Mercy sits still on his chair, avoiding as much eye contact as he could.
Amanda although finding the scenario funny, couldn't laugh. They never for once thought that their mum's boss was Mrs Anna, Josh's mum.
"Haven't you decide what you wanted yet?" Mrs Anna asks softly, causing mercy to tense up more.
"Oh..." Mercy trails off, feeling discomfort.
"Yes, love." His mum says in a concerned tone. "Are you alright?" She asks worriedly. "You are the only one who haven't picked what you want."
"I'm just nervous. It's... It's my first time." He says quietly.
Mrs Anna knowing the cause of his discomfort, laughs out. "I see." She says in an amused tone.
Mercy wriggles on his chair, trying to get comfortable. He breathes in and breathes out, then opens his eyes and begins going through the menu.
They all look at him in confusion, but Mercy doesn't care anymore.
'I can do this!' He shouts in his head as a trickle of sweat races down his face. 'I just need to keep the act for one or two hours!'
'He's definitely using his cool mode right now.' Amanda thinks to herself, trying her best not to laugh.
Mercy looks up to see a handsome young male with red hair walking towards them. In less than a minute the male is standing before them.
Mercy and Amanda stare at the male in surprise as he stares back at them in horror.
"Have you picked your orders yet?" The waiter asks, the restaurant lights bouncing off his red eyes and giving him a vampire-like look.
"Yes. Yes, we have, Micah." Mrs Anna says with a soft smile. "Do join us tonight." She chuckles at his surprised expression. "We would love that. Right?" She turns to Amanda and Mercy direction.
Amanda quickly nods, while Mercy nods in an almost unnoticeable manner.
Micah smiles. "Thank you all." He says with a wide smile and zooms off.
Mrs Anna clears her throat. "Do you know what today outing is for?" She asks.
They all shake their heads sideways.
"Are you sure? You aren't lying, right?" She asks with a smile. "Come on guess."
"No, ma'am." Amanda and Mercy reply in unison.
"Today is your mum resignation day!" She shouts not too loudly with a wide smile, shocking them.
"What?!" Amanda and Mercy shout in horror, their face looking almost lifeless.
Most of the customers turn to look at them. Some furious, others confused.
"Reduce your voice, hons." Mrs Anna says with a mischievous smile.
Mercy and Amanda stare at her with pleading eyes.
"Mum-"
"Shhhh. I'll break the news to your mum myself." Mrs Anna cuts Mercy short and places a finger on her lips. After some seconds of silence, she bursts into laughter, drawing more irritated looks from customers. "Wow! That was intense!" She laughs more.
Amanda and Mercy exchange looks of confusion, before looking back at the woman in the same way.
Even their mum stares at her boss in confusion. She had always known her boss as a cheerful, playful and light hearted woman. But, right now feels very different to her.
Mrs Anna clears her throat. She brings out a red box and hands it over to Mrs Anna, who receives it with gratitude and confusion.
"Thank you, ma'am." Miss Emmanuella says softly.
"Welcome, bestie!" Mrs Anna shouts not too loudly with a wide smile, drawing more groans, mumbles, curses and glares of irritation.
'Bestie?!' Amanda and Mercy both shout in their head in shock.
Miss Emmanuella stares at the box in confusion, sweats racing down her face in speeds that defies the laws of physics. "I don't know how to open it." She says with an awkward chuckle and smiles awkwardly.
"Oh, my bad." Mrs Anna says with a chuckle. "Press the edge that is a button."
Miss Emmanuella looks at the cube shaped object in confusion until she spots the edge that is a button. She clicks on it and it begins glowing. A bright light comes out from the cube and scans her face, then it stops.
"Happy Promotion, Bestie!" Mrs Anna's loud voice booms out of the cube as it opens and shoots out lots of colorful bright lights and lots of sparkles.
Everyone stares in awe, excitement and amusement.
"Eat and drink as much as you want, people!" Mrs Anna shouts out. "Tonight is on me!"
The restaurant explodes as lots of cheering and laughter fill it.
Micah and some other waiters arrives with their orders. And Micah, surprisingly with his own. They place the orders on the table.
Mrs Anna smiles. "Finally!" She shouts dramatically. "Please join us." She smiles warmly at Micah. "And you all shouldn't be annoyed about the stress I have bring upon you tonight. But please servve our guests well..." She trails off. "And later, you guys can throw your own party." She grins, knowing how happy the waiters are.
The waiters begin thanking her and praising her, creating quite a scene.
"It's okay." Mrs Anna says, waving them off. "Now, get back to work please."
The waiters all walk away, all chatting happily about how their party should be.
