The Designer's Wicked Intentions

by Yvonne Sibanda

  They left the girls at school and Aggy gasped when they reached her main branch after spotting the reporters. “Seriously, don’t they have a life?”

  Sophie handed her a black coat, hat and sunglasses. “This is ridiculous.”

  “It’s either that, or you brave the tide,” Sophie muttered. “They don’t know my car, so you are safe for the mean time. Do you want to talk with them?” Aggy sighed and donned on the things handed to her. “For how long do you think they will continue hounding me? Ethan is just an ordinary person to me.” Sophie giggled, “So is Greg, he is just my husband. But to the world he became the CEO who married a former prostitute. Ethan still not reachable?”

  “Yes, it’s like he has disappeared from the face of the earth.”

  “Maybe Greg is right, he eloped.” Aggy grimaced “And I thought it was all pretend, he was feigning the whole amnesia stuff.”

  “What would make you think that,” Sophie asked. “The way he has been acting lately. He seemed self-aware.” She shrugged and slid from the seat. “See you at lunch time girlfriend.” Aggy breathily said, donned on the dark glasses and walked towards her boutique. Sophie giggled when she spotted that none of the reporters noticed her as she rounded the bend to use the back door to get into it.

  ***

  HER MOBILE phone kept on ringing as calls from family came in. A lot of questions, she wasn’t ready to answer. Her mother had called and managed to drop her already tattered confidence to the floor as she chided her for not being a good role model to her girls. “Agatha what the hell were you thinking,” she hollered. “Is that what you want your children to learn from you? That they can throw themselves at a man shamelessly like you did for the whole world to see.”

  “Mom, it’s not as it seems. And that stuff about me being the other woman is all a huge misunderstanding.”

  “Well we didn’t see the young man come to ask for your hand in marriage after all. Even Luc had the decency to do so.” She had listened on as she said her tirade making her feel nothing more than a whore. She suddenly realized what Sophie might have gone through, except it didn’t affect her much since the ones saying the nasty things were outsiders and not her family.

  Her family was rather supportive; on the other hand her mother was the one nailing her on the cross for her immoral behavior. “You have brought shame in our association dear. You know people are brutal and they tend to point out that woman of the cloth in this denomination puts it all out there for the world.”

  “Maaa, I get it. Am sorry for messing up with your sensibilities but I am tired and can’t live to your standards. I have done the best I could for the girls even my marriage. Trying to please people while suffering in private. Already you told me you were opposed to my relationship with Ethan and preferred Luc instead. Your Luc ma abused me and made me feel less than a human being, while Ethan has been nothing but good to me and the children. So what if the world got it all wrong and thinks I was having an affair with him, you know that didn’t happen. Instead of you standing by me, you are echoing the same sentiments out there. My relationship has been nothing but above board. The world can say whatever it likes, I no longer care,” she said and hung up.

  Her phone rang again, she was about to toss it aside but noticed it was Luc. Maybe he also wanted to chide her like the rest.

  “Not you also," Aggy said after answering the phone and could hear him chuckling. "If its criticism that you want to do. Just join the line."

  "Not at all love, just berating myself for not seeing the scandalous nature in you before" he stated before pausing and changing his tone. "How are you doing though? Just checking up on you."

  "I will survive, was about to switch off my phone because of the calls"

  "Shame" he muttered. "Can I get the kids from school to my place today so you cry your heart out alone at home?" Aggy giggled at that, marveling at the amenable Luc who had managed to remove her from her slump. "I will survive, don’t worry. The other woman is always said to be made of stronger stuff" she quipped. "I guess I am not the scandalous one in the family after all. When I saw the initials on the ring thought they were meant for you love. Sorry about that, guess they meant Abigail Conrad."

  "What ring, what are you talking about?"

  "The engagement ring" from the way Luc sounded he would shut her off before she asked any more questions. "Please don’t hang up Luc" she begged as he chuckled and answered, "I wasn’t planning to." She sighed relieved. "What ring?"

  "Ethan had a ring the night he was attacked. I can’t say when I went over to his place I had good intentions; I wanted to threaten him and found him fighting off four men. My pistol came in handy because they scrammed off once I shot into the sky."

  "What are you talking about," Aggy muttered trying to find her bearing. Luc is the one who saved Ethan, how come she wasn’t aware about that. She shook her head and listened to what he was saying. "He came to thank me afterwards when he got well for having saved him and I gave him back the ring. That’s why I was a bit taken aback when I heard about the amnesia thing."

  They was a slight pause as Aggy realized this whole charade had been going on for much longer than she thought. Maybe the papers were right after all. Why didn’t he propose the night they were out on a date? Was he just enjoying taking liberties with her while he had always wanted to marry Abigail? If not, why the silence then.

  Lucas asked, "Did I say anything wrong Aggy."

  "No you didn’t. I should get going, chat later after the fiasco." She managed a high note in her tone before she hung up.

  Was this some form of poetic justice for the times she rejected him. She couldn't believe that he would stoop so low as to make her embarrass herself in such a manner knowing he was set to marry Abigail. She indeed had read it all wrong, thinking he was the same. No this Ethan was ruthless and didn’t care who he hurt. The more she thought about it, the more furious she became.

