I was writing my research project report in our veranda when mom called up for lunch.
"Sweetheart it's time for lunch. You've been in that project for quite some time."
"Sorry mom I only have 2 days to finalize and finish everything before submitting this to school." I told her.
"I understood Lucy but come on let's have a lunch first."
"I'm coming mom just give me five minutes to finish it. I'm almost done."
"Okay please hurry up we don't want the food to get cold."
"Okay."
JC University is not just an ordinary school. Though it is located far from the city but the school has a big reputation and high standard when it comes to education. Most of the students came from another states of England and chose JC University because it's one of the prestigious school in the country.
I am one of the lucky scholar student in this school.
My mom raised me alone and because she is a single mother. She worked so hard just to sustain our needs.
I am always on top of my class that's the reason I applied to JC University as a scholar and I passed the exam.
Though the school was located at the country side but it serves the best education.
After finishes the last page of my school report, I closed my documents and put inside the envelope.
I stood up and stretched my whole body which was very tired.
I walked inside my room and put my report on the table and walked to the kitchen.
Mom was pouring the water in our glasses when I came.
"Finally my genius daughter is finished." She smiled at me.
"Finally mom." I smiled at her too while pulling my chair to sit.
Mom also pulled her chair opposite to me and sat down.
"Wow these food looks yummy!" I smelled the food which mom cooked for our lunch.
"Of course it is always yummy because it's your favourite." Mom laughed at my excitement. Everyday I praises her cook because she loves to prepare my favourite food.
We live a very simple life here in Welreck town. Away from the city yet we have everything we needed.
When mom was pregnant she moved to Welreck town and settled a life here. She bought a piece of land to an old lady and her family helped mom to start a new life on this place especially when they found out she was pregnant.
I called her my grandmother Marietta and my grandfather Daniel because they were like a family to us. They treated mom as their own daughter though she was a complete stranger to this town.
They have one daughter my aunt Marielle and her children are Anabelle my best friend and Akkel the older brother.
Anabelle and I were both studying in the same major course at JC University while Akkel is now working as a professor in the same university.
We were very close not just a friends but like a family.
We spend more time farming. We were raised this way. Growing our own food and that's the reason Anabelle and I took the same course, BS Agriculture. While Akkel spent more time reading books, that's why he end up being a professor.
Though he is now a professor he made sure he spend his weekends with all of us at the farm every
Saturday because it's our picnic day.
I am very much content of my life here in Welreck and I want to start my wine production here with Anabelle. Our dream is to expand our vineyards and produce wines.
We have a vineyards where we started planting grapes when we were young. We had a project at school that time. The project was to grow your own plant and we planted 3 seeds of grapes which turned later on into a beautiful vines. That's when we took interest of farming. We grow more grapes until we didn't realized we have consumed one hectare of the land and we dreamt for more.
"So what's your plan after graduation sweetheart?" Mom asked.
I put sauteed vegetables with mushrooms in my plate then a piece of grilled chicken and looked at her.
"Anabelle and I will pursue our dream to expand our vineyards mom. Though it will take years to grow the new vines but we planned to start our productions with the vines we already have. I'm sure we have enough grapes to start." I told her.
"But how about our consumers? Our costumers will be disappointed if we stop supplying them."
"I know mom, but we won't stop but we will reduce the volume of our supplies because half of our production will be keep for wines." I explained.
"That's a better idea. Our costumers were been a great helped to us and I don't want to disappoint them."
"I understood mom and believe me I don't want to loose them either because I also need them to introduce our wines to the market later on."
"Ohhh, that's sounds good. By the way this is your final semester at the University."
"Yeah, I can't believe I am graduating mom." I said happily.
"Me too sweetheart. Who would have thought that my little girl is now a matured woman."
"I know mom it's hard to accept but I'm no longer a baby." I smiled.
"Of course you'll always be my baby girl Lucy wether you like it or not."
I laughed with mom and she just shook her head.
Then my phone rang when we were about to clean up the table. I took out my phone in my pocket and I saw it was Anabelle's calling.
"Hello Belle."
"Lucy where are you? I thought we are going to church together?" She asked.
"Yes we are and I am still at home."
"Hurry up Lucy we will be late."
"Again Belle? Just tell me you're such in a hurry because you want to see your crush there."
"Fine! Can we go a bit early so we can sit next to him?"
"You're unbelievable Anabelle! Why do you want to flirt with that guy inside the church huh?"
"Hey Lucy that's called love. You don't have any idea because your heart is hard as a stone. Why can't you like back those men who flirts with you everywhere in this town huh? So you will stop being bitter to my love life." She scolded me.
"Come on Belle you don't have a love life okay? You're in love with a man who doesn't even know you exist." I laughed at her.
"You know what? Once you'll feel the love you will be much crazier than me."
"Hhhmmm, I'll make sure I won't be crazy like you." I teased her.
"Are you going or not Lucy huh?"
"Alright, I'm coming okay! Pick up me within thirty minutes and I'll be ready by then." I told her.
"Okay, bye!" Then she hanged up the call.
"Sweetheart if you want to go I can wash the dishes." Mom said after I put back my phone in my pocket.
"It's alright mom, I can wash the dishes and have a shower afterwards." I told her.
" If that's okay then no problem. And sweetheart Anabelle was right. Why can't you give some chance to you're suitors?"
"Mom not now."
"Lucy look at yourself. You've been single since birth. There were plenty of men who likes you but none of them succeed to win your heart because you never give them a chance."
