The Final Confrontation: NYSSA
It was another day to visit the market. I was ready and walkin’ down the stairs, catchin’ sight of Kazmir who relaxed on one of the couches. “Aren’t you comin’ with me today, Kazmir Draven?” Playfully, I asked as I caught up with the couch, relaxin’ next to ‘im. “You haven’t taken your bath and don’t seem ready either.”
He looked at me, pausin’ the program on the television screen. “I’ll love to come with you, baby,” he mouthed. “But I have a lot to do on this end. You’ll have to forgive me this one time, mm?” He turned on the television once more, pausin’ it and lookin’ at me. “I called Darius. He’s a trusted man and I believe he can handle your trip. Don’t you think so?”
He was right and also wrong, but I trusted Darius also, so I didn’t mind. I got on my feet and gave a nod. “Sure, baby, I’ll go with ‘im.” I let out and walked to the stairs again as I turned around to see his questionin’ gaze fixed on me. “What? I need to grab my purse and some money too.” I mouthed and walked away, catchin’ up with the door of our room and walkin’ into it.
After doin’ what I needed to do, I reached the livin’ room once more. “Did you say he’s on his way?” Sittin’ on one of the chairs in the diner area, I asked. “It’s takin’ so much time and I’m almost late. I need to get those paints and brushes in bulk today. I’d have loved it if you came with me, Kazmir.”
“Fine!”
He abandoned the show on the television, standin’ on his feet. “Will you at least give me some time to get ready? I’ve not had my bath yet.” He said and I nodded with a smile on my countenance. He walked through the stairs and caught up with the door of our bedroom, while I relaxed and ate from a plate of food I dished a while ago, waitin’ for the moment he would walk out of the bedroom – this time all ready for our outin’.
The house bell rang.
I knew it was Darius.
There was no way he would go back without doin’ what he was asked to do, so I walked to the gate to get ‘im. “Hello, Darius. How are you doin’ today?”
Walkin’ back to the livin’ room, I asked. “Kazmir changed his mind ’bout goin’ with me, you know. I’m sure he didn’t tell you.”
“Oh,” he stopped in his tracks, shakin’ his head. Takin’ his phone out of his pocket, he shook his head more and said. “Not even a text or call I missed. I should head back to the house, isn’t it?”
“No,” I walked further and opened the door. “You don’t have to. You’ll still drive us. I’m sure my husband is very tired and needs some time to rest, don’t you think the same?” We were inside and there was Kazmir who walked down the stairs all dressed. “There he comes.”
“Thank you for comin’, Darius. There is a little bit of change in plans but you’ll still be comin’ with us.”
He nodded.
Kazmir snatched the keys from a table and threw it before headin’ to the door.
“Let’s get goin’, baby.” He mouthed to be who was by his side in seconds. We hopped in the car and the ride started, while Kazmir came down at some point to open and shut the gate for Darius who did the drivin’.
It didn’t take long for us to reach the gate of the Estate, and then the ride into the streets of the city began. Darius and my husband talked ’bout work, while I gazed at the screen of my phone all through the journey. In no time, we reached the gate of the large art market, and there was me who turned off the phone, ready to do what I had come to do.
“Ready?”
“Yes,” takin’ the seat belt off my body, I hung my purse on my shoulder. “I am ready.”
With this, the both of us hopped down from the car. Darius was to wait behind us while we went in and out of the market. With Kazmir’s company, we led our way past the gate, catchin’ up with the first shop I needed to get brushes from. “You’re not even usin’ the ones you got the last time, Nyssa.”
“I know, Darius!”
I turned to look at ‘im. “You don’t know I want to get as much as I can before stayin’ back at home to do all the inspirations I’ve gotten so far. Don’t you know?” In frustration, I heaved a sigh and turned to face the seller who packed up the selected brushes.
“Okay. Okay.”
We paid and moved to the next section. Now, I was smilin’, happy to be here. Even though I had yet to recall everythin’ ’bout myself, this part of it was the best yet. I turned to look at Kazmir who stood behind me like a bodyguard and faced the paints again, stoppin’ all of a sudden – recognizin’ a fragrance.
Sharply, I turned around.
“Hello, Kazmir,” it was Lysander. He greeted Kazmir before facin’ me. “I didn’t know I’d meet you here, Nyssa. It’s been a while since we last saw each other. Since I got back from the hospital, I mean. How have you been doin’? And how has life been?”
Lookin’ around, I wondered where he was comin’ from. Didn’t I look behind me a while ago? I wondered and smiled, although it wasn’t genuine. “What do you want, Lysander? How can I help you on a day like this? What do you want from me this time around? My life, or the fame I’ve gotten for myself so far?”
“Why are you soundin’ that way?”
He was shocked, obviously. I had ne’er spoken to ‘im that way since we started talkin’ when I got out of the hospital and made it to his house where I almost lost my life. “I didn’t do anythin’ wrong to you, did I?” He walked closer and I shifted back. My gaze darted to Kazmir who didn’t say anythin’. Maybe he wanted me to face Lysander on my own, or rather, was processin’ the shock of talkin’ to ‘im in that way.
“What do you want?”
He walked closer, I shifted back again.
He then stopped makin’ an attempt to reach me. “I thought I should say hi, and remind you that you don’t need a man like Kazmir next to you, if you know what I mean.” He looked at Kazmir and met my gaze again. “I am the right man for you, you know. And I don’t mind takin’ you back into my house. It’s always been yours from the start, after all.”
I burst out laughin’.
A signal I gave Kazmir told ‘im I meant he should record the moment, and he took out his phone. “How dare you?!” I shouted at Lysander when our gazes met again. “It’s enough that I didn’t expose you to the world, Lysander. But comin’ after me again so that you can try is more than enough to make me do what I want.”
He tried to walk away, but I went after ‘im.
“You think I don’t know what you did?!” I shouted. “You tried to kill me and I didn’t know why, but I do now. You must have seen the future and known I would do better than you in this field, isn’t it? Is that why you let out gas that almost killed me, Lysander? And isn’t that what you’re tryin’ to achieve again?!”
He was runnin’ and I chased after ‘im. “Leave me alone if you don’t want me comin’ for you, Lysander! I’ll not repeat myself.”