  How could Ethan lead her in a Mary go round when he knew he would eventually settle down with Abigail. No that was a lie, she did that to him. He had been unconcerned ever since he came out of the hospital. She should have just accepted her fate in that he had moved on. But she wasn’t willing for him to move on with the lie that he had been with Abigail. What the paper had written out wasn’t pretty at all as it had managed to point out her insecurities. Her age difference, make her seem like she was involved with him before the whole divorce and the fact that now she was disturbing his relationship with his longtime girlfriend Abigail Conrad. She scoffed at the long time part. Whoever had provided the info appeared to know them so well, since her family had been mentioned.

  Another thought drifted through of what might have happened. Could Ethan be bragging to Greg on how finally he got her to confess her love and left her dry and panting for more since he was not interested? She could just see him apologizing to Abby and proposing to her, telling her Aggy was a mistake while the younger lady squealed and pasted some kisses on him.

  Chastity her foot, the guy might have been scooping his honey and eating it with his actual girlfriend. The phone rang again. This time it was her office phone, since she had decided to switch off the mobile. She answered it and heard Cassie's voice “Boss lady, Ethan on the line.” She debated on whether to talk to him and finally said, “Patch it through.”

  "Aggy," he spoke in his soothing tone he tended to use when she was afraid. She clutched at her phone for a second thinking on how much she still loved him even in her confused state and the fact that the ring Luc had mentioned might be for Abby. She definitely was a fool.

  Before he could speak, her anger rose up and she stated. "Ethan, stay away from me and my family. I do not want to see you ever again. By the way I wish you the best with Abigail. I have also reconciled with Luc, so no need for you to worry about my welfare." There was a long pause in which she was shocked of having said that. Finally Ethan asked, "What exactly is going on Aggy"

  As if he didn’t know. His tone had
changed and had a hard edge to it. She had to clear one thing now. If he remembered everything like Luc had said, not the snippets then it meant he didn’t want her that’s why he was now with Abby. "Do you remember everything" she angrily asked. "Don’t lie to me coz I have a good source that told me otherwise."

  "Yes I remember everything."

  "Damn you Ethan. And you let me be the drama queen knowing that."

  "Aggy I don’t know what has got you in a tiff. I remember everything; you suspected and might have caught on before, so I don’t get the sudden threats. As it is, I am out of town, that’s why I couldn’t get in touch with you. I left with my parents that same day.”

  There he went again; chiding her like she was a naughty child. She wanted to ask about the whole Abby thing and heard him saying, “I can drop everything right now to come to you.”

  That was rich, she snorted, having an image of him being with his actual girlfriend, the one he had kept the ring for and not her, the fool. "Don’t bother. You will not see me, don't cause a scene also. Like I said Luc and I are back together." She didn’t wait to listen to anything else but rather slammed the phone back, bent her head over the table and wept.

  ***

  ETHAN SAT on the big rock and huffed. That woman surely knew how to drive him crazy. He had finally managed to get reception after climbing up a mountain and all he got for the efforts were insults and threats. She was exactly like her husband. The moment he arrived back home, his parents took charge of him and asked him to come along and see their new venture. His family was into the safari business. His father had been a guide in the small family business when he first met his mother. They deeply fell in love, got married and had him.

  His story was similar to that of Garret in that he was molested by a close relative at the age of five. His father wanted to report the matter except was threated and given an ultimatum by his family. He took his small family, severed all ties with them and moved to the city with the help of a friend, Graham Henderson, Greg’s father, having studied together at college.

  Graham was a minister hence took Ethan under his wing, having experienced what he was going through with his son Garret.

  Ethan knew that his old man might feel guilty for not having stood up for him and done more, but he didn’t mind. He thought he had done the best he could. The jungle still beckoned to Joe even after he left everything. When Ethan turned ten, Joe bought the first parcel of land and built a safari lodge. The rest is history. Ethan was two years older than Greg and the crew but repeated his grades and learnt with Greg and the mates. He learnt on how to sew from an early age and by the time he was sixteen he already knew what he wanted to do hence he didn’t take the varsity route but built up his business until he finally made it.

  Looking at his excited parents while battling fatigue for having driven for almost five hours none stop, not forgetting the show that had taken place as he had overseen that everyone was set, he had almost refused.

  They rather painted an elaborate picture about two old people driving in the jungle of Africa who would be mauled by wild animals. It was his duty as their only son to see also that they made a good choice in making one of those relaxation resorts without any communication and far away from the entrapping’s of technology.

  He travelled with them, sleeping most of the time while his dad drove. Finally the old man woke him up to take over as he drove in the rough terrain, maneuvering the car and wondering where exactly they were going to as his father instructed him on the directions. Finally they came to the haven. They had named it the tree house safari lodge and he realized why. The accommodation where built on huge trees, sturdy in their structure and as he climbed one of them and looked inside; he felt like he was in paradise.

  The place had been functional for three months and they wanted to show him their assets before they died. He had rolled his eyes. He already had enough from his businesses. "This place is special to us; don’t sell it when we are gone." His father said with a smile and wacked his back as he had stood dazed not having realized before that they even owned such a place. He was introduced to the few workers who maintained it. The room he was given overlooked a watering hole, hence he was able to see the pride of Africa up close.

