12
Annabel and Karen sat together on the grass in the lawn “Few weeks to go and we’re done with high school” Annabel said and bit from her burger
Karen giggled, playing with her nails “Awesome isn’t it?”
“That really old cliché do not judge a book by its cover definitely applied to you”
Karen was laughing “Hmm”
“No one would know you have such a good heart”
“Okay stop, I’ll feel weird” She kept a straight face “Any word from him?”
“Nah, the Thailand girls must have made him swoon”
Karen stared at her hands, saying nothing
She noticed her discomfort “Don’t mind my big mouth, I was only kidding”
Annabel yanked the door to the basement and they both entered “Whoa. Here is really cozy, now I know why you come here very often”
“Hmm”
Annabel walked around the room, searching through boxes and flipping through giant old books “I grew up with Jason, we grew up together when neither our parents had much” She slowed
“Our parents started that company, they were doing well until something happened along the way, I was too young to figure out what it was”
She looked at Karen, she seemed interested “So, they got split and…”
“What about your dad?” Karen asked
“Oh, he has his own company in Colorado, it isn’t particularly famous but he’s doing quite well”
“But why did your parents fight separate you two, I mean Jason”
“We were younger then, his mum didn’t want to hear that I was friends with him after our parent’s tiff, so she restricted” She paused for some time “Some months later, rumors were going on that she sold drugs, um…the hard kind and not too long after, she left him to continue life in Las Vegas
“You two really had history together”
“I know, right? He was the only friend I had before we met Justin and William”
“Whoa, it’s cool, most relationship were built from longtime friendship”
Annabel seemed confused “How do you mean?”
“You do know Justin has a thing for you, right?” Her eyes narrowed
She frowned “What? No, he doesn’t”
“The see the way he looks at you, it’s just too obvious, believe me he likes you”
She crossed her arm, bewildered at the news “He’s my very good friend, I just thought…I never knew”
“You’re probably the only one who doesn’t” Karen smirked
“Don’t act like you’re the only one who knows something, I do know you have a crush on Jason”
She laughed “What?He was a good person but I haven’t thought of it that way, I don’t know…”
-------------
Adams sat in his office, fed up that windy afternoon. He had sent for Richard-rick, whatever his name was times without number and he was taking forever to respond
The door slid open and Richard walked casually to a swivel chair in the room
“I sent for you more than an hour ago” He was obviously trying to play cool but knew it wouldn’t last
“What is the matter so pressing?”
“I’ll be very frank with you and don’t pick any offence in what I have to say?”
He straightened, freeing himself from the tight grip of his tie “Okay, let’s hear it”
“The company isn’t moving any further; since you came in here I haven’t seen any reasonable progression”
He paused, gritting “Why I’m I here Adams?”
“You tell me, just a week is enough to see reasonable changes but you’ve been here for almost three months and all I see is…”
“All you see is what?”
“All I see is unproductivity”
“You and I know I’m just here to fill the vacancy” He leaned back, relaxed
Adams eyes twitched, was it anger or something worse “Oh really, so I pay you just so you fill the vacancy, you’re my P.A for God’s sake”
Richard laughed drily, his eyes told Adams he just pressed the wrong button but he didn’t care-it was his company after all
“We’ve lost three contracts in just last month rick, and what the hell happened to all the money we… ”
Richard interrupted “I’m under no obligation to answer your questions”
“I employed you here, you’re under every obligation to answer my questions” He stood, barking into his face
“Will you cut me some slack, Adams, what the…”
He threw a fist on the table “I’m cutting you no slack; it’s all because of your incompetence, lack of diligence and unreliability”
Richard stood “I’m not having this conversation with you”
“You’re not walking out on me, Richard” He said just before he slammed the door behind him.
He stomp his foot angrily on the floor, he couldn’t help but regret about letting Nathan go. The man was an asset-maybe if he hadn’t been too hard on him.
He heard he had a small company of his own uptown, he had never noticed his worth until lately
He opened a file cabinet and there was a family photograph lying by a pile of files. He thought he had done away with them all-reaching for it, he flung it into the trashcan, trash it was-the remains of a once happy family.
13
Picture windows with silvery frame overlooking a mowed lawn and a garden beneath a large water fountain were at every sides of the house,brown chaise longue with gold edges on a red carpet stood in every corner, with marble pillars and glass ceilings. A counter with drinks filled bar spread out at the end of the gracefully furnished living room where a large piano also stood
Karen threw open the curtains allowing the pale sun penetrate through the windows and walked to sit beside Annabel who was stuffing popcorn in her mouth while watching a soap opera
“Quinton said something avoiding him” She poured herself a cup of coffee
She sighed “He’s been stalking me”
“What’s wrong with that? Every girl gets stalked; he was just looking out for you”
She eyed her “Looking out for me? I don’t want to feel like I’m someone’s responsibility”
“Karen, its nine years already, you need a man in your life Karen, I’m more serious than I was last time”
She stretched her feet on the couch taking a piece of French fries “You know I have to work harder, Anna”
“You’ve worked hard enough, I mean you own your own hospital, you already have two establishments, you live in a pent house Karen, there’s nothing to work hard for”
She rolled her eyes, pursing her lips testily “Please”
“The men won’t be coming when you’re too independent and I’m telling you Karen, they don’t like those kinda ladies”
“You really do like picking on me, don’t you?”
