LAWRENCE WILLIAMS

LAWRENCE

“Dude! That shawty got a nice arse huh...” Charley, my friend commented excitedly as we watched the ladies dance in the club.

“Mmhh, nice arse, really...” Carl added and had another sip of his whiskey.

I just watched in silence occasionally taking sips from my glass of wine.

‘Hey, Lawrence, you are oddly quiet today...what is going on your head?” Carl asked, his voice pitched high as he tried to match the loud the music in the club.

“Yes, and why did he wanted us to not stay in the VIP section today, very unlike our Lawrence...” Carlos added smugly.

“When have I ever been a noisemaker like you guys?” I said, keeping my gaze at the pretty ladies on the dance floor.

They all laughed.

My friends were right. Being the heir of a conglomerate family gave me the audacity to live the kind of life a lot of people was only able to dream about. I never gave two fuvk about anything or anyone in the world and only lived to enjoy my life. Father and mother had always wanted me to join in the family business but then I thought, why join in the family business and work my butts off when I could just have fun instead.  And so, I lived my life each day doing nothing else but having the fun of my life with my friends. I clubbed, partied, and spent. Well, you could say a bit recklessly.

But that night, I felt totally off from the club. After bumping into my first love on my way to the club, nothing seemed to be fun anymore.

Bianca was my first love, the only woman I had ever wanted to be with but in all of my glory, handsomeness, wealth and all, she had rejected my love. I remained heartbroken since then and resorted to clubbing and partying.

While all of my friends thought I was over her, I knew I was not and might never get over her.

“I should go get off some steam,” Charley said and proceeded to the dance floor.

“Me too... Have fun drinking alone! I need me some titties and bootties on me!” Carl joined him.

They looked excited. I just shrugged. Dancing with some chick that is not Bianca at the moment was the least in my mind.

“Hey handsome, care for a dance?”  A lady approached me and Carlos.

“Me?” Carlos asked grinning shyly.

“No, him.” the lady pointed at me.

I sized her up briefly. She was nothing close to my type. Droopy eyes masked with heavy layers of makeup and most importantly she gave my friend a condescending look.

I waved her to lean forward and when she did, I whispered into her ears, “Sorry Miss but you are not my type.”

She straightened up, her face ashen and then stomped off.

“What have you done, Lawrence?” Carlos grimaced.

I chuckled, “Well, just gave her a bit of her medicine.”

Moments later my phone began to vibrate in my pocket. I excused myself and stepped out of the drowning noise to get the call.

“Hello?” I spoke into the phone.

“Lawrence...” I heard a sobbing voice.

My heart hitched. There was no way I could have missed that voice.

“Bianca?” I called to be certain.

“Yes Lawrence, it’s me Bianca...Please can you come get me...”

“Where exactly are you right now and I will come get you.”

I was already heading out of the club with my phone still in my ears as she told me her location.

I sent a text to Carlos as I drove out of the club. “I left. You guys have fun without me.”

I had no time to begin to explain to them that I had to dash off to pick Bianca. They surely would have talked me out of it if I had told them first. Who knew if this was a trap or something dangerous but I didn’t care because it was Bianca.

I saw her standing by the road all alone and quickly brought the car to a halt. Then I rushed towards her.

“Bianca...are you alright? Are you hurt?”

Her eyes were red and puffy like one that had been crying for hours.

My heart broke.

“Tell me Bianca, who hurt you? tell me...please...”

“No, Lawrence, I... It’s no one and I’m sorry I called you out here...” she sobbed.

I held her hand in mine and squeezed it gently. They felt cold. How long she must have been out here. My jaw tightened.

 “No, please don’t say that...I want to be here for you...come let me get you home. You are cold.” Thankfully, I wore a denim jacket. I took it off and wrapped it around her. Started to lead her into the car but she pulled me back.

I stopped and turned to face her.

“Lawrence...let’s date...”

“Huh...” My lips parted and for a moment, there was a brief pause in my thoughts.

“All of a sudden...why?” I muttered starring at her. Last I recalled she had a boyfriend. I was supposed to be overly excited. My first love finally wanted us to date but still it was sudden and had me excited and shocked all at once.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I guess you don’t like me anymore...” she stated sadly and made to walk away.

I pulled her into my arms immediately. I had waited too long for this moment all my life to foolishly let it get past me.

“Yes, let’s date...” I said as I held her.

When I finally pulled away, she flashed me smile. A smile that had every blood inside of me flowing. Knitting our hands together, we made for the car.

“Where would you like to go? Do you have anywhere in mind you would like to go or anything you would want?” I asked her when we settled in the car. I made sure to hold the car for her to get in first. Don’t blame me. I was too excited.

“Erm, well, I have you so what else could I possibly want?”

My body melted at her words. My love for her increased at that moment. It made me glad to think she wanted me and not my family’s money as against what my friends had thought about her. I was afraid she was never going to love me. But I was all wrong and my fears were all for nothing.

