Chapter 20

Kim knew she was furious. she heard her own biting voice and hated it. She couldn't help her anger, she couldn't help but spill it. She'd always pretended to be cool, always smiled in front of them and cry in her closet but she'd had enough, she'd had to the brim and she would let them know how she felt.
"Did you both ever want me in the first place or was I an accident?, Answer me!"
Her mother flinched in horror and her father stared past her head at nothing. She sat there, her eyes flashing and her mother recoiled in horror, her eyes suddenly glistening.
"Kimberly, you were never a mistake, your mother and I love you, even if we don't express our love to you directly".
" Wow. You love without expressing ?"
"Kim, you're upset, we'll talk tomorrow"
" Sure, I'll be glad to seat at dinner with you guys again!"
She stood up and made her way to her room. Her parents sat staring in horror.
Once her door was slammed shut behind her, she took in deep calming breaths and for the first time after a long time, she felt the need for a friend, one she could speak with and pour her emotions. One she could call at anytime without fear of being ignored. She went to sleep after hours of Crying . She woke up very late with a faint throb of her head. She had her breakfast in the kitchen while watching Callister knead doughs and boil stuff she didn't really know.
"How do you feel my dear?"
Callister asked we tenderly.
" I'm okay Callister. Just a slight throb of my head".
" Oh, poor dear, I'm so sorry".
She said before producing a sachet of aspirin from her neat apron. Kimberly took some after her meal and felt better . She barely refrained from blurting out ' I wish you were my mother, Callister'. She imagined Callister would be horrified and say words like ' no matter how much you fight with your parents, no one else can be better parents to you '. She sighed. Vaguely away of the vacuum in her. She needed a friend. She was too damn lonely and it wasn't good for her mental health.
She had lunch brought up to her room and she ate by the window. She watched the coconut trees sway to the rythm of the gentle wind and the Tranquil little stream invited her for a swim.
A good house, a nice car and a life away from the hustles and bustles of life was what she craved before her retirement. She wasn't sure if she'd ever have a family, especially not one as cold and distant as hers, she didn't know if she'd be a good mother if she ever bore kids, being that she didn't receive much loving even as an only child.
She thought about Lennox, his happy family, his ever partying home and she envied him. She wanted to be there again . In a place where people spoke freely and expressed their love for each other. In a place where people ate together and made love at the dinning table. Her phone rang.
"Hello, sugar bunny"
It was Tessy .
"Hey, Tessy, it's nice of you to have called"
" Yeah , sure. I figured you'd be too busy with mom and dad and I decided to call just to distract you !"
" Actually, I needed the distraction, thanks. So, what's up? Are you with Joe?"
There was a brief pause at Tessy's end.
"Hello, did you hear me, Tess?"
"Yeah. Actually, I didn't go anymore."
"Why? Did you two have a fight?".
" No. I figured I shouldn't be the one making all the moves, If he wants to see me, let him come down to South Florida and see me"
Kim felt a sudden wave of relief sweep over her. Tessy was probably wiser that she thought.
"Did he say he would come see you?"
"He said he'll be here by next weekend. I told him I'll be in tbe audition at New York City. He might have to wait a little while more to see me, I'm impressed I'm not giving up anything to go see a man....I've been an idiot for the most part of my romantic life, Kim. No more".
Kim was impressed.
" I'm proud of you now. You're wiser, baby".
She said. Tessy laughed. Kim imagined her large opal eyes shining with amusement and smiled. She wished she had a sister for the umpteenth time that day.
Lennox got a contract from the Roseau Hotels. He'd gotten a call from the management and after showing samples of his previous jobs, including the just completed Marilyn Sawer Hotels building Plans, he'd gotten the job. He was still amazed and too excited when Hector dropped by to announce his own new contract with a real estate company. They spent the rest of the day jubilating, Hector cooked and he stepped out to buy a few more bottles of wine.
"I didn't exactly expect things to go this smoothly for me, man. Look at me, I'm not even submit my Curriculum Vitae to bag this contract"
" They already heard you were good. Just you wait, you're going to get many more jobs like this, courtesy of the Marilyn Sawer Hotels. Your work speaks for itself, man!"
" Thanks a lot. I wouldn't have the balls to be here if hadn't dragged my ass down here" .
" Anything for you, man".
They sat side by side, saying nothing to each other.
Lennox wondered where Kim was, what she could possibly be doing and how she was feeling. He wanted more than anything to have her close to him, happy and relaxed, thanking God for bringing them together but as days passed, he wondered if perhaps, she was really meant to be with him. He was probably letting her control his feelings without her own knowledge and he hated it.
"Nora's quitted her job".
Hector said. He was staring fixedly at the bottle of wine he had in his left hand. Lennox turned to look at him.
"She called to tell you?"
