Chapter 4 💃 IT'S HER DAY! 💃

It was a cool morning. The fresh October breeze was just settling in. Everywhere was dampened and cold as winter cold started to wind in. Occasionally, there were thundering rainstorms. Some are so heavy that it threatens the peace of everyone. Sometimes though, the rain came just in few drops, and everyone sleeps peacefully with the calm droppings. It wasn't unusual to awake to a wet day where clothes get soaked when you're met unprepared, as a result dampening one's mood.

Most people try to alleviate their moods without relying on the weather forecast, as this month was as unpredictable as change itself.

For Ainsley Jones, who try not to let the weather dictate her mood, knew no matter what the weather says, today was going to be exceptional. First, because it is October 24th and it's her special day. Every year, all her friends, the few ones she had, always gathered around to celebrate with her. This year, she would be thirty. Yes! The big thirty, and she planned on having something extravagant. Thankfully, money wasn't the issue. She was a successful business tycoon running her father's business and was doing quite well. Her parents left her in charge of the company and were having a swell time touring the whole nation. Today, they called from Germany a few hours earlier to wish her a happy birthday. To celebrate it, they were sending her a new Chevrolet, 2021 model and some cash, not that she needed the money.

"Thanks, mom, dad." she said, blowing kisses into the camera when they announced their birthday present for her. Then shaking her head in mocking pity, she watched her mom struggle to hold her wrapped towel in place. Her mom had been peeping all the while behind her dad, and she knew it was partially because she was undressed. She could see it wasn't even a proper towel she had tied around her waist. It was the bed cover. Her mother slept naked, and she could picture what happened to have her like this. They probably woke up to an alarm announcing her birthday, and her dad reached for the phone to call while her mom quickly wraps the bedcover around herself. Ainsley would make a sly comment on why they couldn't dress appropriately before calling, but she let it slide for now. Something told her she would need that later.

"Any man to match the occasion?" Mrs. Jones asked, leaning into the camera over her husband's head. She had on her big head wrap and no make-up.

Ainsley shook her head, not surprised. Her mother had been bugging her for a husband since she turned 25. And each year, she continued to taunt her relentlessly about it. "What occasion, mom? It's a birthday". Men, she could get those quickly. But she knew what her mother was asking for. She wasn't asking for her flings of men. If that was the case, she could get five of them in here, right now, without much hassle. There was David, CEO of FOUNTAIN company, a billionaire. George ran a press company. Matthew was her latest catch, the strong, fit gym owner. They had met at his gym recently when she went to train to get off the fats accumulating in her thighs. But they were all just flings. Men she called when she needed them buried deep inside her. And those weren't the ones her mother wanted. Her mother wanted to meet the man she would call her husband.

Perhaps being the only child, she was always asking to see her grandchildren. Ainsley got tired of her demands and started to come up with intelligent remarks instead. It wasn't her fault that the man she wanted wasn't available now, was it. She had foolishly given her heart to her first boyfriend, who had trampled all over it like it meant nothing.

"Yes, the more reason to have one. You're thirty now. I gave birth..."

"Thirty is just a number, mom. The right man will come in good time." she quickly put in. Her mother had been about to give her another lecture of how she had her when she was twenty. Good for her. But not for this one. She wasn't ready for any man just yet. What fun was there in settling down with a man when she had the excuse to have them all? James, her first man, had left her for that exact reason. He wanted to have the world. Settling down with one woman would ruin his career. Like her father, James was an artist. His songs were loved and sold hugely. At twenty-five, James was raking in crazy billions. And as he made more money, so did his fame.

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She met James at a pool party where he was the guest speaker. After his performance, he took a stroll down the pool and found her sitting, legs in the water, alone. Everyone had gone in for some dessert. "It's just you here." he said, joining her at the pool. "I was waiting for everyone to leave before stepping in."

His smile was a killer. She loved it. "I got carried away." she told him, getting up to leave

"Please, stay." he said quickly

"I thought you wanted some privacy." she said, standing unsure, looking at him

"No, I don't mind the company." he said and patted the floor beside him, "Come on."

Ainsley had sat back down and let her legs back in the water. She squealed, "I love how it warms me up."

He looked at her, "You're not like the other girls, you know."

"Sorry?" she wasn't following his words, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, most girls just see me and scream, you know. Sort of got used to it." he smiled at her, "But you don't seem bothered by my..." he shrugged

"Oh, that." she shrugged, "My dad owns SMUGSHOT." she told him. "I see a lot of artists."

He applauded, "Wow, SMUGSHOT?" he laughed, "It's no wonder you didn't get affected. So tell me, the musicians you've met"

She laughed too. He had a burst of contagious laughter, "I, well, does it matter?" she asked, "You must have met so many yourself."

Spreading his hands, he replied sincerely, "I have...a few." he moved closer to her, "Just indulge me."

Since he put it that way. "Well, I've met Queen Bey."

"Beyoncé. Wow"

His enthusiasm made her carry on about the musicians she's met and their character. "She's cool, and her voice is.... exhilarating! very soothing"

They had stayed at the pool talking and having a lovely time. When his manager came to pick him up, he collected her number, and they had started communicating. Falling in love with him was easy. He was a gentleman and loved listening to her. Many of his songs after they met had been written for her. And she had complained about it. It was the music world. Her father owns one of the most successful companies. She knew how these things work. Soon, his manager would tell him it was bad for business.

"Oh, relax. That won't happen to us." he had said when she complained about it to him.

Then one day, when it came down to it, he had chosen his career over her. His manager told him he couldn't settle down with a girl right now. It was going to make him lose his female fans that way. Apparently, his female fans mattered more to him than anything. He didn't have the decency to break up with her in person. He broke up with her over the phone.

"It's the same thing she said last year, Ben." Mrs. Jones said to her husband, turning away from the camera and murmuring about how girls these days don't like to marry early.

Ainsley had to force herself back to the present. She smiled at the camera

"Hey." her dad called, smiling, before mouthing, "Don't listen to her." then speaking out loud, he said, "Happy birthday, pumpkin".

"Thanks, dad." she replied.

"Happy birthday, sweet." said Mrs. Jones said too, turning back to smile at her daughter on the phone. But she couldn't resist the urge to add, "And please get a man".

If only it were that easy, "Okay, mom." she replied with a yawn, all to wave off the topic. "Are you coming over?"

"No." replied her mom, "We're stuck here."

She didn't mind, not with the birthday party she had planned this year. It was going to be spectacular. She might even get laid with a new guy. "Alright"