When We Meet Again

"Ding dong" comes the doorbell. Tina, Opera Smith's manager, stood up to open the door. She returned a few minutes later with a bag in her hand. "It's a gift," she announced.

Opera stretched her legs on the table not looking at Tiana or what she was holding.

"Join it with the rest." She said.

"Are you sure you do not want to see what it is?" Tiana asked. "I think it is not from..."

Opera looked up. "You do not think it's from my fans?" She furrowed her brows. "Who do you think it's from?"

Opera is a rising actress loved by many. So many times, she gets gifts from her fans. Opera thought it must be a gift from one of her fans. But looking at how small the gift bag is, she doubted it would come from a fan. She stood up. "Let me have the bag."

She stared into the bag; there was a box in it. She brought it out and opened it. Her eyes widened in excitement. It was a necklace adorned with jewels. Opera could tell that those jewels were of astronomical value. "Who do you think this is from?" She asked with a smile on her face.

Tiana shrugged. "Is there no way to know? There must be a note inside."

Opera dipped her hand into the bag and brought out a note. The note was folded and on it was written, Michael Stone.

Opera smiled. "I should have thought of him. I will give him a call."

"Are you not going to read what the note says?" Tiana asked.

"That will not be necessary."

Tiana shrugged but said nothing. Opera picked her phone up to dial Michael's number. After many attempts, with her call being forwarded, she decided to chat him up instead.

"Opera, I think you should read the note first." Tiana insisted.

"Who are you to tell me what to do?" Opera yelled. "Leave. I do not want to see you."

Tiana sighed. "You should not come to me crying. I won't offer my shoulder this time. I will go make you some orange juice. You might need it."

Tiana left for the kitchen while Opera sat down. She opened up her social media accounts one after the other and realized that not only could she not send a message to him in any of the accounts, but she also could not find his name when she searched for it.

Did she get dumped again? She thought.

She took the note to read just as Tiana had suggested previously. Her heart skipped a beat. Michael had unfriended and blocked her in all social media and the necklace was nothing but a breakup and farewell gift.

Opera screamed making Tiana rush out of the kitchen to the living room.

"Are you okay?" Tiana asked. She sighed when she saw her holding the note. She moved closer to Opera and hugged her. "I told you to read the note first."

Opera frowned. "Are you supposed to blame me or sympathize with me?"

"I am sorry," Tiana answered.

"Get me a glass of orange juice."

Tiana stood. "I knew you would need that."

Tiana returned to the kitchen while Opera stared at the necklace for the second time.

This is her fifth breakup in a year. She had dated five millionaires and every one of them had ended the relationship with a gift and a note with no words from them.

Opera frowned. Why did they all end the relationship in the same way? They must have planned it.

"Your glass of juice," Tiana said.

"I can't let this relationship end this way," Opera mumbled. "You must find a way to make this work. I can't end my fifth relationship like this. It's not even up to a month since we started dating. You do know how the people will take it when they find out."

Tiana smiled. "You do not have to worry. I spoke to the agency already and they will take care of it."

"When did you speak to Mr. Williams? What did he say?"

"I wasn't in the kitchen just to make orange juice. He is going to schedule a meeting with him at a hotel. Know that this is your last chance to salvage this relationship. If you do not succeed, I won't get involved ever again." Opera scoffed. "I won't get involved ever again." She mimicked. "When is the meeting?"

"In a few hours. But first, you need to get ready for your photo shoot. When you are done. We can head there."

"Fine. Get my clothes and shoes ready. I will get dressed when I am done with this." She raised her glass of juice. "Whatever," Tiana mumbled.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing," Tiana mumbled heading upstairs.

**

Melvin sat in a bar at a popular hotel, having drinks with his friends. He had closed from work a few minutes ago but instead of heading home, he met up with his friends. While his friends talked about random stuff, Melvin had a lot to think about; he got lost in his thoughts.

How long does he have to stay with Charlotte before his girlfriend returns and marry him? What if Alexia changes her mind and does not marry him? Would he have to live the rest of his life with Charlotte who has no plan to divorce him? Those were the thoughts he had in his mind. What bothered Melvin most was not only Alexia not getting married to him but also taking longer than expected to marry him. He was sad; very sad he tried to drink away his sorrow. Matthew noticed Melvin's attitude but was too preoccupied with their discussion to worry about him. He also knew that Melvin trusted David more and no matter how he tried to make him talk to him, he would not budge. "Are you not going to speak to your friend? He hasn't said a word since he got here." Matthew said to David.

"Let him be. He needs some time to think." David answered.

Matthew stared at Melvin again. He wanted to talk him out of his sorrowful mood but there isn't much he can do. Matthew decided to let it slide; if David wasn't saying anything about it. He should also mind his business. Their chat lasted into the night with the ringing of one of their phones bringing their chat to a stop. David stood up to pick up his call and when he returned, the look of his was different.

"Something happened at home. I have to go." He announced.

"Hope everything is fine?" Ryan asked.

"I hope so," David answered.

"You should head home," Matthew said. "Please, call us and let us know if everything is fine."

David nodded. "I will. Please take care of Melvin. He seems drunk already."

Matthew stared at the already-drunk Melvin and sighed. He also has a few things to do and taking care of Melvin isn't one of them but he can't let David worry about him when he has a lot to worry about already. "Do not worry. We will try our best to take care of him." He said. "You can leave."

After David left, Matthew turned to face Ryan. "You do not have any engagement right? You can take care of him and drive him home."

"I can't. I need to meet up with my girlfriend. I can't stand her up today. I already did that so many times." Ryan answered.

Matthew sighed. "I can't give up on my engagement either. I must do them tonight. Maybe I should call his wife. Charlotte should be able to come pick him up." "Melvin will not want that."

"He is dead drunk. There is no way he will know."

"He will try to find out. When he does..." Ryan sighed. "You should know what will happen."

"Then what do you suggest."

"Why don't we get him a room? He can leave when he wakes up tomorrow. It's your hotel after all."

Matthew smiled. "I should have thought of that" He stood up. "I will go get a key to one of the rooms. Just bring him to room 301."

Ryan nodded. "We will be there in a few minutes."

**

Outside the Prestige Hotel which is one of the well-known hotels where celebrities visit frequently, some reporters were gathered. Some had gone into the hotel and were heading upstairs despite the security men trying to stop them. They had gotten a tip-off that an actress could be in one of the rooms with her boyfriend; they did not want to miss it for anything.

George one of Melvin's acquaintances and David's Cousin who had seen Ryan and Matthew when they left the hotel became worried. He had spoken to them and they had told him Melvin was in one of the rooms. They also told him the room number just in case he wanted to see him tomorrow. Hearing the reporter call the same room number, George knew that a scandal was brewing and he needed to save Melvin from it.

He placed a call to him so many times but there was no answer. He also tried to get to the room first but with so many reporters already at the door; they must have followed the underground parking lot; he could do nothing. He could only hope that Melvin doesn't get involved in the scandal and even if he does, he gets a way to get himself out.