As I ran out of Jack’s office, I could see my whole life crumble like a pack of cards. I knew this 'Great Wall of Lara McKing' would not be the same again. Rebuild it? It still wouldn’t be the same.
“Why didn’t he ever notice me? Why?” I said amidst tears. I could hear Debby’s voice but it lacked the power to bring me back to reality. I knew she was trying hard to console me but I was lost in pain. Lost in the darkness of loneliness that fate left me. A dungeon of abandonment. A desert of solitude. I felt so cold. So unwanted. So unloved.
‘If he wanted to cheat on me, not with Delilah’.
‘Cheat on you? Girlfriend he wasn’t even yours in the first place’.
Debby’s blunt nature was what I loved and respected about her. But it also got me mad at times. Times like now!
‘Deb, please don’t!’
‘But you know I’m being honest here. You’ve been eyeing that guy ever since he started working here. No! Before he even started working here. You had him transferred to Nigeria and still couldn’t sum up the courage to go up and tell him how you feel.’
‘But Debby you know I can’t’.
‘And you prefer to die in silence?
‘No but . . .’
‘Don’t but me. Follow your heart. Don’t worry you’ll be fine.’ With a smile she cleaned the tears off my face and gave me a hug. But hold on a sec. You know my problem and you don't even know me. That's not good Lara. Not good.
My name's Lara McKing. A twin and the only daughter to Dr. and Dr. (Mrs.) McKing. My parents are multimillionaires. They are so wealthy that they can buy a whole city in any part of the world if they wanted to. But it wasn't always like that. My parents were so poor to the extent that the poor called us poor. They just got married and all they had was each other. It took time before they were blessed with us. And when we came, doors opened up so quickly that most people still couldn't believe the speed. Sometimes my parents headed that crusade. They were very committed christians and so it didn't come as a surprise because God can not forget his own. There's always a time for reward.
My father hates politics but he's a man of the people. So to be able to serve the people, he got into it just for that single purpose. He became famous for keeping to his vows to protect the innocent and make sure equal right and justice belongs to everybody. His enemies feared him but his people respected him. My parents were very exceptional. We grew and established the family company in almost every country in the world. My brother, Joseph, was handling the company in London. My mother had chains of businesses, both in and out of the country. She was the best wife and mother. And as for me, I was the baby of the house. I didn't get all I wanted but what I needed. Everything was provided on time.
THE ENCOUNTER
This wasn’t how I had pictured the end. And I hadn’t even started yet. Is there an end without a beginning? Like the fresh dew of the morning, that day will forever remain fresh in my mind. The very first day I met him. The day I met Jack.
Lonely and stranded, I couldn’t believe that of all tires, that particular nail found a way into mine. Looking down angrily I said to it ‘you have tried eh, clap for yourself’.
I wanted to slap the living daylight out of that tire. ‘You chose today of all days to make sure I don’t get to the office early right? But I have an appointment. This is wickedness. You're Hitler incarnate.’ I felt so frustrated I wanted to cry.
I was stranded in the middle of the road with no one willing to help. What happened to saving a Damsel in Distress? Don’t people care anymore? I had to call the office. I’m going to be spending a lot of time here.
‘Late?! That’s a first’. Debby couldn’t help sounding surprised. I knew she was.
‘Just tell the board the meeting should be shifted. I’ll be there as soon as possible’.
‘I got your back Laly’. I felt relieved. A little, though.
My mechanic was unreachable. And just then I remembered what daddy said to me before I left the house. ‘Laly I don’t feel comfortable with you in that. Use another car’. He tried all he could to make sure I didn’t use that car but as usual I won. And now I wish I had just lost this once.
‘BJ, I’m stranded. My car just got a flat tire. I don’t’ know what to do’. Joseph was my twin brother. I called him Big Joe, BJ for short. He would do anything to make sure I smiled. He was my hero. He was always there for me. Defended me and fought for me back then in school. We had a nickname back then, The JLK. Meaning, Joe and Lara McKing. Right from childhood, Joe hated seeing my friends or I maltreated. I remember they gave him a name, ‘Woman Defender’. He surpassed what I ever needed in a brother.
‘But he isn’t here’. I told myself. He’s far away in London, handling the company business. But I decided to stay here with daddy. I loved it here. It’s peaceful.
‘Laly I can’t do much from here. Call the mechanic’.
‘His number is switched off’.
‘Ok stay put. Let me see what I can do’.
‘Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I’m not a baby anymore you know’
‘I know. But let me still send someone to pick you up’.
‘Hakuna Matata’, I said. That simply meant ‘Don’t worry. I got this.’ We say it when we don’t want the other party to be worried. Learnt it from Simba, The Lion King.
‘Ok. If you say so. But I’ll call you back in ten. Ok?’
‘Ok BJ. Later’
Out of anger and frustration, I took out the jack from the boot and walked up to the punctured tire and wondered what I should do to it. I knew what to do but for crying out load I was a lady.
‘There’s a list called “things ladies should never do” and this is definitely top on that list.’ A voice came from behind. It sounded so manly and strong but yet safe. Curiosity got the better part of me and I turned.
Dark and almost 6 feet tall. From the look on his face I would have sworn he just had a haircut. It was neatly done. He had the cutest smile. Mine felt sheepish. All I could do was stare. My eyes felt bigger because they kept popping out. I felt stupid. And did I mention he was handsome? OMG he was so handsome I felt like melting. My knees must have heard me because I suddenly felt them disappear. ‘knees, don’t fail me now. I need you’. I only wish they heard me.
Believe me I know so many expensive perfumes but his wasn’t just any type. It felt so strong but yet so soft. It activated something in my brain. I was tempted to ask him the name. But I had to hold back that thought.
The suit he wore was perfection in every sense. Just one look at it I would have sworn it was carved from his body by the gods on mount Olympus. It fitted so perfectly. He had this label on his collar, ‘Adora’. Is that his girlfriend or maybe his wife? I felt jealous that instant. I looked at his fingers and there was no ring. 'Thank heavens!' My mind again. Even his wrist watch had that same ‘Adora’ inscription on it.
This is awkward. I was already feeling jealous of someone I wasn’t even sure existed. I didn’t even know this Hercules standing before me. ‘Lara, keep it together!’ my conscience had to tame that part of me. Then something stupid but crazy happened.
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