Chapter 29

She said even though her countenance contradicted her words. Lennox nodded slowly. He totally understood her. She'd been in love and the person she had loved had picked someone else to tie the knot with. The pain was evident in her eyes and her voice shook when she started to talk about the couple whose wedding they would be in attendance. Lennox thought she only wanted to show him off as if to say " yeah, I got myself a fine man!". He felt a pang of pain on her account.
Suddenly, he was able to put himself in her shoes and know how she felt. A shame it was that he didn't want to be her man or pose as her man. But if it made her feel better about herself, maybe he'd do it. He'd seen the vulnerable side of her..the part of her that loved and got heartbroken. He'd thought , the first time he met her, that she had a carapace of reserve that one would never pry open. He'd seen her as the stoic and staunch woman who cared more about her career than her romantic life. Just like Kim. Kim!. The memory of her, he was trying desperately to shake off . He'd fallen in bed with Hester because he'd wanted to prove to himself that he could find sexual satisfaction in someone other than her.
He'd tried fruitlessly to convince himself that sex with her was great and exciting.
"Hey, what are you thinking? Are you worried over something? Wanna talk?", Hester asked. Lennox looked up at her. The mist that had clogged her eyes earlier was gone and she was trying to muster a smile. One which radiated warmth.
" On the contrary__"
"Come on. You can talk to me. Tell me something about you that you think I should know".
" Well, there's nothing fascinating about me that might interest you or sate your curiosity….well except you want me to talk about work?", He offered, raising an eyebrow. As he'd expected she shook her head and laughed.
" No. Let's not say anything about work today. It's my day off and I'd rather be occupied with other things than love. Well, if you do not wish to talk about yourself…. it's fine", she said. She stood up abruptly and began to clear the dishes. Lennox watched her wordlessly, torn between taking over the dishes from her and saying a thousand words of appreciation to her. For the meal.
His day had begun with a good hot meal and more than anything, he loved it.
As he strode back to his drawing board, she appeared behind him and followed him and then perched on a chair next to him watching him wordlessly.
It reminded him of Kim. The same way she'd sat there, keeping him company and him steaming with so much emotion that his hands had quivered. She hadn't noticed. She didn't know how difficult it was to stay close to her without touching her. Pure torture it had been until he'd eventually took her in his arms.
"I'm good company if you'd like me more often", she blurted out after minutes of wordlessly watching him work on his board.
" Thanks, Hester . Your company is pretty good", he said. Unsure what he should say. She'd been sitting there watching him keenly and he didn't exactly know what to say to her to make her feel good about staying. He would meet up with Hector later and tell him everything about Hester Woodhouse that she let him know. He'll talk to Hector about the wedding invitation by her and he would hear what Hector had to say . A good advice he would give him.
His desire to talk to Hector about Hester was accomplished shortly after Hester left and Hector stopped by to make enquires about how he'd run a new job he got. They talked business for minutes and Hector would have left if Lennox hadn't brought up the topic about Hester.
"Hester just left. She came around, fixed me breakfast and kept me company for most of the morning", he said, absentmindedly. He didn't want Hector to read any expression on his face and so he deliberately kept his eyes from meeting Hector's.
" You invited her?"
"No. She showed up unannounced. She completely took me unawares and I didn't have the mind to return her right on the doorstep. Not when she offered to fix me breakfast. That's the kindest gesture I've received in a while, man".
"You liked her meal?"
"What's that got to do with anything? She's a good cook, all right. Who doesn't know how to fix a simple breakfast by the way?"
"You. You're the only one who doesn't make decent meals, man".
Lennox looked at Hector disgustedly before turning back to his drawing plans.
Hector was drinking beer from it's can and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed.
"Hester wants me to attend a ceremony with her come Saturday. The wench has the thought of introducing to the bridegroom as a friend. The kind of friend that made another jealous. You know what I mean?"
"Sure. Why would she wanna do that by the way?"
"The man, he was her highschool sweetheart. Apparently, she still has feelings for him and I think it hurts her that he's ending up with her one time good friend. A messed up trio"..
Hector laughed and began to squeeze the beer can.
"What's so funny?"
"You know, the lady might not want anything serious from you. Just to show off for the occasion…you could massage her ego a bit by playing along. Let her know you'd rather have no strings with her".
" That'd be too forward. Man, I've got to find Kim. We really should talk"
" She's in New York. I called her and she told me".
" That's fine. New York, hmm".
" You don't sound surprised", Hector said, quivering an eyebrow.
" Well, I just kind of decided that she'd definitely be in New York. Not because anyone told me or pointed out the possibilities to me ".
" You really should go with Mrs. Woodhouse to the ceremony. I reckon she'll feel better with someone with her".
" I thought so too".
Hector got a call minutes later and left. Nora was going to give a few things to a charity home and she wanted Hector to accompany her. Lennox was again left with his work and thoughts and it was then that the thought of buying a property in New York came to his mind. The thought appealed to him and he decided he would get a property there soon.
Kim got calls randomly from people she hardly knew. Most claimed it was a wrong number but one that called her that afternoon was not a wrong number. In fact, it was Austin Lancelot.
