Imani's Dilemma (Drumbeats Romance)

by Kalinga, Kiki

  It was almost lunchtime when Rita finally closed her striped file with a bang. “I think we have made good progress,” she said, “Now let’s go and reward ourselves with an expensive lunch.” She laughed at Imani’s hesitation. “Don’t worry, I have a client expense account, lunch is on me.”

  Imani sighed in relief. Despite the impressive budget Kevin had allowed for marketing, convincing Mr Shutu to let her hire an event planner had been an incredibly tough task to begin with and he had only relented when she had told him if she had to single-handedly organise the event, she would not be able to come into the office for two weeks.

  “So tell me about yourself,” Rita munched on a bread stick as she studied Imani intently through her funky purple glasses, “Married, single, kids?”

  “Umm … I’m still single,” she said.

  “So how did a small firm like yours land a client with such a huge advertising account?” Rita’s directness was disconcerting.

  Imani self-consciously fiddled with the heavy silver cutlery on the table. “Umm I don’t know; my boss set up everything with the client.”

  “I thought it was strange that Acacia Development hired you guys for this project; usually they use Masons and Nightingales.”

  Imani could feel the warmth rising in her face. “We are actually quite good,” she said.

  Rita looked sceptical as she opened her menu. “Well, the inside story is that Kevin Donde, recently took over the real estate business from his father. I suppose he decided to give you guys a chance.”

  Imani placed her order without giving it much thought, she was more preoccupied with what Rita had just said. Could it really be possible that Kevin chose our firm because of me? Fawzia had also thought that it seemed strange. Imani wondered how he knew where she was working.

  And what does he want? Is this his way of making up with me? She also wondered what his motive was. Her heart told her he meant no harm, but Imani had long since learnt that her heart wasn’t the best judge of character.

  Just then, the waiter poured them each a glass of red wine.

  “To Acacia Park!” Rita toasted, as they clinked their huge crystal balloon glasses together. The meal was delicious and Rita was great company. She had a witty sense of humour and Imani found herself laughing more than she had in a long time.

  “So, why is a girl like you still single Imani?” Rita asked, as they enjoyed their tiramisu, “Haven’t you found Mr Right yet?”

  Imani took a large gulp of the last of her wine as she considered the question. Had she found Mr Right and lost him? Do I still have a chance with him? Do I want another chance?

  Rita looked at her with understanding. “Long story, huh? Well, just remember, you’re looking for Mr Right not Mr Perfect.”

  Imani was still thinking about her answer and Rita’s words, when Rita glanced at her watch.

  “Oh my!” she exclaimed, “It’s almost three thirty, I have to fly!” She got up and pecked Imani three times on the cheek.

  “I really enjoyed our lunch,” she said as she signed the credit card receipt. “We should really do this again.” She blew her yet another kiss as she swooped out of the restaurant.

  As Imani made her way back to the office, she thought about Kevin yet again. Maybe Kevin is just playing games with my emotions again.

  “Ah Imani, welcome back,” Mr Shutu glanced at his watch pointedly as she walked into the office, “I need the sales figures from the Thika Project we did last year. Please consolidate them and email them to me right now. Also, please email me this database of clients you have been talking about.”

  Imani cursed under her breath as she searched all her Excel files for the elusive figures Mr Shutu was waiting for. Then she remembered she had emailed the file to Mike when they were working on the project together. She smiled as she remembered that the Thika Project was the one over which she and Mike had first bonded. They had spent hours making the project a success and had come to know each other closely in the process.

  But now was not the time to get lost in romantic thoughts. She could see Mr Shutu looking at her through the glass panels of his office. Imani quickly located the file her boss was waiting for and began to work on it.

  ***

  Mike cornered Imani as she was leaving the office. He placed a firm hand on her shoulder and his other hand at her back. “Drinks today, and this time I won’t let you escape.”

  Imani was surprised by her reluctance to go out with Mike. She wondered if it was because Kevin had come into her life again, or whether she was psyched out by the competition between them. Her jumbled emotions were really confusing her.

  “No thanks, not today, I am really tired.”

  Mike frowned. “You’ve been acting distant lately, Imani. What’s wrong? I thought we were …” He looked at her closely. “Is it this whole competition thing?” he accused her, “Don’t tell me you’re avoiding me because of that? I thought we knew each other better than that!”

  He looked wounded and Imani felt a bit guilty. She had been avoiding him lately, and she didn’t want to hurt him. “Okay. I guess a quick drink downstairs won’t do any harm,” she said.

  Mike flashed a disarming smile, “You won’t regret it.”

  Imani certainly didn’t. With his witty impersonations of their colleagues at the office and wicked jokes, he kept her laughing and their quick drink lasted over an hour.

  “I have to go,” Imani said at last, quite reluctantly. It had been a fun evening and Mike was definitely good company. Despite her earlier confusion, Imani could not help enjoying herself around him.

  “Why?” he asked, “I thought maybe we could go to my place … have dinner or something …”

  Imani was tempted, but decided against it. She knew where dinner at his place could end, but she wasn’t ready for that step yet.

