“ Pain is temporary. ”
***
“ I wish we can always choose the one we fall in love with. Perhaps it wouldn't be a big deal now that I'm in this case. 
I am Ava Smith and this is my story. 
A year ago, I fell in love with a young man who was 20 at the time of our meeting. 
He wasn't the most beautiful man I've ever come across but in my heart, he'll always be the best definition of beauty. 
Black beauty is what I'll call him. 
His smile was ever beautiful and never ceased to warm my heart. 
His voice was like the sound of many waters and the sound of his laughter was like a waterfall. 
I fell for this innocence, his honesty and thoughtfulness.
I was attracted to him by his love for dancing and acting. 
I've never met someone as talented as him. 
Matthew was his name and I must say, his name did great justice to his personality, but I would have preferred for him to be named Daniel. 
I loved him in a way, I've never loved anyone before. 
 When asked what I love about him, I get confused as I wonder if we are actually meant to love a particular thing about someone.
But if I need to answer urgently, I will say. 
I love his smile.
I love his voice.
I love the sound of his laughter.
I love the way he expresses himself.
I love his physique.
And when people ask why I love him, it makes me remember the real question of not being able to choose who we love. 
He'd never particularly shown interest in me. 
He talks a lot about the girl he likes and how deeply he adores them. 
He talks fondly about his siblings, especially his little sister whom he's older than with nine years. 
Must I say, I love how he loved. 
Though the love hadn't been directed towards me, yet I do love it.
There are times where he showed snippets of his care, I believe those were the days I felt like I was in paradise. 
I love him in a way I've never loved anyone before, and I made that known to him.
But,
My love wasn't enough. 
He was in love with someone else. 
His heart had belonged to someone else a long time ago. 
Despite knowing this, 
I hoped in between the pain and tears and wished he'd just love me instead.
But like they say, we don't choose who we love. 
My heart beats for him,
While he beats for someone else. 
I've tried a number of times to let go, but how can I when I get snippets of our time together when I read a book, watch a movie, do the dishes and take a stroll around my estate.
How? ”
The hall fell into a pin drop silence following Nuella's words. 
   As the daughter of a best selling Author, she'd learned to read from a young age of three. 
And as soon as she turned seven, she'd started reading her mom's Published books and the upcoming ones in drafts. 
They were ever fun to read as her mom was an incredible writer. 
Her mom wasn't only a best selling writer but also a poet which never ceases to capture readers imagination with her unique piece, just like this one. 
   She'd always been a fan of love stories that have happy endings, but having come across this one that didn't, she couldn't stop the tears that fell out of her eyes as  emotions welled up within her. 
“ It's fiction, Ella. ” She turned to face her twin who was dressed in a blue tuxedo matching her Dad's and he'd styled his hair to match her Dad's too. Sometimes, she wondered just how lucky she was to have not only a father but also a brother who loves and adores her, cos if one thing, she knew others weren't so lucky.
But as her mom says,  “ It's not luck, Ella. It's God. ” That statement never ceases to make her wonder why some people have it all good and wonderful while others have it different?
Aren't we all created by the same God? 
Why then are some people suffering while others are living in plenty?
As a result of this, her life’s goal has always been to help people in need. 
That's one of the reasons why she's choosing to be a social worker, so she could help foster children find a home and a place in society. 
“ Maybe, Nue. But someone somewhere is going through or has gone through that, okay? ” 
“ Whatever. ” He replied, rolling his eyes. 
“ That was really amazing. ” Sounds of applauses followed one of the guests' words. 
“ You are an amazing writer, Wifey. ” Joseph wrapped his arms around his now forty year old wife and left a peck on her cheeks.
“ Thank you. ” She smiled sincerely, resting her back on his chest as she stared at their kids. 
“ They are amazing, aren't they? ”
“ Yeah. I'm grateful for them every single day. ”
“ Same here. ” He left a peck on her hair. 
“ Mrs Winfrey, you are indeed an amazing writer, I honestly can't wait for you to publish your next book. ” Mr Thomas Yales, the editor of a best selling magazine said with a smile. 
  “ Thank you. It will be out soon. ” She gave a sincere smile, still resting in her husband's hands. 
