Please Break My Heart – Episode 14

Please Break My Heart – Episode 14

By Tomi Adesina

Dora removed her hand gloves and flashed a smile at me. “I’ll be right back,” she said, strolling into the house. I stared at her as she jogged off into the house. Her wicked grin put me off. She made me anxious to hear some news and then she disappeared into the house. ‘What did she take me for?’
Thoughts ran through my mind as I tried to imagine what Dora could have found out. Dora seemed to be a busy type. Cutting the garden right after work is something I will not think of, not even for a second. The flowers had been properly trimmed, and I have to admit, Dora is a great person.
I stared at her as she approached with a chair.
“Comfy, right?” she asked with a smile. “Please sit.”
“What are you doing, Dora? You have something for me, don’t you?”
She smiled. “Please don’t get all arrogant with me. I have big news for you, but first, you have to use the chair.”
I frowned.
“Oh please, let me have your bag.” She said, collecting my bag with a grin. ‘What could Dora have to say?’ I thought
I sat reluctantly. “Speak.”
“I think you should start taking lectures on manners.”
Dora could go comic on almost everything, although I admit to being rude. “Please Dora.”
“That’s more like it.” She flashed her teeth at me.
I tried to be patient as I stared at her.
“Oops! Sorry love, I have something for you.” She said and returned to the house.
I could kill Dora honestly. I clenched my fists in frustration. Why didn’t she just break the ice and save me the suspense?
“I am so sorry sis.” She said clutching a brown envelope to her arms. “I have a question for you and I want an honest response.”
At this junction, I could tell Dora a frank ‘yes’ just to know what she had found out about Paul. “YES”
“Oh Darlene…I don’t know how to ask you this question.” She said clenching her teeth.
“Just say it Dora, I will take no offence.” I pleaded.
She shut her eyes tightly and said, “Have you ever had s€× with Paul?”
“WHAT!” I could almost puke at the thought. “Paul and I? No ways.”
She sighed. “Be honest.”
“Never! How could I sleep with a guy that I don’t even love?”
“Okay then…”
By the way she sighed; I could tell that she was relieved with my response. “Why the question?”
“I just want to be sure that there were no intimate ties between yourself and Paul.”
I smiled. “There you have it sis, I am clean, so break the ice.”
“PAUL IS GETTING MARRIED.”
I let out a laugh. “Chuck Norris must be getting poor in his lectures; this joke is as bad as it can get.”
“I am serious.” She replied, straight faced.
Dora looked serious. “You can’t be serious. Are you sure, you do know Paul, right? There are over a million men by the name Paul and any of them could be in the Bahamas.” I said, trying to convince myself.
“I was equally upset when the detective brought me the news, but there was nothing I could do about it. He had proofs.”
“What proofs?” I asked.
She handed me the brown envelope. “There are pictures of Paul and his fiancée in them. There is also an upset”
I flipped through the pictures. “What is Jake doing in them?” I asked w¡dening my eyes.
“That’s your upset. Jake is aware of the wh0le thing.”
I shook my head as I returned the pictures to the envelope. “I am more shocked than upset.”
“I guess you can be relieved.”
I sighed. “Bottom line is that, he has moved on. I am only surprised at the speed and at his action.”
“Now that he has moved on, I officially certify you free to hook up with any Lagos guy. So should I call KP to hook us?”
“Chill sis…you have to slow down. I still need time to recover from this news that you’ve hit me with.”
Dora sighed. “Come on Darlene, isn’t this what we both wanted? Paul is out of your life for good and he his moving on. So, why not be happy?”
“I am worried for him. I am not too sure that he is making the best decision.”
“I don’t get you Darlene, Paul is out of your life, he is an adult and he has decided to move on, why draw him back?”
Dora was now wearing a frown. “Dora, I appreciate your efforts, but I want to be sure that what Paul is doing is right. If Jake was with him, I can’t be so sure of his decisions. Jake believes that the best way to get on with life is to do something sporadic, and I guess he stuffed the idea in Paul’s head.”
