Chapter 12 Inordinate Proposition

She really tried but her eyes suddenly developed mind of their own; and they wouldn t stop finding their way back to Dave and his date. He looked to have positioned their seat such that he was facing them, while his date faced the other side of the room. He could watch them unnoticed but she could not watch him without turning her head, which would make watching him very obvious. Dave Campbell you are just insufferable.

"Sorry you said what?" Brenda brought her mind back to the group; she seemed to have missed something josh said. Even if it killed her she promised to enjoy the rest of her night. Dave can go to blazes for all she cared, oh! And while at it he could drag his heavy bosom vixen along with him.

" I was asking how it has been since you got back?" Josh asked of Brenda

"It has been good mostly, aside from house hunting, and meeting with friends, I have done much of nothing really"

"And speaking of house hunting how is that going?" Greg asked curiously taking a bite of his peppered Suya (spiced and peppered roasted beef). One of the reasons he liked coming to this joint was because of the peppered roasted beef- the way the sauce melts into one s mouth is heavenly delicious.

"Great… actually I got a lovely place today, thanks to Ella, I should be moving anytime soon."

"Oh you are a realtor?" Josh asked Ella interestedly

"Yes, if you need a house or an office space, I m your girl." She took a sip of her juice.

"I will like that very much…. Josh whispered to Ella," giving her his million mega watt smile.

Ella smiled back, admiring him. She got the feeling he wasn t really referring to purchasing or even renting an apartment. The guy actually looked great, average height, nice build and fine facial features, his most endearing feature were his teeth. He has great dentition. He smiles and the whole room lights up. "Have you ever considered advertising with those nice set of teeth?

His eyes crinkled at the corners… "Wow! What? Well, I ll take that as a complement" he smiled shyly.

"What are you guys whispering about?" Greg observed "And Ella you got my guy blushing, if ever a dark guy could blush" he commended interestingly.

Brenda seized the opportunity to turn her head just a little in Dave s direction. Their eyes met across the room and stayed for a split second before Brenda broke the eye contact. Just then, Greg chose the time to remove a crumb of spice from the corner of Brenda s lips, and instead of flicking it away, he took it into his own mouth. Brenda felt embarrassed and a little uncomfortable by the gesture but was completely glad it was timely. Soon she saw from the corner of her eyes Dave and his companion left the club.

"Ah! Nothing ever tasted so well" Greg Moan.

Brenda quickly looked in Dave s direction. But he seemed to be enjoying something the voluptuous date was saying.

"I appreciate your inviting me to tag along tonight, I really am enjoying myself." Ella told Brenda.

"I just had to compensate for cancelling on that office space we talked about."

"And why did you change your mind by the way?"Ella was curious

"Well, I decided to put in at Dad s firm" Brenda explained "The office needed restructuring so I want to help him with that"

"Does he even go to his office anymore? The election prep is really taking his time." Greg enunciated.

"Your Dad is running for election?" Josh and Ella asked in unison

"Yes, and that is why I need to help supervise things at the firm."

"So I m talking with the first daughter of the state? When you get to your paradise, please don t forget your best realtor." Ella gushed jokingly

"I would not assume that far yet. Because he would have to win the primary election, then compete with other parties and win before bragging about being first anything of the state."

***

Cecelia looked nervously around the upper class restaurant, no sight of anyone she might know. She chose a place a little farther down town because she couldn t chance bumping into Dave or anyone she might know.

Surprise, was an understatement of what she felt when Desmond Lewis called her out of the blue, wanting to meet at the La fountain Restaurant- one of the best in town. She checked her golden wristwatch for the time; one of Dave s numerous gifts to her, another reason she felt guilty for honoring this invitation, and sneaking behind Dave s back. Dave hated Desmond for whatever reason, mainly because Dave is very big on keeping his feelings under wrap. The boy is as close mouthed as they come. But Cecilia was aware it has something to do with his mother s death. And she had better not give Dave more reasons to hate Desmond Lewis. It was Forty-five minutes past twelve in the afternoon. Thankfully Dave was not coming home for lunch like he sometimes does.

