52

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO.
The time on Adele’s wrist watch read five pm, which was her closing time and she couldn’t be any happier. Her first day of work had been a very hectic one. Her office colleagues had been nothing but nice and understanding towards her the entire time, but Grace did not fail to show her disdain for her everytime they had an encounter, but Adele cared less. All she wanted to do was do her work and leave the office when her time was due.
“Alright Adele, see you tomorrow.” Said Kelly as she waved and exited the office. Adele just smiled and rode on with packing her stuff.
When she was done, she stepped out of the office to the hallway and her cell phone chimed in her bag. She took it out to check who had texted and her heart began racing when she saw that the text was from Jamal. She quickly unlocked the phone and went on to read the message.
“Follow the guy dressed in a black suit at the far end of the hallway you are currently standing in. He’s going to lead you to my private parking lot. I wanna drive you home.” She read inaudibly and immediately looked up. Indeed, there was a guard dressed in black and the moment their eyes met, the man turned and started walking away. Adele immediately understood that that was a sign for her to follow him.
She did not want to do so, because driving home with Jamal was the last thing she wanted, but she found her legs carrying her body behind the man.
The man, who did not say a single word to her throughout the elevator ride, finally took her to the private parking lot which had a collection of very expensive cars parked in it. From Porches to Bugattis, Maseratis, Lamborghinis and Rolls-Royce…
Rolls-Royce!
That was her best car in the world and she hoped to own one someday.
Her mouth dropped as she admired the fancy looking cars, taking unconscious steps towards Jamal who was smiling at her.
“Just point at any and it will be yours.”
“Tss…” Adele scoffed and looked at him sternly. “I don’t want anything from you.” She spat out bitterly and her words hurt Jamal’s pride, but he decided to ignore the pain and put on a smiling face instead.
“Why did you ask your guard to bring me down here?” Adele asked, irritated and Jamal furrowed his brow as he leaned by the Audi parked by his side.
“I believe I already stated that in the text message I sent.”
“Yeah.. whatever. But why? Why do you want to take me home?”
“To spend some time with you. Come on…” he signaled as he walked over to the passenger seat of the car and opened it up. Adele stood on her spot, staring at him in awe. “Let me drive you home.” He said with a hand gesture and Adele quickly shook her head.
“I don’t want to.” She flatly denied and Jamal chuckled.
“This is not a threat, wifey, but we can go the hard way if you want and that will attract onlookers. I don’t have any problem with people knowing you are my wife, you are the one who has…”
“Fine!” Adele cut him off when she realized where he was driving to. “Fine…” she said, walking over to him. “I will go with you, just don’t cause a scene.”
“As you wish, ma lady.”
Once they were both settled in their respective seats, Adele in the passenger seat while Jamal in the driver’s seat, he ignited the car engine and drove out of the parking lot.
The ride to Adele’s apartment is a quiet one. She was pretending to be asleep throughout and Jamal, who understood her motive only smiled and stole glances at her from time to time.
“Adele.” Jamal called softly once he parked in the driveway of her apartment and Adele snapped her eyes open.
“Yeah.”
“We are here.”
“Oh…” she exclaimed, unstrapping her seatbelt.
“Do you mind if I go in with you?”
“Go…” she said, pointing out of the car with her thumb and looking at Jamal with her eyes wide open. “Go… as in, go into my apartment with me?”
“Yeah.” Jamal replied, nodding his head.
“Uhmm… yes… I mean no… I mean… Yes, you can.” She stammered nervously.
“Thank you.” He said, unbuckling his seat belt as well.
“Why do you want to go in with me?” Adele asked once they were in the elevator, but Jamal did not respond. He only smiled at her. Adele, who didn’t have anything else to say, just stayed quiet.
In less than five minutes, they were in Adele’s apartment and Jamal couldn’t help but admire her living room. It was small, very small, almost insignificant compared to that at his house, but it felt more homely than that at home.
The entire place smelt like Adele and he wished he could just move in with her immediately!
“Wow! It’s beautiful!”
