The Designer's Wicked Intentions

by Yvonne Sibanda

  “No Ethan, you are not serious,” she blurted out as he motioned for her to settle on the next chair. “Even Alexander’s birthday will be livelier than this one,” she sulked.

  “Hey love.” He grasped her hands before explaining, “I tend to be busy all the time, and hence my birthday is like a rest day for me. Time to be around family and good friends like you, it’s enough”

  “Oooh,” Marg was heard gushing before she went over and hugged Ethan. “Actually that’s how all of them celebrate Sophie. Good conversation over drinks, while we also form our women’s club.” She winked, “At least you joined in later because at first it was just me and would be relegated to spending time with Martha while the men chatted. Then Agatha came into the picture though she would leave earlier since she was with Luc and Luc isn’t part of these guys. Now we welcome you.”

  They pulled her as everyone huddled together like a basketball team hugging. Already Marg anticipated Brad and Dominic’s wives to join the crew so as to make it two complete teams, the ladies vs the males. Alexander broke the moment by crying, Sophie plucked him from Garret’s arms and the ladies followed her to change his diaper.

  “It has always been Greg, Ethan, Dominic and Brad while Garret is their anchor, their voice of reason.” Marg concluded while they walked into the house. “No wonder Greg turned out the way he is,” Sophie retorted. “We have the always jilted Brad, the still wife searching Dominic, yet he is already promised to someone else, the sensible Garret,” she giggled before finishing, “And the naughty Ethan.”

  “Ethan isn’t naughty,” Aggy huffed while Marg and Sophie rolled their eyes. “What do you call that then, him having his way with you and pretending to be helpful? Are you saying he isn’t deriving any joy from your sweet kisses?” She raised her brow while Marg yelped. “When did that happen? Aggy are you sleeping with Ethan.”

  “Marg I am not,” she flapped her hands before turning to Sophie who winked. “Honey do you want the strawberry flavored ones or the banana flavored ones. What was Ethan talking about, at night in your room that had you yelling the roof off?”

  Sophie moved towards the baby cot and placed Alexander who had fallen asleep on it. The little one could be a handful when awake as he tried to crawl out of the house, seeing it as an adventure worth taking.

  “That was meant to be a joke.” She stared at Aggy in disbelief and Marg chuckled at the two women’s playfulness. “Where you aware Marg that Ethan sleeps over at Aggy’s place in her bed and they say their relationship is platonic, how is that even possible?” Sophie fanned her face as she giggled watching Aggy blush.

  “Well you are the cause of this.”

  Sophie glared at her, “How so love.”

  “Well you forgot to mention that Greg is a siesta loving person. He is the one making everyone go rogue, including me and poor Ethan.”

  Marg burst out laughing, hoping Martha’s ear wasn’t plastered on their door and listening in. She could be quite nosy like her mother in law Lucille. The woman loved Aggy to bits and dotted on her six girls. For one who had a family that loved her and would quickly accept her into its fold, Agatha was the reluctant potential daughter in-law.

  Marg knew why Greg and Sophie actually appeared to not keep their hands off each other as both actually celebrated their happy and healthy sex life. When not busy, no one could disturb them in the afternoon. She knew though that in due time things would settle to some form of rhythm as they enjoyed their marriage, just like it had been with Garret. Their coming together was like some form of relief at times that he was no longer who he used to be.

  She understood how sex was so beautiful when done on Gods terms, and she knew in the same way that to Sophie it might be the same. The fact that she could have it with her husband without thinking back to the past and the men she once had been involved with.

  “Sophie and Greg are married, you are not,” Marg pointed out to her friend who grumbled that they were now ganging up on her.

  “We are not sweetie, just want you to see how absurd this whole thing is so you do it right. Get married to Ethan. I know you have these 1001 reasons why he is not right for you and they are all based on what people will think” Marg said hugging her and echoing the same sentiments that Sophie had. “I will think about it,” she finally said.

