CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Paula had offered to be taking Swanta to school herself because she wanted Raymond to have private moments with Catarina.

After work hours, he parked in front of Catarina's school and waited for her.

She looked so stressed out when she got out.

He brought out one of his handkerchiefs and waited for her to get into the car.

He leaned and wiped the sweat off her face.

She was shocked at his unexpected reaction.

He looked really worried. "Anabel stresses you very long hours at school and it is showing on your face. You look completely stressed".

She was confused.

Were they still 'acting like they were in a relationship?'

Why was he so concerned?

"You don't have to be concerned, Ray. I am completely fine".

"But you got leaner. You were not even this lean while you were with Richard. It is too stressful for you".

She searched his eyes. "Why are you so bothered?".

He sighed frustratedly. "I don't even know! I really don't know. Let us go get you something to eat".

He drove to a restaurant and got her three packs of food.

"This is too much, Ray. I can't eat two, even if I give Juliet one".

"Stop making me worried and please eat it all".

"Stop being too worried about me. Besides, this relationship is fake".

He watched her longingly as she entered her house.

It definitely was going to be more difficult for him to pretend like everything he feels for her is all fake .

***

It was Thursday afternoon and I was surprised to see Jeremiah.

He was standing at the door of my office when I got to him. "What are you doing here?".

He sighed. "I just wanted to see you. I haven't seen you since Sunday". He touched my shoulder. "Are you okay? You have grown so lean. I specially made some food for you and fruits. Permit me to be doing this daily so that you will get back yourself".

I allowed him into the office and he opened the meal.

It smelt so nice.

I excitedly ate the meal which was so delicious.

He watched me eat like my father did when I was a child.

My heart sank.

He was a divorcee but I felt so compassionate towards him.

Was he going to feel bad once he finds out about my relationship with Raymond?

I felt the urge to tell him everything including the truth but what if he wouldn't even be concerned and everything done was just out of good gesture?

After the meal, tears filled my eyes. "Thank you so much for everything, Jeremy".

He stared at me as if he had something to say but didn't say a word.

I searched his eyes. "Do you have anything to say to me?".

He sighed. "You are beautiful, Catarina". He looked away shyly.

I was shocked at his words. "Thank you, Jeremy".

He sighed and rose to his feet. "I will get going now. Will we do evangelism together this Saturday?".

I nodded and excitedly looked forward to it.

I watched him longingly as he walked away.

I missed him.

I wished he could stay a bit longer.

After school hours, Raymond came to pick me up just immediately after Franca's mother had picked her up.

He drove on silently and turned to me thoughtfully. "After your encounter with Richard, do you believe that the next person you marry might end up acting like Richard?".

I was surprised at his question. I never expected such question all of a sudden. "I never knew Christ when I was with Richard. I believe that God's package is not going to be a confusing one".

"What about pastor's dream? Do you think the Devil showed him that dream about us?".

I sighed because that was a difficult question.

I and Raymond were obviously not compatible and it was obvious he didn't like me too.

Probably the dream might not be that significant.

I remained silent because I didn't know what to say.

His phone rang and he connected through Bluetooth so I could hear the conversation with him and the person.

It was his sister.

"Raymond, I noticed that you both just passed by the house, please stop by".

"Some other time, Paula. She is already tired. Teaching job can be so stressful".

"I will come". I cried out.

He was silent as he didn't look like he approved of it at all but I felt Swanta's mother was lonely since Swanta was too young  and she would definitely need an older  female figure to talk to.

He  reversed and drove into the house.

Paula excitedly rushed to hug me and told me that she was already making pepper soup for us.

When we got to the house, she went to check the food she had left on the fire  while Raymond went to his room.

I was left in the sitting room as Swanta had gone out on a date with her father, Jeremiah Lewis.

While sitting uncomfortably at the silence, Swanta's mother returned with a tray of pepper soup and asked me to give Raymond in his room.

The maids directed me to his room upstairs.

I knocked and he responded.

He looked really shocked to see me when I appeared at his door with the tray.

He was scrolling through images on his laptop obviously for the fishery project Juliet had told me that they were trying to develop.

He didn't say a word, he just kept staring with shock in his eyes.

I dropped the tray beside him and observed the image. "The construction site for the fish project is not advisable because of the drainage system of that area. You don't need riverine area to keep your fishes safe,you just need the right chemicals. I am only saying this so that your fishes don't get lost in the bid of coming them in one place".

