Imani's Dilemma (Drumbeats Romance)

by Kalinga, Kiki

  Hassan strode up to her. “The boss wants to see you, Imani. Now!”

  Her question about going to her room died on her lips as she realised that Big Al wouldn’t take kindly to being kept waiting. She could see Kevin walking away to have a look at the view of the ocean. Reluctantly, she followed Hassan to where the rest of the group was talking animatedly.

  “Ah, Imani, there you are,” said Big Al, “Come and welcome our guests; you already know the Dondes and this is Patricia and Raoul.”

  Carina and her friend barely looked up from their conversation to acknowledge Imani’s presence. “You are to make sure that they have everything they need. Hassan has made most of the arrangements, but they are interested in buying some of our apartments.”

  Imani smiled and nodded, a picture of professionalism. She made up her mind that she would not let Kevin get into the way of her new job. She would be courteous and professional.

  Kevin had still not re-joined the group and as soon as Big Al went to talk to Hassan, Carina and Patricia walked off abruptly and Imani was left standing alone in the middle of the reception area.

  Carina suddenly strode back over to her. “Just so you know, Patricia and my brother have come here to buy a holiday home together,” she said, giving Imani a catty smile.

  “It will be my pleasure to serve them!” Imani replied with forced bravado and a dismissive smile. Carina looked briefly speechless before she added, “I thought I’d let you know in case you had any silly ideas and make a fool of yourself again.”

  “Of course not! Why would I do that?” Imani feigned surprise, gave a curt nod and walked to the sales desk. Although she acted and seemed unperturbed, she felt as though she had been kicked in the stomach. Kevin was here, with someone else, to buy a home together. She bit her lip as a deep pang of hurt surged through her. She needed to get away but she knew that she could not just run off to cry. She braced herself, ready to face and conquer the heartbreak for the last and final time. Imani looked down at her own slender hands, short neat nails and could not help but compare her simplicity with Patricia’s long red nails, an epitome of sophistication.

  Hassan had arranged a sumptuous seafood lunch for big Al and the group on the terrace. Patricia and Carina had both changed into colourful sundresses and sandals. Imani’s duty was to take them on a tour of the resort after lunch. She approached their table just as Kevin was refilling Patricia’s glass of champagne. He looked up as she got to their table.

  “Imani.” He acknowledged her with a cold nod.

  Big Al excused himself hastily, citing important work that was awaiting him, but Hassan had already confided that the boss liked to have a nap in the afternoons.

  Imani stood at the side of the table, feeling slightly awkward, trying to ignore Carina’s scowl. She had managed to change her clothes and freshen up so she was feeling much more confident than she had earlier that morning.

  “I will show you around the property, once you are done with lunch,” she smiled, looking at the four of them.

  Patricia yawned. “I can’t be bothered,” she drawled.

  It was the first time Imani had heard Patricia speak: she had obviously been educated abroad. “It’s too hot to walk around, I think I will go and have a massage. Cari, will you join me?”

  Imani prayed silently that Carina would go with her friend. She didn’t relish the prospect of being the target of Carina’s bitchiness for the next hour.

  “No, I think I would like to have a look at the property,” Carina replied, throwing a dirty look in Imani’s direction. She obviously didn’t want to leave Imani alone with Kevin. “You go ahead, I will book a massage later.” Raoul jumped up when Carina was about to stand, to pull back her chair for her. It was like he was her personal slave.

  Imani took the three of them on the ‘Grand Tour’. Carina held onto Kevin’s arm and kept whispering comments to him that Imani couldn’t hear. Imani listed the features of the property in a robotic voice. The thought of Kevin sharing this paradise with another woman was just too much to bear.

  Kevin hardly spoke. He just asked a couple of questions in a brusque tone. They finally made their way back to the reception.

  “So if you do have any more questions, I would be delighted to answer them. Hassan will direct you to our sales desk, I will be there tonight,” she ended awkwardly.

  Carina cut her short, “We are going for a dinner cruise on the Tamarind Dhow tonight.”

  “Well, whenever suits you then,” she said lamely.

  “I need some tea,” Carina demanded, “Come Kevin, and sit with me by the pool.”

  Carina propelled Kevin away from Imani, Raoul trotting after them like a well-trained lap dog, before Imani could say anything more. She stood on the steps for a moment, watching Kevin walk away from her and a sense of hollowness filled her entire being.

  Imani was still at her desk, when the group assembled at the reception, waiting to be collected for their dinner cruise. Kevin had changed out of his jeans into a pair of slacks and a white linen shirt. He had left the top two buttons of his shirt unbuttoned and Imani just couldn’t take her eyes off the exposed bronzed V of his chest. Patricia and Carina both looked sleek and elegant in short dresses and high heels. Glints of light reflected off Patricia’s hanging diamond earrings. Big Al was with them, his batik shirt stretching across the expanse of his vast belly. He was puffed on a fat cigar and the smoke curled up in tendrils to the ceiling.

