CHAPTER 53: MISSING HUBBY I

CHAPTER 53: MISSING HUBBY I

After a week of silence, Diana's worry for James had spiraled into a heavy cloud of depression. She had not heard any word from James and she didn't even know if he was dead or alive. She had dropped countless messages but no reply from him.

Even the success of her newly revamped company, DALF Catering Services, couldn't lift her spirits. Her mind raced with scenarios, the fear of something terrible happening to him clawing at her heart.

Within the week, she had called her family to tell them what he had done in her work place. They all came to see her new office and were in awe the same way she was plus business had never been better throughout the week.

They had already entered the fall. Diana thought different things as she lay on her bed that Sunday morning.

Maybe something may have really gone wrong with him somewhere, just the thought of that alone made tears drop from her eyes.

She was going crazy out of her mind missing him and worrying about him. Worst of all was, she didn't know she would miss him this much in just this short period of her being married to him.

Things are actually going well with her right now, but she somehow felt that nothing was exactly right. She was one person who thought different things at the same time when something bad or unfortunate happened and the one thought that wouldn't leave her mind was that something was wrong.

She tried calling Jared again. He was the only person among his friends that she had his contact, but he didn't pick, he too had not been picking her calls since the week. His other friends, she found their social media handle and chatted them up, but none of them could give her his location.

Diana was livid and at the same time hurt and depressed.

The feeling that she meant nothing to him – that he didn't miss her at all – left a sting worse than any insult.

If she really meant anything at all to him, he would have called or chatted her up about his whereabouts or at the very least tell her not to worry that he was fine. She now knew that she did not mean anything to him, still she couldn't stop caring. She also really wanted to mean so much to him by all means.

Wherever he was, was he not missing her at all even if it was just a little bit, Diana thought all these and more as tears continuously dropped from her eyes.

Lost in these bleak thoughts on Sunday morning, her phone rang. It wasn't the caller she'd hoped for, she nearly threw her phone against the wall but thought better of it. "What is it Vanessa".

"Woah boss! Relax i come in peace".

Diana calmed down and sighed.

"You know what?" Vanessa's voice came again from the other end. "Meet me at granny's".

"Why granny's, what is going on there?".

"Just meet me Diana" Vanessa sighed.

"Time?", Diana asked smugly.

"In the next one hour".

"Vanessa i don't think i can make it out...." Diana started to refuse when Vanessa cut her off.

"Diana please, come on, just do this for me alright, please am begging".

"Alright fine, Vanessa". She hung up and groaned. She really did not want to go anywhere, she just wanted to be left alone with her thoughts, but because it was Vanessa, she didn't have much choice.

Diana sluggishly showered and dressed simply, her somber mood mirrored in her choice of black pants, black singlet and jacket with matching black boots. She carried a sling bag and hung it over her shoulder, before she walked out of the room. She didn't bother with any powder and left her face bare, she was already feeling sick as it was.

With a heavy heart, she headed towards Granny's, the popular cafe in Canary Wharf.

Diana got to granny's a little after an hour and 30 minutes. Just as she was about to walk in, someone bumped into her causing her bag to fall of her shoulder. She apologized and bent to pick her bag. Coming back up, she came face to face with Cassandra, James's ex-girlfriend, who stood before her.

She looked as bubbly and beautiful as ever Diana thought resentfully. "Well, well," Diana said feigning surprise, "Cassandra. Fancy meeting you here." Her tone dripped with barely concealed contempt.

Cassandras folded her arms and sneered, "where did you think you were supposed to meet me, that's right, my boyfriend's bed, you whore and man snatcher".

Diana tried to maintain an appearance of bland tactfulness in spite of the anger she was feeling about the insult she just received.

Trying to remain composed in the face of the insult, Diana responded with feigned sympathy, "Oh, Cassandra. If this is about last Sunday, I'm truly sorry. You know I'm not usually like that – blame it on a momentary lapse of judgment and booze."

Cassandra stared at her head on and smiled evilly as she laughed. "Oh Diana, do you really think you are a wife to him?"

"What do you mean by that Cassandra?"

"Just exactly what you heard Diana. do you think James will ever take you seriously?" She spat

Diana gave a derisive laugh and folded her arms staring at her head on, all facade shredded. "So am guessing he never really took you seriously then. He even made a fool of you and married without your knowledge. Ha! I wonder how hurtful that must be".

Cassandra's eyes flashed with anger, her carefully crafted smile slipping.

Diana could hear her teeth grinding after her statement. She smiled and said to her, "if i were you, i will be careful with that teeth Cassandra, its very likely to break". A spark ignited in Diana. "What I am, Cassandra, is his wife. Something you, despite all your... efforts... failed to become."

She watched Cassandra's facade crack further with satisfaction. "Seems like the joke's on you, isn't it?"

Before Cassandra could retort, Diana walked into the cafe, a triumphant feeling stirring within her.

"We will see who laughs best Diana" Cassandra shouted to her retreating back, as people watched her.

"I already am", Diana said to herself in response to her statement without turning back. Though sadness still lingered, there was a newfound edge to her determination.

Diana saw her friend wave to her and walked over to where she sat.

"I've been waiting for close to two hours Diana".

"Am so sorry Vani, i got held up. What's up".

Granny's was famously known for its delicious Ice-creams. so it was two of those Ice-creams that Vanessa ordered before they started talking.

"What's been going on with you lately Diana?"

"Like what Vanessa?" Diana asked back.

"Well don't think i haven't noticed, when your not on business meetings or taking business calls, your staring into space. Something is definitely up at least i know that much about you, so spill. What's the problem Diana?".

Diana was momentarily saved by the waiter bringing their Ice-cream. She took a spoonful and munched on it slowly.

"Diana" Vanessa called again.

She really wanted to talk to somebody, but she just couldn't, instead she sought for a lie to tell her friend. "Alright fine. I just miss him you know. He's been gone for like a week now on his business trip", that's what she told everyone even though she really had no idea where he was. "And i have no idea when he will be coming back and it kills me to not know". Well it wasn't completely a lie Diana thought to herself.

"Oh Diana!" Vanessa cried out and held her free hands that were placed on the table.

"Have you tried calling him", Vanessa asked her.

"Yes i have, not reachable", Diana said and frowned.

"Well am sure he will call you when he's through just relax okay and give him time".

Diana nodded and tried to force out a believable smile. Her friend really had no idea.

She and Vanessa spent the afternoon talking and laughing. The outing proved to be a much-needed balm for her troubled heart.