“Soliloquising? I have been standing here for ages,” Jasmine said with a smile as she took a striking pose at the entrance to my room.
“How long have you been standing there Jaz,” I asked in surprise. She shrugged and said not for long. We got to the venue and Jasmine went off to find Bola. I looked around the tastefully furnished room and the beautiful Paintings in strategic spots around the room.
The environment was serene and soothing with a handful of gorgeously dressed men and women. I thought Art people were boring but this people looked anything but… Just as I turned to pick a drink, there stood Sotonye, Rick’s Babymama! Fancy meeting her here, I wanted to escape but she wasn’t going to have any of that. She is going to try and rub in the fact that she spent some time with Rick, that I was certain of. “Hey Tobs, nice seeing you here she said sweetly eyes far from friendly, Rick and I just got back (who asked her!) from our holiday,” she said sweetly, eyes flashing hostility.
“Welcome back,” I said icily, when all I really wanted to say was, ‘and so, how does that concern me?’ We were like two bulls in a ring, sizing up each other. “Did Grandma invite you to the House Party coming up next weekend?” My tormentor continued relentlessly. Rick’s Grandma did not tell me nor invite me but hell will freeze over before I admit that to Sotonye.
“Oh I am aware but might not be able to make it,” I lied acting disinterested. I wasn’t going to admit anything to this shameless hussy. “Hey Tobs I’ve been looking for you everywhere, guess who is here?” Jasmine asked excitedly. I already knew, a tortoise does not move about without its shell, who else if not…. “Hello Tobs,” I heard the all too familiar baritone voice of Rick. “Hello Rick,” I said reluctantly and grudgingly as my hungry gaze went over his lean hard body; he looked like he just stepped out of a fashion magazine. Oh goodness I have missed him I thought tumultuously, this isn’t good.
“I have missed you kitten,” Rick said huskily, using his pet name for me and holding my gaze while giving me a look that made me weak at the knees. He almost sounded sincere but as I turned sideways to break my eye contact with him, I encountered Sotonye’s thunderous look that speedily brought me back to earth. Oh dear, the green devils have shown up, I thought cynically with perverse pleasure. Sotonye looked like she was going to explode and that felt good. I could see Jasmine was enjoying all of these and even taunted Sotonye.
“Cat got your tongue?” Jasmine leaned close to Sotonye to ask and gave her a wide eyed innocent look that almost got me clapping with relish in a most unladylike manner. Sotonye had troubled me a lot and this may seem childish to some but to me it soothed my wounded pride. “Tobs may I speak with you in private?” Rick asked suddenly sounding serious. “Yeah sure,” I stammered. He held me with a firm grip by the elbow and took me to the bar at the far end of the room. “Yes?” I hissed when we were alone. “Don’t look so serious kitten, I won’t bite!” He said with a lopsided smile. I looked at him wearily. “I needed time alone with you. So how have you been? Missed me? Grandma has a little get-together next weekend and has asked me to invite you,” he stated with a mischievous look. I was about to make excuses when he interrupted and rudely pointed out the fact that as the family Lawyer, it wasn’t an option, I had to be present.
“Well since you put it that way, I will come out of obligation and a sense of duty.” I said through clenched teeth not trying to sugar coat my words. Why does he have to be so annoying and condescending? I am not his Maid that he can order around. I guess one has to humour some clients and rich clients like Rick’s Grandmother is not one to be trifled with. My birthday was on Friday and yes it was an unusual day. Tell you more later.