  "We should get going," Samson the game ranger advised.

  "How do you survive without technology" he sighed as they trudged their way back to the jeep. His new friend laughed. "We never needed it. How does one miss something they never had? This is effective" He pointed to the walkie talkie in his hand and Ethan chuckled at that. He was already exhausted from the exertion. He had thought he was fit before, but the long walks with Samson as he tried to stay at par with him, had proven that Sophie’s cakes and home-made food had got the best of him. Even Greg had complained he was beginning to lose his youthful abs after marriage.

  "Good observation," he gruffly answered over the remark Samson made of not needing what one never had before. He slid into the jeep and they drove back to the tree house. Aggy and her tantrums would have to wait for a while. It would take him 150km or so to reach the other lodge his parents owned for him to be able to communicate properly. A journey he wasn’t willing to take. He sighed deeply and Samson glanced his way before looking ahead. "Woman troubles"

  "Scorned woman trouble" he retorted as Samson laughed.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  TWO WEEKS later on a Friday, Ethan drove his parents back to town. The couple was rather reminiscing over life as if one of them was going away. He spoke to both of them enquiring if they were sick and dying of an ailment and only got smiles in return and a change of subject.

  He toured with them to their other safaris as they moved back into town. They had started with the one located the furthest away. He was always tired and busy hence didn’t check his phone. Finally they arrived at his parents’ house.

  The maid had picked the mail and placed it on the kitchen counter. Martha was pouring in water in the kettle, Ethan and his father having gone to freshen up. They both heard her yelp. Ethan rushed into the kitchen with a towel wrapped around his waist, while his father rolled his eyes, shrugged his shoulders over women always being dramatic and resumed shaving his beard in his bathroom.

  "Mom" he cocked his brow as she handed him the paper that had caught her attention. Images of him, Aggy and Gail plastered on the front cover as Aggy was branded as the other woman. The more he read the more infuriated he became and crumpled the paper. "I need that" his mother tentatively reached out, unfolded the paper gleefully to his chagrin. "At least I now have scandalous stories to narrate to my grandchildren, why didn’t you tell us that you were getting married to Abby"

  "I didn’t because nothing like that is going to happen" he retorted. He took the other papers and moved away from the room while his mother protested. The two weeks he had been away had ruined his life for good. The fact that he hadn’t reached out to Aggy after their conversation increased his plight. He should have read in between the lines when Paul had kept on slotting Abby in the work progress report while Greg had advised him to read the paper.

  ***

  "BOSS LADY, time to go," Cassie said as Aggy sighed and checked the coast outside. She was relieved to see that no reporter was insight, having moved to hound and draw out blood from another victim. She seemed to have become old news.

  At least the coverage had invited a lot of customers to her boutique than ever before and she got her early Christmas gift. The sales they had made were ridiculous. Cassie had jokingly remarked that from now on Aggy lived on the edge and took photos about it to bring in more of them. "Will you be ok love," Cassie asked concern evident in her tone. "I will be. Luc is taking me out on a date today."

  Cassie rolled her eyes, "I still don’t think it’s a good idea."

  "He is the father of my children,” she muttered. Cassie rolled her eyes, thinking Aggy was holding on to something familiar especially since Ethan had totally disappeared from the face of the earth.

&nb
sp; She hugged Aggy and left to join the rest already in the van while Aggy moved towards her car. In the two weeks she hated being rude to Ethan on the one chance he had of communicating with her. If his story was to be believed then he was at his family safaris and not aware of the happenings.

  She sighed loudly at the thought of the date she had agreed to go to with Luc who seemed to be more attentive and hadn’t held her indiscretion over her head like the rest. In those two weeks a lot appeared to have happened. She chuckled at the fact that her mother and the ladies in the board at church called her in for their Tuesday meeting, a day after the article came out.

  They banned her from wearing the uniform of their association till further notice. The chairlady was shocked at her behavior as she had not expected Agatha to behave in such a manner. Literally walking naked for the entire world to see, kissing and being fresh with the designer. That was scandalous behavior not expected from any of the women since it might bring a bad reputation about the church.

  Already a small newspaper agency had added that part in their story, in that she fellowshipped at the denomination and held a post there. Ha, as if those old women didn’t do naughty stuff behind people’s backs. Some drank and made a spectacle of themselves while others slept with other people’s spouses.

  Just because her news was publicized didn’t mean their sins were any less. Her plight worsened on Sunday when she didn’t take communion. She had noticed the other congregants, eyeing her on if she could dare to do so. She had merely dragged her hat over her eyes, looked straight ahead with arms crossed over her breasts and pretended not to notice, knowing full well she might have confirmed in their sick minds that everything was true.

  ***

  ETHAN HUFFED out of frustration. His over protective mother didn’t allow him to go and see Aggs as soon as he saw the paper. She told him to freshen up first before he came down and had something to eat. If only he had suspected her tea as usual was lased up with her relaxation medicine, he wouldn't have drunk it and went to sleep after supper.