"No. I was going to make a little scene at her office. I was going to see her and then stop by her Boss's office to say Hi, but I was told she'd quitted".
He was swinging the glass in his hands, making the wine in the glass dance to the rim and settle down again.
"Don't make any trouble, Hector. You still haven't spoken to Nora".
" She stopped calling me. I was going to see her at the office__"
" Which is inappropriate!".
" Damnit, you yelled at me , man"
" I'm sorry. Just talk to her for the love of mike. Hear her out".
Hector resumed his longing state at the glass and ignored him.
"I'm not going to try to talk to Kimberly again. I'll let her come around".
" Sounds great".
Hector replied lamely. He now had a dour look on his face and it looked terrible on him.
"Let's drink up, man!"
Lennox cheered, despite himself. They drank some more and both slept fully clothed in the living room.
Kim saw less of her parents for the next two days and then on Sunday morning when she was supposed to leave, they came to her room with a check. Her father wanted her to have it alongside a car. She declined bluntly.
"I'm going to buy my own car soo, dad. You really should focus on your upcoming vacation trip and stop worrying about me".
" Stop sounding like that, my dear...you really should stop all this fuss !"
Her mother scolded. It amused her to see her mother like that.
"You ain't going to force me to receive stuff from you will you? Mum, I'm twenty six, old enough to worry about myself. I don't need a car from you both neither do I need that."
She pointed at the check which her father had left on the dresser since she refused to let her hands touch it.
"When you change your mind , the check will be there for you to pick up".
Her father said arrogantly. She scoffed. Her mother padded closer.
"Did you have breakfast, Darling?"
She enquired, her eyes turning misty again.
"It's such a pleasant surprise to hear you ask that. Anyways, thanks, I don't usually have breakfast before I travel".
" Do have a safe trip my dear ".
Her mother said. She reached out her hand and tucked a stray tendril of kim's hair behind her ears. Kim watched her and for a split second, she almost believed the woman loved her, but she knew better. She was going back to her life In South Florida, her life without a friend she could share her deepest feelings with. Her life of strife for perfection and fame. She would go back and continue her little life. Harry drove her to the Airport. He didn't talk much about kim's family. He noticed her sullenness and decided to let her be.
Kim spent the first two days of the next week thinking about Lennox and her family. They were all sad feelings. She wondered often why Lennox hadn't made an effort to speak with her. She watched him leave on Monday morning with a stack of nesf files stacked between his armpits, his clothes as neat and ironed stiff as it always was. He looked smart every time, except for the few times he went about with the stubble on his chin. Kim watched him drive out of the garage out onto the drive way. She did her cleaning sluggishly and left to a stylist's beauty shop were she would have her curled into a mass of beautiful dark hair. Kim left the stylist's place ridiculously pleased with her new hairstyle. A car pulled right beside her and she heard Hector call
"Kimberly Foster!"
She peered in to get a good glance of the person who'd just called her.
"Hello, Hector, good day".
" Let me drive you home if that's where you're headed"
" You really don't have to bother, I'll stop by an eatry before heading home".
She lied. She didn't want him to take her home, what if Lennox was up in his apartment and Hector asked her to step in for a drink.
"I'll drive you, Kim. I insist".
He said Without hesitation.
" Are you sure? You could just drop me off at an eatery and go your way, I really appreciate your__"
"I'm as hungry as you, get in let's go"
He came out from the driver's seat and opened the door for her. She stepped in and thanked him.
"You look stunning in this Hairstyle, kimberly"
He complemented easily.
" Thanks for the compliment".
"So, what have you been up to, I reckon you haven't been steady In town ?"
" I was in Dakota two weeks ago to wrap off the shooting of CRADLE, i was in Mississippi just last weekend to see my parents".
Hector was listening intently as she spoke.
"I've heard of CRADLE, it'll be out in cinemas next month, you featured in that movie? I didn't see the thrillers"
His eyes were wide open as he spoke. Kim laughed.
"I was the lead character!"
"You've been on the lips of everyone!"
"But obviously not in South Florida"
" Wait till the next few weeks".
Kim was surprised that she knew almost nothing of the status of CRADLE. She sat there smiling as Hector drove her.
"Thanks for lunch. I do appreciate".
She thanked Hector. Her eyes darted to the few cars in the garage and she sighed with relief. Lennox was not home. His car was not in the garage and it meant Hector was not going up to say Hello and also invite her over, which she was sure he would do.
"Anytime. Take good care of yourself!"
He drove off. And Kim took the stairs to her floor. She was relieved that Hector hadn't said anything about her love life. He'd kept the Conversation centered around her career and entertainment generally. She'd even told him of her intended Trip to New York for an auditions which she was sure to pass. He was amazed by her resilience despite the challenges she'd faced and her unsupportive family.