  Imani knew that they would have a magical evening on the cruise. She had heard that the specially designed dhow had a live band that played romantic music as the diners enjoyed a sumptuous dinner under the starlit sky and the dhow glided silently down the creek. How she would have loved to be there at Kevin’s side! But she dismissed this thought. Kevin already had a fiancée, Patricia. He was nothing to her anymore.

  Imani gave a deep sigh as she searched through her drawers for the site plans big Al had asked for. When she looked up, Kevin was leaning on her desk. She gasped in surprise, and felt suddenly guilty, as if he could read her thoughts.

  “Hi Imani, so how are things going for you?” he still sounded formal.

  “Fine.” There was an awkward silence. “Did you know I was working here?” This question had been burning inside her since she had seen Kevin that morning.

  Kevin gave her a strange look. “Of course I knew you were working here. You met Big Al through me, don’t you remember?” He looked directly at her. “So does Mike work here too?”

  Before she could reply to this odd question, Hassan approached with a little bow. “The transport to the dhow is ready. If you’ll step this way, sir.”

  “You had better not keep your fiancée waiting,” she couldn’t resist adding as soon as Hassan had turned away. She could taste the bitterness in her voice.

  “Huh?” Kevin furrowed his brow.

  Big Al lumbered up to them. “What’s the delay? We have to leave right now as the dhow sets sail at seven sharp.” He ushered Kevin hastily away into the waiting vehicle.

  Imani would have loved to finish that conversation. She silently cursed her boss for his inopportune interruption. Why was Kevin asking her about Mike? And how come he was acting so cold towards her? She was the injured party here.

  ***

  That night, the heat was particularly oppressive in her airless room. So when there was a knock at her door at around midnight, she was still wide awake.

  “Who is it?” she called out.

  “It’s Salim.”

  She belatedly recognised his voice, “What do you want?”

  “The boss wants to see you?”

  Nkirote had told her she was to be on call at all hours, but this was ridiculous! She scrambled out of bed and groped for the switch of the single overhead bulb.

  “He is waiting fo
r you in the show apartment,” Salim said, as Imani came out after hastily putting on some clothes.

  As she walked to the apartment, she wondered what was going on. What on earth did Big Al need at this time? The front door was open and she could hear the sound of voices coming from the balcony. She crossed through the living room and stepped outside. Kevin and Big Al were sitting on the terrace. A half-empty bottle of Black Label and an ice bucket sat on the table between them.

  “Ah Imani, come and sit down.” Big Al got up unsteadily to pull a chair over for her. “We were just talking about the project,” his voice was slurred, “Kevin has decided to buy five apartments! So we are just having a drink to celebrate and we thought you should be here too.”

  She glanced over at Kevin but he seemed to be studying the bottom of his drink. Big Al sloshed in a generous measure of whiskey into a glass for Imani and refilled his glass as well. He held up his glass in a salute, “To Coral Palms!”

  She clinked her glass against his and forced a smile on her face as she took a tiny sip. The whiskey burnt her mouth and throat but she managed to swallow it.

  Big Al downed the contents of his glass in one long gulp. There was an uncomfortable silence that seemed to fill the entire room which was only broken by the sound of Big Al pouring himself yet another drink. It was excruciating for Imani to be so close to Kevin yet to be behaving like a stranger. Eventually Big Al’s eyes seemed to glaze over. “I think we should call it a night,” he announced.

  Kevin and she both stood up and prepared to leave.

  But Big Al put his meaty hand on her arm and held her back. “Not so fast, Imani. I just want to go over a few details about the apartments with you.” He nodded to Kevin, who raised his hand in farewell and walked away.

  Big Al was still holding her arm in a vice-like grip. He only released her when she indicated that she wanted to sit down. She rubbed her arm furtively, sure there would be a bruise the next day.

  “You haven’t finished your drink.”

  Big Al moved his chair so close to Imani’s that she could smell the fumes on his breath. He put his arm around her shoulder.

  She froze in horror. Was he just playing the avuncular boss or did he have more sinister motives? Either way, this was making her very uncomfortable.

  Gingerly, Imani moved his arm from around her and stood up. “I think it’s past my bedtime, let’s talk in the morning,” she said pleasantly, but firmly.

  Big Al stared stonily at her. “OK then. Do you know how to put on the jacuzzi? Help me fill it.”

  She could hardly say no. This was her boss after all. She went over to the hot tub, put in the plug and turned on the taps and the whirlpool jets. She had just straightened up from leaning over the tub when Big Al came up from behind her and put his hands around her waist. She spun around and gave a gasp when she saw that he had stripped down to his boxer shorts.

  “You have to join me in the jacuzzi,” he said in a husky voice. He ran a finger suggestively down the side of her face.

  “No, thank you. I am leaving now.” She tried to get past his massive bulk to get to the door but he blocked her way.

  “I am not asking you, I am telling you,” he said in a dangerously low voice.

  Her knees quivered but she stood her ground. “I am not going to do it.”

  He grabbed her chin in his hand and pulled her face close to his. “If you want to have a job here tomorrow, you will cooperate.”

  She jerked away from him. “Then I guess I won’t have a job tomorrow.”

