~THE PACT~
-CHAPTER 14-
Sunday evening, I have just finished getting dressed for the night ahead when a knock sounds on my be-droom door.
‘’Come in,’’ I say, the door swings open and Jessie walks in.
‘’The people doing your hair and makeup are here, your media management too.’’
‘’Lead them to the makeup room, let them start setting up, I will join them shortly.’’
‘’Sure,’’ she walks out. gr-abbing my phone, I call Lee and he answers almost immediately.
‘’Hello!’’
‘’Where are you?’’
‘’I am on my way.’’
‘’Okay.’’
Walking out of my room I head into the makeup room and sit down in front of the mirror.
‘’What look are you going with tonight?’’ My makeup artist Beckie asks, she has been doing my makeup for the last couple of years- she is very good at what she does, she is the only one I trust with my hair and makeup.
‘’I want a simple but elegant nûd£ look, do your magic Janet you know my face better than I do.’’
She starts to do my makeup while the ph0togra-phers take ph0tos and videos for my social media platforms.
I sit very still and she does her wonders for the next couple of minutes and when she is done, I ba-rely recognize myself.
They take some more ph0tos of me before I join Lee in the living room, the minute he sees me he shoots me a captivating smile.
‘’You look stunning sweetheart.’’
‘’Thank you babe.’’ I look back at him from head to toe and must say I am amazed.
The Lee I am used to seeing isn’t this man standing in front of me, with the right clothes and a good haircut, he is actually handsome. After posing for some ph0tos, he offers me his hand and I place mine in his.
Leading me out of the house he helps me into the car before he takes the drive seat and drives us to Mr. Sondashi’s house.
‘’You are re-ady?’’ he asks when he parks the car in the parking lot next to other cars. The
‘’Let’s do this,’’ I say. He helps me out of the car and we walk towards the entrance. I am nervous about the game we are about to pl@ytonight, I hope we manage to convince Mr. Sondashi so he can finally hire me.
‘’We can do this, I know we can,’’ he says as if re-ading my mind.
When we enter the house, Mr. Sondashi welcomes us, extending his hand he introduces Lee to his wife Palesa.
In turn, I introduce Lee as my fiancé and he politely greets them both.
‘’plea-sed to meet you Lee and congratulations on your engagement,’’ says Palesa.
‘’Thank you.’’
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Lee and I are instantly separated as Palesa gr-abs on to me so she can introduce me to some women, Lee walks away with Mr. Sondashi, I pray Lee will be on his best behavior and I hope he doesn’t say anything that will jeopardize our situation. We ~walk to a small group of women who are engrossed in a conversation and Palesa introduces me- because of the kind of job i do, it’s not a surprise that most of the peopl~ e alre-ady know or have heard of me before.
‘’So you are engaged and you didn’t post anything on social media?’’ one of them asks a few minutes later.
I f0rç£ a chuckle, ‘’I wanted to keep things pri-vate plus we are yet to do an official engagement, ph0tos will be posted on all my social media platforms.’’
‘’Well we shall be waiting, I really can’t wait to see what you have in stock for us.’’
‘’And when are you guys planning on getting married? I hope you invite us to the wedding.’’
‘’Soon but I will not avail the d@t£ yet, I want to surprise my audience.’’
I am still talking with the women when Lee walks up behind me and wra-ps his arm around my w@!st, drawing me back, he drops a k!ssto my n£¢k and whispers, ‘’this is p@rt of the act, we have to make it believable.’’
I turn and stare at him with a wi-de smile, ‘’you miss me alre-ady baby?’’
‘’Yes, can I have a moment with you?’’
‘’Sure, ladies can you excuse us.’’
He holds my hand and we walk away, I hear a collective sigh among them, I have obviously given them something to gossip about.
‘’How are we doing?’’ I ask Lee a few minutes later, we are standing at the far end of the room.
‘’So far so good, Mr. Sondashi asked me a few questions about you, I must say he was impressed.’’
‘’Great, continue ma-king me proud sweetheart,’’ I lean in and k!sshis forehead
The evening pas-ses by in a blur, we talk, joke and eat, plus we get introduced to several people from the company. When others leave, Lee and I stay behind, he is having a conversation with Lee and Jaden while I am talking to Jada and Palesa.
A couple of minutes later, I stand up and walk to where the men are sitting.
‘’I think we should go babe, I want us to pas-s by the hospital and check on Joan before she sleeps,’’ I say.
‘’Who is Joan?’’ Jaden asks.
‘’Lee’s daughter,’’ I respond.
‘’You have a child?’’
‘’Yes, such a beautiful girl, I love her as though she were my own, it’s a pity she is unwell can’t wait to bring her home someday.’’
‘’What’s wrong with her?’’
Lee takes over and explains his daughter’s condition.
‘’Poor child,’’ Palesa says when Lee finishes narrating the story.
