CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: KISS ME

Throughout the meal, they were busy chatting from one topic to another but, George was a bit quiet looking at the way Sheila was intelligently introducing topics that would not bring George's friends to ask questions about them.

They later moved from the dinning to the living room to drink their Scotch while Sheila stuck to wine. Gary also with amusement and satisfaction observed how effectively Sheila coordinated the dinner making everyone involved in her various topics.

George looked at his wrist watch and thought it was time to inform his friends the reason for the dinner. They all sat on the couches with George sitting beside Sheila while others sat facing them and held their drinks in their hands.

George cleared his voice to get their attention. 'Guys, I want to use this medium to officially inform you of my nomination by POP to run for Senatorial seat. As you all know that it's my grandpa's turn to present a candidate, he nominated me and I'm actually an unanimous candidate.'

'Whoa, that's a good one.' Bernard interrupted while clapping his hands.

'Yes it is.' George continued. 'But I need your supports now.' He took a sip from his drink and proceeded. 'You are my buddies who are my first registered supporters. Don't forget, I'm going against veteran politicians from the other party so, physically and financially, I'm counting on you guys.' He concluded.

'So your grandpa succeeded in dragging you into politics after all?' Felix asked.

'Going into politics is not bad. It's a step up into power.' Bernard said.

'He's already a powerful young businessman, he only needs expansion of his authority.' Stuart argued.

'Anyway, I've been wishing you succumb to your grandpa's command all these while on this issue.' Felix added.

'But as a greenhorn in the senate, you must bring a change from what all those old men who have been there for years and do nothing different from what they have been doing for years.' Stuart suggested.

'That's my major reason for accepting the offer.' George responded to Stuart's suggestion.

'Don't you think those old politicians would want to frustrate your bills most especially if the poor would benefit from the bills?' Bernard spoke his thought out.

'He's not going to be heard in the midst of those people who will only leave the senate on retirement.' Gary opined.

'My opinion precisely. Those old men can be so paranoid having a young and non experienced member join them.' Bernard said looking frustrated.

'Why don't we wait till I win the election first?' George interjected.

'You're going to win because we would work on the youths to vote for you.' Sheila assured him which earned her a sharp look from George.

'We'd put all our effort in the campaign to make sure you win but, how do we go round the change so that your impact would be felt?' Stuart asked.

'There would always be ways to go round such situations. What you need do is immediately after the elections and you clear the votes, send your private investigators after them. There is nobody without a secret, let them get you the information and whenever you have a good bill to tender, go after those difficult ones privately blackmailing them. They will give you their support whether convenient or not.' Sheila proferred a solution. Everyone kept quiet and just stared at her. When no one spoke, Sheila felt as if she had said an abominable thing. She felt like disappearing from their midst. It was Stuart that recovered first from the shock of her suggestion.

'George, where did you meet this genius? I keep on asking, why wasn't I fortunate to meet you first?' Stuart asked looking at Sheila with unconcealed admiration.

'How did you people meet?' Bernard put in his own question and it was as if Sheila had opened the room for questions she had thought she had successfully avoided.

'What has her statement got to do with your questions?' George asked impatiently.

'She's who you need for your political career man. She's intelligent!' Felix exclaimed excitedly.

'You've not looked at the loopholes of her suggestion yet.' George argued.

'You're an upright man unless you're hidding something we don't know, that's when her idea would not work for you buddy.' Bernard replied him.

George nodded his head and looked at Sheila who avoided his eyes. But this was not noticed by his friends except Gary.

'You've not answered us how did you people meet? You've never mentioned her before but you just told me today that you want to get married.' Stuart stated matter of factly.

George looked at Sheila and smiled. 'I met this jewel in my office. Her mother works for me and it was just love at first sight and since then I never let her go.'

'Then why have you not mentioned her?' Felix asked.

'We all have been busy for a while that we couldn't even have time to hang out. Moreover, she gave me hard time to accept my proposal so I was afraid to tell you while we were still dragging the issue.' George explain convincingly that Sheila if not that she had been his victim, would had been convinced beyond doubt. She looked at him and gave him an encouraging smile.

'You too are meant for each other. I don't blame Georgy boy rushing her into marriage before someone comes along to snatch her away.' Bernard put in enthusiastically.

Sheila felt elated with the comments coming from George's friends and felt sad at the same time because they were only for the moment. In the next three months, she would part ways with him and all of them would never see her again. She stole a glance at George and realized that his gaze was on her. George was actually playing his part too very well before his friends with the exception of Gary. She thought.

'How come Gary met her first?' Felix asked a little out of jealousy.

'You know Gary and I work closely together being my legal adviser, they met in my office when she made a curtsey call.' George explained.

'Gary, what are the outline for the campaign?' Stuart asked and everyone got busy giving suggestion including Sheila. George could not help it but to respect her intelligence in her contribution. This took them into the wee hours of the following morning. Exhaustedly, his friens left, leaving only George and Sheila.

Sheila went to the dinning table to clear the table but George held her by the arm, and drew her away from there.

'Some people are paid to do that so it's not your duty.' George told her quietly.

'But sir, let me pack the left overs in the fridge so that they will not get spoilt.' Sheila said looking at the table.

'Don't worry Sheila, I won't blame you for that.'

'If that's the case, I'd like to be on my way sir.' She said as she untangled George's hand from her arm.

'You can't go because it's late.'

'I can book an uber sir and moreover, I didn't tell my mum that I would be staying overnight.'

He put his hands in his pocket and moved very close to her to the extent that she could feel his breath on her face. She felt her heart make a thud sound. She took a step back but George moved closer until she couldn't move again as her back touched the wall. This time it was not just a thud sound but her heart was actually beating fast.

'I won't let you go home at this time even if it's in your own car.' George insisted.

'But your friends just left sir.' She lamented.

'Yes, they are men and can take care of themselves.'

'I can take care of myself as well sir. You know I didn't disappoint you in front of your friends so please let me go sir.' She pleaded.

George put his hands on the wall beside her head thereby preventing her from moving. 'And if I insist that you're staying, are you going to refute my order?' He said softly looking at her lips.

Sheila at this time was afraid that he was going to kiss her. As she wanted to lower her head, her head hit George on the nose. She became alarmed not knowing what to do as George held his nose as if he was in a serious pain. She quickly rushed to him to know the extend of the damage she had caused. 'I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to hurt you.' She said with hot tears running down her face. 'Please what can I do to reduce the pain? I'm so sorry it won't happen again. Please forgive me.' She kept on ranting as she was busy cleaning her tears that she didn't notice that George had stood up from his bent position and was looking at her trying to hold his laughter.

'Did you ask me what you can do to lessen the pain on my nose.' George asked still holding his nose.

'Ye..yes sir.' She stammered.

'Then kiss me.'

'What?!'