For some reason Mercy, Amanda and Miss Emmanuella smile warmly, the scene making them feel emotional.
"You are very nice, ma'am." Miss Emmanuella says, Amanda and Mercy nodding in agreement.
Mrs Anna laughs. "That's golden coming from you." She sighs in satisfaction. "It's a pleasure." She smiles warmly. "I always believe all humans deserves love and kindness no matter their conditions or class. And of course celebrations too." She says and flips her hair back in a dramatic way.
They all laugh.
"Now, let's eat before our food gets cold." Mrs Anna says.
They begin eating and chatting, sharing memories and getting to know each other more.
Few minutes later, Micah joins them.
†‡†‡†‡†‡†‡
After hours of chit chatting and stuffing each other up, the restaurant finally closes.
Only Micah, Mrs Anna and her special guests are left alone in the big restaurant.
They are still talking away, having a nice time together.
"I'm tired!" Mrs Anna shouts and sigh dramatically. "I've never answered so much thanks before." She says in a dramatic way and they all laugh.
"You deserve it, ma'am." Amanda says softly.
"Thanks, love." Mrs Anna answers with a smile.
"You truly are a kind angel, ma'am! The best in the world!" Micah shouts in a dramatic loud tone.
Everyone looks at him in confusion, causing him to shrink.
"Why the shouting?" Mercy asks the one question everyone wants to ask but don't, dryly. "We are the only ones left."
Micah shrinks back in embarrassment.
"Mercy!" Miss Emmanuella scolds.
Mercy sighs. "I'm sorry." He says dryly.
Micah laughs. "It's okay."
Mercy fakes a wide smile. "See mum? We're cool."
Miss Emmanuella gives him a 'you sure want some spanking' look, which makes him fold.
They continue talking, each person feeling quite comfortable listening to the other.
After sometime, Mrs Emmanuella checks her watch and gasps in surprise. "It's already nine-thirty!" She says in a panicked tone.
Everyone finally lands back in reality, abandoning their talking.
They all quickly get up, answering the workers' 'good nights and take cares' and wishing them back, then zooming off into Mrs Anna's car.
They continue their chatting on the way, but finally reach Mercy's house quicker than expected.
Mercy and his family comes down from the car.
"Thanks a lot ma'am!" Amanda shouts happily.
Mercy bows. "I am really honoured by your act of kindness ma'am. I am grateful." Mercy says in a dramatic deep tone, surprising his mum, causing Mrs Anna to chuckle and receiving irritated stares from Amanda and Micah.
"Welcome y'all!" She shouts. "Besides I owe your mother a lot."
'Really?!' Mercy and Amanda shouts in their head.
They turn and give their mum the 'you've got some explanations to do', while she gives them the 'don't worry, you will obviously go to bed early tonight' look with a mischievous smile.
They both sigh tiredly.
"Thanks a lot ma'am." Miss Emmanuella says with a bow. "We are grateful."
"My pleasure! Now good night!" Mrs Anna shouts, not caring that it's already night. "Please do come early tomorrow, ok?"
Miss Emmanuella nods.
Mrs Anna zooms off, leaving them in a cloud of smoke.
"Mum-"
"Go to bed, ok?" Mrs Emmanuella says calmly with a wide innocent smile.
Amanda and Mercy groan in frustration.
"I'll tell you once the time comes." Miss Emmanuella says calmly. She opens the door and enters, her kids following her behind. "Now, go shower and go to bed." She says calmly and goes to her room.
Amanda yawns. "Good night brother." She says sleepily and hugs him tight, which he reciprocates.
"Good night Your royal apeness." Mercy says and burst into laughter.
Amanda quickly releases herself and punches him hard on his arm.
"Ouch!" Mercy shouts.
"That's what you get, jerk!"
Mercy sighs. "Ok... I'm sorry." He bows. "Good night, your royal highness, Amanda."
Amanda closes her eyes and nods in agreement, filled with pride. "Sure, peasant. Good night." She laughs and goes to her room.
Mercy goes to his own room and jumps onto his bed, feeling alive from its softness and feeling the intense joy of lying on a bed after a long event. He rolls on the bed for sometime, chuckling and giggling.
After some minutes of silence and battling whether he should bathe or not, he gives up and decides to.
He gets up and undresses. Then he enters his bathroom. After some minutes, he finishes and comes out, feeling as fresh as ever. He changes into his pyjamas and lies on his bed.
He stays quiet, staring at the ceiling and enjoying the silence. He tries battling with sleep for sometime, but gives in.
The whispers from the morning comes back louder and stronger than before.
At a corner of his room, a shadowy figure is watching him. "It is finally time." The shadowy figure says.