Chapter 21

Kim was sure she wouldn't make it another day without seeing or saying Hello to lennox who had made it a point to stay out of her way and sight. She didn't see him leave in his car or come back in his car in the afternoon. She didn't know exactly what she'd say to him when she'd eventually drag herself up to his doorstep, damning all her pride and resolutions. Just a friendly gesture, she tried to convince herself. People said hello to each other every time. Especially when they felt things noticed a neighbor was withdrawn or unnecessarily discreet.
The door opened in her face and she managed a smile.
"Good day".
She greeted. There was no affection whatsoever In her voice, she thougt.
"Good day, Kim. It's good to see you".
He opened the door broadly and ushered her in. Her heart fluttered nervously as she stepped into the the living room that was gradually turning to a junk yard. There were stacks of papers, magazines and discarded pieces of drawings everywhere. Lennox had his drawing board set up in the living room, a bottle of brandy sat next to his stool. She wondered if he was perhaps, drinking directly from the bottle.
"You set up your work tools in the living room"
She said.
" I didn't think it was going to offend anyone since I'm never the one who gets visited"
He said offhandedly. He pushed off some papers and made room for her to sit. She sat.
"Oh, I see. You must have really been absorbed in your work".
She noticed.
" Yes. Another big project".
He grinned. Her heart gave a painful twist at the baring of his perfect dentition.
"I see. And, congratulations on your lamborghini. That's huge".
" Thank you, kimberly".
He called her Kimberly, not Kim. She repressed the urge to call him by his full name for no reason. Damnit, he was playing formal with her and he was doing it in a way that wouldn't offend anyone.
"What would you like?"
He asked courteously and Kimberly could hardly suppress the urge to say
'its you I want, Lennox'. She gritted her teeth to keep the words back.
"Coffee,. tea, soda, which would you prefer?"
Lennox asked.
" I'm okay, Lennox. Maybe I'll just sit and watch you work for a while. I got bored sitting in my apartment all day so I thought I could come clear my head here".
He smiled, the kind of smile that melted her defenses and made her head reel.
"You did well, kimberly. I've been inside all day working without as much as anyone to speak with. Your company is appreciated, ma'am".
Kim looked at him as he gave a mock bow and climbed onto his stool to continue some complicated drawings with complicated tools on the cardboard stuck on the drawing board. Her worked dexterously, his biceps rippling from the slightest movement of his arms. He worked, absorbing himself in his work and for a while, Kim thought she was invisible to him, or maybe she'd disappeared into thin air. She liked to watch him work. She liked the serious set of his and his chin thrusting out, his utmost focus, and she wished she could remain there, watching him. But she didn't trust herself much around him. What if she did something nasty?
She began to stand up and Lennox glanced towards her.
"I'd better leave you to work now"
She said as she stood up fully on her feet.
"Oh no, kimberly. Your company's been great"
He gushed. Kim sneered inwardly ' great Indeed when you've ignored me all the time'.
"I really would love to watch you work Mr. Lennox but I must return to my own work. I have a monologue to commit to Memory".
" I could cook for you if you spent a few more minutes. I'm a great cook but since you'd rather not stay...."
He walked past her to the door and she followed lamely.
"Goodnight, beauty. I really did appreciate your time".
She nodded and stepped out. She took the stairs back to her apartment, reflecting on what she thought had transpired between her and Lennox. The man had been formal one minute and the next, he was offering to cook for her. Was it a ploy to make her stay? She shuddered. He was playing at something she couldn't fathom yet. She was partially grateful she'd gone to see him and partially regretted it. Maybe she should learn to stick to what she really wanted.
She had her telephone ringing in her apartment, she rushed up the few stairs, taking two at a time and hurried down to the telephone the moment she flung the door open.
"Hey, Tess!".
She was almost panting into the phone and Tessy knew right away.
"Kim, what's wrong? Just coming back from an evening jog?"
" Not re_yeah_i mean, I was just running up the stairs, that's some form of excercise, right".
" Right. I'll sleep over at your place tomorrow. We'll leave on Friday. The audition is on Saturday. Did you rehearse monologues?"
" I'm not a neophyte in this. I have more than enough monologues to sustain me for hours if I was asked".
" I get it ma'am. And, hope It's fine if I sleep over? You didn't say anything".
" Yeah, sure. You're welcome anytime, any day".
" Okay. Kim?"
" Yeah?"
" I have a lot to tell you!"
Kim laughed..
" I look forward to your endless gists, dear"
She sighed. As the day grew, she found that her heart saw in Tessy, a friend. The friend she'd never had, a confidant that she never had and right there, she made up her mind to give her brewing friendship with Tessy a great od chance.
Tessy called at Kimberly's in the evening of Thursday. Kim was reclining on a chair she'd recently bought for the purpose of sitting by her window to watch the street below her with a cup of coffee in hand when Tessy called.
"I'm at your door, Kim. Good evening"
She ignored the bell and simply rang Kim. It amused Kim.
"Okay, Tess".
She sauntered to the door and opened to a beaming Tessy.
"Hello, Kimberly Foster, hope it won't be a bother if put up with you for a night, prior to my trip to New York City tomorrow".
Kimberly laughed
" Stop the shitty drama and move your ass inside".
They laughed. Tessy was talking the moment she was inside.
"Had dinner yet? If not, I'm a fantastic cook, hope it's okay if I break into your kitchen and fix us dinner?"
" I was hoping you'd like me to fix_"
" No, I'll cook. It's been a while I had a good compliment for my efforts_"
" You want to cook so I'd compliment your _"
" Exactly, I really want to do this and see you approve with a huge grin on your face".
" Tessy, you're my guest and I'll cook for you. Just say what you'd like"
" I won't have any of that".
" What makes you so sure I'd eat your meal and compliment you with a huge grin on my face?".
" Just you wait, missy".
Kim sighed. She showed Tessy to the guest room and went back to her coffee by the window. Tessy was in the kitchen few minutes later, singing and dancing while she cooked. It amused and warmed Kim. Another lady, young and vibrant and three years younger than she was was busy fixing dinner for her__the kind of thing that younger sisters usually did. She let herself sit there and savour the moment since Tessy would not have her in the kitchen. Tessy finished cooking and set the table. Kim was grateful for the groceries she'd grabbed few days back. She had enough food for them.
"Food is ready!"
Tessy announced. Kim walked to the eating area. Her eyes almost glistening with tears. She blinked rapidly to keep the tears behind her and sat to meal. Tessy was eager.
"Thanks a lot for this, Tess"
"It's your food. I only fixed it . Don't say thanks or I'll be mad".
" Okay, mistress".
Kim lifted her hand in mock salute. They began to eat. True to her words, Tessy was an incredibly good cook and Kim confessed so with so with a huge grin on her face.
"You're incredible, you're a good cook!".
She said through mouthfuls and Tessy replied.
"I told you so"
They cleared the tables and did the dishes together and then Kim began talking.
"Tessy, there's someone I really like"
"That's good news it the person's a male".
" Tessy, he's my Bloody neighbor!"
Tessy gasped in mock horror.
" That's terrible. You tend to run into each other everytime".
" That's not the case. Tessy, I'm not ready for any real relationship with anyone. I don't want to be held back from chasing my dreams."
" You like someone, so, what has dream chasing and real relationship got to do with that?"
" It's actually not like a very casual likeness for someone. We were intimate the first time we met and somehow, I was with him at his family house where everyone seemed to be talking about marriage, I swear, he was going to ask me to marry him but I just saw it coming and backed out".
Tessy found her stroy amusing.