The editor wasn't offended as almost all who know them have gotten used to their lovey dovey attitude. 
‘ It's almost like they can't get their hands off each other. ’ A reporter had commented at Miranda's first book signing event which was surprisingly the talk of the town for many weeks. 
Then, she released her Debut novel, My Best Friend, which she'd been working on for so many years. 
“ Great. ”
“ You did it again, Bestie. ” Evelyn said with a hearty grin.  “ The poem was heartwarming and touching. ”
“ Yeah, you've gone through something similar so I bet you would have been able to connect with it in a different way. ”
“ You are so right. Thank you for sharing this beautiful journey with us. ”
“ You are welcome. ” 
***
   “ It's time to cut the cake. Miranda announced to her twin babies, who were not only no longer babies but now sixteen. 
They stood in front of the gigantic birthday cake with so much love and fascination. Whilst their Dad had suggested they'd got two cakes, the duo claimed they didn't want double cakes, as one was enough. 
“ We were formed from the very same egg after all. ” Miranda never ceased to blush at her daughter's uncut words, she found herself regretting why she'd allowed the latter to take biology classes instead of German. She felt having her daughter learn more about a new language was so much better than having her learn about the women's body and end up throwing uncut comments here and there.
But it's too late for regrets, isn't it?
   “ Okay, Mom. ” Nuel moved and held Nuella's hand in his as they slowly held the knife. 
  “ J. E. S. U. S  ” They cut the cake down, then cut small portions of it and placed it in each other's mouth's happily.
  “ They remind me of us. ” Miranda swooned, resting in her husband's arms as always. Growing up, she'd always believed she needed lots and lots of people in her life. But now that she'd turned 40, she'd figured her family was enough. Especially her husband who was her backbone and biggest supporter.
She'll never forget so soon the number of rejections she'd received in the early days of her career and how her loving husband had been with her through it all, always providing a shoulder to cry on and offering comforting words whenever she needed them.
 It's just so beautiful and she'll never stop being grateful to have him in her life. 
“ Yeah. ” He replied as their daughter approached and Miranda retracted herself from his embrace. 
 “ Happy birthday, Sweet sixteen. ” He embraced her with a smile, leaving a peck on her hair as she propped the cake in his mouth. 
Miranda wasn't offended at all by this, as she'd known from the very beginning that Nuella was a Dad's girl. 
  Memories of the early days came to her mind when the latter wouldn't go to bed unless her Dad read her bedtime stories and sang her lullabies.
Their interactions were ever beautiful and never ceased to warm her heart. 
“ Mom. ” She turned to her son who was looking super handsome and dashing as always. 
“ Happy sixteenth birthday, Nuel. ” She grinned, accepting the cake from him.
“ Thank you, Mom. ”  
“ You are welcome. ” She smiled, then sighed when he didn't smile back.  “ What's up? ” He didn't reply to her immediately, so she brought her gaze to the direction he was facing. 
   Nuella who was almost as tall as her Dad was whispering something in his ears causing them both to chuckle. 
“ She's got a lot of admirers, Mom. ” Miranda almost laughed out loud hearing that, but she controlled herself, realizing her usually calm and collected son was suddenly expressive, which meant something. 
“ Isn't that a good thing? ”
“ No, Ella is young and should solely face her studies and not boys. ” 
“ Hahaha. ” Jeremiah who had just gotten there laughed out loud. 
“ But you can't deny she's super attractive, Bro. ” He said with a mischievous wink. 
“ Don't you even dare. ”
“ Hey, she's older than me, okay? So I can't date her. But Raymond can, since the age difference is just two years, isn't it Raymond? ” He turned to face the blond haired guy beside him.
“ Yup, of course. Besides, I've had a crush on her since highschool and now that she's sixteen, it feels like the best time to tell her about my feelings. ”
“ You dare not. ”
Miranda didn't know whether to laugh or cry at their banter. 
 Though Jeremiah who was Nanny's miracle son and Raymond who was Evelyn's second child were both Nuel’s best friends since childhood and so they shared everything they had.
But whenever it came to his sister. 
He denied them access. 
As he claimed his baby sister was not one to be shared. 
….
A/N : This chapter was fun to write and I believe you enjoyed reading it too. Take care (+_+).