?ENDLESS
TEARS?
SEASON 2
EPISODE 18
Amara paced the length and breadth of her office, trying to keep her brain focused on her problem. Kelvin’s ki-ss was really keeping her mind distracted and it certainly did not help that Kelvin’s gaze was perpetually on her as he stood immobile by her table, watching her pace restlessly.
Frustrated, Amara ran her hands throu-ghthe strands of her hair, remembering the way Kelvin had buried his fingers in them seconds before. She sighed again.
“Tina cannot be responsible for this” she said aloud, trying to keep her brain focused. “She is a friend, besides; she has nothing to pay me back for. We have been friends for as long as I remember and even though I have been bitc-hy towards her lately, she never relented in her efforts to bring us back together”
There was brief silence before Kelvin responded, still watching her intently. “You never tell what makes people do what they do”
Amara stilled herself from looking at him. “Are you insinuating that Tina wants my downfall? That she would intentionally bring these destructions to my company?” Amara shook her head vigorously. “I refuse to believe that… No! She can’t”
Kelvin sighed and walked towards her, making her halt her continuous pacing. “You can’t afford to trust anyone at this point sweetheart, it is very likely that the person who did this knows this company very well, and since the locks were not tampered with, I think you need to call your security officers to question; in fact, I am doing that now. They must have an explanation for this”
“Wait” Amara called as Kelvin made to leave. “I don’t think you should be doing this Kel, I have had no need to question the loyalty of my staff till now, I don’t want them feeling like I don’t trust them”.
Kelvin brushed his fingers against her cheeks briefly and quickly extracted his hand. “As much as I would like to disabuse that notion Ara, your office was also broken into; this means someone inside is involved in this. An insider is either an accomplice or the only perpetrator of the act” he said gently. Amara’s brain was running wild with confusion. Could someone in her company be responsible for this? Or helping Tina? Oh no! It sounded ludicrous. The downfall of Ara P would definitely affect the livelihood of her staff and since Tina was also a contractor, her finances would also be at stake if anything happened to Ara P. Could people really care less about their own loss because of their urge to bring her down?
“Not many people know your house Ara” Kelvin continued. “We can’t rule out the possibility that this might be from an insider. Tina should be investigated, along with your security officers; they can’t tell me that they know nothing about this”
Amara swallowed. She admitted to herself that she had had her suspicions about her security men and had thought the same ba-rely minutes ago. She sighed, looking at Kelvin’s face. She wished so much that everything he said did not sound so plausible but then, everything he said was totally on point. She stared at the bag on the chair again, which not only was Tina’s but also had some of her things inside.
“Why don’t we wait until everything is back in order? When my staff is fully settled, we can call in the security men. I would also not confront Tina until they have given their statements”
Kelvin nodded, not taking his eyes off hers. “Hope nothing was destroyed Ara? I know everything was scattered and turned over but was anything destroyed? Anything that requires financial involvements” he asked intently.
Amara was about to blurt out that all her supplies have been scissored and cut into tiny pieces but she quickly held her tongue. If she knew Kelvin well, he wouldn’t rest until he replaced everything that was destroyed and she truly did not want that. “No” she said hastily. “It was a relief to see that no real damage was incurred” she lied.
His gaze became intent. “Are you sure? Why don’t I go for another round of inspection? I might find something you probably missed”
“It would be foolish to waste time doing that” Amara hurriedly put in before Kelvin turned. “My staff inspected and I did the same; there is no damage”
Kelvin hesitated, then gave in as his eyes turned to her. Amara saw the message in his eyes and her heart quickened. “Yes, there is no reason why I should waste time when I can make full use of it” he murmured, moving closer to Amara.
I should step back. Men are not worth it; why can’t I just remember that? Amara wondered vaguely as Kelvin closed the distance between then, standing just a breath away. She shouldn’t crane her head back to look up at him, but she found herself doing just that, knowing that he would take that as an undeniable invitation. “I like your hair like this” Kelvin whispered as he raised his fingers to her loose hair.
His fingers disappeared in the fullness of her strands, causing his breath to catch slightly in his throat. “I can stare at you all day” he breathed as he bent to ki-ss her ne-ck. “I have waited so long… I have wanted to do this for so long, my love” he ki-ss ed her earlobe and Amara almost let out a sharp gasp but bi-ting it back.
Amara felt Kelvin’s smile before she saw it, as he brou-ght his eyes back to hers. She avoided his eyes, looking at his face instead. Kelvin brou-ght his smiling mouth to her cheek and placed a small ki-ss very close to her li-ps, bathing her cheeks with his breath.
“Sweet Ara” he mo-an ed. He raised his eyes and held hers captive. “I want to ki-ss you Ara” he whispered breathlessly. Amara gasped as her brain processed this particular information. Is he asking for my permission? Her heart raced wildly. “Let me ki-ss you honey”. He breathed, ki-ss ing the corner of mouth so softly, it felt like a whisper.