  “I’m really tired tonight Mike,” she said, trying to keep her tone light. “Maybe next time. For sure,” she added, before grabbing her jacket.

  “I’ll walk you out,” he said, taking her jacket from her hands and helping her into it. He didn’t let go once she had worn it though, and let his hands rest on her shoulders as they jostled past the crowd.

  As they stepped out of the pub onto the lawns, Imani turned to say goodnight again. “Thanks Mike,” she said, “I had a lovely evening. I feel so much more relaxed now.” She reached up to hug him and he responded with enthusiasm, before pulling her into a deep kiss. She let herself relax in his arms, getting lost in his kiss and enjoying the moment.

  ***

  The next day, after work, she waited on the corner for Fawzia to pick her up. Her husband, Ahmed, travelled all the time so she hardly saw him, so it was often Imani who kept her company. Imani often wondered if Ahmed really appreciated his wife’s kind and gentle nature. For Imani, no amount of luxury could compensate for loneliness and her idea of marriage was one where there was companionship and time spent together.

  Imani leant back on the leather seats and looked at her best friend. “So where are we off to? Who is the mysterious dress lady?”

  Fawzia smiled. “We can’t have you going to your big launch in your old clothes. And you know I have nothing spectacular enough to lend you.” They both looked down at her black buibui and sighed in unison. “So I have found this lady, Emma. She has the most amazing designer dresses. Dresses that cost thousands of dollars!”

  Imani rolled her eyes. “And where am I supposed to get ‘thousands of dollars’ from?”

  Fawzia giggled, “This is the beauty of it. You don’t buy the dress, you just rent it for the evening.”

  Imani wasn’t sure how she felt about renting a dress. It didn’t seem like a very classy thing to do. But when she saw the array of evening gowns on display at Emma’s home, Imani let out a gasp. They were simply fabulou
s. Imani could already picture her slim figure enveloped in one of the gorgeous gowns. She was almost convinced that Fawzia was right after all. What girl doesn’t want to feel like a princess once in a while? She thought as her eyes scanned the room, reminding her of all those movies she had watched, of women who owned huge closets full of magical gowns.

  Emma looked at Imani critically. “I wish you were a little taller, but let’s see what we can do.” She disappeared through a connecting door, leaving Fawzia and Imani to browse through racks of dresses that filled a spare room in her townhouse.

  Together, Fawzia and Imani selected some slinky black evening dresses for her to try on. Imani felt a surge of pleasure at the feel of the silky fabrics as she took them off the rack.

  “I’m sure you will wow Mike with any one of these. Didn’t I tell you she would sort you out?” Fawzia seemed more excited than Imani was.

  “Mike!” she exclaimed, “Actually, Fawzia, I am really confused about him. I do like him, a lot, but it’s all too much for me, especially with this job issue hanging over our heads.”

  “What’s happened?” Fawzia frowned, “He’s so good looking and charming! And I thought you agreed not to let the job interfere with your relationship!”

  “Let me try on these dresses first,” Imani said, making her way to a curtained off cubicle in the corner to the room. Despite the fabulous evening she had had with Mike the previous night, she felt more ambivalent about their relationship. It was as if the kiss had left her drained instead of energised. This competition was messing her more than she imagined it would.

  “No, no, no!” Emma came back into the room and took all the dresses Imani had chosen out of her hands. “Too mundane and ordinary. Look what I have found for you.” She dumped the entire selection unceremoniously onto a chair and brandished a hanger with a shimmering dress in front of Imani.

  The dress was ivory satin encrusted with tiny crystals. Imani snickered. “You must be joking. That’s not my style at all!”

  Emma hung the dress from a hook in the cubicle and turned to look at her. “It’s an original Vera Wang,” she said, “You must try it on.”

  Imani glanced at Fawzia who was also looking a little sceptical.

  “All right,” she said, more out of politeness than anything else, “Although I do think that one of those black dresses would be more suitable.”

  Emma drew the curtain around the cubicle. “Show me how it looks.”

  The dress rustled as Imani pulled it over her head, the fabric slipping over her shoulders easily. She knew even before she turned to look in the mirror that it would be a perfect fit. She turned and gave a gasp. There was no other word for it: it looked stunning.

  Fawzia wasn’t nearly so restrained. “Oh my god!” she exclaimed, as Imani stepped out of the changing cubicle, “You look amazing Imani!”

  She smiled self-consciously, “It is a beautiful dress.”

  Within a few minutes Emma had fixed her up with a pair of matching heels and the look was complete. Imani felt a surge of excitement at the thought of wearing this dress at the launch. And perhaps by then, she and Mike would finally be together …

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “Imani, you look gorgeous! But then, you always do.”

  “Thanks, Kevin,” Imani replied, feigning nonchalance as she stepped into Kevin’s 4WD and settled on the leather seat. He had some soft music on the radio.

  Imani could not believe she was actually going through with this. Another meeting with Kevin was the last thing she needed to cap off an already complicated week. But she had promised him, and she knew she had to put this chapter to bed.

  “All set?” he grinned as he shut the door behind her. As he did, another tantalising whiff of his fragrance dealt a blow to her forced calm. She put on a pair of sunglasses and looked ahead, avoiding his gaze.