‘’I am glad you have accepted the child as your own Kristian and if I had any doubts about you, I think they have been cleared, there’s something special about a woman who steps up and decides to raise a child she didn’t give birth to as her own.’’
‘’Thank you!’’
‘’You are welcome.’’
‘’Well, we better get going now, thank your hospitality.’’
‘’You are welcome, enjoy the rest of the night.’’
‘’Thank you.’’
‘’You should be expecting a call from me on Tuesday Kristian,’’ Mr. Sondashi says. I smile all the way to the car knowing that i have obviously gotten the job, I can’t wait to see the look on my father’s face when I hand him my resignation letter.
*
~THE PACT~
-CHAPTER 15 & 16-
‘’What do you think about Kristian?’’ I ask my wife, we are lying in be-d listening to some country music.
‘’She is a nice girl, quiet funny and smart I have also re-ad how she is labeled on social media but after re-ading her story and interacting with her, I think we should give her a chance, I will believe she will fit in well with us.’’
‘’Won’t her attitude be bad for business? Don’t you think our clients will complain about her.’’
‘’Babe Kristy nee-ds a father figure, behind that tough attitude is a little lonely girl in nee-d of love and acceptance. Don’t turn her away, I believe you are the right person to set her back on the right track, you have done it before- you can do it again.’’
I laugh, ‘’Babe, you know I am not God and I can’t save everyone.’’
‘’You are the son of the most high, that makes you a mini god.’’
‘’I hear you my wife, I will give Kristy a chance only because you have said so.’’
‘’Thank you my husband, I will personally mentor her.’’
‘’You don’t have to thank me Les, you know I would do anything for you.’’
‘’My very own daddy P, you know I love you very much right?’’
‘’How much do you love me?’’
‘’How much do you think I do?’’
‘’I want to hear it from your mouth.’’
‘’I love you more than everything else in the whole world.’’
I pu-ll her close to me and k!ssher and she returns the k!sswith a growing pas-sion.
‘’I love you,’’ she says when we separate.
‘’I love you even more.’’
*
I awake the next morning to the sound of my phone ringing but before I can get it, the line cuts. Yawning, I sit upright and stretch feeling the so-reness in my muscles. My phone rings again with Jada’s name flashing on the screen.
‘’Hello!’’
‘’Hey Kristy, good morning, still slee-ping?’’
‘’You just woke me,’’ I whine.
‘’I am sorry, check what is trending on Kachepa.’’
‘’Okay,’’ I log onto my Facebook account and search for Kachepa- an online media publication.
They have posted ph0tos of Leo, Joan and I with the caption, ‘Controversial Managing Editor and blogger poses for a ph0to at bu-tterfly Hospice amidst rumours that she is getting married soon. The 28 year old posed for a close up ph0to with her fiancé Lee who is also her Personal as-sistant and his daughter Joan, we are yet to get an official statement concerning these rumours.’’
‘’I have finally given them something interesting to talk about, they haven’t posted something that has attra-cted people’s attention in a long time, have you seen the likes and the comments?’’ I laugh.
‘’What are you going to do now? They will obviously ask you questions about the marriage.’’
‘’If it’s a marriage they want then we shall give it to them.’’
‘’Kristy, don’t take this game too far, you don’t even love this guy in the first place.’’
‘’This will triple my social media following, this will also be good for my other businesses you know.’’
‘’I hope you know what you are doing.’’
‘’I do, thank you for looking out for me.’’
‘’You are welcome, talk to you later I think the baby is awake.’’
‘’Alright babes, k!ssElse for me and pas-s my regards to your husband.’’
‘’Will do.’’
When she hangs up, I do a happy dance before I call Lee, if it’s gossip they want then we will give them something real to gossip about. The phone rings three times before Lee picks it up, ‘’Kristy?’’
‘’Why did it take you this long for you to pick up your phone? When you see a call from me, you should always st©p what you are doing and instantly respond to me, I hate to be kept waiting I hope we are clear.’’
‘’Yes madam.’’
I roll my eyes, ‘’you don’t have to call me madam, Kristy is okay.’’
‘’Whatever makes you sleep better at night.’’
‘’Are you trying to annoy me?’’
‘’No sweetheart, why would I annoy the love of my life?’’
‘’St©p it alre-ady,’’ I say as my anger begins to flood over me.
‘’Fine, why have you called?’’
‘’There’s a story running on Kachepa about us, we are actually trending on different pages.’’
‘’I haven’t logged onto Facebook today, what’s the story about?’’
‘’It’s our relationsh!p, you should re-ad it when you have time. Anyway, I want us to meet over lunch and decide on the ring, I will make reservations for us at a fancy h0tel room for dinner this evening so you can propose. I will give an official statement on our engagement and marriage tomorrow, be re-ady to appear on television and to be interviewed on radio.’’
