Chapter 68

Ma Cleopatra POV

"Cleopatra, your phone is ringing", I heard Chris say while he tapped me gently on the shoulder. I must have slept off while watching the Kardashians and their show.


"Who's it?"I asked him.


"Humm, Kharis Carter", he said and handed the phone over to me.


"Who is Kharis Carter?'' He asked curiously.


"Hold on", I said and answered the call.


"Hello ma Cleopatra. I'm at the airport", she said.


"I'll be there soon. Hold on a little bit", I answered, stretching my body a bit.


She ended the call and it prompted me to drop my phone on the table.

"Who is Kharis Carter?"Chris asked again.


"I really do not have the time to explain right now. I need to hurry to the airport to pick her up. I'm sorry for not telling you soon", I said, apologizing and clapping my hands together 🙏.


"Hmm", he answered.


"I'll do the proper introduction when I get back", I said and walked away to the bathroom to wash my face.


I stared into the mirror and then, rinsed my face all over again. I couldn't believe I was in the middle of all of these. I hoped that letting Kharis into my life wasn't a bad idea.


I left the bathroom and stepped into the bedroom to see Chris concentrating totally on the news. Apparently, a local bank was robbed by some modern thieves.


"Can you imagine?. The banks are not safe anymore", he said.


I shrugged and walked to where he laid. I placed a soft kiss on his cheeks and picked up the car keys from the table.

"I'll be right back baby", I said and walked out of the bedroom.


I went to the kitchen and turned off the lights before heading out of the house. I waved to Evelyn, my next door neighbor on the other side of the street. She began walking close to me. I rolled my eyes and regretted why I waved at her. There was no time to chit chat with Evelyn.


"Next tomorrow is my little boy's birthday. I'd like to invite you and Chris", she said, smiling so hard.


I turned to look at her little biy who was standing at their garage. I moved my eyes from her son back to her as she was close to me.



"I'll talk to Chris about it. We'll try our best to attend it", I said, smiling as well.


"Absolutely. Thank you. We'll appreciate it if you could come", she said.


"Okay. I have to go now", I said and waved at her little boy who was far from me though.

Evelyn smiled at my gesture. "Such a cute boy", I said, feigning a smile.


I opened the car and entered inside. I adjusted the rear mirror and watched as she walked away from my garage back to hers. Chris wasn't new around Florence avenue but I was. I had not quite settled in or bonded with any of the neighbors and I preferred to keep it that way.


There was no point for her to invite us to a kiddies birthday just so we could bond. I sighed and put the key into the ignition. Turning the key in the right direction, I stepped on the brake and drove the car out of the garage.


I turned on the speaker and vibrated to nobody by hozier. I kept nodding and singing along.


'You know it is twelve o'clock in Soho, baby

It's gin o'clock where I wake up, I don't know

U think about you though, everywhere I go

And I've done everything and I've been everywhere you know

I've been fed gold by sweet fools in Abu Dhabi

And I've danced real slow, the Rockettes on dodgy molly

But I've had no love like your love

I'm nobody

I'd be appalled if I saw you ever try to be a saint

I wouldn't fall for someone I thought couldn't misbehave

But I want you to know that I've had no love like your love

Honey, when you warm the bed on Wednesday

It's suicide Tuesday back in LA

If I had the choice between here and Illinois

The excitement of a thousand hors d'oeuvres soothing up your voice

At first chance, I'd take the bed warmed by the body

Woo, I once won my hands over a burning Maserati, woo

Still I've had no love like your love

From nobody

I'd be appalled if I saw you ever try to be a saint

I wouldn't fall for someone I thought couldn't misbehave

But I want you to know that I've had no love like your love

I'm on the other side while we deny the truth

We could have less to worry about, but honey I won't lie to you'.


And everything I do I've had no love like your love

I thought of the possibility of Kharis and Frederick ever getting back together. I thought of how his mother and father would react if he decided to back down from the wedding which is just in two days. I thought about a lot of things.


But most importantly, I thought about just Kharis. She wasn't just made to live and be in pain.


Well, Canada was a little bit cold that afternoon and the roads all through the airport were lined with trees like Teak, Jacaranda, Gulmohar and Almond. I could smell the aroma of fresh bread coming from the bread factory just opposite the street.


I horned severally for the garbage truck in front of me to make way so I could pass by. When the road was clear, I hissed at him and continued driving till I got to the airport. I parked the car and called Kharis so she could come out.


"I'm outside", I said to her.


"Okay, I'll be outside in a few minutes", she said.

"I need to get my luggage", she responded.


I relaxed into my chair and waited for her. It seemed like Kharis wasn't forthcoming. I changed the news radio station to a music radio station. Alanis Morissette echoed through the speakers. With how terrible my voice was, I sang alone and used the steering wheel to imitate a drummer.


'An old man turned 98

He won the lottery and died the next day

It's a black fly in your Chardonnay

It's a death row pardon two minutes too late

And isn't it ironic, don't you think?

It's like rain on your wedding day

It's a free ride when you've already paid

It's the good advice that you just didn't take

And who would've thought, it figures

Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly

He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye

He waited his whole damn life to take that flight

And as the plane crashed down, he thought

"Well, isn't this nice?"

And isn't it ironic, don't you think?

It's like rain on your wedding day

It's a free ride when you've already paid

It's the good advice that you just didn't take

And who would've thought, it figures

Well, life has a funny way of sneaking up on you

When you think everything's okay and everything's going right

And life has a funny way of helping you out

When you think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up

In your face

A traffic jam when you're already late

A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break

It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife

It's meeting the man of my dreams

And then meeting his beautiful wife

And isn't it ironic, don't you think?

A little too ironic

And, yeah, I really do think

It's like rain on your wedding day

It's a free ride when you've already paid

It's the good advice that you just didn't take

And who would've thought, it figures

And, yeah, life has a funny way of sneaking up on you

Life has a funny, funny way of helping you out

Helping you out'.


Just as I was eating and shaking my body. Kharis appeared from the back, with her head facing the ground . I wondered why she bent her head. Was she hiding from someone? I observed the environment to see if anyone was exchanging eye contact with her.


I unlocked the car so she could come inside. Then, I adjusted my body and sat properly.

"What's wrong?'' I asked.


"I've missed you. She said, and hugged me immediately.


"Are you hiding from someone?", I asked her.


"Nope. It's just that everyone seems to recognize ne as the girl with the leaked sex video. It is so embarrassing", she answered sadly.


I had never been in her shoes or this sort of situation but I understood the pain she felt within.

I rubbed her shoulders and smiled at her.


"Let's go home", I said to her.