“Jessica!!
Jesus Christ. Were you trying to give me a heart attack?” I exclaimed, dropping the pole with a clang to the ground.
Removing my hat, I ran my hands through my hair, feeling relief that it wasn’t what I was thinking.
Her face contorted, her brow furrowed in anger, and her lips pursed. She crossed her arms below her chest, standing akimbo, she tapped her leg lightly on the ground, everything about her right now screamed angry and I knew I was in trouble.”So you’ve been in town and didn’t think it fit to let me know?” Her voice full of accusation.
I took a step back, my eyes locked on hers. “I’m sorry, I really am, I was going to contact you.”
Her eyes welling up with tears, she took a deep breath. “But you didn’t. Our friendship meant so little to you that you came back to town and didn’t even bother to look for me or contact me.” Her voice cracked, as she bit her lower lip.
“I have no excuse Jess..”
“Of course you don’t Nora, for years now, we lost contact, and I kept hoping you’d come back. You did, and chose not to contact me. If I hadn’t seen you on TV, I wouldn’t have known you were back.” Her voice trailed off, her eyes searching mine.
The last part of her sentence rang in my head.
I was on Tv ?
How ?
When ?
“Wait a sec! You saw me on TV?” I asked, my eyebrows shooting up.
Her expression turned wry. “So out of everything I said, that’s the only thing you could pick?” She asked, her anger shooting.
I took a step forward, my hands extended, trying to get a grip of her hands, however she pulled it out of my grip..
“I’m sorry Jess, but you have to tell me, did you really see me on TV?” I asked dropping my tone.
“Yes, I did. And why were you walking around in a hijab? Did you change your religion?” Her anger turning to curiosity.
I chuckled, feeling relieved and embarrassed. “Hold on! You recognized me even with a hijab on?” I asked, grasping both her hands.
Her eyes sparkled as she said,. “You’re my best friend, I’ll recognize you even if your entire face is painted black.” She said squeezing my hands.
“Okay, now that’s you exaggerating.” I laughed..”But I’m really sorry.”
“When did you arrive in town ? And how is it that you’re working next to those God forsaken people.”
“It’s a long story Jess, I don’t even know where to begin…”
“Well you could begin, from when you arrived in town.”
“Alright then, but first let’s leave this place, before someone attacks us for real.”
I boarded a vehicle and we both got in, giving the driver the location to my house.
“I’ll like you to meet two persons at my place..” I said the moment we got in.
Raising her eyebrows she asked,”Hmmm, who are they ?”
“You’ll see for yourself…”
“Alright if you say so.. so when did you arrive in town ?” She asked turning towards me in the vehicle.
“Last week..” I replied bringing my heads down.
“So you’ve been in town for a week ? Wow !! Paris really stole my best friend.”
I laughed really hard holding onto my stomach,”of course not. No one can steal me from you. But what happened ? I couldn’t reach you all of a sudden..”
“I lost my phone, and in it had your contact, there was no way of getting it back…” She paused amid her sentence,”where is this place ?”
I looked up from her face and noticed the driver had gotten to my house.
Without responding I got down and she followed suit.
The entrance gate rolled open, sensing my presence and I walked in.
Jessica quickly pulled my hand fear written all over her face, “this is a private property Nora, what are you doing going in there ?”
“Relax, this is ..” she didn’t let me finish my sentence before rushing to say..
“Oooh, we’re here to see someone..” she said nodding in understanding. “You should have said so earlier, this place looks like paradise on earth damn it.. how did you meet the owner ?”
“Will you atleast let me speak Jessica..” I said stopping in my track.
“Alright, alright.. how did you meet the owner, one will have to do atleast do thirty jobs a day to afford this.”
“I’m the owner Jess, and no I didn’t have to do thirty jobs.”
Her mouth dropped, and her eyes threatened to fall out if it’s socket.
Just as quickly as she went into shock, she recovered.
“You don’t have to lie to me about such things Nora, I’m your best friend remember..”
“And why will I lie about such a thing ?” I asked chuckling.
“I don’t know, maybe to feel big..” I cracked really hard holding my stomach.
“You know I won’t do such a thing, I’m serious.., this is really my house..”
She looked at me her expression blank, I couldn’t even tell what was running through her head.
“Seriously seriously..?”
“Seriously seriously..” I replied chuckling.
“Ahhhhh, holymotherfuckensaviour !!” She screamed bringing her hands to her mouth.
Without warning, she kicked off her footwear and ran into the house.
I noticed the maids and other workers staring at her, probably wondering what was wrong with her.
She got to the sitting room and flung herself on the couch, hugging the throw pillows tightly to her chest.
Next she ran to the kitchen running her hands on anything her eyes made contact on.
She moved to the refrigerator…
“OMG Nora, you’ve got a supermarket in your fridge..”
She opened the door that led to the pantry and her mouth dropped, she turned towards me ..
“Thiii, thisss.” She said trying to form a complete sentence. “Did you rob a bank or something ? You have to tell me how you got all of these.. I need to know so I can start working on mine aswell..”
“I didn’t rob a bank Jess..”
“Then you have to..” she paused looking behind my shoulder, “who are they.. ?”
I turned tracing the direction of her eyes.
It was Mason and Mia, they both stood watching the both of us, probably wondering who it was causing havoc in the house.
“Those are my children..”
“Your children ?” She asked shocked.
“Yup, Mason and Mia say Hi to Aunt Jessica.. they were the one I said you were going to meet.”
“Hi..,” they both chorused.
“OMG, what have I been doing with my life, fucken hell.. I’m not even in a relationship and you already have children and leaving in a paradise mansion.”
“Language Jess..,”
Bending down to their height,”I’m sorry my bad manners. Hi children.. I’m sorry I didn’t get you both anything, I only knew you existed few seconds ago, but I’ll do better next time. okayyy.”
I hit her head playfully, “they didn’t need to know the existed part..”
“Alright, alright, ignore the existed part..” she said.. Mia and Mason looked at her like she was some sort of alien from out of space.
She pulled me to the side of the kitchen out of ear shots of the children..
“Tell me Nora, how did all of these happen, and don’t you dare lie to me..”
I chuckled seeing her serious and not playful for ones.
“You might need a chair cause it’s s very long story..”
I got the maid to prepare something and bring it upstairs to my room.
We sat down and I narrated everything to her, she moved from angry to shocked, to sorry, to thankful..
She literally had seventy two expressions in the span of two hours.
“So the McLaren doesn’t know it’s you behind the hijab ?”
“Nope they don’t.. for now atleast.”
“They must be really dumb.. and they aren’t curious to know ?”
“Actually they are, have just been really lucky..”
“Have you gone to see your parents ?”
“No, I intend to go this Sunday since it’s Thanksgiving..”
“Will you be going with the children ?”
“Yes..” I replied.
My phone vibrated and I picked it up, on the screen was a message notification, however there was no name or number indicating who had sent it.
I opened the message and it read..
“I know your secret..”