Chapter 1

Raina Ewuradjoa Arthur looked at her father and sighed-not for the very first time. She looked to her mother for help but she shrugged in helplessness. She knew then that that was that. Her father had said no, even after she had prepared his favourite meal for him and had been a very good girl for the whole week. But she just had to attend that party. She had to go. She retired to her room then with a determined resolve to find a way.

Raina lay on the bed thinking, looking around her lovely bedroom at the same time. It was nicely designed in sea-blue. Everything about the room was lovely and Raina would have loved to invite her friends over but at 15 that was seriously a no-no. Raina got off the bed when she heard a car horn sound. She then opened her wardrobe and started looking for something to wear.

Sadly all her clothes were awful even though her parents could afford better. Long skirts and tops were all she had but she could design. She had been designing clothes for her dolls and later for her elder brother. It was so much fun. She had learnt how to sew and her father had given her a sewing machine so long as she didn’t sew anything for herself. But being smart, she had sewn a long skirt which could easily be altered and turned into a much shorter skirt. She got some shoes and a tight-fitting top and wore a loose sweater over it.

The car that had entered was for her friend Darryl Lartey. He was a friend of the family and the same age as her brother. Leroy was 9 years older than her, so that made him 24. In fact, the two families were very close as her father and his father were good friends and had been through thick and thin together.

Raina knew Darryl would leave soon. He had come to drop Leroy off. She knew they’ll probably be in the family room by now. Darryl was an actor. He had not gotten his big break but with his fine looks and all, she was sure it will just be a matter of time before he was noticed. Her brother Leroy was mainly interested in business as he would take over the family business. He was currently studying law-distance learning. Raina knew Leroy could do it as he had practically all the brains in the family.

She told the maid, her personal one and her only friend in the house, Mansa, to cover for her and that she’ll be back by 7. Then she locked her bedroom door and left, careful not to be seen by anybody-not even the other maids. Some of them were her father’s spies. She managed to get out of the big house and looked at the various cars on the compound trying to find a way to get to Darryl’s car without being seen. It was his black Cherokee jeep. She knew it wasn’t locked and Darryl had no alarm on his car so she opened the back door and made herself comfortable. She hoped no one had seen her especially from upstairs because she had felt someone’s eyes on her. She thought it was Mansa because she was the only one aware of her little scheme. She shrugged the feeling aside and checked to make sure she had a gift for her friend in her bag and other necessary items. Then she settled herself nicely for the long wait.

From the master’s bedroom of the house Theresa Arthur smiled. Raina certainly had spirit. Though her husband, Francis, was overprotective of their only daughter, she knew it was all for the best. She too had had an overprotective father and she could vividly remember sneaking out on various occasions against her father’s orders. Those were the good old days. Again she smiled to herself.

Drawing away from the window, she turned to the phone on the table and made a few calls. She was checking to make sure the party was alright and safe for her daughter. Theresa trusted her daughter completely and was sure she would not engage herself in any bad activities. Having gotten positive results, plus the venue and the time the party will be ending, she decided to take a rest. She guessed her husband was in the study but she knew he’ll be with her shortly. After all, on the weekends, 4.30pm was their special time together and not even work could draw Francis away from his lovely wife and their time together.

Darryl and Leroy were in the den. They had been reminiscing over their school days.

“Oh man! I have to be at Eva’s place. I promised I’ll go and see her this weekend.” Darryl said, suddenly remembering his date with his girlfriend.

“You had better be careful around that girl. I don’t know the kind of relationship you have with her but it doesn’t seem so nice from my point of view. I told you she was clingy but you wouldn’t listen. This whole week it has been Eva this and Eva that. My friend, you had better wake up from whatever sleep she has put you to. It’s not like she’s a fine girl too. Me! I wouldn’t look at her twice. Movie star like you! Man, you got to have better taste in girls. Why, I can even lend you-“

“-It’s enough. I get your point. I’ll break it off soon. I’m just waiting for the right time. But Leroy I should have listened to you. Sometimes I feel like a dog running to do her mistress’s bidding. Anyway where’s my Queen? I’ve not seen her in a long while. It seems like every time I’m here she’s somewhere else.”

“Oh. Rain? Mum said she wanted to go for her best friend’s party but my dad said no. You know how he is. I’m sure she’ll be in her room by now. But then again, knowing Rain she’ll find a way to the party. The party’s at Paradise Hotel. It’s around Eve’s place, right? Leroy added that with a wink at his friend.

Darryl didn’t get the last part. Leroy only winked when he knew something the other person didn’t or when he was being plain mischievous. He decided to ignore it.

“Why do you call your sister that? You never mention her name.”

“Rain? Well when I was little, I was afraid of thunder and lightning. The first day I managed to mention her name I couldn’t sleep that evening. It rained heavily the whole night and I heard enough thunder and lightning to last a lifetime. The second time I tried, the same thing happened so I just gave up and stuck with the Rain.”

“Why Rain and not light or sound or anything?”

“Is that a question to ask? Come to think of it you rarely mention her name. Why?”

“Oh, you know the time when we were ten and I came over. She was dressed in all this pink finery with a crown in her hair, waving a wand about. And she was only two! She told me she was a Queen and I had to address her as such. She threatened to beat me with her wand if I didn’t. What was I to do then?”

“No wonder she ducks her head when you call her that. Come on and let me see you out.”

“You know, I’ve not seen her in two years. Wonder when I’ll meet her.”

“Oh! You will, soon enough. She’s like the rain. You can never miss it. Do stop at Paradise Hotel and make sure Rain is alright. Okay, off you go.”

“But I thought you said she’s here.”

“Oops, I forgot. Don’t mind me. But just check, will you. We’ll meet tomorrow okay.”

Leroy ushered his friend out quickly and slammed the door shut in front of his bewildered friend’s face.

Man, the guy was so slow and he was an actor. God only knew how he managed to get all his lines right.

As for his sister, he didn’t know what to do to her. His father had never put him on a leash but then again he was the son; heir to everything his father owned. He had been free to go and come as he pleased. Sometimes, he wondered why his father treated Raina like he did. It was almost as if he was covering up her beauty. He bought all her clothes. Drab ones at that. And neither his mother nor he had been able to do anything about it. Even the clothes his dad bought for his mum were trendier and chic. His mum was beautiful. No two ways about it. When he was in school, all the other boys had whistled and come for a closer look of his mother. It had been very amusing for him. He had had so many friends because of that. Leroy went up to his room and took out his phone to call his girlfriend. He made sure he made sure to treat his girlfriends well and to make his intentions clear with them from the start.

Even though he was no movie star, he managed to get better girls than his friend. Darryl was just not looking well.

If he was the best she had ever had, it didn’t mean he felt the same way about her.

‘Oh Rain! What are you up to?