Turbulence...(the beginning)

CHAPTER 1.



Rhonda woke up to the sound of the alarm beeping and quickly turned it off to avoid waking up her newly wedded husband.
She had forgotten to turn off the alarm clock before going to bed last night because as a stickler for waking up early, her clock was set by default to wake her by six A.M. everyday.
It was too late though, he mumbled sleepily and reached out his right hand to grab her.

Smiling, she allowed him pull her close as he drew her into the curve of his arms and held her tight for a moment before releasing her.

She still couldn't believe that she was now Mrs Rhonda Whyte, no longer Miss Abel.
Yesterday had been like a fairytale.
It had been a garden wedding and was everything she had imagined it would be. The weather had been just right, the sun friendly and no signs of rain. The garden had been decorated with breathtaking beautiful flowers that lined the path to where Ryan was waiting for her to come and exchange vows.
As the organist had played the tune of "Here Comes The Bride," she couldn't help the tears that stung her eyes while walking down the aisle, (or rather the garden) but had kept herself from weeping so her perfectly made up face would not be ruined.

Ryan had looked impossibly handsome in his black tux and a proud smile on his face like he was telling everyone he had just married a princess. After exchanging their personal vows and the priest had declared them man and wife, Ryan had taken her small waist in both his hands and tilted her on her back to give her a deep kiss to the roaring whoops of the guests.

Rhonda had met Ryan just eight months ago at a mutual friend's dinner party and had been inseperable since then. When he had asked her just a couple of months ago if she would marry him, though she hadn't been expecting it, she hadn't given it a moment's thought and without hesitation had said "Yes, Yes, Yes," so ecstatic.

Now here they were, the morning after, they had their whole lives ahead of them. She knew he was going to make her happy...

Rhonda realized that they hadn't made love at all last night, but had just snuggled close to each other in the bed, nude. She thought it funny how wedding nights were over-rated, because she had been so fatigued from the ceremony of the day that she had almost fallen asleep in her wedding dress!
Ryan had taken good care of her, did not make a fuss, but rather helped her out of dress and tucked her in bed.
She intended to make up for it today though, she laughed inwardly.

"... thinking of?" He brought her out from her thoughts as she suddenly realized that he was talking to her.
"Sorry?"
"I asked what you were thinking of because you seemed far away." He said, warm brown eyes and full lips smiling up at her.
"Nothing much, just thinking how happy I am."
"We are." He corrected, and she laughed. "I love you, you know that?" He asked.
"Of course I do, why do you think I married you?" She joked.

He kissed her then, but she cut short the kiss, saying, "Toothbrush first"
"Ouch," he laughed.




***************




She and Ryan were to spend three nights at the Pinnacle Hotel before taking a trip to Calabar where they would be spending the rest of their honeymoon.
They had chosen to stay at the Pinnacle because it was one of the most luxurious hotels in Lagos.

She wasn't looking where she was headed and bumped into him at the lobby of the lush hotel.

Luther Mayne looked at Rhonda and wondered how it was possible that she could look even more beautiful than she had in her wedding dress.
She was petite but with very full breasts and a small waist, he liked that. Her dark skin was so smooth he wanted to reach out and touch it, but he knew he couldn't. So he looked at her face instead, her dark eyes had such life in them. Her lips... he decided not to think about how luscious they were. It was a shame she had got hitched yesterday.

She looked at him akwardly and he could tell she was embarrassed about bumping into him, so he smiled and gave her the plastic bag she had dropped.
"I'm sorry, wasn't looking."

"It's ok, Rhonda."

She suddenly looked puzzled, he smiled, reading her thoughts.

"Have we met?" She asked, holding tight to the bag in her hand like he was about to snatch it off her.

"Not actually. Allow me to introduce myself. Luther B. Mayne. I saw you yesterday when you checked in."

"Oh." She said and her dark eyes seemed to light up suddenly, "Sorry I didn't recognise you."

"There's no need to apologise. You had eyes only for the groom. Speaking of which...where is he on the morning of your honeymoon, leaving you to wander off."