“If Paul is stupid enough to let Jake decide for him, then let it be. He will live with the consequences. However, I honestly think that you should let this go and be satisfied that Paul is out of your life for good. ”
“You think?”
“I am sure, sis. Let him go.” She replied, and returned into the house.
I couldn’t come to terms with the fact that Paul was moving on with his life. ‘Paul is getting married!’ I yelled. This should be good news for me, but I couldn’t help feeling bad about it.
“Is there a problem ma’am?” the security officer asked.
He heard me scre-m. “I’ll be fine.” I replied and hurried into the house to avoid further comments from the house workers. I tried calling Jake to no avail. His phone was turned off.
“Dora, I need your help.” I said as I walked into the kitchen.
She sliced some onions into a plate and chewed. “How?”
“I need a flight ticket to the Bahamas.”
She burst into a crooked laughter. “Are you going to start chasing shadows at this stage of your life? You are too much for that sis.” She replied.
“If I want to be embarrassed, that’s my decision.” I replied, taking some onions from the plate. “What do you see in Onions?”
She yanked the Onions from me. “I didn’t slice them for you. You are way too fresh to want more, and that’s the same case with Paul, you are too much for what you intend to do.”
“All I need is the Ticket. I leave on Friday night.”
She grinned. “You have a dinner at Ade-Cole, may I remind.”
“Oh no!”
“Look Darlene, I think you should let go. Paul has made a decision and you have to respect it. You dumped him. ”
Paul had a right to move on, but not in this way. “Marriage after a supposed heart break is just not right, maybe that’s how I see it, but logically, “He can’t love the poor girl.” She mocked.
“I am serious Dora; he won’t be able to love her.”
She hissed. “Really? That’s rich coming from you. You were guilty of the same.”
“Oh please Dora, cut me some slack. I was honest from the start. I am not sure that Paul will do the same with his Bahamas chic. He shouldn’t punish her because of me.”
Dora gro-ned heavily. “Wake up sis! The world doesn’t revolve around you.”
That was blunt! I had never heard Dora that blunt. I w¡dened my eyes in shock.
“If you keep w¡dening your eyes in that manner, your balls will be out of its sockets soon.”
I chuckled. “Thank you Dora.” I said.
“Why?”
“For everything Dora.” I replied as I took some onions from the plate. “You have helped me in every way to put Paul in the past. Most importantly, you blazed a very harsh truth on me.”
She smiled, and placed the plate of onions right before me. “Here you go, eat them all.” she replied and returned with two glasses and a bottle of Martini. “It’s good that you admit that you are not Ms World, everyone must bow. Care for Martini?” she asked.
“No. I have so much to do tonight, I don’t want a hangover.”
She laughed. “You are being a chicken you know, a cup won’t kill you.”
“A bottle will kill you. See you in the morning, if you make it.” I replied, and rushed upstairs.
I could hear Dora shout, “You should have waited!”
I flung my wardrobe open and searched for a gown. I had a tough time selecting from my wardrobe. I would not have “MILLAROCA WEEKLY” ridicule me as they did 10 years ago. I had shown up at my father’s charity event in a checked top, Turquoise blue trouser and some weird grey loafers that Jake said were ‘meant to kill’. I needed no one to tell me that I looked horrible as my Ponytail golden brown hair summed up my unimpressive appearance.
The tabloid read boldly, “14-year old DARLENE WILLIAMS COMMITS ‘HORRIFYING’ FASHION BLUNDER!” A light tag was added to it with made me the object of ridicule at school on Monday, “…and they say that money can buy looks!”
Millaroca Weekly is anywhere that Top events took place and I would not miss a chance to re-write my image in their history books. I have been able to make a statement in the fashion world over the years. Therefore, this year, and most importantly, at Ade-Cole, there will not be an exception.
