They opened the door and her parents and brother came into the hall. Abby flew into her brother's arms, hugged him tightly and then hugged both her parents.
“Happy Birthday my Princess” her dad, Tade Benson said with a big smile on his face.
"Why didn't you tell me Josh?...how can you all put all these together without giving up a hint? This must have cost a small fortune plus the efforts.
I am happy and filled with immeasurable joy and love for all of you, for making this happened." She smiled with tears in her eyes.
"Apart from our efforts, It didn't cost us a penny, your brothers foot all the bills. You should really thank them." Julianna clarified.
"Eh hen...but I hope it will not affect my monthly allowance and school projects o? You know the amount is much." Abby asked towards her brother jokingly.
"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth Abimbola?" her dad said laughingly.
"No daddy let brother Josh answer me o" Abby said with a slight frown towards Josh who was just smiling.
"Hmm Abimbola, you only call him 'brother Josh' when money is involved... What have you been doing with your own personal money because I know you make enough not to bother your brothers about allowances anymore."
"Savings mom" she rolled her eyes upward and smiled.
Abby needed to import some industrial sewing machines from China in order to make the production of certain designs easier for her fashion label.
Her dream is to make her brand 'BuzyBeezs' go international. She wants to own every machine required to be able to produce anything and everything wearable for both males and females.
There's also the student project cum fashion show event that the school normally organizes for all graduating students, in order to help them showcase their designs to the entire world.
She knew she couldn't afford to import the industrial machines all by herself, that was why she was saving all of her earnings and most of her allowances, so she wouldn't need to ask her family for much when she eventually needed their assistance and the time has finally arrived.
"Don't worry, it will neither affect your allowances nor school projects, I'll personally make sure of that. We took care of their own allowances when they were your age, and it's high time for them to do the same for their kid sister." Shade Benson said, taking Abby's arm.
Shade was Tade's first wife who gave birth to Abby's elder brothers. Everybody in the family, with the exception of Tade, called her Maami.
She took care of Abby since when she was six months old while Julianna attended culinary school, and she loved Abby dearly the way she loved her own sons.
The family would have been completed if her other two elder brothers Mathew and Mark were living in Nigeria, Abby especially missed their presence now so much.
Her best friend Dupe and her husband, arrive next. After thanking her friend's husband for taking out the time to come to her party, she asked her friend to be excused and slightly pulled her to a corner...
"What about the meeting with your mother-in-law?"
"You should know by now there was no meeting." Dupe replied and laughed. "Although I was chosen to keep your company, I had to go meet Wura, so we could make all these happen." Dupe indicated towards the decorations. "The idiot we hired disappointed us. Sorry for leaving you stranded." She smiled apologetically at Abby.
"No problem...but your leaving me stranded has cost me my virginity." Abby said bluntly into Dupe's ears.
"What! How!? Who!? Was it with Mike!?" She asked incredulously with eyes that was nearly falling out of their sockets, since Mike was the only opposite sex that she knew Abby occasionally went out with.
"No it wasn't Mike...although I wish it was...if we had only connected..." Abby replied dejectedly.
"Unbelievable! I didn't see this coming..."
"I didn't see it coming too..."
"Who was it then? Spit it out girl...or do you want me to wring it out of your neck" Dupe asked excitedly. "And what's with the long face? Having regrets already?"
"I'll tell you tomorrow."
"No! Don't you dare! How do you want me to survive until tomorrow!?"
"We can't talk now. Our guests are waiting..." Abby stressed the OUR so Dupe won't forget that she invited most of the guests personally.
"Okay we'll talk on the phone when I get back home tonight." Dupe finally agreed, immediately walking towards her husband, and leaving no room for deliberation.
"Oh and I invited Mike, now I wish I hadn't..." She said finally before walking away with her husband.
The rest of the guests started coming into the hall one after the other while Abby stood to welcome them all. They were all holed up somewhere in the hotel waiting for the celebrant's arrival.
She couldn't believe how many people showed up. Some of her school mates from The Noveau School of Fashion and Designs, the fashion school she and Dupe attends, church members, some of Julianna's staffs, Josh's current girlfriend, some of his friends and so many people she couldn't recognize.
Mike of course was in attendants with his friend, following Abby around and acting like him and she were an item, which got her dad wondering who he was and why he has not seen him before if he was involve with his daughter.
Her party was fun, the lost virginity forgotten at the moment as she danced with her father, brother and even Mike. Mike that was still waiting for her, still believing that she would eventually fall in love with him one day.
He's so understanding and patient with her. Why couldn't she just love him back?... wouldn't he have been the perfect man to Abby's strong personality?