chapter two.

All l could feel was warmth around me. I felt like nothing else but a ball of warmth. Suddenly l felt my heart jolt and a piercing beep-beep sound was all l could hear. I heard feet shuffling on the floor and a click then the sound subsided.

A weight settled beside me. I felt the warmth roll off me and uncomfortable coldness settled in. My cheeks started to feel warm and the warmth slid down my neck to my chest. Something tickling brushed over my face and then l heard as if from afar, a voice. First as unclear as bubbling water but kept repeating itself. It started to take form and after a while l could make out the words.

" Work up honey it's rise and shine. Come on open your eyes."

My body felt so powerless that l was struggling to raise my eyelids. They started to quiver but after a long while they slightly opened. The light was too bright and hazy. My vision was blurry and showed many rays of lights.

"Look here", a soft voice called from my side. My head could not tilt to the side but my eyes turned in that direction. Through the blur l could make out the feminine figure sitting beside me.

A pair of hands gently cupped my cheeks. The feminine figure leaned down, the same tickling hair fell on my face. I closed my eyes and felt soft warm moisture being pressed on my eyelids,one then the other.

When she withdrew her kiss, a wet coldness started to brush over my eyelids. This caused me to blink several times before l opened them wide again.

This time when l opened them l saw an almost unrealistically pretty face looking down on me. Sea blue eyes shaded by long  curved eyelashes. A cute small nose and small but plump pink glossed lips. They were slightly parted revealing a small part of ultra white front teeth.

The girl's apparel bared her shoulders. Her skin looked flawlessly white. By the way the sunlight danced excitedly upon her skin, you could tell it was one of the few times she had exposed herself to the sun. She reached her hand out and stroked my hair, her eyes never left mine.

I managed to blurt out the first words that could come to my mind. Unfortunately my words came barely louder than a whisper.

" You are beautiful". She had to lean her ears down to my lips to hear. She leaned up with a red tint underneath the skin of her cheeks. She was muffling a laugh.

" You have been sleeping for eight months and these are the first words you say. Well, thank you but wait till you see my daughter, your cousin. Plus you are beautiful too." Despite her young face, her eyes were motherly tender and her voice soothing.

She shifted to the bedside wheeled stand and took a glass of water. As she did so, l took the chance to take in my surrounding. There was an air conditioner across the room. The walls of the room were white shiney ceramic tiles. There were parted light blue curtains allowing a magnificent view of the tall glass city buildings. The outer wall of the room was a floor to ceiling glass. At the opposite corner from the glass wall l saw a large display machine showing my heart rate, skeletal system and my brain structure.

The young woman noticed my curiosity. "Don't worry honey, this is just one of my best surgery rooms in this hospital. You will know many other things when we go out. Now let me help you get to drink some water, your throat must be dry."

She helps me sit upright by probing my back with one hand. She hands me the water glass but my hands were too weak that the water glass started to shake threatening to spill on the blue hospital sheet that was covering my body. I could feel that l was naked underneath the sheet. I felt a thick mop of tender hair fall on my back brushing down to my waist.

The young woman immediately puts her free hand on the glass to help me keep the glass in place. I taste a cool tasteless liquid flow soothingly down my throat. I closed my eyes enjoying something that felt long forgotten. I felt the glass being pulled away from my lips but kept my eyes closed. I savoured the feeling of aliveness until l felt a gentle shake on my shoulder.

"Umm, hey are you ok"

When I opened my eyes l saw her studying my face questioningly. One eyebrow was raised. I took in her whole appearance before a nod. She was wearing a strapless white lacy dress top, all glittery. Her legs were clad in close fitting high waist black slacks with a zipper that ran on her belly. She set neatly crossing her legs and from her leg that rested on the other l saw stylish black strap high heels. A silver zipper ran over the middle of her foot stopping above the ankle. There were two fluffy pom-poms joined to the zipper by a small nicely woven lace. The whole shoe was glittery.

When l turned to her face she was smiling at my curious scrutiny. " You can just call me auntie Yolei or  Yolei if you are comfortable with it."

I nodded but then slightly frown " who am l?"

"You are Arielle Loire"

I wanted to ask many more things but l felt a bit tired and mildly dizzy.

" Listen, l know you have a lot of questions but all of them will be answered as time goes on. Right now is not the best time, besides you still might be heavily dossed from the vaccines." She says with a look of concern in her eyes.

" Do you feel like eating something?" She asked and l shook my head.

" Ok honey, today I will be taking you home, so rest untill evening. I am going to assign some nurse to keep you company, if you feel you need anything don't hesitate to tell her, l have a pending surgery to attend to."

With that she gave me a peck on the cheek and gently lowered me so that l lay on my back. She walks to the other side of the room and takes her long white coat that was hanged on the wall then walked to the glass doors which slid open automatically. She paused between the doors and turned back to look at me smiling widely.

" I can already see my daughter going bananas when she sees you, l better tell her on our way home otherwise she might become restless with excitement."

My mind felt exhausted to even ask who her daughter was. I just watched her exit the room and then looked at the ceiling. My eyelids started feeling heavy and l felt my consciousness slipping away.

There was a gentle nudge on my shoulder and soft voices calling my name which caused my eyes to flutter open. I raised my palm to shield my eyes from the white fluorescent light that lit the room.

I then removed my hand slowly adjusting to the light. Two women were towering over me. One on each side of the bed both expectantly looking down on me. The other l recognized from earlier but the other one with a small tight bun on her head l assumed was the nurse who had been tending me whilst l was asleep.