He nodded thoughtfully. "Last month, organizations in the area had to renovate the place and it cost so much money".

"Another good thing about it is that riverine areas have too much fishermen. It will limit the production rate because you have more rivals around you. Dry lands have lesser fisher men with more sales. Here,you don't even risk the chance of having poor drainages that will spoil your equipment. Your only challenge will be the transport system".

"Thank you, Catarina. I will consider". He pointed to the bundle that was almost slipping off her hair. "Your hair". Before I  could understand where he was driving at, he got up himself and caught the bundle.

He held my  hair and arranged into the bundle neatly.

My  heart began to beat very fast as I  felt his hand gather my  hair strands into the bundle.

How could he easily notice almost everything ?

"Thank you". I finally found my voice after he bundled the hair perfectly.

I  rushed out of the room and tried to catch my breath at the stairways.

Was I simply overreacting because I had never really seen tender sides of the harsh looking side of Raymond?

I joined Paula at the dining room and she was patiently waiting for me.

She winked at me. "You took longer than usual. He didn't want you to go right?".

"Er...not really".

She chuckled. "It is alright. I understand love even if it has been such a long while ".

I smiled softly at her as we began to eat."You and Jeremiah Lewis have wonderful personalities. I just wonder why two good people have to let go".

She sighed. "Don't be deceived by what people show you on their cover page. Has Raymond told you what caused the rift between us?".

"Not at all, ma'am ".

"Swanta told me how you had fought for her to be with her father. But I understand that you didn't know the whole story. Raymond is the nicest person you will ever know in this life".

"Raymond?".

"Yes. People called him father Christmas right from childhood. Raymond would starve because the poorer ones in class were hungry. He would give them all his food and wait till we get home. In university, he would share his allowance to all his course mates. Most of time, I hated it but I couldn't change him. He met Jeremiah Lewis and loved him like his own brother. Jerry never lacked wears because Raymond gave him half of his wardrobe. Raymond would make sure Jerry eats before he eats. He sold his blackberry Bold five because of Jeremiah's school fees. He did everything to make Jeremiah assured that he saw him as a brother. But oneday, I and Jerry were alone in the room and suddenly we couldn't control our sexual urge. We slept together and I got pregnant. When Raymond found out, he developed the spirit of Absalom and hated Jerry. Raymond hated immorality so much and he felt so betrayed that Jerry had gotten me pregnant which was going to hinder my dreams as a medical doctor. My parents refused to take the baby in because they were very disappointed that I had lost my virginity. Raymond pressured father to accept him as his son in law. We got married and Raymond pleased that my father should allow Jerry work so that he would be able to take care of me and our daughter. Jerry started acting funny when my father made Raymond the CEO of Bower Bound. Jeremiah Lewis is the terrible person, not my brother. I didn't stick with my brother because I was subdued by him. I stuck with him as a choice because I knew that everything my brother did for every human was from the depth of his heart and not because of any intention". Tears filled her eyes.

Tears filled my eyes after her narration. It felt so hurting that I had believed that Raymond was a bad person.

This same person was the first person that reached out to me after my trauma with Richard.

He had given me money which had helped me before I got my first salary from Anabel.

He had even offered to be driving me home with no secret intention.

I had paid him back by misunderstanding the whole thing and telling him that he wanted  to steal Swanta without even understanding the whole thing.

Raymond had adopted Swanta because he wanted her to grow in an environment of love and not watching her parents quarreling all the time.

Raymond had genuinely loved Swanta.

I sobbed because I jumped into conclusion without knowing the full story.

After the meal, he got down stairs and drove me out of the compound.

I cleared my throat and looked up at him. "I know this is quite a wrong time but I am deeply sorry about anything I did during our misunderstanding".

He was surprised. "Why are you apologizing to me? What did that loose mouth tell you?".

"She opened my eyes to understand that you are a genuinely nice person. Thank you for the financial help when I needed it the most. If not for you, I would have been a complete leach to Juliet but God used you to cover my emptiness for the time being before I got my salary".

"Please stop being so overboard with all these apologies".

"I am sorry about Swanta too".

"Whatever I do is because I feel so happy doing it. I feel so happy making sure that you are fine because I care about you". He looked away uneasily and turned on the ignition.