  Seeing how they were adamant that she do the right thing made her not disclose of her plan knowing the two married women would be totally against it. They were not in her shoes. She had tried marriage and it didn’t work. Now she would try tasting the apple outside it and it was going to be Ethan’s birthday gift. The two ladies sighed and changed the subject.

  ***

  THEY WERE now settled in the living room, chatting after having had their meal and Ethan’s parents having excused themselves and left for bed. “Open my gift first” Dominic winked before handing the nicely wrapped up box to Ethan. Ethan slowly took his time to Nick’s annoyance who reached out and ripped the paper as everyone else laughed. “Look at you, being excited like a kid with candy,” Agatha commented to Dominic who stuck his tongue out.

  “A tablet” Ethan raised his brow questioningly as his computer tech friend smirked. “Switch it on bud,” he advised.

  “What is it?”

  All the ladies appeared to be surrounding Ethan as he grinned when he saw what Dominic had done.

  “I thought you should let go of sketching your designs by hand” Dom simply stated before shaking his friend’s hand and giving him a hug. He had installed the Computer aided design software (CAD) his own version that is, that would help Ethan generate some designs in his work, hence save time by limiting the time for tailoring and other later adjustments.

  Aggy grabbed the tablet and looked through the designs to be generated.

  “My gift,” Sophie chirped in and handed what they had bought with Greg. At opening the box, Ethan got a Rolex watch and they had also commissioned an artist to make a painting of Ethan which their friends where marveling at. The rest continued with their gifts as Ethan finally stated, “Saved the best for last.”

  Agatha was already sweating having bought him the usual gift. Why was she now worried, before she would just hand it to him and not be bothered?

  Ethan took the gift and unwrapped it, while Greg and the rest of the guys groaned. “Not again Aggy,” Greg grumbled. Yet Ethan smiled and kissed her hand.

  “She always knows my taste.”

  “Aggy, next time try something like a jersey or stockings since already you appear to go the domesticated front as if Ethan is your husband.” Greg voiced and received a pinch from the wife.

  “Enough, can’t you see you are making the poor girl uncomfortable,” Brad joined in and winked, “Though she laughed at my broken heart, see I have your best interest at heart.”

  Ethan chuckled, “Don’t listen to them Aggs they don’t know how expensive this brand is.”

  Garret looked at the bottle of cologne and aftershave in disbelief before checking on the phone. He whistled and passed his phone to the others who whistled in return.

  Marg laughed before asking, “Does the smell last for a month,” as Aggy joined in, she was shocked at Ethan’s expensive taste also.

  “This should stop or else my beautiful twins will have to leave school” Ethan joked.

  “What would you have her give you?” Dominic asked. He usually had crazy ideas that no one wanted to listen to, having gotten in trouble a lot of times because of them.

  “What do you have in mind?” Ethan asked staring at Dom while he smirked and the others groaned.

  “Not the brothel please” Sophie chimed in eliciting a laugh from the rest.

  “You should be thankful Soph, if it weren’t for me, you will be there till to date,” Dom scoffed. Sophie huffed while Greg placated his wife by pasting a kiss on her.

  “A date. The rest it’s up to them,” Dominic stated with flourish.

  “Just a date,” Brad asked with an incredulous expression on h
is face. “With no naked bodies, blazing guns and dead bodies in their wake suggestion,” he muttered as Dom smirked. “Yes, a date.” Dominic repeated.

  “What do you say Aggy, a date?” Ethan asked and watched her nibble at her lower lip before replying, “Fine.”

  “Come to think of it, it’s a relief Dom didn’t suggest a quick brew from Martha’s kitchen.” The rest burst out laughing while Sophie looked confused. “What’s so funny?”

  “Martha prepares delicious herbal tea Sophie, that knocks you up and you wake up in weird places.”

  “You can’t say,” she stared at them in disbelief. “Serious” Garret said, “We didn’t know what took place until after we woke up the next day in bed not remembering what happened.”

  Sophie laughed having heard snippets pertaining to Garret and Margi’s honeymoon at one of Martha’s safari lodges.

