Let's drink

Gwen

“Here you go” I said handing the contract I just signed over to Jeffery my secretary. Make sure you tell them to bring in the exact fabrics we ordered.”

“Yes boss.” He said with a fake salute and walked out. I shook my head and turned my chair around to face the glass wall behind me and I looked down at the city from here. Doing this gave me a sense of approval of the good I have done for myself over the years and it kind of relaxes me.

If I was told I’d be in this position almost seven years ago, I would have laughed it off. After what happened with Charles… just thinking about him brought me so much heartache that I didn’t expect and it happens so constantly that there is nothing I can do about it anymore as my daughter Charlie is a spitting image of her father. I don’t let her go out too much in fear that she might meet an aquintance or someone that knows her father. And I was not ready to give my daughter up. After the incident, I left the city for good. I went cold and left no traces anywhere, I really made sure of that in fear that Astrid would come after my daughter and I. Her intentions about both of us was very clear when she pushed me off the stairs. I tried as much as possible to stabilize my life and not think too much about what had happened to me. I pulled through each day because I had to live for Charlie.

At a point in my life, I could say luck was on my side or probably God loves me. I worked as a fashion stylist for a particular seamstress in the town I was staying. Three years later, a rich woman, who went by the name Adeline, came by the shop and saw my sketch pad by mistake. She asked if I did the designs inside and I said yes. She just gave me her card and asked me to call her. When I did call her, I was surprised when she said that she’d like to invest in my designs if I wanted. I literally jumped at the chance and said yes. I mean who wouldn’t? She was such a beautiful soul, both inside out. She invested and urged like three more of her friends to, that was the point of my breakthrough.

That was how Zoe’s clothing line boomeranged. Yeah, I know you’d ask who Zoe is. Well, that’s me. I decided to go by the name that Astrid gave me when I was unconscious in the hospital six years ago. Is that not ironic? I wish she’d hear that name and cower with fear in her closet.

The hate I harbor towards her is something that hasn’t left me and there is this constant tightness I feel in my chest every single time. But nothing compares to what Charles did to me. I’ve heard that she’s been asking around recently on who Zoe really is. I don’t show my face in the public by any chance.

All social gatherings and anything that concerns me showing in the public is always handled by my only friend and business partner, Tamara. She was introduced to me by Adeline, and since then, we’ve been best of friends. Only she and Adeline knows what actually happened to me in the past. Tamara loved Charlie so much, a stranger would have mistake her for her mother.

She is actually a free-spirited woman and amazing too. She almost had the same aura as Adeline, calculated and reserved. That is the same reason I respect and trust her.

I shook my head and swung my chair around to face my table. Enough of reminiscing about the past. I’ve been doing that a lot recently.

The door to my office suddenly swung open and I didn’t need to look up to know who it was.

“Hey baby” Tamara’s high-pitched voice rung out. When she sounds like that, she’s definitely making me do something I don’t want to do.

“Hey” I replied with a slight under tone that I knew she’d understand.

“What? I am just very happy right now.” She said rolling her eyes, sitting dramatically in front of me.

“So, the dresses are completed already sweetheart, and the models have been contacted. They are all so ecstatic to wear your designs babe. And the main dress is going to be worn by Zuri Roy.” She said the last part with so much excitement.

“Oh my God” I exclaimed, covering my mouth with both hands in joy and surprise. I didn’t expect Zuri Roy to actually accept wearing my dress. She was one of the biggest celebrities in town and I’ve heard that she doesn’t really show in public events unnecessarily.

“When is she coming to sign the contract?” I asked, still blown out of my mind with the information I just got.

“She said she’d be in town sometime during this next week and she’d let us know when she’ll be available. I told her we can send the contract to her if she’s too busy, but guess what she said? she said she’s going to come around by herself.”

“OMG!”

“Girl, you did it. This is going to be huge for you.” Tamara said.

I know, I know. I do deserve this.

“Champagne at my place tonight.” I said.

“That’s the spirit sweetheart. But, what about Charlie?”

“She’ll be at Adeline’s place since it’s weekend.”

