Chapter 16 Confrontation

The expression on Desmond s face was all Dave hoped for, and then some. He waited for him to recover. "According to the clause of our contract the individual with the highest shares has the ruling vote and that would be ... you know who!" he said arrogantly.

Desmond looked on, mouth agape.

So do we still have anything to discuss or this meeting is over?

When Desmond still didn t respond, his head dropped in both of his hands on the table he rubbing his temple gently.

"Silence, that s what I thought" he stood up from his reclining position. "I will be making some changes soon. Anything that has my name on it can t be run to the ground. I take good care of what belongs to me. I don t bet on it, neither do I treat it shabbily."

"What are you implying?" Desmond found his voice.

"Oh… you think I don t know how you gambled on most of your assets? You are in debt and drowning financially. How long do you think you can keep up appearances?"

"I see you have done your home work?" he said with bravado. "I advise you not to challenge me boy"

"Did you say challenge? Please look around you. You can t even pay your bills. I challenge people who are in the same league as me" having said that, he walked out of the room feeling elated.

In his alone time he would regret just for a flicker of minutes regretted acting so emotionally immature, but he was beyond caring. If this little satisfaction was what he got for what Lewis did to him, then he was just happy to be the proverbial cat that got the cream.

***

"You are welcome to our party." The chairman of the Youth progressive Party shook hands with Dave.

"Thank you very much it s an honor to be part of this dynamic set. Mr. Jacobs"

Peter Jacobs was a man than could not be a day older than forty. He was once a minister for four years and now resigned. While in position he saw the need for youths to be more involved in political matters, which was the reason he established the Youth progressive, where anyone and everyone has the opportunity to contest so long the person meets the constitutional requirements.

Dave and some other two people will contest at the primary election level. If he won, the he would represent the party in the coming election.

"Have you always wanted to be in politics?" Peter was curious as to why David chose to be in Politics.

"It s not always been a dream but I felt a need to impact people in my own little way."

"Great," Peter Jacobs seemed genuinely interested

"David dived into how he intended to achieve his goal for the state"

The two men talked about the goals as a party and their plans for the state. It was purely patriotic. David talked about how he planned to provide quality basic education for children who were struggling to make ends meet. David remembered how he found so difficult to assist himself through school together with Daniela. He didn t find it easy and no child should ever go through what he went through as a child.

By the time he left Peter Jacobs office. He had renewed reason he wanted to run for office. If he ever had an ulterior motive everything disappeared in the view of his brief visit to his past as he talked with his party chairman.

***

He found the person he was looking for in David Campbell. If only every candidate could have the heart and passion David has about making a change. Peter Jacobs thought as he escorted him out of his office. He was truly impressed with David. Discussion with him validated all the reasons why he set out to establish the Youth Party in the first place. And if men like him could assume leadership position in the country, then the future of the nation is secured. Out of the entire candidate he had personal discussion with; no one had the passion to effect a better change like Dave Campbell does. And he hoped that he got the chance he deserves to make the needed change. He made his mind up to vote and even root for David Campbell as the coming Governor of the state.

If Dave got anything from discussing with Peter Jacobs, it was that his past is still very much part of him. His original motive to join the party might not be honorable but talking with Peter had unveiled a deep seated need he did not even know was there, and that he still carried the pain of his past about his neck and he does not even know how to dislodge it. Brenda… his mind went to her as he drove away from Peter s office. Dave got to know from his sister that Brenda just got a place of her own. She seemed to be finally untangling herself from her Daddy s apron. He was headed to the office but made a turn towards Brenda s instead. He was cursing himself for his stupidity but that didn t stop him from pressing on the gas, as he moved towards Brenda s office. Maybe it was all the discussion with Peter, but for whatever reason, Dave knew he had to see Brenda and it had to be now.

***

Brenda knew it must be late but she still has some things to wrap up before calling it a night. She was glad because of she was able to achieve in just a day. And her entire staff was very cooperative. Angelina wanted to wait till she was ready to close for the night but she asked her to go home and meet her family. She insisted on waiting in case she needed anything, but she told her she was fine and she would close the office when she was done. She even assured her she need not worry about her safe since the janitor/ security was around.

She was buried in law books. She was a lawyer alright but a corporate lawyer. While in New York her firm worked with several companies from Banks to Oil companies and even partnership and individual businesses. Her original plan was to start a small firm of her own, and the plan B was to get a job as an in house corporate lawyer in any organization, if her initial plan failed. Unfortunately, her father business needed her help so she pushed her plans aside and jumped in to save the day. She didn t know so much about entertainment law, but it is still law right? So she intended to get all the books she could to brush her rustiness in entertainment law, which was how Dave met her in her office… buried in books and files.

Her door opened but she didn t even bother to look up thinking it must be Angelina, acting the mother hen. "You know you don t need to babysit me, seriously I m fine, so go home. Tomorrow is another day."

She jotted something down, from one of the books scattered on her table.

Dave stood just inside the door and watched her. He saw the Brenda he knew, who sat with him on the bench outside his house copying notes, or even doing school assignment. If only Dave could see his own expression at the time, cursing himself a fool would pale in comparison.

"Ouch that was brutal, for someone who drove all the way to see you." His deep voice reverberated.

Brenda jumped knocking the book on her lap to the floor. "You gave me a fright" she sighed.

Dave snorted "Really! What are you afraid of, your shadow?"

Ignoring his question, Brenda asked "What are you doing here?"

"That s cruel Brenda" he saunters into her office.

Her spacious office became so small with his larger than life presence, making her suddenly claustrophobic. She feigned unaffected by crossing her arms over her heaving chest.

"Were you expecting someone else?" he inquired sitting back in his chair across from her, and then resting his left heel on his right knee in a fashionable manner that Brenda found really attractive.

She admitted to herself that she found Dave Campbell extremely attractive. He was attractive as a young boy, but so much so as a man, his dark eyes, and his raised right eyebrow when curious about something just like he is doing right now, his firm and lithe body his pink lips and thick lashes, and his killer straight nose on his symmetrical face. Dave sure cleaned up really nice.

"Are you going to answer my question?"

His bedroom voice reached her fantasy. "Did you say something? She asked nonchalantly, separating her feelings from her tone, not wanting her to get how strongly she affected her.

"I wanted to know who you were expecting" he repeated.

She bent to pick the book that fell to gain a modicum of composure. "If you must know, I thought you were my assistant. But I m certain you didn t come here to ask me who I was expecting"

"I came to get answers"