The heir's woman

The crowd cheered and clapped just after Regee's piano session ended.She just waved and walked down to her roommate turned best friend who sat at the left corner of the bar.

"Come here darling, you did so well" Sally beckoned at her giving her a big hug.

"Arghh I really needed that hug, you know"

Regee said with a slight moan.

" You'll go places, I can feel it in my guts"

Sally said tightening the grip, with a soft pat.

"Places?"

Regee asked, disentangling the hug.

" Who goes to places from playing in a local bar in New York especially one filled with depressed teenagers, smokers and horny old men."

Regee said rolling her eyes.

Sally bursted out laughing "now when you sound like that, I actually see no hope" Sally said amidst laughing.

" Wow Sally

Just wow" Regee said clapping " well the only reason I'm listening to you is because I'm waiting for my tip".

After every session at the bar, the bar owner tips her for contributing to the fun in his bar.

He never used to tip her because he felt it was useless giving his money to someone known by no one, until the intervention of Sally.

Regee Peterson is a 5'9" with a slender and curvaceous figure. Her long honey blonde hair which is mostly tied up in a pony, her dark brown eyes is just the perfect fit for her oval face with her full lips always curled into a gentle smile, revealing a hint of dimple.

She is the first daughter of the peterson and the only child. She just has her mum now since she lost her father some years ago.

Reggee is a struggling pianist whose dream is to meet keturah Ama, one of the most influential pianist who stays in New York.

So travelling to New York away from LA, her home town was to perhaps meet with Keturah Ama and someday make a name for herself.

Unlike Regee, Sally is dark in complexion, she has a velvety brown that just glows effortlessly. Her hair is afro very think and black with tightly curls that bounces each tilt of her head. The curls are dense and mostly let free.

Her features are finely chiseled, with high cheekbones and a small button nose, Her eyes has very deep brown feature with full lips and always lubricated.

Unlike Regee she exuded so much poise and confident.

She is busty with a fine carved hip and measly fat, behind.

Sally is an orphan with no family she knows about.

She was home schooled in the orphanage and works with a marketing firm, she works from home.

The warm glow from the living room , The plush sofa and armchair, adorned with vibrant throw pillows, beckon you to sink in and stay a while. The walls, painted a soothing shade of gray provide a calming backdrop for the wood tones of the coffee table and TV stand and an old piano at the end if the room.

Moving towards the kitchen, the sleek marble countertops and mostly stainless steel appliances, gleaming in the soft light. The aroma of freshly brewed capachino wafts from it's mixer

The bedroom, awaits with a sofa- bed, dressed in crisp linens and a dark blue duvet. The closet,with no doors offers storage for the wardrobe, while the nightstand, with its soft lamp, provides a calm nook for reading

The bathroom, with its dull looking tile , any ways it's fine for a refreshing shower.

"This one-bedroom apartment is a place to call my own"

In the words of Regee

"How do you expect you to grow in your career when you're still using and old piano with missing keys? "

Regee didn't respond because she knew Sally was just being her annoying self.

And she couldn't halt arranging their room to possibly respond to Sally's sentiment.

She sprayed the dark blue duvet and left to the kitchen for a cup of capachino.

"Regee"

Sally screamed running from the room with her phone.

"It's keturah Ama"

Sally blurted pointing to her phone screen

"What Keturah"

Regee asked keeping her mug on the countertop.

Jesus Christ Regee !

Sally exclaimed rolling her eyes

There's just one Keturah Ama whose name has ..........

Keturah Ama?

Regee asked grinning, collecting the phone and smiling even harder while reading it's content.

"So Keturah will be in saint Duke Town ?"

Regee asked jumping and screaming.

" Drrrrh you're making so much noise"

Sally said raising her eyebrows.

" This one- bedroom apartment is a place to call my own"

Regee said returning to a her now warm cup of capachino.

But dropped it almost immediately.

"This is a dream coming true, I have a good feeling about this"

Regee said almost whispering

" I wasn't joking when I said you were going to go places"

Sally said adjust her hair band.

" Meanwhile I'll leave you know, ive got work to do"

Sally announced taking Regee's mug with her.

Regee sitting on the countertop is so worried. Series of overwhelming thoughts sorrounds her mind as she slowly drifted to past memories of failed auditions.

................

Next

A deep baritone voice called out and it was Regee's turn.

For some reasons the confidence she had practiced at home failed her, she lost all the grace she exuded, it seemed it had left her just after the baritone voice Called.

Her fingers trembled as she placed them on the keys, her eyes fixed on the judges' table with a mix of determination and desperation. She took a deep breath, and the music began.

