THE HEIR'S REVENGE

chapter 49

Mrs. Pack took Lily to go prepare. Lily had told me that she had spoken to Mrs Pack about how she wanted to look.

I'd even made sure Mrs. Pack had gotten everything ready for Lily. Yemi had even promised to help too. When Lily went upstairs with Mrs. Pack, I saw Temi helping Emma out.

“Aren't you going to change? The party is about to start.”

Both of them turned to me. Yemi turned back to what she was doing, probably thinking that I was speaking to Emma.

“I'm dressed… in purple just like Lily wanted..”

“I wasn't talking to you.” I said to Emma. “Yemi? Aren't you going to go dress up?”

Lily was surprised and so was Emma but she tried to respond to the awkwardness. “I'm not sure I'll have the time to do that. After all, I'm here on duty.”

“Then don't come to work today.” My voice sounded hoarse. I honestly didn't know what I was doing but I had to sound authoritative.

“What?”

“I don't want you coming in for work. Lily wants you here at the party.”

“Yeah, I mean you helped plan most of the things here, you need to show up for the party.” Emma chipped in with a smile.

“No. I don't even have a purple dress.”

I didn't think about that but that shouldn't be a problem. I would ask someone to get a dress for her at a shop or something.

I was going to suggest she go with me to a boutique but…

“Emm.. I have an extra dress.”

“What?”

“Yes, an extra purple dress.”

“Why do you have an extra dress?” Yemi asked. I too was taken aback.

“Well, I wanted to change into that during the party but that doesn't matter anyways. I'll just give you that..”

“No. I won't take it..”

“You have to. Lily will be so disappointed if you don't show up.”

“I don't know..”

“Come on, come on.” It was Emma dragging Yemi towards the quest room where I believe her bags were at. Yemi seemed uncomfortable about this but I had to do this.

I know that Lily wouldn't be happy to find out Yemi didn't ‘attend her party’ when she put on so much effort. What I didn't know was why I was eager to change. Was there something else?

I shook my head and the worries there.

After what seemed like an hour, some kids were already here, some alone, some with their parents.

Then Lily appeared at the garden door looking gorgeous purple. Her dress had a small embroidered butterfly along the hem of the dress.

She looked at the garden, satisfied with how everything turned out. I could see that she was almost going to cry.

She wasn't just happy but something bigger than happy. She was a child that hadn't been given enough love so just seeing people turn up for her made her smile.

She looked at me.

"Brother," she said.

"Yes."

"Thank you."

It was just two words but they meant a whole lot.

I walked over to her and crouched down to her level.

"Happy birthday," I said. "You deserve all of it."

She put her arms around my neck and held on for a moment and I held her back and the garden was quiet around us.

Then she pulled back and held up her rabbit.

"He says thank you too," she said.

"Tell him he is welcome," I said.

The Party started by 12pm and it went exactly the way she had planned.

Thirty one children attended the party and there was so much noise in the background. Mia had arrived earlier because she wanted to help with the preparation but I guess she didn't make it.

Lily took her and they went to a corner to discuss some private matters, I guess.

Emily helped to serve food and drinks. She moved so quietly and efficiently that I didn't notice her at first. She sighed

She laughed and smiled at the kids. She laughed when something was both funny or not.

At one point she was standing near the garland wall looking at the section she had helped hang that morning. I walked past her.

She looked at me. "Thank you for letting me be here," she said.

"Thank you for the garlands," I said.

That was all. It was enough. I was still confused about her but was happy the party was coming better than u had thought.

The butterfly release happened by 3pm and the children went quiet just as they do when they see something intriguing.

Lily and Mia stood in the garden holding the white box between them.

Lily looked at Mia. Mia looked at Lily.

"Ready?" Lily said.

"Ready," Mia said.

They opened the box.

For one second nothing happened while everyone waited and watched.

Then suddenly 60 morpho butterflies rose high to score the garden in a slow rising cloud of blue and purple.

Every child was still silent until a little boy from the back went wide, wow and the silence was then broken. Every single child suddenly became excited and tried to catch a butterfly gently.

They ran up and down.

Lily stood in the middle with all the chaos. She was grateful. Her eyes searched for someone until it landed on me.

Yemi came to stand beside me.

We watched Lily together.

"She is going to remember this forever," Yemi said quietly.

"Yes," I said.

We were standing close not intentionally but surely closer.

I looked at Yemi.

She was still watching Lily with the expression she got when she thought nobody was watching her. Open and warm and completely unguarded.

I had been noticing that expression for weeks and telling myself I was not noticing it.

"Yemi," I said.

She turned to look at me.

She seemed a bit surprised that we were actually that close when she turned to face me. Her eyes were calm and direct.

There, I wanted to tell her that since she had come, my life has been made up of little sunshine here and there. But this wasn't about me but Lily.

She had become happier. She was waiting with a raised eyebrow and I was going to say something.

Then Lily shouted brother come and look and the moment shifted.

I looked at Lily who was holding a butterfly that had landed on her finger and was looking at it with absolute wonder.

I looked back at Yemi.

She was almost smiling.

"Go," she said quietly.

I went.

I crossed the garden to Lily who held up her finger carefully so I could see the butterfly up close. Its wings moved slowly. Blue and precise and exactly what she had planned for.

"He likes me," Lily said.

"He does," I said.

"Today is the best day," she said without looking away from the butterfly.