"The older you get the more beautiful you get" Desmond slid into the booth which gave them a measure of privacy. "I like the seat you chose, people can hardly see whatever goes on in here" he wiggled his thick dark brows.

Cecilia must admit Desmond still got his looks and grooves even at middle age, but that did not excuse all the wrong he did to her and especially to Dave. "I m sure you didn t call me here after so many years to flirt" Cecilia sat straight on her seat. "So tell me, why am I here?"

"Still my feisty Lady, aren t you?" Desmond commented with a glint in his eyes.

She looked him over with disgust, and was furious with herself for ever falling for his charms at one point in her life. She was a single lady who yarned to get married and someday have children of her own. If only she knew how selfish he was before letting her guard down, she wouldn t be in the mess she found herself.

"Do you even know how I got your contact after all these years?" he said, beckoning to the waitress who was standing not too far from their table.

"Ugh! We both know how you get whatever you want, don t we?" she rolled her eyes.

Desmond signal to the waitress subtly waiting at one corner of the booth, to take their orders.

"I will like to have Chinese rice, chicken masala and bottle of your day special. You can bring same for my companion here." He dismissed the waitress with a flicker of his fingers.

Cecilia shook her head in irritation. Desmond will not change. But she didn t counter him, it is better not to in her experience. But she knew there was an ulterior motive. One doesn t just wake up and contact your ex-girlfriend if there was no motive.

Desmond s eyes travelled over her face in admiration. She could easily pass for a fortyish woman. "Truly Cecelia, you re a sight for sour eyes really"

"Okay, Desmond enough of this patronizing will you tell me why you called me here already?"

By this time the food had arrived.

Desmond took a bite of his chicken masala and closed his eyes in ecstasy. "You know I first tasted this delicacy on one of my many trips to India. And when I got back I searched for a while before I located this place. It tasted the same way it did the first time I ate it in India."

Cecelia took a sip of her water. She leaned on the table and looked at Desmond square in the eyes. "Really, chicken masala… India, are you serious right now?"

Desmond was trying to stall, but the lady was not having it so he d better just drop the bomb shell. "Okay, I want you to marry me"

"W-h-a-t?" She hit her fist on the table, rattling the fancy silver wares on it.

"You must be joking" I mean… why would you even come up with something like that? No offence or anything but that was the dumbest thing I have heard in… like forever she threw her hands up for effect.

Desmond took a sip of his wine. He probably needed the edginess the wine gives; he could use a dose of wine induced courage here.

"Wait! Let me explain, this would be in name only. You will only be my companion at official functions. We don t even have to share a room if you don t want too," he averted his eyes at the sharing the room part.

"Can you even hear yourself, and where is this even coming from?"

"Well I m serious; it occurred to me that if I would be a governor I will need a first lady."

"I knew it" her fist hit the table the second time, thanks to the privacy of the booth. "Desmond Lewis always has an ulterior motive, it is always about you."

"Sorry to disappoint you, you picked the wrong girl this time" she made to leave.

Cecelia, I don t want to do this but you left me no choice, if you don t accept my proposal I will tell Dave the secrete you were hiding."

At the mention of Dave, her boiling blood cool, she sat back down. "What are you talking about?"

For one, you dated me, and then you were a silent party to how I swindled his father of his contract, which led to his drinking and womanizing and eventually to his wife battery. You kept all these from him. And you have taking advantage of his generosity. Desmond recounted without lifting his eyes to Cecilia s. He couldn t. He might be a scoundrel and a little ambitious but he genuinely care about Cecilia, his words hurt her to the core, he knows that, but he had no choice, if he wanted to win the election. Cecilia was the support he needed when he was lonely after his wife died. He never introduced her to his daughter because he did not want anyone taking the place of his wife especially not in his daughter s life. She was a banker at the time and she signed as one of the witnesses in the contract howbeit unknowingly. But the evidence was there.

Her cold voice reached out to him across the table. "This is low, even for you, Desmond Lewis." She angrily grabbed her bag from the table and carried her elegant self out of De' Place Restaurant.