“Yes” she heard herself whisper. Pure male satisfaction shone in his eyes as he finally bringing his mouth to hers, not waiting a second longer.
The ki-ss was different from the previous one; slower and dee-per; like a wordless heart to heart communication. Amara’s hands involuntarily travelled to his ne-ck, holding him closer still. ki-ss ing him felt like the most natural thing to do and Kelvin couldn’t stop himself from pulling her even closer, like he wanted to glued them together permanently. Sensing his vanishing self-control, Kelvin quickly brou-ght the ki-ss to an end.
He tried to bring his labored breathing to an halt as he opened his eyes, watching as Amara’s lashes slowly fluttered open seconds later. The look on her face as she tried to regulate her breathing was like an invisible punch. He cradled her cheeks with shaky hands. “Ara… I-”
A knock on the door interrupted him and Amara suddenly jumped away, leaving his arms painfully empty. She hurried to the back of her polished desk, finger-brushing her terribly disheveled hair. Kelvin’s face broke into a smug smile as he stared at her struggle.
“I think you are just making it worse, I personally don’t have a problem with it though” he said grinning.
“Shut up” she shot back and she ran her hands over her hair again. “Sit down over there Kelvin. I don’t know what came over me” she murmured the latter part more to herself.
His grin grew. “I really love what came over you sweetheart.”
Amara glared at him as the knock was repeated again. Kelvin spared her the trouble and raised his hands in defeat, walking to the chair and lowering himself onto the piece of work.
Amara cleared her throat and Kelvin couldn’t hold back the amused smile that crept to his face. “Come in” she said.
Tega walked in and Amara frowned. Since when did Tega start knocking before entering. She stared at the knowing smile on her secretary’s face and her face turned red with embarra-ssment, but being the boss, she adjusted her posture on the chair and raised her chin. “I am sorry to interrupt you boss” Tega said, smiling slightly.
Amara frowned at her. “You weren’t interrupting Tega” Kelvin cleared his throat unnaturally and Amara shot him a stern glare. “What did you want Tega?” Amara said resignedly.
“Actually, we already have everything in order and we all are waiting for your instruction”
Amara jumped out of her chair instantly.
“Tell them all to resume their usual duties Tega, your boss would… meet them when she is done here” Kelvin cut in. Amara turned to glare at him but the audacious man did not even glance at her. How dare he!. “I would be glad if you could call in the two security men” he said with a smile enough to turn over any woman.
Amara watched Tega melt before her very eyes and her anger towards Kelvin increa-sed. Tega shifted her amused eyes between them, then finally, when Amara couldn’t open her stiff mouth to utter anything, she nodded and left the office.
“How dare you Kelvin?” Amara burst out. “This is my company, I won’t have you giving my staff orders”
“Calm down sweetheart, I fully aware that this is your company”
“I don’t think you do, this is not ‘Reliance’; and DON’T call me sweetheart” she spat out angrily.
**********
**********
Alex opened the door to the room his ex-mum had booked for herself in the same hotel as he. He knew his dad was also there in the hotel, but definitely in a totally different room. Alex still couldn’t come to terms with the fact that he had been birthed by a poor cleaner and still couldn’t stand the sight of her, avoiding her at every given opportunity.
He entered the dark room cautiously, looked around and saw Mrs Bello sitting in a lifeless state on the floor at the foot of the large hotel bed. The curtains were drawn, plunging the room into darkness which was only relieved by the bright white paint used to the walls.
“Are you going to continue sulking?” Alex said without preamble. Mrs Bello might as well have been a dumb mute because she neither spoke nor looked up to acknowledge his presence.
“Your state is so embarra-ssing, you look nothing like a Senator’s wife” he spat out. “Who could have imagined that the famous sharp-mouthed Mrs Bello could suddenly turn into a mute”
Mrs Bello did not shake, only the blinking of her eyes showed that she was still alive.
Alex sighed. “Anyways, I am here because I have a proposal for you” he said, exaggerating the ‘proposal’. He went on when his words did not even shake the woman. “I know where your daughter is”
Mrs Bello’s head snapped up instantly, inciting a smile from Alex. Her eyes transformed from lifeless to anxious and she gripped her skirt in a strange way, making Alex wonder if his ex-mother probably needed to visit a psychiatric hospital.
“I know exactly where she is, and I can take you to her”
Mrs Bello stood up instantly, displaying more strength than Alex thought she had. “Please…” She croaked out. “Please take me to my daughter Alex, please” she pleaded, moving closer to him with unsteady legs. Lines of dried tears showed on her face and the slight stink Alex perceived indicated that Mrs Bello had probably not had a descent bath.
Alex wrinkled his nose and held out his hand to halt her approach. “Stay where you are, you might give me indigestion” he said. “I would take you to her on one condition”
Mrs Bello’s eyes watered at Alex’s insult but she swallowed the pain that engulfed her. “Anything! I would do anything, please take me to her… Please”
Alex smiled. “First, you would tell her that you are not my mother, then…” He paused slightly, then continued. “… you would convince her to marry me”.
TBC…