Chapter 56: A night to remember

A night to remember.

It was becoming a longer night for Tacha. Alone in the living room staring around the dark room.

She never had any reason to believe when someone said they were having a shorter day but longer nights these days. Now, she was sitting on one of the chairs at the dining table experiencing one of the tough nights.

A night that kept her awake past her bedtime. On her usual days, some minutes past ten would meet her on her bed while she had gotten halfway in her sleep.

But today, her mind had so much to worry about. Her black manicured nails wrapped around her phone. Tacha found the flowers that sat in between the dining table. Just by looking at them, Tacha knew they were expensive ones. They smelled so nice and were beautiful to look at. It was such a gorgeous gift she would ever receive.

However, they came from Nathan Brown. The man she saw no reason to receive flowers or any gift from.

And just by looking at them, they reminded her of him.

The man who looked like a war god whenever he was mad, but his features whenever he was Nathan could sweep anyone off their feet. Tall, dark, and dangerously handsome.

Does he even know how much he commands attention wherever he appears?

Tacha smiled. It was of no use to hold back. She could still remember some good days. Those broad shoulders had once been where she laid her head. His eyes had once stared at her like she was the most precious thing he had ever found. His lips had once captured her like she was the sweetest thing he ever had.

Those moments.

She was always lost in his arms.

At a point, she was convinced they would work out.

He had done some things that made her question the depth of what he felt for her. It was genuine. She recognised that.

There was no point talking herself out of it. She felt it. How sweet, how amazing he was when she got to know him. That was how he made her feel. Unique. Special. Lucky. Beautiful.

They might have started roughly, but how they gradually became close was a puzzle Tacha could never solve.

Tacha waved her thoughts, bringing herself back into the dark living room. Back to reality. Consumed by her worries again.

The day started so well that she could agree it was such a beautiful one. Even though she thought of the father of her daughter finding out about their daughter, she was fine with that. But who knew her Mum was coming home to break the news of Nathan meeting Anna to her?

The news hit Tacha like a rolled stone.

Nathan had met Anna.

Was she scared?

Fear was the last thing on her mind.

She was just too shocked to think of how it possibly happened.

Anthony told his brother after all.

Was she expecting him to keep such information from his brother?

And since he was Nathan Brown, there were people paid to find whoever he wanted. Tacha knew. One of the successful, wealthiest bachelors in Lagos. How would that be that difficult at all?

But yet, he easily let you go and just walked away from you.

There was a deep pause in Tacha's mind.

She wasn't going to think about this.

She wasn't supposed to do this to herself.

She wasn't supposed to come near this thought at all.

It was four good years already.

Wasn't that enough to forget what she had with him?

Enough for her to have forgotten he had no reason to force himself on her when she rejected him first.

Common! Tacha, you can't do this to yourself,

Please don't let him take over her thoughts again.

It was too late. A tear rolled down Tacha's cheek.

But it was the truth...

He let her go and never turned back.

Not the following month.

Not two months later.

Not three months.

He easily moved on because she refused to let him see her just for one day.

That's how much I mean to him after all. Tacha reminded herself and the feeling that ate her up made her give up all the strength she had. Only to cry. Only to shed tears. Only to wish he had come to her. But he made her know, who was she to think she could reject him?

Who was she to think she could tell him what to do?

He made it clear to her that she meant nothing after all.

That her time was over. That she could be replaced.

It was so easy for him to dump her and move on with his life.

Oh no!

Tears rolled down effortlessly without Tacha trying to hold back.

Her anger, her tears, her concern, her worries, her uneasiness was....what does he want after four years? It was clear he didn't just want Anna.

No matter what she told herself, she clearly understood what I miss us meant.

But she watched him move on with different ladies.

She saw him move on.

So, what he wanted was convincing to her.

Tacha blinked her eyes. She hated those tears. But she was telling herself the truth. After she declared she didn't want to see him, he only paid for her hospital bills and walked away. As if they never met. As if they never had a thing together. As if they both never lived in the same Lagos.

And even before she left Lagos, he never found her.

Was that even possible?

He never found her was the wrong word.

He never looked for her.