  Kevin had texted her the night before to say that he was taking her to a special place, but he wouldn’t tell her where. This was supposed to be a surprise but she had a very good idea where they were headed.

  Sure enough, they cruised down Lang’ata Road and turned off at the Kenya Wildlife Service signboard into the Nairobi National Park.

  Interesting choice of place. The National Park had been a favourite dating spot of theirs. They hadn’t enjoyed going to crowded bars or restaurants. Kevin and Imani had cherished their time with each other, away from the rest of the world. Imani was touched that he had remembered and wanted to bring her here today. It’s only fitting, she thought, that we end this entire story here. A perfect place to say goodbye.

  Once they were past all the formalities at the entrance and driving deeper into the park, Imani suddenly found herself unexpectedly tongue-tied. She was acutely aware of his commanding presence, and the unexpected sensuality she felt when he brushed her arm with his. She sneaked a quick peek at his handsome profile. His voice, his well-trimmed sideburns, the curve of his lips, even the way he caressed the steering wheel. The delicate and gentle treatment of the car reminded her of a time when it had been her body he had caressed with such finesse. It was so familiar it was unsettling.

  She suddenly realised her quick peek had turned into a lengthy stare, when she felt Kevin’s eyes on her. Her mouth suddenly felt dry and she felt her skin heat up. She swallowed and turned back to look out of the window. The sky looked ominous. An outing under the rain had never been appealing to Imani and she hoped the dark clouds would disappear. Rain meant she would have to stay inside the car with Kevin. Pounding rain outside, a cosy car and Kevin inside had once led to one of their most intimate times together. But now, it was not a good combination. Too close for comfort.

  Kevin swung the vehicle off into a small side road and within minutes, they were pulling up to the familiar thatched hut that overlooked the park. It was then that they saw that there were two other cars in the parking lot. Imani felt a surge of disappointment that she couldn’t quite explain. Kevin made a face at the cars and shook his head.

  “I didn’t realise that the park is so busy these days,” he shrugged. He pointed to a private picnic table some distance from the hut. “I guess we’ll have to make do with that.”

  Kevin opened up the boot and took out a picnic basket. This was no tatty kikapu, but a beautiful wicker basket. Her eyes widened at the small magnum of champagne he pulled out of it, followed by a seemingly endless array of delectable snacks. He had really given thought to this date. Meeting, she reminded herself. This was to be a final closure, not some romantic getaway. He deftly popped the cork on the champagne bottle and poured it into two glasses. Kevin looked at her as he raised his glass. “To the new Imani,” he toasted.

  “What do you mean by that?” she asked, more sharply than she had intended.

  “The new Imani? I mean an Imani who’s confident and capable and so beautiful.”

  Imani smiled at him. “To old flames,” she said as she clinked her glass to his. It was only after the retort had escaped her lips that she realised what she’d just blurted, and she quickly drained her glass.

  “Maybe not so old, Imani,” he replied, his tone serious.

  There was a ringing silence as they loaded their plates, both afraid to speak, though the tension between them was building with each passing second.

  “Kevin, please, let the past be the past,” she said at last, “let’s move on.”

  “That’s exactly what I’m saying, Imani. Let’s move on. Together.”

  Imani stood still as she tried to process his words. Despite the shock she felt, she couldn’t stop the longing to be with him from bubbling up within her.

  “Imani, please. I haven’t stopped thinking about you all these years. And ever since I saw you again, all I can think of is you. I still love you. What we had was so special. Don’t tell me you don’t feel it too.”

  Imani
knew better than to deny it, so she changed tack. “I’m not saying I believe that story of yours. I only agreed to meet you so we can clear the air and end things once and for all.” Her anger came as a welcome distraction from the emotions she was feeling. “You really expect me to believe that that girl was your cousin?”

  “It’s just the truth. What else can I say?”

  “But Kevin, were there no other rooms in your house?”

  “Of course there were, but she’s my sister! I didn’t see anything wrong if she was in my room. For heaven’s sake, she’s a blood relative! And she’s married now!” He seemed angry, yet sincere.

  When Imani kept silent, he continued, “Would you like to meet her? Will that convince you?”

  “OK, even if I believe you, what makes you think I want us to get back together? Do you think you can just walk back into my life after years and expect me to be waiting for you?”

  He took a step back, shocked, “So are you dating someone, then?”

  A deafening roar of thunder startled them. The clouds had suddenly gathered into a menacing grey mass. There was a flurry of activity, as the other group quickly packed away their belongings and rushed to their vehicles.

  “Let’s head for shelter!” Kevin shouted, as they grabbed their picnic and dashed towards the hut as fat raindrops pelted down. Despite her breathlessness from the mad dash, she burst into laughter at the sight of Kevin precariously balancing the champagne glasses.

  She unceremoniously dumped the picnic blanket on the table in the middle and went to look at the spectacular sight of the rain pounding the savannah from the viewing deck in the hut. The sight, which she’d hoped would distract her from the sudden burst of emotion she was feeling, only heightened her sense of longing. Longing for Kevin.