“Then, would you like to go somewhere with me?”

“Urh, sure.”

All the while my phone had been beeping nonstop in its vibration mode. I had turned off the sound knowing my friends will call nonstop after I left. My phone started to vibrate again as I made to start the car. I was going to take a glance and drop the phone back but the sight of the caller had me halting in my movement.

“Father? Why will father be calling me now?” I wondered, hesitant to pick it. Father rarely called me with his personal line but instead have his personal secretary do it. What news about me was in the news this time around?

“Who is calling?” Bianca asked.

“Erm, it’s nothing important...I’m afraid one of these reporters want to trend badly.” I lied and made a mental note to call father later as it has stopped ringing. But the phone started to ring again almost immediately.

“Excuse me for a moment...” I told Bianca and stepped out to take the call.

“Come home now.” That was all father said and hung up immediately.

I looked at the car, how was I possibly going to let her go when we just were about to begin something special.

Knowing how serious father’s words could be, I knew I had to find a way to have Bianca leave without her feeling bad.

“Uhm...I’m sorry...why don’t I drop you off or call my driver to take you home. I must get home now. I promise to make it up to you...”

“Ah, fine.” She forced a smile but I sensed the hint of disappointment as she dropped off. Father had better be making me leave her this way for something important.

“My driver will come pick you up, okay?”

She nodded and I drove off.

“Where is my father?” I asked the servants as I stomped into the house.

“In his study...this way please, sir. Chairman is waiting for you.” Director Mason, father’s personal secretary popped out from the hallway. I climbed the stairs and followed him to father’s study room.

“My son!” Mom cried with excitement the moment she saw me.

“Mother...” I hugged her and let her pull me into her signature warm and long-lasting embrace.

“Oh, my son...have you been feeding well? You look so thin...”

“I am totally fine, mother...”

No one else worried about me like mother did. A care father saw differently.

“You are the one spoiling him! That is why he refuses to take responsibility for anything and would rather go to the club and spend my money recklessly! Have him enter your stomach and born him all over again!” father barked.

He always complained that mother pampered me too much but none of that fazed mother as she loved me regardless.

“Yes, if all he wants to do is bum around, spend our money, let him spend. It’s better than doing nothing...come and sit my son, let’s hear what your father has to say...”

“Yes, mother.”

“This was sent to me by the chairman of Las company. Lawrence, have a look.” Father threw a bunch of documents to the table.

I picked it up reluctantly wondering when father suddenly started to involve me in business matters knowing I had no interest. Whatever happened, I knew everything he and mother owned would eventually belong to me someday.

“Father, you of all people know I don’t have interest in business...” I said as I picked up the documents with a frown and had a look. Lots of business and law related jargons I had absolutely no interest in.

“Ah, right, how could I forget that my son has no interest in business...” Father gritted sarcastically. “Director Mason! Enter!”

Director Mason who had been standing outside poked his head in and entered.

He walked straight to me and handed me the file he had entered with.

“Go on, have a look and make your choice of the two documents.” Father added.

I looked at Mother hoping she had an idea what was going on but she looked as confused as I was.

“If he is having any confusion, director Mason, why don’t you help him out?”

“This is the document of business proposal from Las company, they are willing to make us the highest shareholder in their company which will make the Williams group the number one group in the country and second in the world...”

“Wow! That’s great, father, mother!” I said happily. A new feat for my family is one for me too. It meant I get to keep living as I wanted with wealth in my name. “But...why is father showing me first...don’t tell me he wants me make a choice for him...director Mason...” I chuckled at the mere thought of it.

“Well, indirectly yes...”

“What?”

“You fool...You don’t think he would offer me this easily...Lawrence, there is no proposals without clauses...” father snapped quietly.

“What does he want and what does it have to do with me?”

“Director Mason, go on...”

“Las company is on the verge of collapse at the moment. We loan him a huge amount...  become the highest shareholder in his company and you marry his daughter.”

“Well fair enough, father you could loan him some money and...” I was still saying when the latter statement registered in my head. I jumped to my feet.

“What??? Marry his daughter?? Does that make sense? what does he really want, to keep his business or to marry off his daughter!!” I flared up.

“I made the second clause...yes, I brought up your marriage with his daughter. I can’t work years building this company and have it destroyed when I’m gone. You must start now to take responsibility. Enough of your jokes now. Your marriage with his daughter will be fixed soon and a post will be given to you in the company where you will start working to get to the top. I have had enough of your irresponsibility. I didn’t tell your mother first because it’s time she stopped hiding you. And... the document Director Mason gave to you is the removal of your name from whatever inheritance of the Williams group if you let this deal fell through.” Father said and walked out of the study.

My inheritance?  No way. “Father!”

I turned to mother, helpless.

Mother sighed and nodded calmly towards me after which she went after dad. To speak on my behalf.

The image of Bianca’s face flashed in my head. I felt like my heart was being squeezed in a tight grip.

“No, I am never letting go of Bianca...no matter what.”