“I can’t believe you haven’t been on a date before Karen” She paused and threw her an abnormal look then chuckled “I just hope it isn’t because of Jason”
Karen looked at her and muttered something inaudibly
She eyed her “Are you serious Karen? I should have known”
“Known what?”
“That you’re still holding onto your teenage crush”
Karen squirmed “What? No it was just some dumb feelings which I got over, it’s not him”
“Karen”
She hugged herself “It’s not the way you see it, I um…I don’t know”
Annabel laughed “This is dumb Karen; you are not in a relationship because you’re still in love with someone you haven’t seen or heard from in nine years”
“Why do you make it look that way?”
She shoved Karen’s feet aside and sat “I see things the way they are and this is really stupid, I tell you Karen”
Karen fell silent; she folded her arms around her knees, leaning forward on her laps
“You should move on, you’ve never
been an idiot, don’t start now okay? You shouldn’t have time for those silly block brain fart”
Karen nodded evasively
“And who knows he might even be seeing someone, I really think its best you forget what you two had in the past and just move on, okay?”
“Yeah, I will” She smiled coldly “How’s Justin?”
“He’s cool and out of town again”
“You two have the most pleasant long distant relationship”
“What will you be up to during the weekend?”
“I’ll be spending some time with my mother”
“Oh, how is she?”
“Well, I guess”
Mr. Adams scampered dejectedly around his office, he had files scattered all over the brown mahogany desks. He was screwed-Richard had done away with all the money he had ever worked for-What was he going to do?
The door barged open, it was one of the cop he had sent after him.
“There is no trace of him, but I assure you we’ll do our best to get him”
Adams gazed around, looking miserable and confused.
“Is it okay to ask you some important questions?”
Sweat broke out on his face; he pulled down a heap of file, searching through cabinets, not answering.
He pulled out a pen from his breast pockets to write on a pad “When did he start working with your company?”
“That’s none of your business, just find his stupid ass and get me back my money”
He heaved a patient sigh “We want to help you, Adams and you need to answer my questions for this to go down well for the both of us”
He wriggled his tie out of his neck and placed a hand on his waist “Some nine years ago”
“Nine years, did you notice any form of shadiness in this guy?”
“What has that got to do with getting my money back?”
He rested a fist on the desk “Adams?”
“Look, I can’t concentrate on any of your nonsense talk, just do your job and get me back my money” He raked his hand through his hair, looking through the window “And get rid of the press at the gate”
“We’ll do just that” He opened the door and bumped into Jasmine-she cast him a sardonic look as he walked away
She took a seat and crossed her legs “That son of a bitch”
“You said he was reliable didn’t you? Or didn’t he work for you anymore?”
“Stop yelling and take a seat” She smiled glumly
He sat, sweating profusely “I should have known, Richard…”
“I never imagined he could do such a thing, I think he was put in a bad condition”
His angry eyes narrowed “Oh now you’re taking sides with him”
“I’m not, don’t get me wrong, just that he tends to do strange things when he’s pushed but this…I don’t know”
He slumped back on his seat, gloomy.
“But its fine, it’s not the end of the world; you’ll get back on your feet in no distant time” She patted his fist, smiling.
“Why do you need to involve the cops anyway?” She asked
“They’re going after him, that goon went out to the wind with my money and should rot in jail”
She slipped her hands into her coat pocket, standing “Suite yourself”
----------------
Karen stepped into her mother’s house; she climbed the gold-plated staircase and alighted again, throwing herself on the sofa “Mom!”
Her mother appeared from the top of tread and alighted in silent quick steps
“Mom” Karen shrieked
“Oh honey” She smiled with delight, hugging her daughter warmly
“Look at you, you’re become such a beautiful lady” She held her at arm’s length
“Oh mom”
She pulled her to a couch “I only get to hear your voice; I haven’t seen you in months”
“I barely have time to do visits, been so busy lately”
They paused for some time
“Your father is all over the news”
“It’s a bummer that such a thing should happen”
“He isn’t picking any of my calls”
‘’He can’t, it’s too shameful, he can’t pick your calls”She stood to get a can of drink from a refrigerator.
