by Cathy Johns
Everybody’s eyes are on us but I ignore them and tighten my grip on Hope’s hand, assuring her that I’m not letting go. It’s one thing to have her to myself but another thing to have her standing in front of a crowd having no idea what’s going on inside their heads. Sam might think I’ve been having my way with her since that second time I went to see her and he came along with me.
I smile inside because no one can ask me a thing since I’m their boss, well apart from Leo, Mark, and Sam, but the rest, I’m their boss and I should kiss Hope later for the butterfly mask she always had on, making it so hard for anyone to recognize her.
“Morning,” they all murmur.
Leo walks towards me giving me that brotherly hug he always gives me before messing with my hair. “Who do we have here?” he whispers in my ear.
When did he start whispering into my ear when I know his big mouth gets him what he wants?
“Leo, this is Hope” I gaze at Hope the minute my brother releases me from his hold. “Hope, meet my brother Leo.” She stretches her hand towards Leo but he ignores it. Instead, he pulls her in his arms squeezing her tightly. “Now I see why my brother has been on edge lately.” He says before releasing her.
“Really?” Hope asks in disbelief, her gaze on me now. I scowl my face at her. I didn’t know I was on the edge all this time to a point that Leo noticed. I need to get my feelings in check.
I look up from Hope and watch Sam and Mark walking towards us. I’ll never get to hear the end of it. Sam has a smile on his face his dark hair shaved on the side as stray locks fall on his forehead. He has on dark jeans with brown boots, the sleeves of his grey shirt are rolled up his forearms exposing his tattoos and a bit of his tanned skin. Mark on the other hand he has blue Demin jeans on, black boots and a black V-neck t-shirt that has the buttons open exposing his dark skin and a black cap. I know Sam already knows who Hope is but I know he can keep his mouth shut. This is my secret to tell.
“Hey you” Mark says giving me that one-sided hug that we men share and Sam does the same slapping my back.
“Hope, I would like you to meet the other two missing pieces of our puzzle, my friends Sam and Mark. Guys, this is Hope.” They all look at me, waiting for me to continue but I don’t. I don’t know what we are to each other, yet. She’s still mad at me, no matter how hard she tries to hide it. This is the first time I’ve been with a woman in five years. I look at my two friends taking turns hugging Hope and I’m jealous when Mark takes his sweet time hugging her, I know he’s messing with my head and I’m forced to intervene. I do trust my friends but I’d never trust them enough with a girl I intend to, no, scratch that. A girl who’s already mine.
“I’m happy to meet you guys,” Hope says turning her face as if asking me to hold her so I pull her into my arms and do just that as I wrap one arm around her shoulder.
Cecilia approaches us, a smile spreading across her face. “Aren’t you happy” she says, the minute she stands before us.
“That I am.” Leaning down, I kiss her cheek before introducing her to the woman I have my arm wrapped around. “Hope, this is Cecilia, the one woman who takes no nonsense from me and keeps my life in order,” I smile at Cecilia and she shakes her head.
“Nice to meet you, Cecilia. I hope I can tag along and help keep his life in order.” Hope teases.
“Me too” they both shake hands and I know I’m in way more trouble than I thought. It’s like they just sealed a deal right in front of me and I had no say in it.
“Okay guys enough with the chit-chat, time to go make a difference in somebody’s life.” Mark says, leading the others to the waiting staff bus that’s ready to take us to our destination.
“Everything is in the van” Cecilia says as she hands Hope and I each a pair of boots and gloves.
“Welcome to my world” I whisper as I plant a kiss on her temple releasing my arm from her shoulder and placing it behind her tiny waist while I lead us towards the bus where we sit next to each other and when I gaze at her, my heart pounds harder. I want her to see my world, where I grew up and the people who surround my life.
I’m not ashamed of who I am, never have been, and never will.
Hope
The minute Cecilia handed me a pair of boots, I gave her one of those confused looks, lifting one brow not sure what I was supposed to do with them. I wanted to ask what the boots were for but the hand that was resting on my tiny back had my stomach doing somersaults, my thoughts everywhere. The boots, the hands on my back, the faces I’d met and seen… where were we going?