"She's awake", the nurse says.

"Yes", auntie Yolei says with a slight nod.

" She's beautiful", the nurse said.

" I know right"

I suddenly sit up causing the sheet to fall down from my shoulders . It now only covered the bottom part of my body, waist and downward.

" Oh dear, miss", the nurse looks away with embarrassment.

Auntie Yolei hurriedly picks the sheet and cover the two firm mounds on my chest. Although she held the sheet against my body, the summit of the mounds kept poking the thin fabric.

Auntie Yolei turns to the nurse who was still looking away." I think I can take it from here you are dismissed."

The nurse takes quick strides and leave the room without looking back. After the door closed auntie Yolei turns to face me still holding the sheet firmly against me.

She takes my right hand and presses it against my chest to pin the sheet securely.

" Keep your hand pinned here don't let it falter, l want to close the curtains"

I stared out the windows before she pushed close the curtains. Outside was already dark with a clear star sky. The buildings were already lively with night life. Lights lined on every floor and the tinted glass of the buildings reflected city lights.

After she drew the curtains together, she walks back to the side of my bed. She picks a pink shopping bag and places it on my laps. She reaches her hand into the bag and draws out a knee length dress. The dress was dark blue but with the outer layer of white lacy material with silver dots.

She smiles when she sees that my eyes widen. My eyes had landed on the price tag on the dress. It was a seven but then several digits behind. From the bag she also draws out a pair of small flat flossy pumps with black pom-poms at the toes.

" I didn't know your taste on clothes so l just let my guts lead me. I'm sorry if you prefer jeans, l just thought a dress would be easy to put on. Oh and the flat shoes, since you might be still clumsy l thought they might be the best. " She pauses and smiles," l saw you eyeing my shoes so l just tried to find something that resembles them, hence the pom-poms."

I run my fingers over the supple new materials in awe. She puts a finger under my chin to make me face her.

"Don't worry about the price tag, l took these from one of my shops."

She helps me get dressed and leads me out the large hospital. When l step out the hospital, the outer breeze hit my face, fresh and calming. Auntie Yolei draped her coat over my shoulder to shield me from the outside air which was a bit chilly.

"Let's hurry to my car before you catch a cold." She puts her other hand on the small of my back to support me whilst leading me to the car. She pressed her car keys to easily spot her car. A hoot and flashing amber lights did the job. She helps me climb into the car then rushes to her side.

We cruised without talking except for the soft music that was playing in the car. I leaned my head on the closed window. Auntie Yolei gave me side long glance.

"Are you hungry"

I just stared back at her blankly. I wasn't sure. Honestly l wasn't feeling anything in my stomach.

" I suggest we pass by an inn, it's one of my favorite. We order something light that we can eat on our way home."

She draws the car in a parking lot and we step out. She leads me by hand into a slightly crowded inn. It was once the smell of burgers and custard had reached my nose that my stomach growled loudly embarrassing me.

Auntie Yolei turns and smiles ," it's a good sign"

She places the orders and we find a table whilst waiting for them. Auntie Yolei takes out her phone.

" You know what, let me tell your cousin that you are coming. Just wait and see her reaction."

She dials the number then calls." Oh hey sweetie, please make sure that the guest bedroom beside yours is neat."

" O, why?" The other end of the line is heard audibly. Auntie Yolei had deliberately put the phone's speaker on loud.

" I'm on my way home with your cousin ......", a scream burst through the phone before she even finished. Auntie moves the phone away from her ear with irritation.

"Oh my god l can't wait!", my cousin continues in a high pitched voice.

" Keisty do you want to make me deaf", my aunt complains.

" Oh mom, l can't believe it. Please put her on your phone so that l know that you are telling the truth."

" Keisty dear, she's not yet fully recovered so her voice is a bit lost."

"Ohh, okay"

" Please be a darling and also assist Deborah in preparing a special meal for everyone."

Shortly after she ends her call, a tall waiter guy walks with our food wrapped in khaki bags and places them on the table.

" Here are your orders ladies." He said pointing to the food on the table. I quickly grab my food and unwrap my burger and fries. Without wasting any time, l munch hungrily on my food. It was not ordinary hunger that was driving me wild, it was the deep craving for something l had been so deprived. My stomach seemed to take a flip.

I peeked up from my food to see the reaction on auntie Yolei's face. I was half expecting her to be stifling a laugh but instead she looked even prouder at me.

I looked above to see the waiter still standing beside our table with his mouth hanging low as if watching an interesting show. He was a young tall agreeable guy with short black hair. His athletic body was unmistakable even though he had an apron.

He forced his gaze to leave my face and then faces my aunt. " If l may be bold Mrs Charleston, who is this goddess of beauty you are sitting with?"

" James that's my niece, Arielle Loire and by chance l might enroll her at your school."

"She's a Loire, impressive, surely it was no lie what l have heard about this great family dynasty. Everything about them is royal highness, even their beauty."

Auntie Yolei gave me a mischievous look, l rolled my eyes in disgust.

He shifts his face from aunt to me. " Surely you have graced this place with your presence, a wretched as l dare not be haste on having hopes on you so soon but l do hope you will enroll in our school."

I stopped chewing my food. The idea of a boy flirting with me almost made me throw up.

Fortunately someone called for him from behind the counter. Auntie Yolei noticed my reaction and smiled.

"Arielle with that quietness you will have to find a way of turning boys down "