A Midnight-Blue

The soirée was in full flow, and the place was buzzing with the usual crowd—colleagues, friends, and the high-and-mighty types. I stood by the corner, glass of champagne in hand, taking it all in. It was my MD’s birthday, so the vibe was high, and the music was just right.

I spotted Mabel sitting close to the dance floor. She is a senior colleague that I have a lot of respect and admiration for, and that night, she looked absolutely radiant in an emerald gown. I made my way over, dodging a few people dancing, to greet her.

“Hi Mabel,” I said, stepping into her space with a smile. “You look stunning tonight. Don’t tell Ada, but you are officially the best-dressed here. The gown? It’s like it was made just for you.”

She let out a bright, easy laugh. “Oscar, you always know what to say. If I tell Ada that, she’ll sack you…” She joked, laughing again with a warm, melodic sound. “Thank you, dear.”

Just then, a young lady stepped up and carefully adjusted Mabel’s 18-inch bone-straight hair. She was the absolute definition of my spec—tall, about 5’6″, with a slim-fit figure that moved with effortless grace in a midnight-blue dress. She was breathtaking, with eyes that were impossibly bright, bearing a striking resemblance to Mabel.

“I’ve never met your sister, Mabel,” I said, my gaze flickering between them. “How have you been keeping her from us at the office?”

Mabel beamed and pulled her closer. “Not my sister, Oscar. She is my daughter, Eunice.”

I turned to face her, completely captivated. “No way,” I said. She laughed and added that she is her first daughter. I was still shocked, but I found my voice, “God bless you, Mabel,” giving her a nod of genuine respect. “I honestly can’t believe it. Thank you for making such a beauty. You were not selfish at all—in fact, I think she’s even finer than you.”

Mabel gave her daughter a playful nudge. “Careful, Eunice. This one can whine for Africa.”

I shifted my focus to the daughter, offering my hand. “I’m Arinze,” I said.

“Oscar!” Mabel interjected, trying to correct me.

I looked at Mabel, then turned back to the daughter. “Arinze,” I insisted, flashing a look that said I wasn’t budging. “That’s my middle name. Please, call me Arinze.”

Eunice held my gaze, her eyes level with mine, dancing with amusement. “I like ‘Arinze,’ actually.”

“I’m sure you do,” I replied, letting the moment hang there for a second. “And I believe that’s not the only thing you’ll like about me.”

She let out a soft, guarded laugh, but she didn’t look away. Just then, a colleague, Daniel, called out to pull Mabel’s attention away.

“So,” I went on, leaning in a bit so I didn’t have to shout over the music. “How long are you in the country for?”

She smiled, that slow, elegant kind of smile. “I’m always in the country. I live here.”

“You live here?” I was completely thrown, letting out a small, playful laugh. “How is that even possible? And I’ve not seen you before?”

“There are six million people in this town,” she reminded me, her voice playful and light. “You obviously haven’t met everyone yet.”

“Maybe,” I countered, moving just a bit closer. “But there’s nobody like you. If you were really staying around, you would’ve caught my eye. It would’ve been impossible not to. I mean—look at you.”

She blushed, looking down at the floor for a second before she glanced back up, her smile deepening. I noticed her checking the time, seemingly getting ready to head out.

“I see you’re on your way out,” I said. “Might I be honored to get your number? We could grab lunch or dinner sometime, you know?”

She looked at me, trying to read me for a heartbeat before she reached out for my phone. She typed in her number just as her mother’s voice called out for her.

She handed the phone back with a smile. “I prefer breakfast on a Saturday,” she said, before turning to join her mother.

I looked and smiled at her as she walked away flawlessly.