33 - DINNER
“Tell me my son isn’t flattering me,” said Mrs. Freya to Morgan who was seated beside her, “he had so long shut his doors on women from the first day of his failed marriage with Mary, till now.”
They were seated around a massive table in a massive hall with a few maids and men in suits nestled at the far corners of the room and behind their seats.
It was a serene look, everything organized and everyone doing what they were meant to do, not a thing out of place.
Morgan smiled. The table wasn’t complete. Grey was there, but Peniel wasn’t there and Lola was yet to step out of the stylist’s room. She drummed her fingers on the table like a kid whose fingers ached to grab the spoon in her empty plate and serve herself against her mother’s wish.
“Tobi brought home a lovely lady, tall and gorgeous,” Morgan said, “everything Mary was not in person and features.”
Freya raised a brow and gave Morgan a gentle nod. “Guess he went for the kind of lady I want, but who am I to question his choice even if he brought home someone like Mary?”
“Mom, you know I wouldn’t do that, and by the way, I don’t like it when you speak of Mary like she is a devil,” Grey said. “She isn’t a devil. We only had a divorce.”
Freya laughed. The big plates on the table and the platters with food and meat and vegetables were all covered, and would not be uncovered for the dinner to commence without Lola who was yet to appear before them.
“You couldn’t have spoken of her like she’s a saint a year ago,” said Freya, “you were so bitter you shut out everything that has clit.”
Morgan laughed loudly, and Grey smiled, their mother was such a funny one because somehow, she managed to know each of her three children like a friend would know a friend, not just like a mother would know her child.
“You’ve healed, that’s what I call it,” Freya continued. “People get strong when they heal, and they don’t remember the devil that dealt with them when they find the angel to soothe and heal them.”
Grey gave her thumbs up. Morgan shot her a smile, and just then, the door to the hall was pushed open and Lola emerged, dressed in the best gown one would dream most of in the century. a gown the worth of Salmon’s life savings.
“Here she comes,” Morgan announced as Lola emerged, followed by Peniel who had made herself the unsought bride’s maiden for a wedding that hadn’t happened yet.
Freya rose to her feet before Grey could do the same. Left to himself, Grey would have been busy with business, his phone and his Apple laptop could have been his partner even there at the table, but not at such a moment of strong commitment.
“She is truly an angel in the making,” Freya left the table and edged towards Lola. She met her halfway to the table and hugged her. “You are gorgeous.”
“Thank you,” Lola gave her a hand.
“You don’t have to thank me for a mere compliment,” said Freya, “there are many other things bigger than complement which I will shower you with.”
Lola smiled. “That’s kind of you, ma’am,” said Lola.
Freya ran a finger on Lola’s face. “Call me Freya, I am your mother-in-law-to-be.”
She led Lola to the table and had her sit next to her. Peniel and the stylist entered the hall, both dressed in fine clothes. They sat near Morgan, but their eyes remained pitched on Lola, their bride-to-be.
“You know, I never knew brother had an eye for someone this beautiful,” Peniel said. “I was mesmerized when I saw her.”
“Such magnificent beauty,” Morgan smiled.
“So, can I know your name?” Freya asked Lola.
“Lola Kane,” Lola said.
Freya narrowed her eyes. Kane? There are many Kanes in the world but the one she knew so far was the very wealthy family shared estate boundaries with in one of her estates.
“Are you a daughter of Adolf Kane?” Freya asked.
“No,” Lola said.
“And you haven’t heard that name before?” Freya asked.
“Not at all,” said Lola in response.
“Good,” Freya said, “the dinner should begin.”
The servants took charge. They opened the big plates and platters and helped scoop whatever was their preference into their plates.
“Today, we gather together to eat with our bride-to-be,” Freya began, “tomorrow, we will send invitations to friends and families for an urgent prewedding event.”
“Prewedding event?” Grey asked. “That’s time-consuming, we should invite them over for a simple wedding and a ball when the wedding is over.”
“Son, I understand she is your woman to be, and you have a choice to make here, but I won’t forgive you if you strip from me the privilege to throw a pre-wedding event for the two of you in this mansion.” Freya came gentle but mean with her words.
“If that is what you yearn for,” Grey faced his meal.
“So, as I said,” Freya continued, “a pre-wedding party will come first, and I’ll make sure every important person I know is invited, then, a wedding and a wedding party will be next.”
She speared a glance at Grey who was now busy with his food. “My son is worried that it might be time-consuming, so, I’ll make everything happen in the space of a week.”
Morgan clapped, really loud, and Peniel joined her. Lola on the other hand joined them.
“Lola, you will summon your family to this mansion as soon as possible, more especially, your mother,” Freya turned to Lola with a smile.
Lola paused. She would love to bring her mother to the mansion to come feast with the rich on the massive table, but her mother was late. She dropped the spoon and looked Freya in the face.
Freya stared back. Something was wrong with Lola’s countenance and she wanted to figure it out.
“Um, is she late?” Freya asked.
“Not up to a month ago,” Lola said in response.
“Too bad,” said Freya, “please, let’s take a minute of silence for her.”