Chapter 79: Chapter 79

The popular saying "there is magic in a mother's hands" manifested in me. most of the women who underwent my mother's two months midwifery therapy concluded that they felt and looked different, I didn't really take their "testimonies" to heart until it happened to me. Two months after giving birth to Nadia, it looked as if I came out of a fattening room. I never knew my complexion could be this fair without the use of bleaching cream or plastic surgery. After bathing scalding water every morning and evening, my mother will mix tumeric powder in water and rub it on my body, from head to toe. In the afternoon I'll wash it off and rub ndom (native chalk, looks like pottery clay), I stopped using body cream but made use of clear coconut oil instead. A week after Nadia's birth, my mother pierced ear holes in her ear, she cried anytime someone accidentally touched her ears.

A lot of things changed in her, I could tell when she's happy and I was able to understand what she wanted each time she cried. She knew when either Jade or I carried her and cried whenever Tiffany or Leila carried her.

I really enjoyed all the time my mother was with us but then everything had an end and it was time for her to go back to Nigeria. After all the hugging and crying, my mother bade us farewell and boarded Jade's jet which would be taking her to Akwa Ibom state international airport.

"I'm gonna miss her so much," Jade said as the jet took off.

"Yeah, me too. I really missed being a child, all the cares and pampering, my mother knew how to make me feel like a child again," I said.

Nadia was still asleep in her crib when we got home, I went to my room to rest. I needed to start preparing my final year project this Christmas holiday. I saw Natalie pacing in my room as I got in.

"Natalie? Is anything the matter?" I asked

"UK you're back, come sit down. I have something to tell you," Natalie said

"What is it?" I asked

"Okay, I know you said you were putting a halt on your acting and modelling jobs but I think since you have given birth and your daughter can spend hours without you, why not go back into showbiz? I bet your fans will go crazy when they realize that you are back on board, it'll be like a second debut," Natalie said.

"I don't know Natalie, movies would make me spend lots of time outside, away from Nadia and my responsibilities at home and my studies. Come January I'll be so busy with projects and seminars for my final exams, I really don't want extra workloads for me, I wouldn't be able to juggle all these things," I said to her.

"You don't need to start movie shooting now, people know that you are not just an actress but a model, you can take modelling jobs which is just a one-day job," she said

"I don't know, I'll talk to Jade about it. Let's see what he has to say," I said

"I'm sure he'll agree with what I'm saying," Natalie said.

That evening during dinner, I brought up the topic of making a comeback as a model. "I was thinking about the same thing," was what Jade said.

"Cool, after dinner I'll just check my email if there have been any job info," I said

"Already done that. There are five invitations and I accepted all," Natalie said

"You accepted all? Without confirming with me?" I asked

"She showed me," Jade said

"Really?"

"Yes, and I know you can handle all of them." Jade said

"Tell me Natalie, what I'm I modelling for?" I asked

"The first is for M&K perfume, you'll be modelling their new perfume "Kisses" with Allen Queens" Natalie said

"Wow, Allen Queens was once an ambassador for Versace, it'll be amazing to work with him," I said

"You know what I like about this Allen Queens?" Jade asked taking a bite of his beef.

"He is such a respectable person, there have never been a single taint on his image as a model, that is the main reason I feel comfortable with you working with him," Jade said

"Is someone scared that I would be taken away by a male model?" I asked poking his arms

"Stop talking nonsense," he said looking away and I laughed

"oh Jade, you sure have a funny way of showing your jealousy," I said

"I am not jealous, I am just protecting my territory."

The shoot for Kisses wasn't in New York, but at Detroit. The company paid for a first class flight for me and my assistant, Natalie. I didn't want to go without Nadia but then I felt uneasy about taking her with me. Natalie and Jade kept assuring me that I should take her with me to Detroit and that nothing will go wrong.

The shoot was taking place Wednesday morning and so we took the evening flight from New York to Detroit, Michigan.

There were two women waiting for us when we came out of the airport, one of them was holding a sign with my name boldly written on it.

"hello," I greeted

"UK, we're pleased to meet you, I'm Rachel and this is my my colleague, Sofia. we're here to pick you guys up to the hotel you'll be lodging," the woman who was holding the sign said.

"Alright, let's go," I said hastily, trying hard not to make them notice the little bundle Natalie was holding. But since Nadia had now developed a mind of hers and did whatever she wanted at anytime, she decided that was the best time for her to cry. sorry, wail.

"UK, you have a baby?" Sofia asked

"ummm…" I stammered

"what? how can you think that way? take a look at this young and slender figure, do you think this body can bear that pains of child birth?" Natalie asked

"so… the baby is yours?" Sofia asked

"of course, this is my daughter, Nadia. I hope you don't have a problem with me bringing her to work, I couldn't leave her at home," Natalie said

"of course not, UK is your boss, as long as she is comfortable with the idea of you bringing your baby to work for her then we have no problem. we would only have been concerned if the baby was UK's," Rachel said.

