share with me what burdens your heart."

The woman gave Nathan a light smile in the end. Enough to assure him he was in safe hands. "Please, don't hold back."

"I'm the firstborn of my family, and I'm thirty-two." Nathan Brown rested his back on the black chair, feeling relaxed. He was relieved of the tension he felt when he walked into the room a few minutes ago.

"Elizabeth, my mum is driving me crazy. She's all over me and I don't know how to stop her. She's interested in anyone I'm dating and ends up chasing them away with her actions and criticisms. I need help. I know I could have just told her to stay out of my business. Shun her and put her in her goddamn place, but she's my mum and I can't deny her some parts of my life." Nathan paused. More like he was trying to catch his breath. "I want to settle down for crying out loud, but she's making my life so difficult."

Elizabeth thought Nathan sounded frustrated despite keeping his voice down. And a bit desperate for help. A light smile graced her face. Elizabeth wondered who was she. The lady who made Nathan desperately seek help. Had he lost her? Or afraid of losing her? It was never one of the easiest decisions to sit your butt down and pour your mind out to someone else. It takes a lot of courage and desperation. And this, Nathan Brown, was doing it with her.

"How close are you to your mum?"

Nathan didn't have to think about that. The answer was simple. Very close. He went ahead and answered Elizabeth. "Everyone in that house knows I'm her favourite. I think. But sometimes, I don't like being one."

"You think because you are the richest?"

"I think I became richer because of her. She can give me her life savings. She managed my business for a while before I came back home. But I wouldn't be the only one she can do that for. My mum is full of love. But this attitude with the women I choose is strange."

Elizabeth smiled, watching the gentleman who had graced the popular Future magazine as one of the successful young men just like their fathers. It was indeed a surprise sitting in the same room with him. His pose did command authority. His presence filled the room with undeniable gloriousness. The tone of his voice blended with a little bit of pride despite staying calm and humble in his seat. Elizabeth thought he was attractive from head to toe and women would be willing to line up to take turns.

He was truly what the magazine sold out.

Tall, dark and Handsome.

Aura of excellence and pride. He did have a calm look but everything around him screamed wealth. Elizabeth thought the least expensive thing on Nathan would be his haircut. If he told her he had it for a million naira, she would believe. A wavy, low fade haircut with a side part should cost more because he was Nathan Brown. His looks were powerful. And he looked more like someone who would not hesitate to put anyone in their place. The same Nathan Brown was here for a woman. The luckiest woman in the whole of the universe.

If Elizabeth had not met with highly quality men in her field, she would have been intimidated by the high level of confidence and power Nathan had around himself. She thought this man was dead gorgeous and that brought a little smile on her lips.

Elizabeth appreciated the tone of his response. It told her how much he respected his mother still. More like he was grateful to have her. But there must be a line that she needed not to cross and respect his decision just like he respected her. Even if it will cost him.

Elizabeth stared at Nathan. "It's very clear your Mum loves you so much and she's watching out for you, I believe. I'm so happy you know that. She doesn't want you to make the same mistake she must have experienced or witnessed. Parents are like that. They think they can choose the best for you. Yes, they can, but not in all aspects of their children's lives."

Elizabeth pointed to herself. "I'm a mother too, and there are lines I don't cross with my children. Can you tell me a little about your Mum's background? She was also that type of rich kid before marrying your father right?"

"No, she's not," Nathan said. His tone was very flat. "Mum was more like the breadwinner of her family before she met Dad." He paused. "I will just put it this way. She's not from a rich background."

"Then I assume you know why she is being difficult."

Nathan sat upright before resting his elbows on his knees. Both hands rested on his forehead with his eyes closed. Whatever that was, Elizabeth thought it must have been a real headache for him, but still chose not to interrupt him till he eventually spoke up.

"But what does that need to do with my relationship? Mum's family causes so many problems that need to be solved with money. Every time. Dad shoulders everything. They come to me too. But that's her family." His eyes opened, and a feeling of anger poured out of them.

Elizabeth became curious. But she didn't need to know too much about his Mum.

"I have never seen my Dad complain though," Nathan added very quickly.

"And how do you feel about your Mum's family coming to you for money?"

"Provoking! I feel it's ridiculous. You come to me anytime you need money like you have some savings I'm keeping for you." Nathan said before he felt his response was too harsh.

"It's okay," Elizabeth assured him with a light smile and watched him relax again before she went on. "You have to be real with your conscience. You have to tell yourself the truth. No matter how much you desire something or want it, you have to make sure you aren't deceiving yourself. And I may sound brutal, but I will be honest with you." Elizabeth said. "If you feel this way about your Mum's family, what do you know about her? I mean, she. The Lady that made you want to see Elizabeth so badly. What do you know about her that you won't have to feel this way."

Nathan rubbed his face down and heaved a sigh. If he answered very quickly, he was going to lie. "I don't even know." He said, being honest. He never really got to know Tacha that well. "We've never really had deep conversations as much as I want to know more about her Mum, also her upbringing."

"But you've had deep sex lots of times." The voice was calm. A teasing smile spread across Elizabeth's face almost immediately,  trying her best to hold down her chuckle.

Nathan met her gaze very quickly, obviously lost.

"Isn't that supposed to happen?"

That made Elizabeth almost burst into laughter but her smile widened instead. Elizabeth grinned at Nathan. At the lost reaction he had on his face when she thought he was going to smile. For almost an hour, his lips never curved into a smile. Elizabeth decided to match his energy. Focus and sincere. "You see, many relationships today begin with sexual activity. The sex comes first before you realise you don't even know a thing about each other. Is like tasting a cake before getting to know who the baker is, and you have to choose whether to continue patronizing them or not based on other factors."

"Some people realise they can't tolerate each other's attitude and call it quit. Also, many are forced to stay with each other because of sexual compatibility, money attraction, and family background. The other way around, some people do not think the relationship is worth fighting for cause all they feel he or she can offer is sex. Since they've never taken their time getting to know other qualities about this person. For such reason, they easily let go. That's why going down immediately when you meet someone is not advisable."

"Oh, I must agree with you."

This time, Elizabeth laughed. "That response was too quick. Coming from someone like you."

A light smile finally graced Nathan's face. Then he chuckled. That one chuckle lasted for about a second. Elizabeth joined the host of heavens to rejoice. She had to agree his smile must have been the reason the world was at his feet because it was indeed beautiful. He became more relaxed and moved in his seat for comfort.

"Elizabeth, I'm not the type you must have pictured in your head. And I'm also not the type who seeks a relationship that often. It was easy to agree with you because of the few have been with. I don't think I can remember their names. And that's because I didn't get to know them."

"Hmm..." Elizabeth cleared her throat with a quick smile.

Nathan smiled even more. His smile was calm and authentic. He looked even more free and different from how he first walked into the room. "I guess I wasn't interested in knowing them."

"I love that. But you remembered someone."

There was a quick silence, but soon the room erupted into a loud chuckle.

He nodded. He did remember someone.

Nathan was glad he had chosen Elizabeth to speak to. Her voice was warm, supportive, caring, bold, authentic and firm. With a bit of humour.

He was in the right place and he knew it.

Indeed, he was with the right person and he was glad he chose to do this. But, he wasn't sure if all this would be worth it.

Elizabeth smiled. But slowly, the smile on her face faded away, and when she spoke, her voice was calm and firm. "When you met her, there was something you wanted then? It could be something frivolous which was the reason why it was easy not to do anything. It could be the reason you didn't know what you wanted further. I feel you've realised something important now. That will lead me to ask. Nathan, what do you want?"