Adeline loves having Charlie over at her place during the weekends she is around in town. The woman was such a beautiful soul. I was so free with her.

“Aww… that’s so cute. We’d have a lot of time to catch up and have girl talk.” She stood up at the same time I did. “I’ll see you at 8 this evening.”

“Yup” popping the ‘p’ and packing some stuffs into my bag and picked up my cell phone.

We walked out of my office together, and said our goodbyes in the parking lot. I zoomed out of the lot at a very high speed.

Later in the evening, I heard a banging on my door as a pulled out a bottle of champagne from the freezer. I didn't need to ask who it was to know that it was Tamara.

“When will stop banging on my door?”

“Oh please, don’t ask me an obvious question.” she said plopping herself on the couch. “I brought pizza. Pizza and champagne, what a perfect combo.” She said daydreaming. Who eats pizza and champagne? I thought in my mind.

She took the bottle, and opened it with a loud pop.

“Whoooo…” she filled both of our glasses, dropped the bottle and raised her glass. I raise mine too with a smile on my face.

“To us.”

“To us.” I replied, and chugged down almost the entire glass. I really needed that.

I don’t exactly do many fun things. I don’t party, I don’t hang out with friends except for Tam here. It was kind of easy for to blend in with the way I do things because she was kind of like that too. She literally only hung out with me. we don’t club, nothing. A person around our age range will think of the life we live as boring, but it is everything to us. She has always had my back since I met her a few years back.

My phone rung and I had to stand up to get it on the counter. It was Charlie. I bright smile made its way to my face.

“Hey baby.”

“Mommy, hi.” She said

“How is my baby doing today?” I scold myself gently for not calling her since I left her in the morning. I only reached out to Adeline, but I didn’t speak with her.

“I’m fine. How are you too? You didn’t call me in the afternoon so I figured you were busy.” I smiled. She is so smart, one wouldn’t have thought that she’s almost six years old.

“Yes love. I’m sorry. I should have called you. How are you doing over there? Hope you’re not been too naughty for Adeline to handle?” I teased her gently.

“Nah. She got me different toys today. I wish I could show you right now.” She said joyfully. I could picture her jumping.

Adeline spoils her a lot and when I ask her why, she’d reply with ‘Charlie is such a sweet child. I’d love it if she was my grand-child, but I didn’t have any child.’ She always replied with same thing every single time.

After a few minutes of talking, we hung up the call.

I sashayed back to the couch where Tam was sitting watching the news.

“Why do you like watching the news?” I asked her. “We should just N*****x and chill right?” I tried my luck, but I knew she wouldn’t budge until she finishes watching it.

“I like knowing what is going on, you know.” She shrugged.

Nope, I don’t. And I don’t want to.

I was engrossed in eating the pizza in front of me when the name the name the news anchor said caught my attention. Charles Emmett. My hand shook, so I had to pull it back from the pizza box. My eyes glued to the TV. His picture was on the screen. He has changed a little bit facially. A bit rougher on the edges. The man behind my misery and the father of my child.

The news was about him been sighted at one of his mother’s fashion show with a beautiful model as an escort. Not like it’s my business, but what happened between he and his ex-wife?

The woman he chose over me.

The screen suddenly went blank, and I looked to the left, Tam switched it off.

“Why do you seem so engrossed with the news of him?” she asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“What? No. It was just another news and I was watching.” I said shrugging my shoulders nonchalantly. she kept quiet for a minute.

“Do you still love him?” she asked me suddenly.

I looked at her like she had two heads.

“No, I don’t. He ruined me Tam. Why will I still love that kind of man?”

“Then why have you not been in a relationship for the past six years?”

“I tried, I really tried and you know it. I just can’t bring myself to like or love someone that much again. The two I tried didn’t work out, so I have decided to face taking care of my daughter and if it later happens that I find a person that I like, I’d give it a try.” I said.

She just looked at me. I know wheels are turning in her head but I’d really appreciate it if she didn’t push it any longer.

“Fine.” She re-filled our glasses.

“Let’s drink.”