The billionaire's forever bride

The Homecoming

The drive back home was a long one, Adam had filled her in of the happening that didn't cross the borders to her hearing. A lot had happened in her family but the best part was that everyone was happy she was finally back home, Their father had gone out on a business trip and would only be back by month's end, but he had made sure to fill her bank account with more than she could have asked for and a gift he had left with her mother.

She had excused herself to go into her room to freshen up before the guests started arriving. When her brother had told her about the dinner, she had expected a family-like kind of dinner but with the number of drinks and plates, she wouldn't be surprised if a crowd of people turned up in the next 10 minutes.

She came down the stairs in the simplest outfit her hands could reach and a pair of sandals to match, it wasn't too much or too simple yet complimented the evening and occasion.

As she took several slow steps down the staircase, she was enveloped by the Aroma of her mother's cooking, it reminded her of what she had missed all the years of schooling abroad, home-cooked meals, the ones specially made by her mother

Her mother beamed with a smile as she hugged her tightly like she was just seeing her.

" Hey mom." She managed to say amidst the tight hug. Her mom led her to her own room and directed her to the bed to sit. She brought out a little box and brought out a diamond necklace which she put round Ava's neck.

" This is beautiful mom" she said holding the little pendant like she was scared it would fall off any moment.

" Welcome home dear, we've missed you so much. Go around and greet everyone, they've been waiting for you."

The sitting room was soon filled with the soft hum of conversation and the clicking of glasses, she moved around to greet her family members and a few friends, they all had something to say, from congratulations to the fact that she had grown taller and added weight.

She scanned the room for her elder brother, but he was nowhere in sight, he had texted her after she came out from the shower that he was going out to pick someone, she had assumed he was probably going to pick his girlfriend but neither he nor the mysterious guest was in sight.

" Hey Ava, looking for me?" Her brother's voice came behind her.

" Yeah, you said you were going to get someone, it's been hours, and I didn't see you."

"Yeah, I picked Him already. We stopped to get more drinks, bills on him," he said smirking.

"Him?" She asked, wondering who would go that far to get drinks for her party, she wondered if the person knew her.

" Yeah, come out though, we're grilling meat outside. Come have a bite."

She didn't waste time accepting the invitation, the sitting room was already suffocating her and if she wasted any more time standing and answering questions about school and her studies, she might just lose it.

She took her brother's hand as he led her out of the room filled with people exchanging pleasantries and the sound of spoons clicking on plates.

He led her to the back of the house, and he had said earlier, there were some of his friends already out there drinking, two were doing the grilling, he introduced her to them as they congratulated her. They were people she could recognize as her brother's workmates and a few from where he played his outdoor sport.

When her eyes fell on him, her heart skipped. It was her heart that probably did the recognition because her eyes couldn't recognize the handsome man sitting on the bench in front of her. She stood there for minutes just staring at him and wondering how the shy kid who she had seen talking to her brother some years ago had grown into this... this... this Handsome man. Her mouth watered.

She had not seen him for the longest time, because he soon moved away after his mother died, the last time she had come across him was on the evening news when he was announced as the one to take over his grandfather's business, she had been too shy to ask her brother about him because typical of her brother, he would have asked why she wanted to know and if she made the mistake of telling him, her secrets would have been out to her family's hearing.

He was seated with his back resting on the wall, this had been the most casual way she had seen him dress, even in T-shirts and jeans, it always looked formal. His gaze finally fell on her, she could see the look of recognition on his face as he stood up with his drink. He soon covered the long distance between them.

" Hi Ava, it has really been a while." He said extending his hands for a handshake.

" Hi Liam, it sure has. Thank you for the flowers and for coming." she managed to say. Her cheeks were burning red as he looked at her.

" I was supposed to follow Adam to the airport, but I had other engagements. It is really nice to see you Ava, it's been forever."

Damn those engagements, he would have been there at the airport to pick her up, he would have given her those Flowers himself, he would have been in that car sharing those chocolate bars as Adam drove them home. Damn, those engagements.

" Thank you, it really feels nice to be back. I just figured out that I wasn't really stressed, the whole thing was just homesickness." She said smiling.

He smiled too, revealing his perfect pairs of dimples.

"One wouldn't believe you could stay away from home for so long, you always clung to your mother like she was going to leave you any minute "

He still remembered, those were her embarrassing moments. She had always been a mummy's girl.

" I had to leave since my mum started throwing tantrums about how I couldn't do things independently. I wanted to prove her wrong "

They both laughed. He led her to the bench he was sitting on, and they continued their conversation.

" You were always a bold girl, I guess your mother's side was your comfort zone. I still remember our first conversation" he said laughing.

She covered her face with her glass of wine, one he had gotten for her as they walked to the bench. It was so embarrassing every time she thought of their first conversation, hearing that he still remembered it, made her wish the ground would open and swallow her.

The first time he came to her house, she was probably 8 or 9 years old, she had been playing with her doll in her room when she became thirsty, so she came downstairs to the kitchen and saw someone who wasn't her brother sitting on one of the kitchen stools.

He looked like he was lost and kept clicking the glass of juice in front of him with his nails. She stared at him like she was reading his history from his forehead.

He finally noticed her when she dropped her doll on the table and went to the fridge to get her juice. She came back with the glass and kept staring at him.

" You're Adam's sister, right" he asked, probably uncomfortable with the way she was staring at him.

" Yes. I was playing with my doll" she answered pointing at the barbie doll sitting pretty on the table.

" Nice." He replied, drinking his juice.

" Her name is Luna, I'm her mother. She doesn't have a father yet " she said turning to put the juice back.

" Oh, why though?"

" Uhm... Well, I've never really thought about it. Do you want to be the father?" She asked, looking at him.

" I don't think I'm old enough to be a father yet."

" Then maybe you can do that when we're all grown up. Don't marry someone else though, I'll make sure my brother watches you." She said and walked away with her doll and juice.

The fact that he still remembered that conversation was really embarrassing. She looked at him laughing at her, she couldn't help but laugh too.

"That was a long time ago" she said laughing. That was the first time she had a crush. He wasn't just a kid sitting on that stool, she meant the whole marriage thing. She had kept that feeling for him even till high school and when he left too even if she couldn't see him.

" Here they are, I've been looking for you guys all over the place," Adam called from some distance away cutting their laughter.

" Hey man, you've been gone forever," Liam called out while closing the distance between them

" Sorry, I had to go arrange some stuff for Mum. What did I miss?"

" Nothing much, we were just catching up. I'll see you guys around " she said turning to Face Liam.

She was glad he had that same look on his face, like the conversation shouldn't end. He was looking at her like he was trying to see her soul, it was more like there was something on her face or he wanted to save her face in his memory.

"Okay Ava, see you around." He finally said.

She turned around and walked into her house, she felt his eyes on her.