___
‘Good morning Lagosians. Its 5am this morning and it is all about the early morning traffic in the Metropolis. Ring us up and let’s know how it is in your region.’ I turned the volume of the radio down as I slipped into my bathroom slippers. I had rung a taxi to pick me up to work and then Dare and I would go to the City Mall together. Shower would not take forever, and especially when trying to beat Lagos’s ever busy traffic. Things only got worse when the Lagos State Government ordered the closure of the Third Mainland Bridge that linked into the City’s busiest parts.
“We will be moving against the traffic.” The Taxi driver said, as I stepped in.
That was a relief to me. I fetched my Phone from my bag and tweeted, ‘I will be moving against Traffic. Third Mainland can’t stop me.’ The driver raced against the traffic as we delved into the road recklessly, shoving other road users aside. I kicked, scre-med and fumed to no avail, but the driver could not be moved. He kept bumping into every poth0le.
“Ade-Cole Firm…we don dey check,” he said in his broken English accent as we highlighted at work.
I arrived at work for 6:47AM. That was a record! However, I had to pay for my early arrival. My head hurt! The security officers greeted me as I approached the building. I immediately left for my office. Arriving that early would mean that I would be the only one in the office, official duties starts by 8am. I turned on my office lights.
“Why are you here so early?”
“WHAT!”
Dare shifted his weight from the swivel chair and leaned on the table. “Good morning.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked, staring at him.
He stretched his body and his bones cracked violently. He must have slept in a position of discomfort. “This is my firm.”
“MY OFFICE! You broke into my office, which is punishable by the law. There’s a legal term for that, um…”
He smiled and picked his Jacket from the table. “Trespassing, it is called trespassing. I had a lot to do in preparation for tomorrow’s event, when I was done, the city’s traffic held me up. Satisfied?”
“Are you going home now?”
“Yes. I will be heading home against the traffic so that we’ll make it in time for City Mall.”
I nodded my head. “You have to be careful, because, if you get apprehended by the cops, you won’t go cheap.”
“It won’t be my first time in lock up, remember?”
I nodded.
“What are you doing here this early anyways?” he asked, opening the door.
“I had to beat traffic.”
He closed the door quietly after him. “Why not his office?” I thought aloud. I bent down and saw a Picture faced down. It was a picture of Dare and a little boy, probably around the age of four to five. ‘Who could this be?’ I thought. The door flung open as Dare rushed in. I stretched the picture to him. His eyes burned with fury. He took the picture from me without saying a word and walked out.
“Who could that be?” I asked myself.
Dare seemed upset about me looking at the picture, so it had to be important to him. It was still early in the morning and Toni could not help me with any answers yet, so I turned on my laptop and searched Paul’s Facebook Account.
‘Marital Status: Engaged to Marie Branson’
` I sighed as I went over his recent posts. Paul’s recent post read, ‘‘I’ll be happy with Marie.” I was not convinced with the post, but I became the 37th friend to LIKE the Post. Paul had posted several pictures of himself and Marie Branson. I had cold chills down my spine. At that moment, I had to admit to a slight jealousy. I logged off from the Internet and returned to thoughts about Dare’s picture. I got lost in the thought that I didn’t notice Toni before me.
“Darlene!” she yelled. “I have been here for almost five minutes.”
I popped my eyes open. “I am sorry Toni. Please sit.”
“Why do you look so worried?” she asked, as she took her seat.
I cleaned my brows. “It’s nothing Toni. I was lost in thoughts.” I replied, pouring myself a cup of coffee. “You care?”
“Yes please. Black, low fat.”
I smiled. “You should try more slimming down techniques, coffee isn’t really the best.”
She eyeballed me coldly. “Humans are so insatiable! You told me to try to work out, only last night, I saw an Indian movie ‘Anjaana Anjaani’ and Priyanka Chopra was going on about Black Coffee…Low fat. If I continue like that, I will be as fit and hot as Priyanka Chopra in a year.”
