2-New beginings

I was standing on the pavement and waiting for the speeding cars to give me a chance to cross over. Although I was standing by the pedestrian crossing, the drivers didn’t seem to care. Even the fact that it was -112 degrees today, didn’t trigger their good side. I took out my gloves from my coat pocket and began putting them on.

“It sucks right?” I heard a croaky woman’s voice next to me.

I looked to see an old granny bent over her walker; her fuzzy white hair tied at the top of her head in a messy ball.

“They are in vehicles but are not even stopping for us. They are in such a rush for nothing, whereas we are actually going to walk all the way to where we are going.” She complained.

I gave her a tight smile, a smile clearly telling her that I was glad that she was kind enough to initiate a conversation with me, but I was not interested. I continued looking towards the approaching cars.

“These drivers should get their license revoked; this is so unfair.” The old lady continued. “Don’t you think so?”

I nodded just because she was looking at me expectantly. I didn’t want to disagree. If you disagree you need to have a reason for disagreeing. And I was not in the mood to be going back and forth with an old lady, they never want to lose arguments. She then went on speaking about the traffic officers not doing their jobs properly and that they should be here to ensure that things like this doesn’t happen… I don’t know what else she said because I dosed off.

When a black and red Mini Cooper stopped before the white pedestrian crossing, I felt grateful and quickly scurried across leaving the old lady mid-sentence.

As soon as I approached the four by four, the driver stepped out to hold the back door open for me.

“Thank you, Joe.” I nodded at him stepping into the car.

“Hey babe.” Nathan looked up from his newspaper as the driver shut the door behind me.

“Hey.” I replied as he leaned in to kiss me.

“How’d last day of therapy go?” He asked me, removing his reading glasses.

“Oh, it went well.” I said beginning to remove my gloves.

“Raphael told me that he had asked your therapist to record a video of you being asked some questions about us.” Closing his newspaper as he spoke.

Nathan and my dad are close. They are always filling each other in and sometimes it’s annoying because you can’t keep something from the other if you tell the one. It’s funny because my dad is not as close to Nathan’s father as he is to his son. Sometimes I feel like Nathan is my dad’s actual best friend and not Nathan’s father.

“Yeah.” I responded without much enthusiasm, hoping that he’d pick it up that I didn’t want to talk about that.

“How’d it go?”

“Oh, it was okay.”

He was looking at me as if he was expecting me to say something else. Something like, it was not easy.

“You sure?” He asked me.

“Yeah.” I shrugged. “Uh… Joe could you please turn the heater on?”

“Sure ma’am.” Joe replied.

“And you had no difficulty revisiting your past again?” Nathan asked me.

I sighed and leaned back against the seat. “Well, it wasn’t that bad. At least I know that I’ll never have to talk about it in detail ever again.”

He looked at me silently, waiting for me to continue. I felt like taking that chance to end the conversation, but I couldn’t. Nathan was glaring at me, waiting for me to elaborate.

“I mean it’s been more than a year now. I’ve been receiving enough support to finally get over everything and put it all behind me.” I told him tucking my hair behind my ear.

He nodded slowly and then he smiled softly. “Well, I’m glad.”

“I think I’ll go to my apartment; I don’t feel like being around lots of people today.” I told him. “Joe, to my apartment please.”

“No.” Nathan told Joe, and then half turned towards me. "Since you took an off day from the office today, I decided to treat you out.”

“Where to?” I asked trying an enthusiastic smile.

“My favourite restaurant.” He raised his eyebrows at me. “There’s a new dish on the menu and I’d love to try it.”

The reason I actually took an off day from the office was because I wanted to spend some time alone. Away from everyone. I have not been able to just sit and think. My therapist and family members have all been encouraging me to accept things the way it happened, but they haven’t actually given me time to accept anything. I’ve been living at the mansion with the family ever since my return. My dad was always going on about how worried he is for me and didn’t want me being alone at such a difficult time in my life. I’ve been therefore staying with them but yesterday I told them that I’d be moving back to my apartment today.

