NYSSA
Finally, I came up with an answer to all my questions but at the same time, didn’t talk ’bout it. For all that I knew, the penthouse was not a safe place for me to be in. What if the girls Kazmir had a thing to do with in the past came for ‘im? I wondered while thinkin’ of a way to go ’bout my plan and at the same time, not havin’ a response or rather, a good answer for it.
“Aren’t you goin’ to talk to me?”
It was another mornin’ and many nights of sleepin’ in a separate room. Kazmir, for the umpteenth time, threw this question at me and I ignored ‘im as usual, walkin’ out of the kitchen with a bowl for my meal this mornin’.
“Can’t you give me an answer?!” He shouted from behind and I still did not say a word, catchin’ up with the dinin’ table and takin’ a seat on it.
“Nyssa?”
“Leave me alone, Kazmir!” I snapped, facin’ ‘im for the first time since many days ago. “I have nothin’ to say to you. What would you do if you were me? Smile and laugh or even fuck me? Come on! I am not in that mood just in case it’s hard for you to understand.”
He went silent.
Somethin’ I wanted.
For the rest of my stay at the table, no one said a word to each other.
The only thing that made a noise was the plates, spoons, and other utensils and as soon as I finished with my meal, I was on my feet and runnin’ back to the room – my new space.
How do I go ’bout this plan? I asked myself again, my thoughts suddenly driftin’ as I thought ’bout what Kazmir could be hidin’ away from me.
That I knew ’bout this part of his life doesn’t make me know all of it.
What more is he hidin’?
Do I even want to know ’bout it?
Absolutely not. I heaved a sigh and lay on the bed, arrangin’ my head on the pillow with many more sighs runnin’ out of my mouth.
Is this what Lysander referred to when he talked ’bout my past?
Does he know ’bout this?
I got on my feet and paced the room, stoppin’ in my tracks to listen to a sound that came from the outer part of the room.
I looked at the door, wonderin’ if that was a knock and why Kazmir would want to knock on my door in the first place.
“Who is it?”
The hand hit the door again, and I was walkin’ towards it.
The smell.
A fragrance I recognized didn’t belong to Kazmir, but it was that of a woman I had missed too much.
I opened the door, smilin’ at the sight of my best friend who I hadn’t seen in a long while.
“I thought you traveled or somethin’, Ember,” she walked into the room and I shut the door, lockin’ it the next moment. “Come on in. Where did you go? You stopped callin’ and comin’ to the house also. Why?”
“I’m sorry!” Ember, takin’ a seat on the bed, said. “I’ve just been too busy with work and the house. Many things are on my mind but I shouldn’t have forgotten you. Not for a moment and I am really sorry. By the way, why are you in this room? What happened to your room with Kazmir?”
I heaved a sigh.
“Can we not talk ’bout that?” I begged.
“It’s honestly nothin’ serious so you shouldn’t bother ’bout it. What would you like? I made some food this mornin’, you know. Or we can have the usual.” I got on my feet to walk to the door but Ember, who happened to want to hear all that happened, held my hand with a questionin’ look on her countenance.
“I don’t believe you, Nyssa. Not with that look on your face. So what happened? I am not hungry, trust me. Sit and tell me all of it. You know you always have my ear.” She smiled and I did the same, sittin’ on the bed next to her and thinkin’ also if I wanted to let her know ’bout what happened.
Although I am angry at Kazmir after discovering all of these, it didn’t mean I should go ’bout talkin’ ’bout it. It is meant to be a secret. A secret I am ashamed of on his behalf and what if Ember is a police officer who loves the law and her job? That can only mean the cops will come for Kazmir before next week.
“Nyssa?”
I snapped out of my thoughts and met her gaze. “Oh, I’m sorry,” I fell on the bed and let out. “It’s nothin’ serious. I thought I could spend some time alone for now, you know? So I came into this room to stay in the meantime. How is it goin’ with you at work?”
Topics changed and I was more than happy, heavin’ a sigh of relief and sittin’ up again while I listened to all that she had to say ’bout what had been happenin’ since the last time we saw each other.
“What are your plans?”
Finally, the question I’ve been waitin’ for.
Now that I thought ’bout it, I knew I wanted to be gone from this house. One way to check out the safe and its content. Also, I was careful enough to not let Ember know ’bout it so I acted differently, as though I didn’t have any plans, to begin with.
The next week, Kazmir made it to work.
He was certain there was nothin’ he would do to change my mind and resorted to findin’ solace in his work. I was happy, if not for anythin’ but ’cause I will be left to carry out the plan I’ve been meanin’ to carry.
Without wastin’ any time, I picked a box from the wardrobe in my new room and picked a few things I’ll be needin’ when I am gone from the house, as well as thinkin’ through my plans and also askin’ myself if I really wanted to do it.
I didn’t forget to sneak into the office and take the safe with me, after confirmin’ that the code was still the same and the document intact. For all that I knew, the law charges looked like it was me who did it, even though I couldn’t recall.
Finally, I set out of the house after takin’ some money from the closet in the master bedroom. Without writin’ a note for Kazmir so he is aware of my where’bouts, I led my way out of his compound, breathin’ fresh air and hastenin’ my footsteps to the garden where I knew Lysander would be in.
What if he wasn’t there?
For a fleetin’ moment, I thought ’bout it and it caused me to stop in my tracks.
There was nothin’ I would do ’bout it if not go back to that house and this is somethin’ I didn’t want. Then, I recalled the letter I had received that day from the gallery outin’, and an address that was seen at the end of the letter. Now that I recalled, I rehearsed the address, surprised also that I could remember.
In moments, I was at the gate of the garden. Luckily for me, it was open. Does this mean that Lysander was in it? What if this is a trap someone wanted me goin’ in? I walked in anyway, draggin’ my box slowly while in moments, I caught up with the spot where we spent time the other time I was here.
“Lysander?”
No one answered.
I let go of the box, turnin’ around and changin’ directions. The last time I came here, I was in two places and since Lysander wasn’t here, he had to be there. When I caught up with the other space, I heaved a sigh of relief, walkin’ closer and goin’ on my knees so that I could touch ‘im.
“Lysander?” I called the first time and when there was no answer, I made sure to hit ‘im hard.