Fire And Flame

"Are you free tonight?" Lily asked while reading the file.

"Yes, we will go out to celebrate Aunty's birthday!" Laura's face broke into a wide smile.

After the accident, Eli took care of Laura like her own daughter. She will be grateful to her for eternity. Her relatives abandoned her. In the time of need, she had only her best friend, Lily, and her mother, who supported stood by her side always. They were her only family.

"Aye! Okay, I will ask her not to cook anything for dinner." Lily was still the same… she behaved like the fifteen year old Lily.

Both left for home together.

"Uncle K!! We will eat dinner together. Inform aunty Clara, John and Jess. Today is mother's birthday!" Lily squealed.

"How can we go? Please, you all enjoy." Kelvin shrugged.

"What do you mean by you all enjoy? You and your family are coming with us. We are a big family." Laura smiled.

"Please do come. I request you..." she pleaded.

After the accident, seeing the orphan kid, Kelvin had decided to serve for the Williams till his last breath. Laura purchased a bungalow for his family, provided quality education to his children, by admitting them in a renowned school, and opened a bakery shop for his wife after becoming successful in her life. She wanted to keep them close to her. After getting all the privileges from Laura, Kelvin was stubborn. He wished to serve the Williams… that way, he could only pay his debt to Laura. He had seen her grow from an infant to the CEO of the huge conglomerate. She was down to earth and never boasted about her success. He was grateful to her and prayed for her success and well being.

"Please?" Laura requested again.

"Okay, Laura... " Kelvin couldn't say no to her.

Lily booked a private room for seven members in the Golden Leaf hotel which was a five star hotel. It took her thirty minutes to book a private dining room.

"Done! Hall number 002 is ours!" Lily raised her hands in victory.

"Did you call Aunty Eli and Aunty Clara?" Laura asked.

"Wait, I was busy booking a hall." Lily pouted.

"Never mind, I will call Aunty Clara and you to Aunty Eli ." Laura quickly dialed Aunty Clara's number. It rang three times before Clara received the call.

"Laura, it's you!" Clara was happy that Laura had called her.

"Good evening, Aunty. How are you? How is your shop doing?" Laura smiled while asking.

"I am all good and the shop is doing great! How are you?" Clara asked while cleaning the kitchen counter.

"I am good too. I have called you to ask you, John and Jess for dinner. It is Aunty Eli's birthday today!"

"Dinner together? Ah, how can we all eat with you, Laura…" Clara was hesitant as Laura was a successful woman now. She was no longer her young Laura who would lick the plate after eating her hand made food.

"Why not? Do you not love me anymore?" Laura frowned.

"No no… that's not what I meant. I love you the most. But..." Clara couldn't find the right words. Was it okay to eat with the CEO of a huge conglomerate? There was a huge difference in their status. Laura helped her family a lot and she was too grateful to her… this wasn't the first time they were about to eat together but somewhere Clara felt backward.

"I know what you are thinking but I am still the young Laura, whom you used to feed with your own hands. Please come… I request." Laura requested whole heartedly.

She hated the fact that she no longer belonged to the middle class society. But her heart belonged where her people belonged to. The person she is today is all because of her hard work, merit and her family.

She lived in a bungalow with Eli and Lily. She lived on the second floor whereas Lily and Eli lived on the first.

Soon they reached home.

"Uncle K, you can go home now. Meet us at 2030 hrs in front of the Golden Leaf hotel. I will drive Aunty Eli and Lily directly to the location." Laura spoke and moved out of the car.

"Okay." Kelvin smiled as he turned his car to drive his way back home.

Sharp at 2030 hrs, all seven of them entered the Golden Leaf hotel together. The manager personally assisted them to a private dining hall. The hall was not big nor small, just perfect for a family to have dinner. The warm yellow lights made the atmosphere even more comfortable.

Laura instructed the manager about something and came back to her seat.

"Happy birthday, Aunty Eli." Laura stood up and hugged Eli sideways, then kissed her forehead.

"Thank you, Laura! You have always been a sweetheart." Eli kissed Laura on her cheeks.

The rest five of them proceeded to wish Eli together.

"Happy birthday, Eli!"

"Happy birthday, Mom!"

"Happy birthday, Aunty Eli!"

Eli was so happy seeing her family together.

"Thank you, Lily, Kelvin, Clara, John and Jess! I am so happy!" Eli clapped her hands out of happiness.

Suddenly, the happy birthday song started playing in the background.

Eli's eyes grew wide as she saw the manager holding a cute strawberry flavoured cake in front of her.

"Happy Birthday to you." he smiled and placed the cake on the table.

A few hotel's serving staff also joined them and started singing happy birthday song.

Eli could not control her happiness and started crying. She felt so special. Wiping the tears off her face, she started cutting the delicious looking cake as she blew the candles.

She fed small pieces of cake to everyone, including the hotel staff and the manager.

After the cake cutting, they ordered various dishes as per their own choice.

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"Isn't she Laura Williams? What is she doing with the commoners?" a man in his early thirties asked the man who was seated in front of him, reading an important mail.

The man closed the mail application and looked at the direction where his assistant pointed earlier.

His eyes were fixed on the beautiful lady who smiled gently, while talking to the other people in the private dining hall.

She captured joy with her beautiful smile.

She was mesmerising.