“Annabel asked after you”
‘’That’s sweet of her” She smiled “You know I watch programs on TV very often”
She chuckled. Why?
“Because it’s all about you, you’ve made your own name, you’re doing a lot Karen’’.
Colors rose in her cheek “Oh, stop”
Her mother rose to get a glass of water, reaching out for a pill
“You haven’t been falling ill, have you?”
“Well, a few times but its fine”
“I’m worried about you mom” She looked disturbed
“I’ll be fine; the drugs just help with the dizziness”
` 14
Zephyr blew across her skin that bleak afternoon, making her rush back to her house to get herjacket and change into jean pants in place of the short dress she had earlier worn. She had to shop for groceries since she guessed Annabel would be spending the weekend with her-she always guessed right.
With her hair falling loosely behind her back she hit the roadin a cyan cabriolet. She had made heads turn as usual but it annoyed her that someone had to keep following her in a car with dark tinted glasses. She glanced at the car totally infuriated as it kept pace with her.Tires screeched and horns blared as she sped off hissing furiously
“Twerp” She cursed
She parked at the front of the mall; she didn’t have much to buy so knew it wouldn’t take long before she’d be out. When she came out few minutes later with carrier bags in both hands, she noticed she was double parked by the same carmine sports car she had earlier met on the road.
The vehicle owner leaned patiently on his car as if waiting for someone; he feigned a cough when she passed by him “Now, where did you learn to drive that way?”
His voice sounded unusually familiar.
Pausing and then turning to him as he removed his sunglasses, she stood mouth dropped for one heart stopping moment
“Jason?” She called when she could finally get her tongue, letting out a soft gasp.
“Karen Adams” He laughed softly. He still talked the same way but not the way he looked, he was changed-even better looking
He was on a shirt with rolled up sleeves, open buttons over snug fitted jean
“Jason” She mumbled “It was you all this while” She laughed
“I’m really sorry, I know I should have texted you on something but things happened really fast, my apologies”
“You didn’t have my number so…” She dropped the bags on the roof of her car
He helped her to put them into her car. Her heart was racing fast with butterflies in her stomach
“How’s Annabel”
“She’s good, we didn’t know you’d come back” She leaned on her car
“I said I will, didn’t i?”
She flashed a bright smile, eyes eager
“It’s good to see you Karen” Pulling her close, he hugged her tightly-brazenly, the butterflies in her stomach begat babies. The look he cast her was intense-much more intense than how he did in high school
“So how do you feel being a doctor?” He asked her, hands in his pockets
“Fulfilled and a little too independent” She stifled a giggle “Wait how did you know?”
“Come on, you’re everywhere on T.V, you did it Karen”
She blushed “What about you, what do you do?”
“Well, I own an investment company in New Jersey, Colorado, Chicago, Boston and few other places”
“Whoa, so what are you doing here in New york?”
“Oh, there’s an agency in town I signed up with to get some business ideas, will take a couple of months”
She brushed her hair and smiled “Then we�
��ll see often”
He cast her that look again “We will?”
They exchanged contacts and address.
He opened the door for her to get in “Thanks”
She could see him get into his car through her rear view mirror as she drove. He was the last person she had expected to see that afternoon.
Annabel was lying comfortably on the couch, munching pancakes when Karen entered the house.
“I didn’t expect to see you here by this time.” Karen said and shut the door with her back, still unto the bags in both hands “Good thing you have a key”
She dropped her legs, laughing “How’d you know I’d be coming?”
“I’m very discerning, Annabel” She laughed “Good thing you’re eating those, they got burnt this morning and were about to go to waste”
She dropped the pancakes and walked to the refrigerator “I’m about to choke to death, I better get a soda”
“Wait, help me these” Karen held out the bags to her
“Yea, right” She took them
“And you should let the owner of the house get the drink” Karen teased
“This is literally my house; I’m here like all the time” They walked into the kitchen “Where do you keep your glasses?”
She took out the broccoli and celery “The shelf above the faucet”
They sat on the worktop with a drink “Okay, did you go vegetable shopping, cause everything in here are basically vegetable” Annabel peered into the bag
“I’m a doctor, they’re healthy” She took out a pumpkin, lettuce and some radishes “There’s more”
“Are we on a vegetable diet or something, Karen?”
She laughed and poured herself a drink
“Justin mentioned something being here in New York, I don’t know…”
She leaned back “Yeah, we already met”
Annabel shrieked “You mean you really saw Jason?”
“Except it was his spirit being invoked, yeah I did”
“Whoa, this is great news, I can’t imagine you being single all your life” She said grinning effusively
“I said I met Jason, I didn’t say we were hooking up”
She refilled her glass “Don’t be chicken, we both know you like him”
“He doesn’t know that”
“So, did he ask you out on a date or something?”
Ties Page 6