I wanted to reject Nathan’s offer, but I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. I’ve already done enough of that in the past. So, I said, "Sure, why not?” 

“Great!” He leaned in and kissed me. “In that case, Joe, take us to Duran Deliciously.”

“Yes, sir.” Joe looked at him from the rear-view mirror and started the car.

My phone began ringing. I dug it out of my purse. A picture of my dad glared back at me.

“Hey dad.” I picked up.

“Hey.” Raphael responded. “It’s 3.30 now, you done with Lauren?”

“Yeah, I just finished.” I told him.

“Nathan told me you took an off day today. You okay?”

“Yeah. I was just feeling a little tired this morning. And I’ll send one of the drivers for a few of my things from the mansion later on.”

“You do know that I understand if you feel like the workload is too pressuring for you, right?”

“I know, dad.”

“So, if you want me to find someone else to take over in the meantime, you can tell me.”

“I’m all good, dad.” I replied switching the phone to my other ear. “You know I love being in the office.”

Being in the office and keeping myself busy seemed to do me good. It kept me preoccupied with something other than reminiscing the past.

“Yeah.” He spoke. “Anyway, I just called to let you know that I’ve finally decided to let Duran Times do an article about your return. The reporter is coming over on Thursday evening, so we got to get ourselves ready.”

Although I felt like just staying silent, I responded with my sweetest voice ever.

“Okay, dad.”

I was so sick and tired of these interviews, their questions were all similar, kind of intertwined. Like they were all trying to each pick up bits of information from us and later come together and complete the puzzle of my truth. All wanting to confirm the rumours, that I had come back pregnant. Well, they were not rumours, that was the truth but they didn’t know that. Only our family knew the truth. Father said that confirming it would be like handing them a knife to destroy what we were so esteemed for, our reputation. They tried so hard to figure the “real story” out. Even at times when it was totally irrelevant. For some project of theirs, three marketing trainees had once come to interview our family to get a few tips on how we’ve managed to build our empire and keep it on top of the game. After one of their questions about our philosophy to life, one of the guys asked us what had happened to the baby I was carrying. My father managed the situation in a calm manner (like he was supposed to) and managed to convince them that I was never pregnant. There is nothing worse than being reminded of something you’ve been having sleepless nights over. Being reminded by people that don’t care at all. All they cared about was unravelling people’s juiciest secrets so that they could expose them on the covers and front pages of their magazines and newspapers. Then again, they don’t know the real truth, so I can’t really blame them. Maybe if we told them the truth, they’d go a little easier with the questions.

“Did Nathan arrive already?”

“Yes, I’m with him now.” I responded glancing Nathan’s way briefly.

“Alright. Maybe I’ll see you at the office tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, dad.” I said just before he hung up.

On the rest of the ride to the restaurant Nathan kept his head buried in his newspaper and I kept my eyes out of the window and watched the city pass by quickly.

“Joe, could you please turn on the radio.” I asked him.

He turned it on and the first thing it’s on is the news.

“Music…” I grimaced.

He switched to a couple stations before finally putting on one with music playing.

“Turn the volume down a little.” Nathan commanded, head still buried in the newspaper.

Joe turned the volume down as ordered by his boss.

Music does not feel the same when the volume is low. So, I pulled out my phone from my purse and plugged my earphones in and turned the volume straight up trying not to think of anything else besides the pounding base in my ears.

When we got to Duran Deliciously, Nathan led the way into the restaurant and took me to the table at the centre of the hall.

He pulled out my chair and made me sit down.

“I can’t wait to try out this new dish.” Nathan said already skimming through the menu in search of the new dish.

I looked around swiftly at the other customers. There were mostly couples. Some of them were locking eyes and beaming at each other. At one table I saw a young girl sitting with her grandfather, she looked younger than twenty. When I saw her flutter her eyelashes at him and slap his hand flirtatiously, I doubted that he was her grandfather.