" Kimberly?", He called somberly into the receiver. For a while, Kim stared at the phone in her hands and the unfamiliar number.
"Kim. It's Lancelot. Austin'', he said and she lifted the phone to her ears. Her toothbrush was still in her hand and she still had on the stockings she'd worn to bed for extra warmth. Winter was approaching and not once had she done anything with her fireplace.
"Oh. Austin. You're back in town?", She asked.
"Yes. When are you free, Mi amor. I'd like some time with you again. Catch up on old times and all",
He said. He was speaking rapidly and invitingly but she didn't give two fucks about his excitement. Anymore. She was silent for a while. Undecided on what to reply that might annoy him and tamp down some of the vigour with which he was speaking with her.
" I'm never free, Austin. I got work to do and I hardly have time for meetups", she replied coolly.
"Don't you ever have a sabbatical? Don't you ever take a deserving break? C'mon, I can come pick you anytime any day. Drop me your house address. Hold up while I get pen and paper".
"How did you get my number, Austin?"
"What? Are you kidding? I never deleted your number bro", there was a long unsettling pause and then he continued " I still want you, Kim. You keep pushing me away and shutting me out. It ain't fair, you know"..
"I have no clue on what you're talking about. I just told you I'm not free for meetups and whatever. Have a good day, Austin".
She slammed the receiver down and returned to the bathroom. She soaked in a hot bath. They would start shooting the movie soon and just after that, she's got another deal. Soon, it would be snowing and she'd spend most of her free days in bed or sitting by the fireplace, eating lazy meals and staring away in the silence of her apartment. It will get intense to a point where students would be asked to stay back at home so there could be a heat wave to control the snow.
She sighed. She had work to do at the set but she was letting her mind stray. Away from her scripts and practices. She walked into the kitchen, intent on making a pot of coffee but once Inside, she stood watching the windowpanes in her kitchen. A thin line of cobweb had recently formed and lined one pane. A food colouring she couldn't fathom stared at her from another pane, faint and lazy. She looked out. The sun was coming up, bright but not nearly as hot as it usually was in the summer. She realized once again that she'd miss the sandy dryness of South Florida and it's crisp smell. The almost non existent dampness that Florida thrived on still excited her. She would miss the beach. Visiting Florida again, she wasn't certain. Perhaps, she would stay all her life in New York and eventually, move to Oklahoma. The city that has held so much appeal to her since her girlhood.. Hailey came soon after Kim was dressed up for the day's activities. She rang the doorbell and Kim attended her..
"Hey, Hailey.. how're you doing?", She asked. Hailey looked a bit untidy, unlike the first time she'd seen her. Perhaps, she'd left her house in a hurry, her hair tied hastily behind her neck and her dress looked rumpled, more like she'd been in a physical struggle with someone who liked to grip people by the shirt..
"Good morning, Mrs. Foster sorry I'm a bit late, I was caught up in a small argument. Hope it's no big deal?"She asked as she stepped in.
" It's absolutely fine. Good to see you, Hailey. I have a pile of work for you darling and I'll be stepping out in the next few minutes. You make yourself comfortable and please, call me Kim".
Hailey smiled. A smile that looked forged. She wasn't happy, she wasn't chatty like she'd been the first time she'd seen her. She tried to make Hailey feel comfortable while she readied herself to leave.
Soon, Hailey was settled in the office, typing away on the computer and nibbling at a pen cover. She looked keen on her job and it was relieving for Kim. At least someone who would take responsibility for her schedule without flopping had come and she loved it.
" I'll see you soon Hailey. Do give me a call when you're set to leave. That's if I don't return before you go".
"Alright, Kim", Hailey called, still staring intently at the laptop in front of her. Her thick brown hair had dropped to her temples, a few spilled on the keyboard she typed on and she didn't seem to care much about it.
Kim sighed before leaving. She had met a few people in offices and this one, Hailey seemed to be one of the fastidious and career oriented ones she'd seen. Some at the bank, some at different offices. She hadn't asked Hailey the places she'd worked but she was already convinced that Hailey had amassed a wealth of experience from job, whichever one she did previously.
Kim met Blakes Oxnard. To her utmost Surprise. She didn't think she'd see him again for a long time until he showed up at the studio. He was to be her new assistant director for the movie which they were only a step close to shooting.
"Holla! Beautiful!", He exclaimed as she walked into the studio. She blinked and then half ran the rest of the way into his outstretched arms. Her Director, a gregarious yet fastidious lanky man stood beaming at them.
" I see you guys are reuniting, beautiful", he said. Kim nodded and said
"Good morning, Mr. Benny, good to see you this morning". Quickly, her attention shifted back to Blakes who kept looking her over.
" Just a few weeks and you're glowing, My dear ", Blakes commented. Kim laughed and said thanks. Blakes didn't look bad himself but he was suddenly overly friendly with her. Maybe he was only stern on set, after all.
All day long, Kim noticed how Blakes and Benny worked on different papers with Blakes seeming to suggest most things while Benny nodded enthusiastically, easily adjusting and making the changes which Blakes pointed out.