15

“Are the cars ready? We are leaving now, at the elevator” Cory tells Damien.

The day was finally over and he would make sure they drove straight home so she could get some much-needed rest Cory thought to himself. He thought about how a tight schedule had made sure they barely talked to each other and even being with her now in the elevator, she was still on her cellphone, this time with Lisa who was discussing the travel itinerary for their journey the next day.

Cory remembers their first elevator conversation and chuckles at how far they’ve come.

Jasmine turns to him, wondering what made him chuckle, but he does nothing but share a quick glance at her. Afterall, they couldn’t have a conversation right now, while she was on a call.

The drive home was like the days before today, her on her phone, either her placing the calls or receiving them. Cory could not see her through the rear-view mirror, but he had the perfect mental image of how she looked sitting behind him.

“I’ll be upstairs if you need me” Jasmine tells Cory just after he pulls up to the house.

He replies with a feeble smile, knowing she was probably not going to let herself access the quality sleep her body badly needed. He wished he could help her forget about work and just sleep, at least till the next morning.

“Oh, I was hoping it would be okay with you to stay over tonight. It’ll be an early day tomorrow” She tells him

The next day was not their first early day, it made Cory wonder why this was special and she was asking him to stay over. It was not a big deal obviously, he needed to stop over thinking things.

“Sure” he replies with a nod.

“Perfect, the suite at the end of the hall has been cleaned up and I’m sure you’ll find something that’ll fit in there” she tells him with a smile.

Cory smiles at the fact that she had made preparations already before asking him, certain that he would not refuse or bring up an excuse why he could not stay.

Cory mutters to himself to focus. He realized that recently they were getting kind of close, but he didn’t want to over step; plus, this week had made them feel distant, he wasn’t so sure how she would feel about whatever his opinion was about her sleeping less.

Cory watches as she climbs the stairs, still talking on the phone as she removes her shoes, how she hated those heels she wore. He looks on helplessly as she disappeared into the mansion.

*****************************************************************

Cory had just finished freshening up before deciding to go into the kitchen to find something he could munch on before he retires for the night. As he walks downstairs, he finally uses the time to reply his mom’s multiple texts, also letting her know he won’t be around for a while and also reminding her to take her meds, something she forgot about effortlessly.

“What’s making you smile like a lady?” Jasmine’s voice gets Cory’s attention, taking his gaze from his phone and to her.

“Nothing exciting” Cory replied, putting his phone in the pockets of the sweat pants he was wearing.

“I see. Hungry?” Jasmine asked, sipping the glass of Touriga Franca she had in her hand.

“Starving actually” Cory confessed with a smile.

He finally got close enough to her to notice that she had also freshened up. She was wearing a rust brown sleeveless pajama short set, her hair still a bit damp, was packed up in a messy bun and she smelt of expensive scents, the kind that would make sleeping a lot easier.

He liked how she looked a lot more relaxed; the shower she did a lot of good on her he concluded. If he wasn’t with her throughout the past week, he could’ve sworn she hadn’t lifted a finger all week.

“Well then, I’m having some of the Caribbean fish stew Juanita prepared” she said to him with excitement. There is also some Asian stir fry. You should go ahead and help yourself.

He pulls out a chair for her at the dining table while she smiles and sits. He returns the smile and settles into a chair as well. Jasmine begins to eat up just as Cory dishes large scoops of fish stew onto the plate in front of him. He watches her eat leisurely, whilst stealing glances at each other. He enjoyed the view from where he was and he was grateful, even for the silence that filled the air.

He was tired and needed to shut his eyes, but he was grateful to inanition for bringing him out here, to her. He had but a few things to tell her and a lot to ask her, all surrounding how she was doing. But right now, it didn’t feel like the right time, he figured she needed to just finish up her meal, and head to bed.

“It’s been a long ass week huh?” Jasmines rhetorical question brings back Cory’s attention to her.

“It has” he replied, not knowing exactly what to add to the obvious answer he had already given.

“Here” Jasmine tells him, pouring him a glass of the Port wine she was having.

Thank you” Cory tells her with a warm smile as he sips from the glass and places it beside his plate.

She nods as if to say “you’re welcome” as she is now between mouthfuls. Cory enjoys the sound of the clicks of forks on their plates and the occasional slurps that wrestled the silence.