PBMH 24

PBMH

EPISODE 24

                Dora removed her hand gloves and flashed a smile at me. “I’ll be right back,” she said, strolling into the house. I stared at her as she jogged off into the house. Her wicked grin put me off. She made me anxious to hear some news and then she disappeared into the house. ‘What did she take me for?’

                Thoughts ran through my mind as I tried to imagine what Dora could have found out. Dora seemed to be a busy type. Cutting the garden right after work is something I will not think of, not even for a second. The flowers had been properly trimmed, and I have to admit, Dora is a great person.

                I stared at her as she approached with a chair.

                                “Comfy, right?” she asked with a smile. “Please sit.”

                                “What are you doing, Dora? You have something for me, don’t you?”

                She smiled. “Please don’t get all arrogant with me. I have big news for you, but first, you have to use the chair.”

                I frowned.

                                “Oh please, let me have your bag.” She said, collecting my bag with a grin. ‘What could Dora have to say?’ I thought

                I sat reluctantly. “Speak.”

                                “I think you should start taking lectures on manners.”

                Dora could go comic on almost everything, although I admit to being rude. “Please Dora.”

                                “That’s more like it.” She flashed her teeth at me.

                I tried to be patient as I stared at her.

                                “Oops! Sorry love, I have something for you.” She said and returned to the house.

                I could kill Dora honestly. I clenched my fists in frustration. Why didn’t she just break the ice and save me the suspense?

                                “I am so sorry sis.” She said clutching a brown envelope to her arms. “I have a question for you and I want an honest response.”

                At this junction, I could tell Dora a frank ‘yes’ just to know what she had found out about Paul. “YES”

                                “Oh Darlene…I don’t know how to ask you this question.” She said clenching her teeth.

                                “Just say it Dora, I will take no offence.” I pleaded.

                She shut her eyes tightly and said, “Have you ever had sex with Paul?”

                                “WHAT!” I could almost puke at the thought. “Paul and I? No ways.”

                She sighed. “Be honest.”

                                “Never! How could I sleep with a guy that I don’t even love?”

                                “Okay then…”

                By the way she sighed; I could tell that she was relieved with my response. “Why the question?”

                                “I just want to be sure that there were no intimate ties between yourself and Paul.”

                I smiled. “There you have it sis, I am clean, so break the ice.”

                                “PAUL IS GETTING MARRIED.”

                I let out a laugh. “Chuck Norris must be getting poor in his lectures; this joke is as bad as it can get.”

                                “I am serious.” She replied, straight faced.

                Dora looked serious. “You can’t be serious. Are you sure, you do know Paul, right? There are over a million men by the name Paul and any of them could be in the Bahamas.” I said, trying to convince myself.

                                “I was equally upset when the detective brought me the news, but there was nothing I could do about it. He had proofs.”

                                “What proofs?” I asked.

                She handed me the brown envelope. “There are pictures of Paul and his fiancée in them. There is also an upset”

                I flipped through the pictures. “What is Jake doing in them?” I asked widening my eyes.

                                “That’s your upset. Jake is aware of the whole thing.”

                I shook my head as I returned the pictures to the envelope. “I am more shocked than upset.”

                                “I guess you can be relieved.”

                I sighed. “Bottom line is that, he has moved on. I am only surprised at the speed and at his action.”

                                “Now that he has moved on, I officially certify you free to hook up with any Lagos guy. So should I call KP to hook us?”

                                “Chill sis…you have to slow down. I still need time to recover from this news that you’ve hit me with.”

                Dora sighed. “Come on Darlene, isn’t this what we both wanted? Paul is out of your life for good and he his moving on. So, why not be happy?”

                                “I am worried for him. I am not too sure that he is making the best decision.”

                                “I don’t get you Darlene, Paul is out of your life, he is an adult and he has decided to move on, why draw him back?”

                Dora was now wearing a frown. “Dora, I appreciate your efforts, but I want to be sure that what Paul is doing is right. If Jake was with him, I can’t be so sure of his decisions. Jake believes that the best way to get on with life is to do something sporadic, and I guess he stuffed the idea in Paul’s head.”