“Ooh here it is!” Nathan said bringing my attention back to our table. “I checked the reviews online; everyone says it’s the most mouth-watering dish ever to be made here.”

I looked at Nathan. He is a good guy, and he definitely loves me a lot. Sometimes he just forgets about everyone else and only sees himself.

“What are you having, babe?” He looked up at me quickly and then back at the menu.

Like I said, sometimes.

“I’ll have whatever you choose.” I told him fixing my menu pamphlet in front of me.

“Cool.” He said looking around impatiently. “Where’s these waiters?”

One waitress who was typing vigorously on her phone in the corner looked up and saw Nathan looking around. She threw her phone in the pocket of her apron and scurried towards us.

“Good afternoon, sir and madam.” She smiled at us nervously. “I’m Amy, and I’ll be your waitress for today. Can I get you any drinks while you are still deciding on what to order?”

“Like 5 minutes ago, if you’d come.” Nathan rolled his eyes at her. “We are all ready to order.”

“I’m so sorry about that.” Amy replied. She was a young blonde with pink highlights in her hair. Her uniform looked like it was getting too small for her size. Like she was wearing her little sister’s dress.

“We’ll each have the new dish.” Nathan replied shrugging her apology away.

“Delco Munch?”

“How many new dishes do you have?”

“Just one, sir.”

“So why are you asking me that?”

“Sorry, Sir.” Amy replied jotting down on her little notebook. “And the drinks?”

“I’ll have an Old Brown.” Nathan said up at her.

“And you, ma’am?” She asked me.

“Uh… just some juice?”

“Juice?” Nathan scoffed. “So, you’ve forgotten how much you used to love Old Brown?”

“It’s just too strong.” I said.

“You didn’t think so 2 years ago…” He told me. “Come on babe, today is special. Let’s drink to it.”

“Drink to what?” I asked him.

“Make it two glasses of Old Brown.” He told the waitress.

“Coming right up.” Amy responded and left our table.

“Drink to what?” I asked again.

“Well, for starters, today was your last day of therapy. Also, today is the first day that you are going to really be you again. The old you.” Nathan smiled at me.

“I’ve been me.” I returned his smile and shrugged.

He stretched across the table and took my hands in his. “Baby, let’s call this day one.”

I nodded slowly.

“Day one of the beginning. It’s day one. There’s no past. Everything that has happened in the past we’ll never speak about again. It’s done and dusted.”

“Yep. Done and dusted.”

Nathan leaned in and kissed me.

“Since this is day one of the beginning, I want to tell you this again.” He told me. “I want you to know that I adore you. I’ve never met anyone else that I love as much as you.”

My mind trailed off to Yoké. He had once told me this too…

He continued. “I like how you keep telling me how to behave and always remind me to be polite. Just like my mother. Well, you don’t do it anymore but that was one of the reasons why I started loving you. You were different. You still are.”

He looked down at my hands and then back at me.

“So, it’s not because our parents literally kept us together as kids, so we’d fall in love?” I joked. 

We both laughed.

“No.” He said shaking his head.

“Okay, good.” I said as our laugh faded into smiles.

“A wise man once told me that if you find a woman that’s different, sweet and adorable, wife her before it’s too late. That wise man is none other than your father, Raphael.” He then left my hands and began scratching in his pocket. “Since it’s day one of the beginning, let’s pretend I’ve never asked you this before. Genesis Leticia Roseburg, will you marry me?”

He opened up the little box and the little pink diamond ring glared back at me.

I was dumbstruck. The camera man who was already there that I hadn’t even noticed popped into sight.

“Please say yes, baby.” Nathan pleaded. He looked so nervous.

I looked at the other eyes, the customers, all looking back at me hopefully as if they were the ones asking me this. Some had their phones out and recording us. I tried a smile and tried to look as excited as possible. “Yes!”

The nervous look on his face turned to relief.

“I was scared you’d reject me, and I’d have it all on camera!” Nathan laughed putting the ring on my middle finger.