  She gave them her herbal tea to help them rest after their long journey to the destination. Marg till to date still got cross over the fact that she couldn’t remember how her first night was like. Apart from the fact that she woke up naked, next to her handsome husband and having lost her virginity, yet they had planned out and anticipated the whole thing prior.

  “I guess Dominic is now an adult” Greg remarked and hit him on the back. “Coming up with such sensible ideas. By the way when will we finally meet Mrs. Knight,” he joked as Dominic grimaced. He had managed to avoid the meeting but his father wasn’t taking any of it anymore. Once his bride finished college, he had been ordered to court her.

  The man acted as if they were in the 16th century. “You will meet her very soon” he answered as he stood up and hugged his friends. It’s time he left for home.

  Brad did the same and the rest followed suit.

  “Agatha” Greg called out like unto a child taking note she wanted to linger. He frowned at her and stood threateningly at the door. “Let’s go, today we are sleeping at your house.”

  Sophie giggled and carried Alex to the car, having noticed her husband had changed his mind about staying at Ethan’s place citing he wanted to keep an eye on his cousin who was acting like a hussy.

  Ethan hugged Aggy and winked at Greg in relief. Now he was at breaking point and he had told his friend those words. Aggy smiled and walked away to an intimidating looking Greg who accompanied her to the car and tailed it till they got home.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  AGGY PLAYED around with the paper while sitting behind the cosmetics counter. She wanted to clear her mind from thinking much about her encounter with Greg after the party. The dude could surely act all noble and pristine of character. She had planned out her seduction to perfection. Once they reached home, she yawned and excused herself from the couple.

  She showered and wore her lacy lingerie with a see through nightie over it before wearing her black long coat. She called Ethan over the phone and told him to meet her at his penthouse as she had another gift she wanted to give him. Arming herself with a pack of condoms she slid into her purse, she was set and ready to go, except her hulk of a cousin was lounging in her living room, having resisted his scantily dressed wife. She was startled when he flipped the switch of the light on and blandly asked, "where to at this hour Aggy.”

  “It’s none of your business Greg and I am an adult, not a teenager to be guarded” She retorted back, not intimidated at all at his frown. He could do that in his workplace as his minions scampered for cover but she wasn’t one of them. “Then act like one Aggy,” he growled before muttering something under his breath and loudly stating. “Are you trying to ruin Ethan?”

  “What makes you think that, Ethan is an adult, it’s not like am in anyway taking advantage of him?”

  “My sweet innocent Aggy, do you hear yourself. To you Ethan might just be someone to have a little fun with but it’s different with him love. Do you want to start a chain reaction in which he returns to who he used to be before because the devil has found an inroad back into his life?” Agatha had sagged on the sofa in defeat. Of course she didn’t want that.

  “You are an adult like you said, you can go ahead, have mindless sex without commitment in the mix,” he had stated as he threw something to her and left. It was a pack of condoms and she almost hollered back at him for being such a hypocrite. She climbed her stairs to her bedroom and plopped on the bed, frustrated as Greg turned out to be like Pastor Garret.

  The next day, the couple left. Her children arrived that same day and she knew that it was Greg’s doing since they still had a week to go before they opened schools.

  Ethan visited a bit and played around with the kids while she was sexually frustrated and he acted as if the incident didn’t take place. That dinner date seemed to be long forgotten as he prepared for his Fashion show to be held on a Saturday. She went with the girls to her parents place so they could see them before they went back to school, while Ethan went to the show and they watched him on Telly.

  She was relieved at the fact that he had called and he still wanted to meet with her, after the mess she had almost created. The children had travelled in the morning to school, while Elsie and the twins would be opening the next day.

  She finished the paper plane with a flourish, threw it and watched it float before landing on the counter where Rita her sales attaché sat. She looked her way and rolled her eyes before remarking, “Boss lady, don’t you think you are too old for such antics.”

