Redemption - Episode 22

 

Seven years later:
Benedicta

"Hey! Bennie wait up!" The always cheery voice of my bestie stop me at the door of the hall where I just wrote my last paper.
"Babe! It's finally over. We did it." Cheryl squeals as she finally gets to me and hug me.
"Yea, I am more astounded by this Cher. After everything we have been through, we finally get our degree." The smile on her face is contagious . I am so happy right now. Who would have thought that after all that happened to me seven years ago with Luis, I would be able to further my education and get a degree in music?
"Come on Bennie. I know that face. No sad thoughts today okay? You have an audition to get to right?" She asks and I nod my head nervously. This is the first audition I would be trying out.
"You were born for this girl. Go get them!" Cheryl cheers.
My phone alert me to a text and I look down at it to see it's from Larry. My baby boy. I quickly click on the text.

Goodluck mommy. Aunty Prudence is taking me out to Mr Biggs. Bye.

  Reading the text from my little boy gives me enough inspiration. I need to get this gig so that I would be able to save up and get my son from my brother, Favour and his wife Prudence. Don't get me wrong

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/redemption

. They treat my boy like a prince but still, I want him with me. Now that I have finished schooling, I just need to get a job and a house so I can live happily ever after with my boy and my music.

"Larry?" Cheryl ask me and I nod.
"He sent me a good luck message."
"Awwwn. That kid is so cute. I want my own son."Cheryl says and I pinch her nose teasingly.
"You think it was easy being pregnant? Go and get married so you can have a support when you get pregnant." I tease but when I see her face fall, I know I have hit a nerve. Cheryl was married before but when her husband nearly beat her to death, she left him. That's how we met. At a support group for abused women that Favour persuaded me to join few years ago. Cheryl and I have so much in common in our love life and we became fast friends.

"I said no depressing thoughts today Bennie. And I am sure, I am never getting married again." Cheryl declares.
"I am sorry Cher. I didn't think before saying that." I apologize.
"It's fine. Now, no negative vibes. Positive vibes only. You get me?" She says wiping her eyes and I nod.
"Achieve?" I place my fist for her and she bumps hers with mine.
"Achieve!" She scream out loud. People are starting to look at us weirdly but we don't care. We have taken a lot of bullshit from the world and we deserve to be a little crazy.
We hug each other fiercely before Cheryl pulls away.
"Okay. You can't be late for your audition. And don't forget our girl's night out okay? Dad gave me enough cash for the both of us to have fun. And don't tell me you don't like partying. We deserve this night out" she tells me and I shake my head at her. Cheryl's dad is super rich and she doesn't fail to take the chance to spend his money extravagantly. I think this is her little way of getting revenge on her father for making her marry that monster who almost killed her.
"I guess I will try to make it home early for our night out." I say nonchalant and she pouts.
"You are a spoilsport. I am going shopping right now to get what we are going to wear out tonight. You are going out with me today, even if I have to drag you on the floor, screaming." She states matter of factly and I know I have no choice. Once she sets her mind to something, she makes it happen. I guess a little fun won't hurt. I am no longer the naive girl from six years ago. I can handle a little fun.
"Fine, Cheryl. You are the boss." I tell her and her smile goes big and a little mischievous.
"Don't plan anything too evil though." I add and she bursts into a fitful laughter.
"I would try. Now, go on." She tells me and I hug her quickly before I hurry out of the exam hall.

********
It takes me more than usual to get to the hall where the audition is taking place and I arrive twenty minutes before time. I wanted to be here at least an hour early to prepare.. I rush into the building and the long line of people who have also come to audition makes my heart pace increase dangerously. This is just an audition for back up singers but I can see more than fifty people here. Some have guitars which they are already tuning in preparation while others are doing one form of voice preparation or something. I can feel so many butterflies in my stomach.
"You can do this, Bennie. I am a mother. There's nothing we can't do." I tell myself. I can feel my nerves strengthening.
"Help me lord. Dad, watch out for me from up there okay?" I say to the ceiling.
  I already have my song. It's a song I wrote after losing my dad. That was a particularly hard time in my life and I wrote a song out of it. 'Redemption'. That's what I titled it. I know the song by heart and it suits my voice perfectly. I should be able to get this part. Hopefully, this would be the start to my music career.

