Robinah had been ignoring Alex , but he didn't mind. He would make her happy and surprised soon. Thursday evening, Robinah came back from school happily. Grace had gone to work.
" What is making my girl so happy?" Her grandmother asked.
" Guess what grandma,I passed my second year exam . I will be starting my third year come next semester." She replied excitedly.
" Wow, my girl is so intelligent. Very soon you will graduate."
" Yes grandma, and I will be participating in the international medicine competition next year February."
" What are you celebrating?" Alex asked coming in.
" My granddaughter has finished her second year of university. Come January, she will be a senior student."
" Congratulations young girl."
" Who are you calling young?" She puffed her cheeks looking unhappy.
" Sorry madam." Alex was amused. She was a young girl after all. If she was an adult, he would swept her off to his house already.
" If you continue like this, you would be able to graduate next year and go for your doctorate degree." Her grandmother said proudly. She was happy to live to see this day.
" Yeah, I will make you proud grandma. You already know what I can do." Who could understand her better than her grandmother.
" Okay good girl, go fetch some juice for Alex." She had grown to like Alex and had been thinking of something. She would wait for her to turn eighteen.
" Only grandma cares and takes care of me." Alex teased
" You are trying to take my grandma away from me but I won't agree." Robinah came back with the juice.
"Hahaha, you children want to finish me with laughter. I love you both."
" But you are supposed to love me more." She was beginning to feel jealous.
" She loves us both equally." Alex said smiling. He liked seeing her angry but unable to do anything.
" Okay, I love my dear granddaughter more ." Her grandmother pacified her.
They kept talking. Discussing about new year celebrations. It would soon be Christmas and new year would follow. Alex told them he would go back home for the new year but would celebrate Christmas with them. Grace came back and told them about an opharnage she was helping and they decided to contribute. Alex gave her one million and promised to buy them necessary school materials come next year. Robinah and her grandma gave her three hundred thousand. Robinah wouldn't want her grandma to suspect her and thus decided to give a considerable amount. Grace was so happy that she called the opharnage and gave them the good news.
" What of your brother Jason. I don't see him these days." Grace asked. She had a crush on him but he rarely visited. What she didn't know was, he had to work overtime since Alex had to spend his time chasing after his fiancee.
" He has been working overtime lately. His company is planning to go into production of medicine, making them work overtime." He explained .
" Ooh tell him to make time and join us for Christmas." Robinah said. She knew he would listen to her and give him a break.
" I will and he will be there tomorrow to celebrate your birthday. He said Grace invited him the other day."
"Ooh that is good then." Grace said. Noticing the children conversing, Mrs. Smith decided to go inside and rest. She had been knitting scarfs and selling them with the help of Alex.
Alex stayed till 12 o'clock and wished her a happy birthday before leaving. He wanted to be the first one to wish her. Grace had gone to sleep at some point leaving them alone. He took advantage and hugged her. He even kissed her forehead before leaving. She looked so cute standing at the door still in a daze. He almost laughed out loud.
The following morning, Robinah woke up to more birthday wishes from her family and friends. Even her principal and some lecturers send her birthday messages on Whatsapp.This was the first birthday away from the village and with more people other than her grandma. Even some of the neighbors she greeted once in a while came to wish her.
She went about her morning routine as usual. She thought her grandmother and Grace would cook since they had told her not to worry about anything, but they didn't seem to be doing anything. She decided to wait and see.
At 3pm, Alex came with gifts. He had bought them dresses. Robinah received a red glittery dress, Grace and grandma got blue elegant dresses. After dressing up, Grace and grandma left saying they were going to do some shopping for the needed things. After waiting for almost an hour , Alex came to get her on the pretext of taking her somewhere as they wait for the preparations to be done.
Jason drove her to the entrance of one of the best hotels under the Luke family. After arriving, they went straight to the room Alex claimed to have booked. As the door opened, a birthday song started playing with cheers from her grandma and Grace. She was surprised, so this is what they had been planning. The room was decorated with balloons and flowers, a three steps chocolate cake and a lot of dishes had been served already.
" I can't believe this." She managed to say .
" Hope you like it. Alex helped plan everything. I only came to help bake the cake ." Her grandma said.
" Yeah, you should thank Alex ." Grace added.
She looked at Alex and understood his sneaky behavior recently. He had been planning to make her birthday special and she loved everything. "I love it, thanks Alex." She almost hugged him but restrained herself.
They settled down and started eating. Alex kept picking food for her. He had observed and knew what she liked to eat. Grace and Jason kept stealing glances at each other and even exchanged Whatsapp contacts. Their relationship seemed to have progressed. Grandma was happy seeing her granddaughter happy and enjoying herself.
They cut the cake and started presenting their gifts. Grace went first and gave her a handmade bracelet.
" I love it Grace, how did you know I love bracelets.?"
" Grandma told me." She said glad that she liked it.
" Okay open my own gift and see." Grandma said handing her a packaged gift.
She quickly opened it and found a ruby necklace.
" Grandma, why are you giving me the family heirloom?" She remembered being told the necklace was a family heirloom passed down to the first daughter of the family.
" You deserve it. Just keep it safe. You will understand the rest in the future." How could she tell her it was what her mother and grandma left her. It would safe her life in the future. It was the right time to hand it to her.
" Okay grandma, I love it but not more than I love you."
Jason handed her a watch. It was the latest girlish watch on the market .
" Thanks Jason. I love the gift." She appreciated it. He might have blown his salary for it.
Lastly came Alexander, he gave her a diamond necklace with a ring embedded at the center. She looked bewildered but masked it immediately.
" I love it very much Alex , thank you." He clearly wanted to gift her a ring.
" Glad you like it." He smiled meaningfully. He had thought she wouldn't understand his meaning but she got his meaning immediately she saw the gift.
After some more words from her family , they ended the celebration and went back home. It was late at night and they were exhausted. They freshened up and went to sleep having had dinner at the restaurant.