"I don't understand, why would you be concerned if I had a baby?" I asked

"oh please UK, you do not want that to happen. All the talking, scandal and attacks from the public, it's not something a young model should suffer from. So many people frown upon a model who gets pregnant and has a child at a young age, especially if she's not married." Rachel said.

Natalie and I looked at each other in surprise, I felt scared. What if news of me having a baby spreads, what would happen to me?

"you don't have to worry, after all it's not your baby. and I'm sure you'll take my advice, just know that as a celebrity, so many people are watching for you to make a mistake so that they can use that in tarnishing your image. getting pregnant and having a child now is the worst you could do to yourself," Rachel said as we got into her car.

Throughout the drive to the hotel, Rachel's words played through my mind repeatedly, Natalie held my hand reassuringly but it wasn't enough to remove this fear in me. Nadia didn't relent from crying, she was probably hungry but I couldn't feed her and Natalie couldn't either. I put the fake nipples in her mouth for her to suck but as soon as she realized that nothing came out, she continued crying.

"don't you think you should feed her?" Sofia asked

"I will when we get to the hotel, I'm sweating and sticky, I need to shower before feeding her," Natalie lied.

We were checked into a five star hotel in Detroit, as soon as Rachel and Sofia left and we were alone, I got Nadia from Natalie and breastfed her.

"this is bad Natalie, this is really bad. what will happen if news of me having a child got out, I'll be doomed. my career will end before I even had a chance to become a Star" I said

"I am worried too but I don't understand why they should take it as a big offense to have a child. Anyway you don't have to worry, I'll act as Nadia's mother for as long as possible to protect you. In fact I think we should let Jade know about this, he'll have a solution, he always have." Natalie said

"yeah, Jade will know what to do," I said.  Still, that fear never left me.

I felt so relieved that we finished the shoot in Detroit and came back home without my fear coming to manifestation, the second and third modelling jobs were shot at New York while the fourth and fifth were at Pennsylvania and New Jersey respectively. After the shoot at New Jersey, we visited Jade's mother and Leila before going home.

Second semester in my final year came, together with all the hustle and bustle of writing projects, seminars, staging plays and finally, our last exams. After our last papers, we threw a party to celebrate our conclusion of college life. Jade threw a party for me, Ariel, Xiao Ling and Darren. A month later, we held our graduation ceremony. It was a mind blowing and super wonderful time for the four of us (me, Ariel, Xiao Ling and Darren)

Ariel got a first class, I got second class upper (I guess it was due to the low grades I had) but I wasn't jealous of Ariel, she really deserved it. my grades didn't really matter so much to me because of the surprises Jade gave me, not only did he bring my parents to America to attend my graduation ceremony, he gave me a brand new Lamborghini. Can you believe it? The thought of getting driving lessons never came to me before but I sure was getting one as soon as possible, I couldn't wait to rock this ride. Still in the graduation spirit, Darren proposed to Xiao Ling. I must say, that day was a day none of us would ever forget.

Ariel moved to LA where she would be staying permanently, while Xiao Ling and Darren went to Beijing. I felt so sad that the people I always spend time with have gone very far away, my only consolation was that I had Jade and Juliet and Natalie with me. I turned fully into acting and starred in movies with some top actors and actresses.

I was in my room one morning going through my lines for the next movie I was starring when Jade came in.

"hey honey," he said hugging me from behind and nuzzling my neck

"mmmm..." I moaned

"you like that?" he asked

"if I say yes, would you allow me to concentrate with my lines?" I asked

"maybe," he said

"well I don't like it," I said

"then you're not going to concentrate on anything," he said tickling me

"okay, okay, that's enough," I said laughing

"beg me"

"please Jade, stop it, I'm gonna pee" I said. I laughed until tears came out of my eyes

"that'll teach you not to be disrespectful," he said as he stopped tickling me.

I was panting, trying to get a hold of myself. "that was not a way a proper gentleman should act," I said

"how should a proper gentleman act?" he asked as he took me hands and dragged me to himself.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, "a good gentleman should be sweet and caring and always romantic," I said

"does this count as romantic?" he asked as he tilted my chin with his fingers and kissed me.

I closed my eyes and allowed myself to be carried away by the loving moment. But we were cut short by Natalie bursting into my room, "UK... uh oh. I'll leave you guys," she said

"no it's nothing..." Jade started

"I think you should leave Natalie, come back later. thank you," I said

"sure thing boss," Natalie said grinning

"close the door behind you," I said to her

"so, what do you have in mind?" Jade asked

"this..." I said and pushed him to fall on my bed.