She laughed such a warm hearty laugh, and said, "I had an emergency. Anyway, gotta go."

With that, she skipped off before he could say,

"Have a wonderful weekend."





*********************


"Hi babe, missed you already."

He was seated at the dinning table, having cereal when she came back into the room they were lodged at.

"I'm sorry, they didn't have my brand at the shop downstairs so had to check next door." Rhonda said, planting a kiss on her Ryan's lips and sitting on his laps.

"I can't believe your period would come on the morning of our honeymoon," he said, sulkingly.

"Well neither did I, that's why I actually forgot to pack some towels. It's a good thing it didn't come yesterday when I was in my lovely white dress."

"Eww," Ryan said, and they both laughed.







CHAPTER 2

They were back from their trip to Obudu Cattle Ranch a week ago, they had gone there on the third day of their honeymoon.
She had never gone hiking before and this was an opportunity for her. Rhonda had loved every minute of it. Ryan loved the horses, and no day had gone bye without them riding. It had been so relaxing, just spending the whole two weeks with Ryan, having nothing to worry about except having fun.
It was a pity it couldn't go on forever, she mused.

Now she was back at work at RHOVIV.
RHOVIV was named for Rhonda and her best friend Vivica Briggs.
They had been room mates at the University of Lagos and since they shared similar ideas and taste, had decided to open an outfit together that catered for noth interior and outdoor catereing, and were also event management consultants.
After starting out on a rough patchthree years ago, RHOVIV was finally looking up.
They now had three staff working for them, their clientelle was increasing, and had upgraded from the rundown one room office on the wrong side of town to a nice bungalow at Victoria Island. It was amazing what change of address could do for a business.

"Who do I see?" A shrill voice brought her back from her memory trip. She looked up from her desk to see closest friend at the office, Vivica walk in.

"Hi, what's up?" Rhonda smiled and got up to hug Vivica.

Vivica was what any hot blooded man would call sexy. Fair skinned with contact lenses that gave her baby blue eyes, full kissable lips and a very wonderful figure, but most of all, she was very attractive.

"Thought you were out for a month?" Vivica asked, sitting on Rhonda's desk.

"Yeah, got back last week, you know Ryan the workaholic. I got bored being home alone."

"So, tell me. How'd it go? I've been dying to call for details, but I knew I had to give you your time alone."

"Yeah? You have to go to Obudu, it was like paradise..." Rhonda broke off and Vivica exclaimed, saying,

" Oh, my. You're pregnant!"

"What?!" Rhonda laughed, "Why would you say that?"

Vivica put on a knowing smile and said, "You have that I've-had-so-much-sex-I'm-dazed look. And that could get you pregnant."

"Really? And you would know?" Rhonda asked, "When last were you in a relationship?"

"I'm in one almost every night."

Vivica never ceased to amuse her.



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"Hello?"

"Rhonda? You can't pick up the phone and call your mother?"

Oh boy! Thought Rhonda, her mom couldn't go more than a couple of days without hearing from her, and since after the wedding, she had spoken to her just once.

"How're you doing, mom?"

"How do you think I'm doing?  This house now seems too big for me. I'm out of my wit's end with boredom." Belema Abel complained.

She missed her daughter. Rhonda had been her lifeline, ever since her husband had died over fifteen years ago from a fatal car crash.
Rhonda was the younger of two children.
Her elder sister had schooled far away in Scotland from a young age and had thereafter settled down to life there, so Rhonda was now the only one readily available for their mother. Her sister had come down for the wedding, but had left immediately after.

"It had to happen sooner or later, besides, you should have married Tom when you had the chance." Rhonda teased.

"And spend the rest of my life running after him in circles, oh please. I'm not that desperate."

Tom had been a very wealthy man who had wanted to marry her mother, the only problem was that he had to sleep with anything that moved in a skirt.

"Mom, you need to get a life," said Rhonda.

They had always talked about this, about how alone she would be when Rhonda also finally left home.
Rhonda loved her mom no doubt, and she meant the world to her too, but sometimes, she wished she too was living far away from home.