“Thank you. Make yourself comfortable.” Adele offered and Jamal sat on one of the Sofas. “What can I offer you?”
“Uh… nothing, I’m cool.”
“Are you sure?”
“Uh-huh.” He agreed, looking up at her.
Adele stood still on her spot and began playing with her fingers. She had no idea what to do or say to him anymore. Having Jamal in her bedroom made her heart race and she suddenly felt very nervous.
“Adele.” Jamal called, rising to his feet.
“Hmmm.”
“You look nervous, why is that?” Jamal asked calmly, as he took calculated steps towards her and as he did that, memories of what happened the last time he was there flooded mind. Adele had threatened to slit her throat with a knife if he did not leave her house.
That memory had haunted him for the past year. He had never been able to get over it. His wife had been so mad at him that his presence pushed her to attempt suicide.
That was wild!
“I… don’t look nervous.”
“Yes you do. It’s written all over your face, love. You’ve been fidgeting with your fingers and biting your lips ever since we got in here. You are nervous.” He insisted and Adele took a step backwards.
“You are making me nervous, Jamal. Don’t ask me how because… because I don’t know why.” She whispered and Jamal nodded.
“I won’t ask you why, but I just want to let you know there’s no reason for you to be nervous, love. If there’s anyone between us who should be nervous, it should be me, not you.”
“But I can’t help it.” She cried and Jamal heaved a heavy sigh.
A long moment of silence went by and the couple just stood on their spots, staring into space and thinking deeply. Adele’s gaze was focused on the floor. She couldn’t dare to look Jamal in the face and for Jamal, his gaze did not leave Adele’s bowed down head.
That was a very awkward situation for both of them
“Were you really going to do it?” Jamal sksed, breaking the silence and Adele looked up at him with a confused look on her face.
“Do what?” She asked.
“Slit your throat with the knife.”
“Oh… that.” She said and chuckled, tears glittering in her eyes. “I was. Remember I made a little cut on my throat and didn’t even flinch? That was how mad I was back then. I swear I was going to slit my throat and end my life if you didn’t leave.”
“But why?” He whispered with a shaky voice, taking a step closer to her.
“Because I was tired Jamal!” She said breathlessly and a violent sob followed. The tears that had been forming in her eyes broke loose and spilled down her cheeks and that shattered Jamal’s heart into pieces.
There he was, making her cry again
“Adele I…” He wanted to defend himself but Adele cut him off.
“I was tired of everything that was going on. You had just made me lose my child…”
“Our child!” Jamal corrected.
“Whatever! Your child, my child, our child, however you address it doesn’t change the fact that you made lose it! Jamal you made me go through hell throughout that pregnancy. You didn’t attend a single hospital appointment with me, you didn’t even see our baby in my womb, all you did was attend parties with Danielle. When I lost the baby, I honestly thought it was your plan.”
“Adele, I would never want to do a thing like that!”
“But you did and I hated you. I still hate you. I planned my escape and it was successful. I wanted to stay far away from you to prevent myself from overthinking the situation because I knew I’d go crazy if I kept thinking about it, but you just didn’t let me be. You followed me around, showed up at house uninvited and no matter how many times I asked you to stop, you did not not, so I figured I had to do things my way. I threatened to slit my throat and it worked. You left and never returned.”
“Were you happy?” He asked calmly and she smiled.
“Yes, I was, until you showed up again.”
“I know you don’t mean that.”
“You are not in my mind to know what’s running in it.” Adele blasted and Jamal just smiled as he inched closer to her.
Now, they were dangerously close to each other. Their bodies were almost touching and they could feel each other’s breath on their faces.
Jamal carefully scrutinised her face that was basked in a frown and smiled.
“What’s funny?” Adele asked, giving him a hard glare.
“The fact that I feel like kissing you right now.”
“I think you better leave. Please leave, Jamal.” Adele pleaded with her eyes closed and Jamal chose to obey before she got mad and brought out a knife again.
“I’m sorry for everything.” He said and exited the living room.
Adele slumped on the floor and cried hard.
There she was, back to stage one of her misery.