‘’Whatever you say my love.’’
I shake my head, ‘’Pick me up at lunch from the office.’’
‘’Okay, anything else?’’’
‘’No, I will see you later.’’
‘’Okay, I love you.’’
Knowing that he is trying to annoy me, I ignore him and hang up the phone then I roll out of be-d and head to the bathroom. I take a long nice relaxing shower before I get dressed and prepare for the day ahead.
When I am done, I call my PR and tell her to get me a dress for my engagement dinner.
‘’The dinner is at 8, I will be home by 5, I should find Janet at home re-ady to do my hair and makeup. The ph0togra-phers too should be re-ady to take ph0tos and videos, I also nee-d a suit for Lee, get it delivered to his workplace before lunch.’’
‘’Anything else?’’
‘’I will be available for interviews starting tomorrow so slot me in on what you can.’’
‘’I alre-ady have someone from Diamond on my n£¢k, they want to be the first ones to interview you.’’
‘’as-sess the situation and see which media house we can start with.’’
‘’Alright.’’
‘’Later.’’
*
As I walk towards the conference hall at work, everyone is staring at me, watching me closely, I bet they have seen the story running on Facebook and they are gossiping about me, well I love being then center of attention so instead of my usual screaming, I smile and wave at everyone I bu-mp into, you should see the surprised looks on their faces.
I walk into the conference room and sit down, Kenzie seems to have taken over the editorial meeting, she shoots me a disgusting look when she sees me and I just smile back at her before saying, ‘’good morning step sister.’’
‘’Mr. Msizi wants to see you in his office,’’ she responds.
‘’Okay,’’ I stand up and head to his office, walking in without knocking.
‘’Good morning sir?’’
‘’What is good about this morning?’’
‘’Someone is in a bad mood.’’
‘’What is this I am re-ading on social media?’’
‘’What are you re-ading?’’
‘’That you and Lee are getting married and I don’t know anything about this?’’
‘’If you were a good father you would have known that Lee and I have been in love for some time now.’’
‘’You know relationsh!ps at the office at not allowed right and you and Lee might be–.’’
I hand him the envelope before he can finish his s£ntence, ‘’this is Lee’s resignation letter, I will be handing in mine soon.’’
‘’You must be out of your mind.’’
‘’Well maybe I am, is there anything else you would want to talk about because I want to get back to work.’’
‘’You can leave but this is not far from over, I will sort it out with your mother.’’
‘’Whatever makes you happy sir,’’ I respond before walking out and slamming the door behind my back.
*
The editorial meeting is ongoing when a knock sounds on the door, we don’t usually have people over when we have meetings so I am wondering who has the guts to even come here and knock knowing that we are busy.
‘’Come in!’’ Kristy says.
The door swings open and a strange man walks in, he has a banquet of yellow daisies with two red roses standing up in the middle and a small box wra-pped in pink in his hands.
‘’I am looking for Miss Kristy Msizi, I have been directed here by the receptionist.’’
‘’I am Kristy,’’ I respond wondering who he is.
‘’This parcel is for you,’’ he hands me the flowers and the small box, after I sign for them, he leaves. All eyes in the room are turned on me as I sniff the flowers and breathe in the perfume. I almost laugh when I see the angry look on Kenzie’s face.
‘’Can we plea-se continue,’’ I say breaking the silence.
As they continue pres£nting, I pu-ll out the note from the flowers, ‘’something to brighten your day babe,’’ It re-ads.
I smile, Lee is doing too much, I am not complaining, I love how strategic and smart he is.
My phone rings at the moment startling me from my little trance and I pu-ll it out of my bag and answer.
‘’Have you received the flowers?’’
‘’Yes, I have babe, thank you so much you didn’t have to.’’
‘’I wanted to my love.’’
I smile, ‘’thank you babe, are you at work alre-ady?’’
‘’Yes.’’
‘’Okay work well, I will see you at lunch.’’
‘’I love you.’’
‘’I love you too.’’
I hang up the phone and place it back in my bag.
‘’you know I am beginning to get annoyed with you right now?’’ Kenzie asks.
‘’And then?’’
‘’We are in an editorial meeting but you keep disturbing us.’’
‘’Jealousy will kill you my sister.’’
‘’Why would I be jealous of you? Aren’t you even ashamed of yourself? slee-ping with your PA? What will people think of you? You are dragging my father’s name in the mud, have you no shame?’’
‘’If you know me you should know I don’t give a fv¢k about what people say.’’
‘’Ì really don’t un-derstand why you are doing all this, are you trying to hurt dad?’’
I laugh, ‘’your father is not all that important to me, my world doesn’t revolve around him so fv¢k off. I think this meeting is getting boring for me, you finish up and keep me upd@t£d on what will be discussed.’’
With that I stand up, gr-ab my flowers and bag and walk out.
*To be continued