“Toni, you make me laugh. You will get there in five years, if you promise to reduce an intake on your Pepsi and burger.”
She scoffed. “I won’t take hunger as a substitute for good living.” She sipped her coffee lightly. “That aside, why did you look very sad?”
“Paul is getting married.”
She dropped the coffee on the table. “Paul?”
“Yes, and it will be soon. I don’t understand how it happened. He just decided to get married to some random girl I am sure he met while in the Bahamas.”
Toni sighed. “I still find it hærd to believe. That guy was so much in love with you.”
“Jake must have planted that idea in his head. I bet he made Paul think of something weird.”
She shrugged. Toni finished the last bit of the coffee and passed the cup to me. “I think Paul is mature to take any decision he so wishes. Jake isn’t responsible for his actions.”
“If you say so, I have a question for you.”
She adjusted her weight against the chair. “Go ahead.”
“Is Dare hurt emotionally?”
She laughed. “I always knew that you care for him, why the question?”
“He slept in my office last night. He claimed that he had so much to do at work, so the traffic held him up, but I don’t believe it?”
Toni shrugged carelessly. “I don’t know if he is hurt. He is so over Reina, so I know that she’s not responsible for whatever shape he might be in. maybe, he’s having issues with his father.” She started. “Old Ade-Cole doesn’t miss a chance to take constant swipes at his son. He wants him to be HIM.”
“Almost every father wants that from his son. Do you think that’s the reason why he could be unstable?”
She nodded in agreement. “At the moment, I think so. He is under a lot of pressure to deliver tomorrow. Top members of the state will be in attendance, so everything has to go on well.”
“Okay. Is there anything special or sensitive about Dare that you know?” I asked.
Toni stared at me carefully. “Dare isn’t g-y. He is a straight guy.”
“Shut up Toni. Who said a thing about Dare being g-y?”
“Then why are you probing into his life without a destination? If you have something that needs to be cleared up, all you have to do is say what you know.” She replied with a bit of harshness in her tone.
I stared at her. “So much attitude for a simple enquiry.”
“It’s not a simple enquiry Darlene; you are beating around the bush. I bet you found out something that you want me to confirm, all I need is for you to say what it is, and then I will ease your suspicions.”
I was a bit skeptical about dropping the news. I am afraid of being seen as nosy by Dare and as impulsive by Toni. If I should mention it to Toni and she wasn’t aware of it previously, I would have leaked out something that I wasn’t sure of the import.
“Darlene, I have seen you as a close friend ever since you got here, you can try to see me as a friend. Dare means a lot to me, if there is something that should be known for his good, I’d rather you say.”
My eyes blinked repeatedly. “I would like an honest answer to the question, and a very direct one.”
“Go ahead.”
I took a deep breath. “Does Dare have a son?”
“Darlene, I have never refused you a question about Dare, but on this one, if Dare has anything to tell you, he will. You won’t hear it from me.”
I sighed. “I just want a YES or NO”
“Sorry Darlene, you won’t get that from me.” She replied, standing up. She adjusted her grey jacket. “There are some matters that stay personal, and are rather not discussed for the good of us all. Don’t take it the wrong way.”
I nodded. “I understand.”
“That word weighs, if you don’t understand, just shrug.” She replied with a smile as she headed for the door. “Later hun, and best of luck with the stalker’s case.” She added and left.
` Bola came in. “Morning Darlene.”
“Hi Bola.”
She handed me the Dailies. “Dare called in and said that you should meet him in the Car garage in five minutes. He’s parked at the executives.”
“Thank you Bola.” I replied. She smiled as she left.
I flipped through the back pages and stumbled on a remembrance column that read:
“IN LOVING MEMORY OF TOBI ADE-COLE…It’s been 3 years since you’ve gone and I still miss you – Dad”

…to be continued