                                “If Paul is stupid enough to let Jake decide for him, then let it be. He will live with the consequences. However, I honestly think that you should let this go and be satisfied that Paul is out of your life for good. ”

                                “You think?”

                                “I am sure, sis. Let him go.” She replied, and returned into the house.

                I couldn’t come to terms with the fact that Paul was moving on with his life. ‘Paul is getting married!’ I yelled. This should be good news for me, but I couldn’t help feeling bad about it.

                                “Is there a problem ma’am?” the security officer asked.

                He heard me scream. “I’ll be fine.” I replied and hurried into the house to avoid further comments from the house workers. I tried calling Jake to no avail. His phone was turned off.                            

                                “Dora, I need your help.” I said as I walked into the kitchen.

                She sliced some onions into a plate and chewed. “How?”

                                “I need a flight ticket to the Bahamas.”

                She burst into a crooked laughter. “Are you going to start chasing shadows at this stage of your life? You are too much for that sis.” She replied.

                                “If I want to be embarrassed, that’s my decision.” I replied, taking some onions from the plate. “What do you see in Onions?”

                She yanked the Onions from me. “I didn’t slice them for you. You are way too fresh to want more, and that’s the same case with Paul, you are too much for what you intend to do.”

                                “All I need is the Ticket. I leave on Friday night.”

                She grinned. “You have a dinner at Ade-Cole, may I remind.”

                                “Oh no!”

                                “Look Darlene, I think you should let go. Paul has made a decision and you have to respect it. You dumped him. ”

                Paul had a right to move on, but not in this way. “Marriage after a supposed heart break is just not right, maybe that’s how I see it, but logically, he can’t love the poor girl.”

                                “He can’t love the poor girl.” She mocked.

                                “I am serious Dora; he won’t be able to love her.”

                She hissed. “Really? That’s rich coming from you. You were guilty of the same.”

                                “Oh please Dora, cut me some slack. I was honest from the start. I am not sure that Paul will do the same with his Bahamas chic. He shouldn’t punish her because of me.”

                Dora groaned heavily. “Wake up sis! The world doesn’t revolve around you.”

                That was blunt! I had never heard Dora that blunt. I widened my eyes in shock.

                                “If you keep widening your eyes in that manner, your balls will be out of its sockets soon.”

                I chuckled. “Thank you Dora.” I said.  

                                “Why?”

                                “For everything Dora.” I replied as I took some onions from the plate. “You have helped me in every way to put Paul in the past. Most importantly, you blazed a very harsh truth on me.”

                She smiled, and placed the plate of onions right before me. “Here you go, eat them all.” she replied and returned with two glasses and a bottle of Martini. “It’s good that you admit that you are not Ms World, everyone must bow. Care for Martini?” she asked.

                                “No. I have so much to do tonight, I don’t want a hangover.”

                She laughed. “You are being a chicken you know, a cup won’t kill you.”

                                “A bottle will kill you. See you in the morning, if you make it.” I replied, and rushed upstairs.

                I could hear Dora shout, “You should have waited!”

 I flung my wardrobe open and searched for a gown. I had a tough time selecting from my wardrobe. I would not have “MILLAROCA WEEKLY” ridicule me as they did 10 years ago. I had shown up at my father’s charity event in a checked top, Turquoise blue trouser and some weird grey loafers that Jake said were ‘meant to kill’. I needed no one to tell me that I looked horrible as my Ponytail golden brown hair summed up my unimpressive appearance.

The tabloid read boldly, “14-year old DARLENE WILLIAMS COMMITS ‘HORRIFYING’ FASHION BLUNDER!”  A light tag was added to it with made me the object of ridicule at school on Monday, “...and they say that money can buy looks!”

Millaroca Weekly is anywhere that Top events took place and I would not miss a chance to re-write my image in their history books. I have been able to make a statement in the fashion world over the years. Therefore, this year, and most importantly, at Ade-Cole, there will not be an exception.