“It’s beautiful.” I told him looking at it.

“I’m glad you think so.” Nathan told me as we both leaned in and shared a kiss before everyone.

Everyone suddenly began clapping and cheering for us.

Our server, Amy, came back with our food and drinks balanced on a tray.

“She said yes, Amy!” Nathan exclaimed. He looked like he’d hug her.

The other customers laughed all at once. They almost sounded like the pre-recorded laugh you’d hear on some comedy series.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Roseburg.” The camera man said to me. With the camera covering his face.

“Hey.” I beamed at him.

“How do you feel about becoming future Mrs. Storms?”

“Excited.” I nodded up at him.

“Do you love him?”

“I do.”

“Do you wanna tell us much?”

I spread my arms and grimaced. “This much?”

Nathan and the camera man laughed.

“Okay, Gordon. You can leave my future wife and I alone now.” Nathan smiled at him. “We’d like to enjoy this delicious Delco Munch now. How lucky am I? Two good things in one day.”

The cameraman smiled and switched off the camera. “With a beau like her, the luckiest man in the room…”

“I’m a lucky man.” Nathan said. “I’ll contact you.”

“Sure.” He said and left.

I tried the Delco Munch and it was as amazing as Nathan had said it’d be. My phone began ringing.

“Who’s that?” Nathan asked me looking up from his plate with his knife and fork in hand.

“It’s the office, Penny…”

“She should be able to handle it. You took a day off, remember?”

“I think I should take it…” I told him and accepted the call before Nathan could say another word. “Hello?”

Nathan continued eating, he didn’t look pleased that I disobeyed him.

“Hey, Genesis.” My secretary, Penny said on the other side.

“What’s up?” I asked her.

“I know that you took a day off today, but the thing is as head of the labour department they kind of need you now.”

“What’s going on?” I asked her frowning.

“Uh, apparently one of the employees has been working here under a fake ID and for like 4 years.”

“What?” I asked putting down my serviette. “That’s a very long time. How come no one had noticed?”

“He’s a scammer.” She told me. “The dude’s real name is actually Danlie Forbes and has no degree whatsoever in Marketing and Business. He is a fraud.”

“Oh, my goodness!”

“What is it?” Nathan asked me.

“Penny, there’s not much to do, call the police right away and report him of fraud.” I told her. “Does he have a criminal record?”

“They are still running his ID to check all that.” Penny told me. “But I’ll ask them to call the police now.”

“Okay, thanks Penny.”

“Sure.” She replied.

“See you tomorrow.” I told her.

“Cool.” She replied.

When she hung up Nathan, who had resumed eating, looked up at me. “What happened?”

“Someone named Danlie Forbes has been working in our company for 4 years with a fake ID.” I told him.

“Oh shoot.” He said. “How’d the labour department not pick that up?”

I sighed. “I’ll find out tomorrow. Dad will freak out when he finds out.”

“You’ve only been working for 4 months, baby. It’s not your fault.” He told me.

“But still, he’ll freak out.”

“That’s Raphael, for you. When it comes to business, he likes perfection.” Nathan smiled. “Unlike my dad, he is a chilled guy. Sometimes I wonder how they can be best friends, they are like total opposites.”

“Well… Opposites attract, they say.” I said picking up my knife and fork.

“Yeah.” Nathan shrugged.

“But, 4 years is a long time.” I told him. “How does one not pick it up?”

“In business you get these type of things.” He told me.

“Penny said he does not even have a qualification.”

“Baby you’ll worry about that tomorrow.” Nathan told me. “When I’m out of the office, I don’t even like someone mentioning it to me. Let’s just enjoy this food, shall we?”

I thought for a while, this is a very serious issue. How can Nathan just dismiss it like this? Then again, he had just proposed to the woman whom he loves so dearly, it’s only normal to not want to spoil this moment with office-talk. 

I gave him a smile and continued eating my Delco Munch and didn’t mention the office again.