I gaze at the man seated next to me and a smile spreads on my face. I feel safe and happy next to him as he links and unlinks our fingers. I get to check him out as he scrolls his phone. His stubble seems to have grown since last night and I wonder how it would feel against my cheek.
I inhale his scent resting my head on his shoulder and gaze outside the window as I get lost in the moment, my thoughts wondering what I did right to have him walk across my path when he could have had any woman he wished. Don’t take me wrong, I’ve met so many men in my line of work, some you want to strangle and watch die a slow death, others, they think you’re a sex toy but we all have a story on why we do things the way we do, because the secrets in our closets and the scars that clearly show where we’ve been and I don’t mean the physical scars. We all have a story, sad or good, it’s a story, just told in a different way and that story makes us who and what we are.
“You are mine.” His words linger in my mind and I want to laugh. I’ve never had anyone call me mine before and the man who could be having any other woman can’t seem to give up on his quest for me. My mind shifts to last night’s event at the club and I can’t help but smile as fear slowly creeps up because if he was to break my heart after using me and getting tired of me, I’d die a million times.
“Stop overthinking,” he whispers against my ear and I look up to meet his gaze.
“I’m not.” I lie.
“Tonight, after all this you can ask me any questions you have on your mind okay?” I nod since my voice box seems not to produce any sound.
He cups my cheeks in his hand and his eyes drill into mine, I see something in his eyes, care, worry, maybe concern and I smile because whoever said eyes could speak wasn’t wrong… ours just had the best conversation before he pulls me against him, resting his chin on top of my head as we approach one of the slums in Nairobi.
What the hell are we doing here?
The bus stops and people start moving as Taylor holds me back before I can even wake up. “You have to wear your boots.” He says looking down at my feet.
“Oh” I frown at him before bending down to untie my sneakers, I remove them and change into the boots Cecilia gave me. Perfect size. How did she…? Wait. I look up from where I am and gaze at Taylor. “You had this all planned out?” I ask him, feeling a bit angry but when he gives me that heart-melting smile, all anger goes out the bus door.
“I called Cecilia this morning and gave her your shoe size.” He cups my cheek with his hand before leaning in as if he wants to kiss me, I wet my lips anticipating what will happen next but he pulls back, his eyes gazing at mine and I’ve never felt the things that I’m feeling when his eyes are drilling mine, taking me in, full of something that I can’t put a finger on. He rubs his thumb along my cheek the sensation running down my body and I lean into his gentle touch, something I want to feel every single day of my life even when I’m afraid I might get hurt.
“Come” he whispers snapping me back to the now as he takes my hand in his and leads us out of the bus. We are the last people to get out and we join the rest of the crowd which seems to have multiplied. I see his friend Mark hugging a lady, brunette to be precise, who is almost my height and size before kissing her cheek. I come to learn later that her name is Tanya and she’s Mark’s best friend when Mark introduces her to us.
Taylor and his friends have a tight bond, “Honor among thieves” that’s what I’d ca
ll them. They have each other’s back, my brother’s keeper if I should put it that way. The few minutes I’ve known them, I’ve come to realize that their friendship runs deeper than eyes can tell. It’s like having a brother you never had but he’s there.
I hear a familiar voice and when I turn to look around I see the purple hair and I know it's Molly, she’s in Sam’s arms, smiling as Sam leans in to kiss her lips. What the hell? Damn, now I get it. The hot guy she was talking to at the club… if eyes were bullets; I believe mine would have shot a tranquilizer and I’d have Molly on the ground. How could she not tell me she would be here when we spoke earlier on the phone? But how could she have known I’d be here when I didn’t mention it. Taylor.
“Did you know?” I ask elbowing Taylor on the side as he looks down at me his hand holding where I just elbowed him.
“That hurts” he says making me laugh. He’s such a baby.
“With all these muscles…” I trail my hand over his polo-shirt tracing his six pack I feel him jolt and a small groan escapes his mouth. “I hardly did anything.”
