One Night With Mr Braxton

” Tell me you’re joking.” Emma said, flickering between the two of them.

” I Apologize, Mrs. Braxton.” Ms Adams quipped- as though that made everything better.

” Hubby’s rules.” Jason added with a shrug.

Emma stared at them in unbelief, ” Why on earth am I not allowed out? What is this? House arrest?”

” No my dear. The boss gave express orders that you are allowed any and everywhere else-”

” Unless it’s in the damn property.” Emma supplied, rudely cutting off Ms. Adams. ” Is that supposed to make me feel less than a prisoner?”

” You are also at liberty to request any and everything, whatever you need would be brought to you.” Ms. Adams said, hoping to get through to her.

” This is just terrible. I want to speak to him. This wasn’t part of the-”

Jason let out a painfully loud cough, abruptly ending her line of sentence. Their eyes revved to him in concern and he gave her the ‘look’.

Emma sighed, ” Listen, I need to get out. I’ve been holed up for the longest time, whatever it takes, I’ll even go with Benny and Chara.”

” Did you think there was ever a chance you’d leave without them?” Jason mused.

” Not helping.” Mrs Adams grounded out, ” There are a lot of things out there, yet-to-be-resolved things. This is only a temporal arrangement.”This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

Footsteps were heard from the hallway and they all swerved towards the sound, Chara appeared in a yellow floral gown.

” Hmm, everyone’s looking good today!” Jason spoke first, earning groans from the two women.

” Do I need to change?” Chara asked unsurely, adjusting her dress.

” Yes.” Emma supplied, and on seeing the downcast look on her face, she immediately suffixed, ” No! You look beautiful, I’m not sure we’d still be heading out though.”

Chara’s face scrunched in confusion, ” Why?”

” Because the Lady is not allowed to leave the premises for the time being.” Ms. Adams spoke curtly, as though trying to remind her.

” Omph!” Chara’s face turned red with embarrassment. She’d been informed of that little detail, hence her living in the building, but somehow, she managed to forget that little detail. ” That’s true.”

” You too? Don’t tell me you’re in on it too?” Emma huffed.

” She was in on it too.”

” Jason!” Emma bellowed, ” Again, not helping.”

” What? You said she shouldn’t tell you. Someone had to do the job.” He replied innocently.

” Whatever.” Emma could tell there wasn’t a chance she was going out for dinner and that put a damper on her mood.

She didn’t feel any malicious intent from her house arrest and felt there was something behind the scenes as regards to the reasoning behind it but it didn’t alleviate the fact that she wanted to leave but couldn’t. It brought back unpleasant and buried feelings. One she wasn’t keen on exploring.

” It’s alright! We can order in dinner.” Chara spoke, breaking the Ice. ” I don’t mind eating in, It’s basically the same, just.. inside.” She said, trying to convince her, she couldn’t tell if she felt convinced herself.

Mrs Adams took it up, ” That’s a great Idea! We could set up the dinner outside if you aren’t feeling cozy. There’s enough space out there to set up a fancy dinner, you won’t even know we are in here.” She explained, lighting up by the second.

” Awesome.” Jason’s input reminded them of his presence. ” Come on! That was one word!” He added, seeming frustrated.

The women trio shared glances then burst into laughter. Jason was a case.

” Hardy har har, laugh all you want. I need a break anyway.” He got up from the couch, grabbed his phone and climbed up to his room.

” Now that’s settled, What will it be?” Ms. Adams asked.

” Do I even have an option?”

” Yes you do. Indoors or outdoors?” Chara supplied, oblivious to Emma’s implication.

” Yeah, that’s that. What’s the need of stressing if we can’t go out? Might as well eat inside. I’ll cook.” Emma proposed, heading towards the kitchen direction.

” Uh, You can’t do that.” Chara couldn’t help herself, earning a stink eye from Mrs. Adams.

” Great! Another thing I can’t do. What game is this? Naming the things Emma isn’t allowed to do?” Emma was aggravated.

” No. It’s not like that, we are here-”

” I’m sorry but I don’t want to hear it, Mrs Adams.” She cut her off, ” If you claim I have some semblance of autonomy in my decisions and activities inside this building, It’s only right you let me exercise my damn rights and get off my back!” She said, and stomped into the kitchen.