Her mother said, "I'm off to England next month."

It came as a shock to Rhonda.

"What? Why? When?" Rhonda asked all at once.

Her mother had never been a big fan of travelling so it was a pleasant surprise.

"Someone invited me," Belema said mysteriously.

"Someone? Who? Are you keeping things from me?" She accused her mother.

"What with you being so busy with wedding planning and honeymoon..."

"I'm available now, mom. What exactly is going on?" Curiosity had always been a big part of her she couldn't hide. "Details, details," she continued in a sing-song voice.

"Well, I was thinking, since you're all grown up now and in your husband's house, it's time for me to see the world."

"Good for you. You've still not told me who that someone is."

"I met him just before your wedding, but that wasn't the right time to tell you."

"Really? But mom, isn't it too soon to be running off with him?" She couldn't believe she was trying to "mother" her mother.

"I'm hardly marrying him!" Belema exclaimed, and they both laughed.

"Seriously though," she continued, "We're just having fun. I'm still young, I'm only forty-eight for goodness' sake."

"And how old is he?"

Suddenly, there seemed to be an uncomfortable silence at the other end of the line. Rhonda thought the line had cut off.

"Mom, are you still there?"

"Yes, dear, I am. Look it's no big deal, I just want to live a little and..."

"Mom,"  Rhonda said, trying her best to sound stern.

"Thing is, he's a little younger."

"What?"  Rhonda burst out, not wanting to believe what she was hearing. It seemed out of character for her mother to be dating, let alone someone younger.

She wondered how she couldn't have told that her mom had met a man, she had been so wrapped up in her own world with Ryan.

"How young exactly?"

Belema thought that Rhonda was full of questions today, but she knew there was no way around the conversation.

"Thirty-eight," Belema's voice was barely a whisper.

"This is all a joke, right?"

"Don't you want me to be have a life, Rhonda?"

The tone of Belema's voice almost broke her heart, making her feel guilty immediately. All her life, everything her mother had done always revolved around her, so this was a big step for both of them.

"You know I do mom, but I also want what's best for you."

"He's a nice guy, and he makes me feel young again. You'ld love him," she added.

"Okay, but when do I get a chance to meet this young man? You've still not told me his name."

"Robert, and no, you don't get to meet him, at least not till I know where this is headed anyway."




*************************



They had just made sweet, satisfying love and were lying on the bed in the master bedroom of their new home.
The room was tastefully furnished. The floor was covered with a plush red rug and a wooden king-sized bed stood in the middle of the room. Several fluffy pillows which were usually on it were scattered on the floor because a few minutes ago they had carelessly thrown all of it down in the heat of their lovemaking.


He stroked her hair gently and asked,
"So tell me how your day was."

She loved that about him, he always asked her that at the end of the day.

"Mom is dating a man that's nine years younger than her."

"What?" Ryan said, astonished.

"My reaction exactly. And they're off to London next month."

"What? Don't tell me they're eloping!" He sounded even more puzzled.

"She says they're having fun. You know it's funny, all my life, I've never imagined my mom as someone that could have fun, let alone go tripping with a younger man. It's just a little unexpected."

"I think it's just a phase. Maybe because for the first time in years she's alone." Ryan said re-assuringly.

"Anyway, enough about mom," Rhonda said, taking his palm in hers and looking into his eyes, "I think I'm pregnant."

The look of joy that crossed his face was indescribable and heart-warming.

"Oh my God! Honey, that's wonderful!" He said as he enveloped her in a hug and plastered kisses all over her face, making her laugh.
"Are you sure? Are you okay? You should have told me earlier to go slow," referring to their lovemaking.

"I think I'll go see the doctor tomorrow, but I used the kit this morning and it was positive, so..."

"I can't believe it," he grinned, his eyes all lit up, "I'm going to be a father."

"We'll know for sure tomorrow," Rhonda said, not wanting to get too excited.

"No, baby. I can feel it, you are pregnant!"