At first, the notes flowed like a gentle stream,and seemed to I ey her every punch on the keys but soon the rhythm faltered, and the melody stumbled. Her pianist's hands seemed to move of their own accord, as if trying to outrun her mistakes. The music swelled, but the mistakes mounted, each one a tiny crack in the dam that eventually burst, flooding the room with discord.

And soon she found herself staring at the Judges and it was happening, she was sweaty

The judges' faces remained impassive, their eyes glazing over as Regee struggled to regain control. Her fingers danced across the keys in a frantic bid to salvage the performance, but it was too late. The music limped to a close, leaving an awkward silence in its wake.

She didn't need any further instructions she just read the room and left with her eyes brimming with tears, and bowed stiffly.

The judges' nods were curt, their smiles sympathetic but unencouraging.

As she gathered her things and departed, the room seemed to exhale a collective sigh of relief, the air thick with the weight of disappointment and unfulfilled potential."

That was 6 months ago.

Just few weeks after that incident, Sally brought a poster of musical audition to Regee, for some reasons she didn't obgnate she just got prepaid with a positive mind.

Sally picked a more free dress saying her instinct stated that Regee's fright that day was as a result of the denim dress she wore,not giving space for free breath and fresh air.

So this time it was a lemon patterned vintage gown with no make ups on just a mild lip gloss.

On that morning as early as 3am

Regee was playing "oh happy day" on the piano with lots of high hopes and didn't even take the breakfast of Mac and cheese Sally prepared.

She just moved to the Audition centre only to find out that they were just for kids.

What a bad day!

Sally exclaimed when she heard about the ordeal.

No more auditions!

Regee said slamming the room door after her

Sally moved slowing to the sofa picked up the flyer

"Jeez! The kids, was just here boldly

Why didn't I see it"

She said shredding the flyer to pieces.

.............

"Hello, wake up princess"

Sally called, trying to wake me from my world of thoughts

"I was saying one more cup of capachino"

Sally repeated, it turns out she has been there and I was in my own world.

So what's bothering you ?

Sally asked sitting on the countertop too.

What if this Keturah Ama doesn't work out?

"Then we will still go for the shopping"

Sally said laughing.

Remember the last auditions we went for and we were told a certain Head of company didn't want anyone dressed like you.

Sally reminded Regee while still laughing.

"Ah! That was the most embarrassing audition, that boss should thank his Stars that we didn't see him"

Sally said pouring the capachino from the mixer.

"Like you would have done a thing ?"

Regee said walking to the living room.

"And you started performing at the bar, that bar"

Sally said with a smirk on her face.

" I think there's someone at the door"

Regee announced.

A chubby fair woman in her early 50s barged in

"This apartment has not paid for it's water and gas"

She said walking to the kitchen

Any pets ?

She asked just before entering the room.

"No ma'am"

Regee answered

No!

She bellowed

" I ain't taking no shit from you, or you leave the residents

Is the no for the pet or gas and water payment."

" It's for the pets ma'am.

And barging on us is not supposed to happen by any law even hers in saint duke"

Sally reprimanded her.

" Alright, now I'll be leaving never be found wanting"

She said leaving the house

Heeeew what a day!

Regee sank on the sofa.

It was another day to put things in place and Regee's mum called to hear from her and her friend Sally.

Mrs Peterson is in her mid fifties and has not really been of sound mind since the death of her husband.

But nevertheless she is beautiful and think with just Regee's kind of complexion and hair with full legs.

She has dimples that effortlessly reveals at just a simple smile.

Regee told her mum about all the failed auditions and she in turned promised her that it would only get better.

Mrs Peterson owns a heirloom inherited by her husband and she said maintenance is going just fine.

The call ended with Sally promising Mrs Peterson that she'll let Regee visit some day.

"What are we having for breakfast?"

"Regee asked yawning"

"Well, I think this morning we'll have a fine ass young man with chiselled abs, chocolate looking to be precised."

Sally responded adjusting her flowering pink pyjamas.

"I think I'll pass"

Regee said smiling.

You don't like dark guys?

Sally asked revealing her bulging eyes.

Mid twenties, Regee, you're in your mid twenties and you have options

Wow!

Sally said heaving a sigh.

"I've never had a choice in life growing up, anything just goes"

Regee said punching a key on the piano.

"Well all that is about to change, I'll be taking you for shopping and you'll definitely have a choice, because you're gonna slay for keturah Ama

Sally said punching a key too.

Awwwwn, my Sally boo boo

Regee said giving Sally a hug.