"Mom I don't care with them. I have you and our family here in Welreck, you were enough for me."
"Lucy, your father were different from others. Not all the men has the same intentions. There were plenty of men who love purely. Like your grandpa Daniel and uncle Ben."
"I don't want to talk about it mom. He ruined your life."
"Sweetheart he didn't ruin my life because I got the biggest gift from him and that's you."
"But still mom, he hurt you."
"I never hated your father Lucy, he made the decision that day and I understand because we were both young at that time. It wasn't your father's fault sweetheart." She stood next to me and watched me while washing our dishes.
"Can we forget about it mom? I chose not to look for him even though you told me the whole story about our past."
"If that's what you want I understand. Our secret will be forever safe here as long as you want to live this way."
"I'm very much happy here mom and I don't want to risk your safety. We both knew once you showed up to them they will make a way how to kill you or ruin your life again."
"Thank you Lucy but I am not scared of them instead I am scared for your safety once they'll find out I have a daughter."
"Well they won't know mom because they believed you were dead twenty-three years ago."
"Yeah and I made the right choice not to comeback to my family that day to protect you."
"Now you don't have to do that mom, since I can take care of you." I faced her after putting the dishes in the drying tray. I hugged her tight.
"I love you mom."
"Thank you sweetheart and I love you too more than anything else in this world. Now go in your room and shower yourself before Belle come."
"Okay mom, I'll do." I kissed her cheek and went to my room.
I opened my cupboard and took out a pair of jeans and match it with floral blouse. Then went inside the room for a shower.
When I finished my bath I put on my clothes and looked at myself on the mirror. I have a perfect body and beautiful skin that most women envied. I know there are much more life awaits for me if I showed up myself to where I belong but no, I am happy and content of my life in this town. And the secret of my life will remain unrevealed.
While combing my hair, I heard a knocked on my door.
"Lucy I'm here!" Anabelle called
"I'm coming!" I responded
After fixing myself I opened the door and walked toward mom and Anabelle.
"Let's go." I told Belle.
"Bye aunty Jennifer."
"Bye mom."
"Bye ladies, please take care and don't drive fast."
"Okay bye!" We both said in unison and waved our hands.
Belle and I walked to her car. We usually drive her car every Sunday when we goes to church because we wanted to go together.
"Akkel wasn't with us today because he said he has some important matter to prepare for the upcoming school year project the SRPR "School Research Project Representative." Belle said.
Each school will send a students to compete for the best Research Project that will be chosen.
"I wish Akkel is here so he can see how crazy her sister is when she's in love and the worse thing is she's using the church for flirting." I laughed.
"Well lucky me, Akkel is busy with the report so there's no hindrance for me." Belle laughed louder than me.
"Hhhmmm we will see that later." I objected.
"Well come on before someone sit next to him." She said.
Anabelle and I drove to town for Sunday service. We always make sure we goes to church every Sunday and roam around the town. Most of the people knew us because asides of our beauties we supplies grapes to the whole town.
After fifteen minutes of driving we reached Welreck town. We parked the car on our parking spot and everyone knew it is our spot every Sunday.
We get down from the car and walked inside the church. Everyone's waiting to the service to start and luckily Belle spotted John. Since John came to this town she became a huge fan of him.
John transferred to JC University when we were in third year but he is taking different course a Business Management.
"Come Lucy there's a seat available next to him." She dragged me to where John's sitting.
I rolled my eyes but since she's my best friend I have to support her anyways.
"Hi, are there anyone sitting here?" Belle asked John.
"Hello, ohh nobody's sitting here." He replied.
"Can we then?" I asked him to stop Belle's flirting look.
"Yes ofcourse!" He moved his body to give us more space.
Belle sat next to him and I sat next to her.
"Belle by the way and this is my friend Lucy." She extend her hand to shakes hands with John which he accepted. And I just nodded my head to him.
"I'm John Brown." Nice meeting you two.
"So you're new to this town right?" Belle asked.
"Yes actually. The people seemed nice here but I haven't spend much time knowing this place because I am busy finishing my degree." He explained.
"Well, I can take you, I mean we can take you around the place if you want?" Belle offered
"That's pretty cool. Since everyone knows you in this town it would be my honor." He said.
"You mean you know us?" Belle asked.
"Yup! You two are famous here I guessed? And besides you were the suppliers of grapes in town which is well-known in the city." He explained.
"Oh my goodness! Did you hear that Lucy?" Belle asked me with excitement.
I shrugged my shoulders because I didn't even expect that our grapes productions become well-known.
"How do you know that John?" Belle asked him.
"Well I tried your grapes here and I remembered I saw your packaging's name was L.A.A which the same one we are having in the city. I asked where do they get the grapes and they said you supplied it."
"Wow, I didn't expect this." Belle reacted.
"I am glad to met the owner of L.A.A ." John told us.
"Our pleasure!" Belle smiled at him like there's no tomorrow. I ignored them both while they were talking. Until the pastor start the sermon and we were all quiet.
When the sermon finished we decided to have some coffee to our favourite coffee shop and Belle of course invited John to join us.
"Good afternoon ladies and to this handsome man with you." Marcus greeted us, the owner of coffee shop.
"Please call me John."
"My pleasure John and I'm Marcus. Go ladies your table is waiting for you." Marcus pointed our favourite table.
"Thank you Marcus." I smiled at him and three of us walked toward our table.