"Ten minutes to go, people! You all should come forward and pick a card. No 1 goes first then the rest follow. Do you understand?" A lady wearing a little microphone announces and the crowd rushes towards her to grab cards. I join in the struggle and finally get a hold of a card. I am No 8. Okay. Don't freak out. Breathe in. Out. In. Out. Oh my god. I am No 8. That's too early. I better go freshen up my face in the bathroom.
  I move away from the crowd to the ladies room which is just beside the hall.

Lucas:

"I just got to the audition hall. Yes, Jake. You know I have a busy schedule. You better come back soon okay? Your kids are driving me crazy." I say in to the iPhone against my left ear. Jake chuckle down the line and I shake my head.
"Hey, we left you with them just yesterday and you are already complaining. What a friend. Does your fans know you are such a snub?" Jake ask and I grunt down a laugh. I can't have him thinking I am happy with this arrangement.
"Does your fans know you waste your money on extravagant honey moons every year with your wife?" I tease right back and he only laughs. He's such a whimp for his wife. As for me, I don't trust them one bit. My brother is a big example of what women can turn men into. Thankfully, Luis was able to wake up from his stroke six years ago after months of making my mom worry. But ever since he got better, he left for the states. He has never even thought of coming back home.
"Listen Lucas. We would just be gone for a month. I already sent you a list of applicants for the nanny job. Once you pick a suitable one this weekend, you will be fine. You just have to give them shelter. The nanny will take care of them okay?" Jake assures me from the other side of the phone. I hear Sarah's voice from the other side of the phone and soon, Jake is giving me an excuse before ending the call. What a whimp.
  He gets to have fun with his beautiful wife while I do his job for him. What I do for friends. He's also the reason why I am in this hall right now, to find a back up singer for Jake's latest artist. I sip the coffee I bought on my way here. It has already gone cold
I get a text from mother at this instance, telling me to come home to visit my sick father but I just turn my phone off. My father doesn't even want to see me. I can feel an headache coming on and I rest my back against the nearest door. Even though I am now a successful and well known producer in the industry, my dad still doesn't seem proud of me.

Benedicta:

After applying a little pressed powder and a fresh coat of lip gloss. I take calming breaths before walking towards the door to the restroom. I twist the door's handle and push it forward but it doesn't bulge. Did I get locked in? My audition. I try the door handle again and apply a little more force. It opens but only a little and that's when I realize someone is pushing it backwards. What the hell.
I use all the strength in me to push the door.

Read " Star-crossed " by the same author ( Ameh juliet )

. It flies open suddenly and I lose my balance and crash into a figure standing just outside the door.
"Sh*t! What the hell!" I hear the figure cuss while I hold on to such firm biceps for support. I finally get control of my balance and look up into eyes that look so dark and deep. Maybe a little sad but gorgeous.
"Excuse me, will you get off me?" The figure says and I snap out of whatever haze I was in. I stand upright and that's when I notice the wet patch of something dark on my pink dress. What the heck!
I can't go in there looking like this!
"What a clumsy woman" I hear the handsome but rude man lament and my anger flares.
"Rude?! Me? Why were you trying to lock me inside the bathroom? You pervert!" I yell in his face while poking his chest which is also solid, I must say.
This rude nigga grab my poking finger and the electricity shooting into my body from that point of contact is obscene. What is wrong with me? I hate men. I tell myself but again, I get lost in his eyes. He's looking at me in a funny way and I don't like it.
"Let go of me, you pervert!" I yell before kicking his shin.
"Ouch!" He yells and lets go of my hand to rub his shin. Serves him right!
I stick my tongue out at him.
"No 18? No 18!" I hear someone shout continuously. My mind clicks that I am No 18. I look down at my stained dress and my stomach rolls nervously.
"Crazy women!" I hear the man lament as he rubs his shin continuously at the same time as I vomit all over his shirt.
Oops.
 

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