He places one hand on top of mine, stopping me from going any further as he scowls at me his eyes full of lust and I giggle.
“Knew what?” he pretends to look unaffected by my touch when I circle a finger on where my hand is resting.
“Your friend and my friend?” he lifts his gaze and his eyes land on Molly who is in Sam’s arms shaking his head.
“No, this is all new to me.” He states before looking back at me, his six-two towering over my five-five. I believe him since he has the same look as mine.
“So, what are we doing today?’ I try to change the topic. Our common friends are grown-ups and they know what they’re doing and if they need us to know, they’ll let us know.
“Introducing you to my world.” I laugh because how can this be his world. He’s all, you know, him, Taylor, the youngest billionaire in town, how can he say a slum is his world?
“This can’t be your world, Mr. Smith,” I say looking around as he catches his eyes with mine before pulling me closer to him, my breast crushing on his hard chest as he sways us slowly, whispering.
“There’s so much you don’t know about me baby, and if you allow me,” he runs his palm on my back sending these sweet delights all over my body. “I’d like you to know that part of me that no one knows. I want you to know who Taylor Smith is.” I swallow hard, God I think I just wet my panties. This man is slowly getting under my skin, his hands on my body are enough to cause goosebumps all over as I inhale his Yves Saint Laurent cologne. “Will you allow me?” he asks, leaning in nipping my exposed flesh along my neck and I squirm under his embrace.
“Stop it” I swat his arm pulling away from him. This is not the place or time for us to start getting lost in each other. He doesn’t stop as he nuzzles his nose in the crook of my neck, I know he doesn’t care who watches us because all he needs is his answer. “Yes” I whisper, my legs feeling all jelly. “I’ll allow you.” I giggle when his breath tickles my neck sending shivers down my spine and I hear him groan.
“Thank you” he says pulling away from me as he links our hands leading us to where Sam and Molly are standing. I tap on my friend who is busy talking to Sam who still has his arms wrapped around her and when she turns, she’s shocked to see me. She blinks a few times as if making sure it’s me she’s seeing before pulling me into her arms and hugging me. Hugging has never been our thing unless I’m having one of those days when I can’t take it anymore.
I should be happy that this whole thing won’t leave me feeling like I’m out of place, being surrounded by Taylor’s staff and his friends and the rest of the community that seems to be gathering here with every minute, carrying all sort of cleaning equipment. I can’t be angry at her for playing along with Taylor’s request and I believe she did me a favor when she agreed to play the same side with Taylor regarding last night’s incident.
“Hey girl” I say squeezing my friend in my embrace. We don’t need any introduction as Taylor gazes down on me.
We hear Cecilia’s voice calling everyone around as she starts handing us sweepers, shovels and buckets as three water tankers drive in. “Let’s get our hands dirty lovelies” she yells at the top of her lungs for everyone.
“Let’s get dirty” we yell back and I laugh as I follow Taylor’s lead.
It’s interesting to see a filthy rich man like him getting his hands dirty as he goes picking up waste and putting it in a garbage bag while he wheels a wheelbarrow next to me. God, I think I love him already if that’s even sane to say about a man who is yet to kiss me. This is the side he wanted me to see, his world. My heart aches as I try to put the pieces together.
This must mean something to him, I think to myself. This country has so many wealthy and filthy rich people, men who talk and others listen because of how powerful they are but none have ever done this kind of selfless act. Taylor seems to be enjoying this and I turn around in search of his friends, I see they all have the same kind of look as they rub shoulders with the street children and the inhabitants.
This clearly must mean something to all of them. I fight the tear that is threatening to course havoc as I search the face of the one man that brought me here only to find him on his knees, the same level with a child he’s busy talking to, and my heart breaks. He’s so humble, kneeling down in his expensive designer jeans means something to me. Those are just clothes but his heart, it’s not about money. It’s about this young girl he’s talking to. It’s about the community he’s helping make their environment clean. This is his world.
I walk towards him and kneel next to him as he introduces me to his new friend. “This is Kelly, she’s five-years-old, and she lives around.” He says looking at me. “Kelly, meet my friend Hope,” Taylor says to the beautiful young girl. I pull Kelly into my arms and give her that mama bear hug I usually give Michael.