He never wanted to see her.

Because Nathan Brown always finds her.

And maybe, he agreed there was no use when she was just another lady he had a thing with and it just never worked out.

Yes. That was the truth whether she liked it or not. She needed to accept.

Tacha stopped those tears for a reason.

She had promised herself not to cry.

She loved her life now.

Tacha sighed heavily after diverting from her thoughts. She knew Anna meeting Nathan was something that would happen someday, and then, it happened without her being present.

But the smile on her daughter's face was beautiful and priceless.

Tacha thought of how the moment must have felt for both father and daughter.

She wanted to be there. She wanted to see the joy and happiness that both must have expressed. She wanted to be part of that moment.

Of course, Anna never knew that was her Dad she had met.

But Tacha knew her daughter's life was about to change.

After many thoughts, she decided she would let both father and daughter develop a relationship together. And if he would like Anna to meet his family, her daughter deserved to know who her father's family was.

A smile crossed Tacha's lips when Anna’s smile appeared to her once again. Her smile when she was talking about the man who gave her Mum flowers was an electrifying smile that she felt so precious and she was eager to know the man too. It seemed her daughter had given the man her consent even before she could know him.

What if it had not been her Dad?

Children really have no worries until they start growing up.

Also the giggles.

Not the one that came from Tacha. But the ones in her head. The one she thought of.

The giggles on her daughter's face. The smile when she told her they were going to make a video and send it to Dad brightened Tacha’s face upon seeing her daughter's excitement. Obvious that her daughter was over the moon, exceedingly joyous.

Another giggle escaped Tacha's lips thinking of what happened before her daughter could believe her.

“Mummy is playing with me.” Anna giggled. Her set of small teeth flashed at Tacha so brightly, yet her small feet were stuck at the entrance of her Mum's bedroom, refusing to leave.

“Common!” Tacha tried not to make fun of her daughter and shove her laughter back into her belly. “Daddy missed you. Don't you miss Daddy too?”

The exclaimed look on Anna’s face made Tacha eventually laugh so hard.

“Anna, I'm not joking. Daddy wants to see you.”

The run from the door of her bedroom to her was the most beautiful thing Tacha had ever witnessed and she laughed so hard. Her daughter's feet were the phrase…small and mighty.

But whatever the enemy meant for her daughter came at the wrong timing. Anna fell on the red rug while coming to her, but the quickness with which her daughter jumped back to her feet and reached her bed should be how everyone jumps on their feet regardless of the failure that comes their way.

The conversation went one after the other on Tacha's head and she smiled. The moment was so precious. She had told Anna every time that her Dad had travelled far away but would come to see her soon. So, she understood the excitement that danced on her daughter's face. She understood the happiness her body couldn't hold back while making the video.

Anna's smile was adorable.

Her daughter's smile at that moment was precious.

She was lucky to be blessed with a sweet soul.

But the truth was, even how sweet her daughter was, it was her father's trait. She reminded her of him a lot.

Tacha laughed. It's not possible she only took my skin colour, please. Tacha rolled her eyes with a cute smile on her lips.

As her daughter grew up year by year, she got to know more things about her, so she had a lot of time to get to know her more.

But how would she introduce Anna to her Dad?

Tacha's head was full of different thoughts that it had consumed all the space in her head.

Her phone vibrated.

Finally.

The reply she had been waiting for had come in.

Tacha's heart became anxious, clicking on the message without a check.

‘My brother's wife has agreed that you come to her plaza. Her workers will assist in sewing for the bride's friends. Please go tomorrow morning before...'

The last thing Tacha wanted was to get a message from her boss. It was the most difficult thing she could ever do at the moment.

Then her phone vibrated.

Not again. She didn't bother to look. It could be her boss. She wasn't ready for work issues.

But this time around, the vibration never ceased. The call eventually dropped when Tacha turned her phone to look, but popping up were two words that stunned Tacha to silence. All options to react to what she was staring at were paralysed. She was blank. Staring at the name of the response she got in a drunken stupor.

'I'm outside.'

Nathan replied.

Just then, another message from him dropped again.

'Can we talk, please? Outside your gate'.