Annabella and best friend sat in front of the bar man. Rick was talking with his newly made friends somewhere up in the club. They were talking about the lady who just finished singing on the stage.
Her voice was angelic and she recieve a thunderous cheers from the crowd.
There were still talking and half expecting the Adys to come up stage to sing when someone came and sat beside Annabella.
"Oh! Princess." He said and Mia frown at him.
"Hello Jack." Annabella said with a smile.
His face light up. "Hello. It's nice seeing you here. I was wondering where Andre had met you. I guess it here."
"Yeah." She answered. She saw her friend look lost." Jack this Mia my best friend. Mia meet Jack. He is Andre best friend. "
He turn to take a good look at Mia. "Hi Mia."
"Hi. It's nice seeing a friend of Andre." She said.
He chuckles and nodded.
"I haven't seen you around." Anna said after the introduction.
"Well i don't come here often. I practically listen to all the songs that is been sang here in my basement."
Anna laughed.
"You are beautiful princess. Andre is lucky to have you."
She blush and appreciate. "Thanks. But can you please call me something else?"
Her father is the only person that call her princess and she love it when he do. And she want it that way..... except she change her mind in the future. So it sound awkward hearing it from someone else.
He look at her and then nodded. "Alright beauty."
She smile. "Thanks."
He was about to say something when there was a loud noise. The Adys were coming up the stage. Mia was shouting so loud.
"I'll see you around beauty." Jack said to her. She nodded with a smile and he stood up and walk away into the crowd.
"Uhm." Andre said into the microphone and there was silence as everyone was curious to hear what he want to say. He does not talk much except from the time he tell the crowd what he is about to sing and to say thank you. "My lead guitarist and back up singer is not here. He is doing his concert in New Jersey. So he won't be around for a while but I'll love to call someone, someone special to join me on stage tonight." He look at the thick crowd but he did not look like he have seen who he was looking for. "I'll love to call Annabella Adeolu to come up and sing with me."
There was a loud cheers as everyone look curious to see the so called 'Annabella Adeolu'.
"Uh!" Mia exclaimed. "So sweet! Go Anna uhhh."
"Mia." She said shyly.
"Common girl go on stage and let them know how talented my best friend is."
She smile at her. How much she love her. She always support her and encourage her.
That's why she is her best friend of course.
She nodded and begin to walk to the stage as her friend cheer her on.
She climb on the stage and Andre smile proudly and relieve.
" Hi Anna." He whispered.
"Hi." she replied.
The crew man gave her an electronic guitar.
"Here she is every one."
"I know her. She plays the guitar like god." Someone shouted from the crowd.
Andre smile but continues. "Tonight i want to sing something different. I'm going to sing 'Give in to me' a song sung by a man that is my idol, Michael Jackson."
Everyone clapped. He look at Anna and she nodded and adjust her guitar. They had play several of Micheal Jackson songs together in his secret basement. He was surprised when she told him she also love his musics. And how one of his favorite guitarist 'slash' inspired her.
And they started singing.
"you always takes it with a heart of stone and all she does just throws it back to me........" They sang on and the crowd was so surprise at how her fingers nimbly move with the guitar and how she sang so perfectly with the lead singer.
Andre stop singing and everyone watch as Anna began to move her fingers on the guitar from routine and memory as she close her eyes and just got lost in the music.
It was fascinating seeing her play the guitar like that.
Then Andre continued. "I don't want to be i don't want to be. I don't want to get in........"
They finished and they received one of the loudest cheers and clap ever.
"Whoah!" They shouted.
"That's fantastic." Someone shouted from the crowd.
"She is the best."
"Anna."
"You two are cute." Another shouted.
Anna look at Andre smiling. He smile back. He look proud and happy.
"That's beautiful Miss Anna." Andre drummer commented behind her.
"Thanks."
"Will you love to sing another duet with me?" Andre asked. She nodded.
She had been singing and playing the guitar to people but this is one of her best moments.
The crowd. She had never sing for so many crowd as this. And they love her play which make her happy and inspired.
She really love it!
"What do you want to sing?" Andre asked giving her a chance to choose a song this time.
"How about perfect?" She said.
He grin and nodded.
He cleared his throat and there was silence again as everyone look so eager to hear them sing again.
She started by playing the familiar soundtrack of perfect with her guitar and there was eerie silence.
Andre sang the first verse. she sang the second verse and together they sang the third verse and the last chorus.
At the back of the stage.
Anna was introduced to the other members of the group and they commented nicely about her performance.
She was about to say something to Andre when two men approached them. They were both wearing suit without tie. The first man was handsome and muscular but not compare to his companion that seems to be his body guard or P.A.
"Hello Miss Anna." The first man said. She wasn't too surprised that he knew her name. Most people already know her name. "I'm Mr Costello. I own the club and this is my P.A Mr Marco."
"Hi Mr Costello and Mr Marco. It's a pleasure to meet you. Your club is awesome. " She said sincerely.
"Thank you. It's an honor to have such a beauty and talent here in my small world." Mr Costello said with a big smile.
She seems a little surprised when the P. A smile at her because he was wearing a stern look when he was coming with his boss.
"Hi." He said. "That was an awesome performance."
"Thanks."
"Hello Anderson. Where do you get this beauty? Your duets was incredible, splendid. Will she join the group?" Mr Costello asked Andre.
He look at Anna and she save him from answering.
"No."
Mr Costello look hurt.
"Why?" He asked.
"I only.... came in for someone." She answered.
" You can join the group." He said looking at Andre.
"No. I'm fine watching him and his crew sing." She said sincerely looking at him.
" That's sad. I wish you could play that guitar again. I've never seen any woman play like that. I'll pay you finely. "
" I'm fine and i don't usually play to recieve money. " He nodded slowly. " But I can come up stage to sing and play sometime if it is allowed."
"Of course Miss Anna. Anytime. "
"Please call me Anna."
"Alright Anna. It's a pleasure meeting you. See you again then." She nodded. "Bye Anderson." He said walking away.
"Bye Anna." Marco said.
"Bye." Annna and Andre chorus.
"Thank you so much for today." Anna said to Andre.
"It's nothing. It was so good singing with you. Thank you for making my day wonderful."
"You too." She said. "I will leave you with your group, my bes is waiting for me."
"Okay." He answered. She wave goodbye and walk away.
******
Toun had been feeling uneasy and pain in her chest for almost a week now but she didn't tell anyone. Not even Hope which she tell almost everything.
She didn't want to disturb Japheth that have been making preparations for them to go to Nigeria. He made passport for her and the kids.
She still couldn't believe she will be leaving this house, stepping out of the prison to smell fresh air which she hadn't have the chance to do in the last fourteen years. The last time she had leave the house was when Japheth took her out on a date and show her around the country before her father planted fear into him. But she will never blame him.
He is one of the best thing that ever happen to her. Now he was taking her back to the country she had long to go, the country that she was born and raised, the country that held all her beautiful memories with her daughter and Nathaniel, the country she was forcefully taken away from, the country she had had no hope of returning to.
But alas! she will be there in three days time. All thanks to Japheth, her husband.
She wish she could love him as much as he love her.
She love him but not as much as she love Nathaniel and it's hurt her because he didn't deserve it. He had always been kind and understanding. He took Hope like his son. She owe him a lot.
She hope she could pay him back for everything he had done. He is a good man.
****
Author note:Hi everyone. Thanks for reading my book.
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Love y'all.