NYSSA
After thinkin’ of a way to face ‘im for moments, I turned around to be certain that the portrait I had just received was not in sight.
“Kazmir!”
I rushed out the next moment, meetin’ up with the staircase area.
“Welcome back home.” In moments, I was in front of ‘im, smilin’ with my hands that were stretched.
“What is the matter?”
What looked like the matter?
“How do you mean?” I took his briefcase from ‘im.
“Where were you when I got back?”
I looked at the door of the art studio from where I was, facin’ ‘im this time. “I was tryin’ out an imagination on the board in the art studio, nothin’ much. How was your day at work? I made dinner, you should take a bath, and join me as soon as you can.”
He nodded, although mopin’ at me with eyes that said he knew I was lyin’. What would he have me do, anyway? Tell ‘im ’bout a mysterious piece of gift from someone I’m not even sure it is.
He looked at me, even when I took his briefcase to the room. Was he goin’ to check out the art studio? Fear gripped me at the thought of this, and I prayed in my heart that he didn’t go there to see for himself if I was there to make a piece on the board. For all that I knew, I hadn’t touched a drawin’ tool since the day started, which means I could be caught in the act!
“No-”
I turned and walked out of the room, wonderin’ where he was and why he was yet to come to the room. Maybe I was right with my thoughts-Kazmir may be in the art studio, checkin’ out each corner. What if there was a camera I couldn’t find? I heaved a sigh, catchin’ up with the livin’ room area and directin’ my steps to the kitchen area.
“Are you okay?”
I met his gaze. “Yes, Kazmir, I’m fine. Why do you ask? Don’t you believe and trust me?”
“I do-” he coughed, headin’ towards the staircase.
“I’ll be back shortly for my meal. You don’t have to wait for me, you know.” He was out of my sight while I grabbed a tray for his meal, dishin’ it the next moment. Soon enough, I had set the table with a tray for ‘im and another for me.
“You’ve not eaten?” He sat on his seat. “That’s not a bad thing you know, how did your day go?” He smiled, touchin’ my hand slightly. “I missed you, you know. What did you do when I was gone?”
What would he have me say?
What should I say? I mopped at ‘im for moments, makin’ up my mind to tell a lie. The same one I told but an advanced one, which brought me to lookin’ at his face. “I spent almost all my day in bed, and then the art studio moments before you got back.”
“Great! So what did you paint?”
What?
Was he really askin’ me that? I wondered, heavin’ a sigh. “I haven’t even started with the piece, you know. It wasn’t a piece already before the door opened and your presence distracted me.”
Phew!
One way to be free.
At least, before he would go into the room to look at the paintin’s I claimed to have done, he knew already that there was no piece.
I smiled, relieved but not totally – especially when there was a thin’ that shouldn’t be here.
“So how did your day go? Did you make all the sales that you should?” I looked at ‘im once more, watchin’ ‘im eat and sip from a glass. “Also, have you heard from Ember recently? I haven’t seen her in three days and somehow, I miss her too much.”
“My day went well-” he mustered.
“I had a good day at work, and also sales went perfectly fine. I make better meals than almost any other restaurant in the city, Nyssa. You must have forgotten that already, haven’t you?”
“I have and I am sorry.”
“That’s okay,” he said and got on his feet. “I think I am filled up with your meal, especially when I had somethin’ to eat before leavin’ work a while ago. Do you want to show me the progress you made in the paintin’? I’ll love to see it, baby.”
“No!”
He turned around to face me.
“Why did you shout like that?” He walked back and stood beside me at the table.
“Is there a problem? Somethin’ you want to tell me?” He took a seat and I became very nervous, not knowin’ what to do at that moment.
“It’s nothin’,” I got on my feet also. “I’ll show it to you, even though I know it’s nothin’ you’ll like. You know, you paint better than I do.” I mouthed, takin’ his tray from ‘im and catchin’ up with the kitchen. “Why not take a bath and come so we can go together? While I am busy with washin’ the dishes for now.”
“Good idea.”
He walked away while I went on with the dishes, hurryin’ with the dishes.
After this task, I rushed to the art studio, grabbin’ one of the drawin’ pencils and scribblin’ nonsense on the board.
As soon as this was done, I walked out of the space and caught up with the couch in the livin’ room, relaxin’ with a smile on my face – more than relieved to have saved the day in a matter of minutes. The phone in the livin’ room was ringin’ and for a moment, I believed it was Ember. Without hesitation, I walked towards it and placed it on my ear. “Where have you been, Ember? You stopped comin’ to the house, why?”
There was a laugh. Not that of Ember’s. “You talk to that woman, don’t you? Come on, Nyssa. I thought you were the bigger person.”
Lysander!
Not again.
I cut the call and rushed to sit on one of the couches, wishin’ that the man I am married to did not check the call history. The fact that I no longer trusted ‘im does not mean I should be caught in my acts.
“Ready?”
I looked up, standin’ on my feet. “I am ready, yes.” My legs led me to his side and with locked hands, we headed to the art studio door. “I wonder what you’ll think ’bout it, though.”
“Whatever you do, good or bad is acceptable by me, the man who loves you, mm?”
He pushed the door open, stoppin’ in his tracks and burstin’ into laughter. “Who did this? Definitely not you.” He walked in and I did the same, findin’ it funny for the first time – maybe ’cause he laughed.
He laughed some more, draggin’ me next to ‘im. “Oh, Nyssa. Well, to me – you did more than well for the first time in your life – since you got back from the hospital. But for now, we should get some sleep while I show you some tips tomorrow evenin’. It’s the weekend and I’ll have some time for this.”
After lyin’ on the bed and biddin’ each other a good night, I went into my thoughts. Who sent that to me? I thought, turnin’ around to look at the sleepin’ man. What if this was some trap? What if it was ‘im? I wondered, thinkin’ back to Ember and the fact that she hadn’t shown herself in the house since three days ago – which is nothin’ but unusual.
After more than enough time with these thoughts, my eyes shut.
Instead of wakin’ up on the bed the next mornin’, I woke up in an entirely different house. What was happenin’? I got up from the bed where I lay, walkin’ out of the room, and looked around – realizin’ also that there was more than enough smoke in the space.
“Help!” At the top of my voice, I screamed.
“Help!” I shouted even louder, seein’ myself on the outer part of the apartment the next moment, standin’ on the lower part of the house. “There is fire!”
“Nyssa!”
My eyes opened, on the bed in the penthouse. “What is the matter?” A man tapped my face, forcin’ me to open my eyes and meet his gaze. “You kept shoutin’ fire. Why is that? Did you see somethin’?”
“Thank you, Kazmir, but I am fine and don’t need help,” I muttered, huggin’ my pillow tightly. How can I reach out to Lysander at this point? For all that I knew, I needed some money and I no longer trusted Kazmir but rather, would love to stay with the other man who looks like he has a lot of answers to the questions botherin’ me.