  “And how do you think you are going to pay me back for the airline ticket that I bought you? You can’t leave until you’ve paid me what you owe me,” he threatened, advancing towards her.

  She took a step back and used all her strength to give him a hard shove. If he had been sober, it would have had as much effect as an ant trying to push over an elephant. But he was very drunk and very unstable, and she caught him by surprise. He flipped over backwards, right into the jacuzzi.

  Her entire body surged with adrenaline. Big Al seemed to be totally immersed in the deep tub. Just when she was wondering why he hadn’t come up and if he had drowned, his head emerged. In a panic, she grabbed the ice bucket and flung the entire contents, including the tongs at this head. He gave a yowl of pain.

  She ran hastily out of the balcony and back into the apartment. She stopped dead when she saw Kevin burst into the room.

  “I heard some commotion. Are you OK?”

  “Well, thanks for all your help,” she said sarcastically to him, “Don’t know how I would have managed without it.”

  “But what’s going on, Imani?

  “While you just walked away, Big Al tried to assault me.”

  “I was just outside, waiting for you, I wanted to talk to you and clarify some things with you. As soon as I heard the sound, I rushed back in.”

  “But you were too late to help!”

  “You are a tough woman and you dealt with the situation, but I’ll always be there if you need me. Always.”

  “Always?” Imani asked bitterly, “Always, Kevin? You weren’t there for me a few weeks ago when you dumped me so unceremoniously. I’m just your little fling, right? Why do you keep coming into my life? When you know you’re going to just marry someone else?”

  Kevin’s response was interrupted by the sounds of Big Al struggling inside the jacuzzi.

  Kevin walked over to the terrace. “As for you!” he looked at Big Al in disdain, “You can forget about the sale on those apartments or any other business from me ever again.”

  Big Al spluttered incoherently from the jacuzzi as an ice cube slid down his greasy black hair. Kevin held out his hand to her. “Imani, shall we?” Imani’s entire body tingled when Kevin closed his strong hand over hers and they walked out the door together.

  They could hear Big Al cursing as she and Kevin ran down the corridor. When they had turned the corner Imani turned to face Kevin. “So what did you want to talk about anyway?”

  “I think that we should be together, I am willing to put the past behind us and start over.”

  Imani looked at him speechless. Was he insane? Did he think that she was ready to pander to his whims and pick up things whenever he felt like? Well he had another think coming.

  “Kevin,” she began, but he didn’t give her a chance to say anything more. He pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. He brought his head down towards hers. His lips were just a few tantalising inches away from hers.

  With a sickening jolt, she remembered Patricia. She tore herself out of his arms and took a step back and faced him arms akimbo.

  “What about your fiancée?” she demanded, “Why do you do this? Stop playing with my feelings!”

  Kevin looked confused. “What on earth are you talking about? I couldn’t understand what you were asking me earlier this evening either. You were the one who was seeing someone else …”

  Kevin didn’t get to finish his sentence as they were interrupted by the sound of high heels furiously click-clacking towards them. How had Carina managed to track them down at this time of night? The ever-faithful Raoul shadowed her.

  Carina stepped between them and ignoring Imani, turned to Kevin. Her face was contorted into a nasty sneer. “What are you still doing with this cheap malaya? Don’t you see how this is spoiling things with Patricia?” She grabbed Kevin’s arm and tried to pull him towards her.

  Kevin shook off her arm and addressed his sister. His tone was calm but they could all see the anger he was trying to control. “How dare you speak about Imani like that? Apologise at once!”

  “What for?” Carina snorted, “She is just a piece of cheap trash who is just chasing you for your money. At least Patricia is one of us.”

  Imani had never
seen Kevin looking so incensed.

  “Carina, when will you learn to mind your own business? For the last time, don’t you dare insult Imani! And for your information Imani has never chased me, I am the one who has been chasing her.” Carina took a step back in alarm at his furious tone, looking stunned.

  Kevin turned to face Imani and his tone softened. “I came to the Coast just to find you Imani. I don’t want to lose you again.” Imani was entranced by the sincerity in his voice. “I don’t know how serious things are between you and this Mike, but if I have any sort of a chance with you, I am willing to do whatever it takes.”

  Imani felt as though she had fallen down a rabbit hole into a topsy-turvy world where nothing made sense. She looked at Kevin in confusion. “So why did you break up with me then?”

  “I didn’t break up with you. You went off with someone else.”

  “Me? When?”

  “On the night of the launch. I know that you and Mike were fooling around near the pool. I saw you!”

  “That’s not true! We were arguing about work!” her voice rose indignantly, “So is that why you sent me that text message?”

  “What text message?” He seemed confused.

  “A text telling me you didn’t want to play games and that we shouldn’t see each other again!” Imani said, her anger rankled anew.

  Kevin grimaced. “I never sent you any text! Yes, I tried to call you but your phone was always off and you never tried to contact me again.”

  As one, they both turned to look at Carina. Guilt was written all over her face. “I saw Imani and Mike by the pool. I was just trying to watch out for you, Kevin. I didn’t think she was right for you.”