Chapter 14 Pinning Heart
Cecilia watched him walk slowly up the stairs to his room. How on earth is she going to inform Dave about Desmond Lewis? She has the options to either come clean about Desmond or allow Desmond himself do the honors. Both options were not looking good for her.
***
Saturday mornings are one of the most enjoyable days for Brenda. Because aside from getting to sleeping in, she could play house, and it s the only day she took out for her stay healthy regimen which was mostly exercises. Some of her friends and colleagues at her former place of work teased her about not having to do so much to keep in good shape.
She had not really registered to any gym since she got back to the country; a situation she was planning on remedying. Though not an exercise person but she needed it to keep her body in shape and most importantly stay healthy. She was blessed with good genes. Thanks to her mother, her hour glass figure was not a product of exercise, but she had all the same exercised religiously while abroad.
So she woke up early enough to run a couple of miles around her block, her first form of any exercise lately. When she got back from her run, she found Desmond at the dining table reading a newspaper a cup of tea beside him.
"Good morning Dad," dropping her headphone around her neck, she bent and gave Desmond a kiss on the cheek.
Desmond looked up from his reading and gave her a bright smile. "Good morning sunshine. I didn t know you were going for a run, I still got my running shoes you know."
Brenda gave him a sunny smile and plummeted on the seat beside him. "I didn t know you would be interested."
Desmond wrinkled his nose, "sincerely I would prefer my treadmill run anytime, but if it would give me a little time with my disappearing act daughter, I m in."
"Awn, that s so sweet Dad but I hate to point out that you have been the busy one"
Desmond heard the good nature to look sheepishly at her daughter. "I m sorry darling, with the coming election and all, I have not given you so much attention lately, and sometimes it does not even feel like we stay in the same house."
"Daddy, in case you haven t noticed I m not a little girl anymore" she smiled lovingly at her Dad.
"But you will always be my little girl."
"Don t I know that!" she gave a small laugh. Brenda had not gotten the time to talk to her father, between his endless meetings and her own running around. But it was finally Saturday morning she can seize the opportunity.
"Dad, well I got a place"
"Already" he looked not too happy with the news. "I was hoping it will take a while before you move out"
"I thought so too, but the realtor got something nice for me, and it s just a couple of miles from here so technically, we are still in the same neighborhood."
"So I can t change your mind?"
"Naah" she made a goofy face, and they both laughed.
"There something else I want to discuss with you" she said on a more serious note.
Desmond folded the paper he was holding and dropped it on the table. "I m listening"
"I went by the office the other day, and I was not happy with the way things were"
Desmond sighed, removing his reading glasses.
"Is everything alright Dad? I mean I know the elections are coming up and I know how important it is to you, but the office was such in a state of neglect."
"It was one of the reasons I wanted you to come home; I m getting older and it s always been a dream of mine to hold a political position. So when I had the opportunity of being a candidate, it kind of took me over that I hardly have the time for any other thing else."
Brenda seemed relieved, because she almost believed her Dad has money problems, but it seemed she had nothing to worry about.
"Okay, so I decided I will be working at the firm, so you can fully concentrate on your dreams and at the same time the firm will not suffer; that is if you don t mind."
"Of course I don t mind at all, it is a relief for me, I have never been more proud of you child."
Brenda smiled. I took the liberty of asking Angelina arrange a meeting with the other staff. And I requested to check out the books. I hope that s fine with you"
"Again, you can do whatever you want and make whatever changes you need to make, in fact I have some office files in the library upstairs if you need to start from there. After all everything will one day be yours when I m gone."
"Please don t speak of going anywhere Dad. You are still very young to go anywhere at fifty six"
Alright I won t speak of going anywhere. He smiled.
***
She had not decided on what to church to attend, she was not so much of a religious person but she believed in going to church on Sunday, you know all that talk about Sunday being the day of the lord and one must keep it holy. She decided to take Greg on his invitation.
Greg called her late yesterday to ask about her plans for the today being Sunday. She told him she had no plans for Sunday really if she attended a good church while in New York but have decided on where to attend here yet. So he finally persuaded her to go to church with him.
She looked at herself in the mirror, hoping she didn t look under dressed or overdressed. Greg had told her to just look good as she always does, when she asked about the church dress code. But it s the Lords day and the Lord s house, she had to look good but at the same time be careful not to attract undue attention.
She turned around looking over her shoulder at her behind in the slim fitted, slightly below the knee length black dress. One can never go wrong with a black dress right? She doesn t want to attract undue attention and definitely not the ushers. She remembered the story she heard about a church where the ushers were handing wrappers to ladies with short dresses to church, to cover their exposed thighs. She wasn t about to embarrass herself in such a way, so taking that into consideration, she had always been careful about the dresses she wore to church.
Her phone rang, Greg promised to pick her up at 8:30 Am. The service was to start by 9:00 Am.
"I will be downstairs in a minute," giving herself a final once over before the mirror, and liking what she saw, she blew a kiss at her image and walked out of her room in silver shoe high heels.
***
She never thought she would enjoy the service so much but she did. She was glad that she honored Greg s invitation.
"Do you mind grabbing a bite before heading home?" Greg asked when they were seated in his Lexus.
"Sure, I would love that very much"
"Great! Because I m starving." He said it so dramatically that they both laughed.
They drove in silence after that. But Brenda watched Greg from the corner of her eyes as his face kept turning towards her.
"You are so beautiful, Brenda Lewis."
She looked at him appreciatively "Thank you Greg Williams" she said smiling.
They got o a very nice restaurant not far from the church.
"Well I have been meaning to discuss with you"
"Okay, I m here now so shoot!"
"First I want to say I m sorry about dumping the Fiancé line on you during your welcoming party, but I sincerely would love you to be that… to me… But we have to start somewhere right?" He paused looking her straight in the eyes, all his feelings laid bare for her to see. "I m willing to start slow, just needed you to know where I m headed from the beginning."
Brenda looked at Greg, really looked at him with all the love in his heart transparent on his face. He really is a very handsome man and a good one, considerate funny and they have been friends for a while now. Is she willing to take the plunge and see where this leads? Her father will be very elated if she agreed but will she be able to give him an unreserved love that he deserved?
"Well, what do you think?"
"Greg you are a nice guy, and I like you a lot, I mean what s not to like? But I m not sure if I m ready for any relationship right now. I have so much on my plate, and I will sincerely understand if you want a break from our friendship. In as much as I wouldn t want that, I will completely understand."
Brenda could see how his hopeful expression became crest fallen. Her will wanted to say yes but her heart… was another matter.