"So it's bacon and eggs for breakfast right?"

Sally asked disentangling the hug.

" With lots of black pepper"

Regee said, while Sally went to the kitchen.

Most of the house bills are paid by Sally, infact she own the house.

And she understands Regee's plight and doesn't put her in any pressure.

The keturah Ama's show was coming up in few days time and it's like a 4 days couunt down.

Regee has been anticipating as it was perceived as the breakthrough to her dreams.

She is a talented pianist despite the fact that she didn't get to college due to in adequate funds.

People who knew them, question their status. It wasn't expected that a family of three would struggle.

Wealth sometimes was just a dream she only believe she can achieve when she chases hard, but had severally doubted it.

Her struggling life came to it's peak when they could just do nothing but watch her father die.

She could still remember her mother's loud sobs.

The death of her father was a profound loss that was felt deeply and profoundly. It was like a passing of a guiding light, He was a sheltering presence, and a very loving Husband, even though providing was a bit tough on him.

Watching him that night I could feel, a sense of numbness, followed by a wave of grief that felt overwhelming. The pain from her mum's tears that night brought a realization of poverty as a heavy burden to carry.

It happened on the 17th December, during the cold winter

Pa, was brought almost dying mum had to rush him to the hospital, I could hear him mutter

1- 9- 9-9-5-5 faintly, but that night seemed quite to just me for some reasons I could hear the chirping sound of the nocturnals (crickets) which was quite odd for winters.

Regee was twelve, and just eating cereals on the table, the cereals didn't taste good anymore mum was sulking while trying to drive our old truck.

I can remember her yelling that I get behind the truck, she was singing old hymns in tears, my father's soft painful moans was heart piercing.

The darkness of the night was palpable, it didn't seem like Christmas, there were lights but they looked dark like a heavy blanket that suffocated the world of the family of the Petersons in the truck.

The snow fell in thick, heavy flakes, each one a tiny painful dagger that pierced, for the first time in my life, the sight of snows didn't amuse me. LA was dark.

The wind howled like a lonely wolf, its was like pa's mournful cry was echoing through the empty streets.

The cold was biting, but the pain from my mum's sobs and Pa's moan were stings a bitter chill that seeped into my bones and frozed my heart.

The snow-covered trees stood like skeletal sentinels, their branches etched against the sky like a delicate pen and ink drawing.

The world was hushed, very hushed a quiet so profound it was almost deafening.the only sound outside the truck was the soft crunch of snow underfoot, a reminder that even in the stillness, there was still life.

Tilting to the side of the truck I could see the moon hung low in the sky, a silver crescent that cast an eerie glow over the snow-covered landscape.

God knows how wonderful exploring these scenerios would have been without the presence of moans and old sorrowful hymns

The stars twinkled like diamonds scattered across the velvet expanse, a celestial reminder of the beauty and wonder that lay just beyond the reach of the lonely night.

The darkness seemed to press in on all sides, a physical presence that threatened to consume everything in its path. And yet, in the midst of the cold and the darkness, there was a strange and haunting beauty, a reminder that even in the most desolate of nights, there was still a glimmer of hope to be found, and I really hoped that this hope found a way in my mother's heart.

"1-9-9-9-5-5"

My father muttered those numbers again, but this time in a very weak tone .

Mum speed up and didn't mind the Rickety sound from the old truck.

Soon we were at the hospital.

Nurses ran out with stretchers to lift my dad, the sight of the blood that oozed out of his mouth still remains a fresh memory.

Pa was shot on the neck.

Soon the doctor came to request for a deposit to commence operation

But my mom did have up to 89 dollars and my father was just given pain reliefs

And left to die.

I watched my mum cradle pa's frail body in her arms, I could see her tears falling like rain upon his pale skin. Her sobs were raw and anguished, I had never seen my mum cry that hard,a primal wail that seemed to shred the very air around her.

Her eyes were red-rimmed and swollen,she seemed to be puring out torrent of grief, as if the very thought of losing him was too much to bear.

"Not now lord"

Mum said wailing.

Pa's eyes, once bright and full of life, now laid sunken and still, I could see the spark from his eyes dimmed by the cruel hand of fate. His chest rose and fell with each labored breath, a fragile reminder that our only crime was poverty.

And pa breath his last muttering 1-9-9-9-5-5.

Regee's twelve year old self could not process the lost of her father yet, it only dawned on her when his corpse was taken away.

"Pa"

She whispered, with Mrs Peterson clutching her tight to her self.

The night in her world just began.

......................

"Breakfast is ready"

Sally called out, awakening Regee from bad memories.