” It’s just one dinner. What could go wrong?” Chara quipped, holding up a nervous smile.

Ms. Adams held her tongue and followed after her. If they were doing this, It sure as hell wouldn’t be in her absence.

*****

It happened without her presence. After receiving pointed, meaningful looks the entire time she hung around the kitchen, Mrs Adams left, occasionally checking in until Emma called her out.

Chara, Jason and Mrs. Adams were seated at the dining table, waiting for dinner to be served by Emma.

Yes, she dismissed every help and ordered them to wait for her special dinner and the accompanying announcement.

” Breathe. The kitchen isn’t on fire. That’s a good sign.” Jason said without looking at Mrs. Adams.

They all knew it was directed at her due to her restless tapping and looking out for Emma’s arrival.

” Yes. It smells great in there so I’m sure it will be awesome.” Chara suffixed.

Ms. Adams didn’t honour them with a response, along the line, she’d found that Emma knew her way around cooking- a pleasant surprise- but it didn’t stop her from worrying about every and anything else. She was a worrier and when she wasn’t there to make things right, she felt restless, out of touch with nature.

At that moment, a horn blared from outside, catching the attention of the thrio seated at the table.

Jason couldn’t hide his surprise, ” Sit tight, I’ll check it out.” He said, stood up and headed towards the door.

” Are we expecting someone?” Chara quipped.

” We are about to find out.” Ms. Adams said, taking another glance towards the kitchen.

What was keeping her?

Emma was inside the kitchen, serving her favourite cream cake with a smile on her face. She didn’t expect the voice that nearly sent her soul out of her body.

” Emma.” Asher’s voice was a mixture of fondness, reprove and fatique.

She stumbled into his person, filling her lungs with the oh so familiar scent of her husband. She gently turned her head, swallowed, then spoke; ” What are you doing here?”

His brows quirked, ” Funny question, as it is in fact my house.”

Emma stepped aside, creating a much needed space between them. ” You know what I mean.” She stated pointedly, then cleared her throat, she felt awkward.

” I don’t answer to you, wife.” He looked around the kitchen, his brows narrowed, ” Don’t tell me you made all of this.”

” I won’t.”

Asher flickered between her and the abundance of food she supposedly prepared, his face turned grim. ” Who made you do this? Where are the employees.”

” They were dismissed.” Emma couldn’t help herself, the iciness of his gaze turned her into a walking vomit of information.

” You are supposed to be in your room, Resting.” Asher said, with emphasis on the last word. ” Follow me.” He ordered, his teeth grounded in anger.

” Wait!” Emma called out but it was a second too late. Asher was out of sight and reach, no doubt headed to lash out at them.

” I’ll only ask once, and I don’t like to repeat myself. Who was supposed to cook dinner?” Asher’s voice rang out in the living room.

Chara jolted in shock and Ms. Adams eyes widened. They got on their feet, head bowed.

” Mr. Braxton. Welcome-”

” I said, I hate to repeat myself!”

” Asher. Calm down, It’s not their fault. I requested to handle dinner, seeing I wasn’t allowed to eat out.” Emma prompted, feeling bad to have caused a scene.

” Eat out?” Asher’s tone held a high degree of iciness. ” Why on earth does my Wife need to eat out, Adams?!”

Ms. Adams flinched. Asher only called her in such manner when he was out of his mind. The vein in his forehead bulged, anger rolled off in waves.

” Uh-oh.” Jason couldn’t have chosen a better time to walk in. ” I see you’ve met Asher.” He added awkwardly.

” Before I lose my shit, can you please tell me why the fuck I met my wife, in the kitchen, preparing dinner?” Sarcasm dripped from his tone.

” Don’t speak like I’m not here. I already told you, It was my decision to-”

” Shut the fuck up, Emma! Or so help me GOD.”

” Chara, Escort the lady to her room, please.” Mrs. Adams instructed, giving her an out.

Shaking, Chara sauntered towards her direction, the tension felt palpable. Emma wanted to speak more but when she saw Mrs Adams discourage it, she held her tongue and followed Chara with blazing eyes.

She couldn’t believe her eyes. This wasn’t going to be a norm, she wouldn’t allow it. She had a bone to pick with him, and she would. Even if it’s the last thing she did!