  “Rita how many times have I told you to drop the boss lady title,” she chided good humoredly. “Besides, no one ever gets too old for paper planes” she winked. Rita darted her tongue out and rolled her eyes reminding her of Elsie as long gone was the nervous girl who had entered her shop a week ago.

  She still marveled at the fact that Rita and Elsie were the same age and learnt in the same class, seeing her Elsie had bigger dreams that included partying none stop and the Lord knew what she was up to on the men front. She was definitely going to miss Rita after she started school the next day.

  “Why don’t you go and play with Ethan” Cassie said walking into the boutique and managing to come in with a whiff of fried chicken and chips making Aggy’s mouth water. Rita clutched her mouth at the two adults while Aggy glared at her sales lady and friend. Cassie shut the door to the boutique and put up the sign indicating they were out for lunch before walking to Aggy’s office. The rest of the crew had left a while ago as they preferred eating their meals at a restaurant than the office.

  Aggy’s office was a haven with a soft black and white carpet; her feet usually sunk into on a bad day and would manage to calm her down. It was well lit with good air conditioning. A huge oak desk graced the middle of the huge room and four black leather seats for the visitors. Some cabinets paneled one side of the wall behind Aggy’s chair while four elegantly dressed mannequins were on the other side.

  An adult sized female and male mannequin and two five year old sized for a boy and girl. Near the windows on the far side of the room was a medium sized round coffee table, a recliner and a rather long couch where they used to sit and chat while they had their lunch. When working on something, the couch was easily turned into her bed as she couldn’t work from home with her hoard of kids crying for her attention.

  Rita plopped up on the couch while Aggy settled on her recliner and muttered. “You are a bad example to your daughter.”

  Cassie was washing her hands on the tiny sink after having placed the food on the coffee table. “Never, Rita knows more than me. See the way she giggles, this girl will be the death of me” she retorted and moved towards them. Aggy had taken out the lunch packs and was already savoring the meal.

  “Any visitors while I was out.” She asked and watched them shake their heads negatively. “Where you expecting someone in particular,” Aggy raised her brow in question and was shocked when she detected a shy look on Cassie’s face.

  “Honey, I forgot to buy some sodas, go and do that.”

  She handed Rita her purse and they watched her gladly leave the
office with a relieved expression on her face.

  Aggy chuckled, hoping Rita wouldn’t turn out like her daughter. Elsie was a handful.

  “I have been kinda like seeing someone of late,” Cassie admitted after her daughter had left as her boss gasped shocked. “Jimmy has been dead for two months love and already you are seeing someone”

  “Like you said, he is dead” Cassie defended shocking her even further. “Wasn’t he your soul mate, and for you to forget him so quickly.”

  “Who said anything about forgetting?” Cassie didn’t look at all remorseful; rather a smirk graced her beautiful full lips while her eyes glowed with glee. “Jimmy will always be a part of me, but I can’t stop living because he is gone. I have two growing boys who need a father to guide them and a teenage girl who would rather hear about males from their perspective and not from the woman’s side.”

  Aggy chewed on her chicken before replying, “Two months is just too short. Are you not worried about what people will think, what about your children?”

  “Let people think what they want to think love, I don’t care.” Aggy frowned at how flippantly she appeared to be handling the whole matter. Cassie was a strong woman who wasn’t swayed easily and she knew that. But for her to take such a huge decision in a matter of just a few months, it shocked her. Had she moaned enough for her husband, Aggy wondered. “Do your in-laws know that you are seeing someone?” At that Cassie laughed baffling Aggy further.

  “They rather encouraged it” she grinned and continued happily with her meal before adding, “My widows weeds came off a month after the funeral as a fulfillment to Jimmy’s last request.”

  “Jimmy suggested all this,” Aggy gaped at what her friend was saying. Along with the sickness, his mind must not have been working properly, Aggy thought. Cassie had nursed Jimmy for almost a year after he was diagnosed with leukemia. That was a terrible time for the family never the less Cassie managed to come to work all bright and sunny tempered never letting the situation drag her down.