“Can I be your friend too?” Kelly asks and I cry-laugh.
“Yes, you can.” Fighting the tears.
She hugs me so tightly that I almost fall on my ass. She reminds me of Michael and now I wish I came with him but I didn’t know where Taylor was taking me, not forgetting the things I would have to explain when he would call me mama. I’m yet to know Taylor but I don’t want secrets between us. If he has any good intention towards me, I’ll be laying everything on the table because my family comes first.
Michael comes first.
I had to see my son the minute Taylor dropped me home before we came here. I had to know that my mama was doing fine and Michael was on his best behavior not that he’s a naughty boy, no. He’s my world and as a mother you protect what’s yours. He’s been mine since the day he was born and nothing will ever change that. Looking at this little girl in my arms makes me wish I had come with Michael I’m pretty sure he would have loved being here meeting kids his own age… and getting his small hands dirty.
Next time.
Saying goodbye to him was the most difficult thing to do. He knows that Saturday is our day together where we do stuff together before the day comes to an end before reporting to work. And thinking of work… I don’t have a job anymore thanks to Taylor.
The day goes well, faster than I had expected, people laughing everywhere, getting to know each other, a few glances here and there between Taylor and I, unspoken words that only our eyes can tell. When we break for lunch, we all get to eat together like a big family, makes me wish for the day not to end. Getting to know all these people is something I wasn’t prepared for, and what I once felt would be uncomfortable has turned out to be one of those moments that makes you appreciate life and what you have.
I watch Taylor mingle with the locals, hugging and shaking hands with men his age and others old enough to be our fathers. He looks so happy and I have to pull my eyes from him for a second only for them to land on Kelly who is tugging on his jeans as he leans down to pick her up. He looks around and when his eyes land on mine, I know he was looking for m
e. I don’t need him to call out for me because I find myself walking towards where he is, his beautiful smile spreading across his face.
“Hey Kelly” I pull her dirty fingers out of her mouth. “Where is your mom?” I ask, the men with Taylor turn to look at me and I don’t need to be told what their look towards me means. Kelly is an orphan.
Five years, all alone on the streets, and no one to look after her.
I turn and look away, fighting the tears that I don’t want Taylor, or Kelly, or the men with Taylor to see. How can life be this cruel to such a kid? I feel a hand rubbing my back and I know it's Taylor. “Baby, can you take her?” he asks and I turn around forcing a smile that I know doesn’t reach my eyes.
“Yes” I wipe my nose with the back of my hand in an un-ladylike manner but I don’t care. Taking Kelly in my arms, we start walking away towards a group of children that are playing with some toys and we join them. Molly joins me a few seconds later and has a face that resembles mine.
Broken.
“What’s wrong?” I ask her.
“Everything and nothing.” She says. I don’t understand her but before I can ask she speaks again. “Being here… I thought he was just a pretty face that wanted to get in my pants but when he asked me to meet him here…” she trails her words wiping her tears. I know she’s talking about Sam. “I wasn’t expecting this. I wasn’t expecting to see this side of him where he’s blending with all these people like it’s something he’s been doing all his life. This…” she gestures around with her hands. “This means so much to him and his friends.” I nod my head since I can’t utter a single word.
I’ve never seen this side of Molly, yes, she cares and worries but being all emotional, tears in her eyes, this is a new one for me. I hold her in my arms and hug her tightly, rubbing her back gently.
“This is all new to me too,” I whisper. “I also wasn’t expecting this.” She pulls from my arms and gazes at me. “This is not what I had in mind when I woke up this morning and Taylor asked for me to go with him somewhere. Seeing him getting his hands dirty, carrying children in his arms, laughing and crying as he hugged the women and children…” I look at Kelly. “You see that little girl in a brown dress with no shoes” Molly looks at where I’m pointing and nods her head. “Her name is Kelly. She’s five-years-old, she’s a friend of Taylor’s and to make it worse, she’s an orphan, and my heart is a wreck just thinking she’s all alone in the world.