10 She is the the one

EPISODE 10

Dan finished going through the company's financial reports and then left the office. Joel was waiting for him in the parking lot outside the office. It was now approaching 2.30 pm.

"Hey Joe, how about you visit your family today and come back home tomorrow morning? Don't you miss them?" Dan wanted Joel to leave him to drive himself that day, he didn't want Joel to know that he was going to meet Florence.

"Sir, are you sure it's a good idea? I can't leave you here in town, how will you get home, sir?" Joel asked him back

"I have my driving license Joe, I am a good driver. Who told you I can't drive in town? Please go home." Dan tried to convince him.

"Sir, your parents can never forgive me if I leave you here and something bad happens to you. It's my work to keep you safe and to drive you to whenever you want to go to safely sir. Please don't get me wrong here. I will visit them next weekend when you'll be resting at home." Joel explained to him.

"Okay, I hear you, Joe, let's go then." Dan was somehow unhappy but he knew Joel was right, it was long since he drove himself and he was not even sure if he could do it in a town full of traffic. He couldn't be mad at Joel for insisting on protecting him even though he was not feeling comfortable meeting Florence with him.

They drove for a distance of around two kilometers without talking to each other in the car, then Dan started the conversion.

"Hey Joe, can I ask you something?"

"Yes sir, you can always ask me anything."

"Do you think it's a good thing, going against my mother's wish, I mean she wants me to marry Sarah but I don't like her. And now this lady, I know nothing about her but I am already in love with her, do you think something is wrong with me?" He asked Joel.

"Sir, its always good to respect your parents and their opinion and only a child who respect his parents can prosper in life, but we human beings are not perfect, you are not perfect and your mum is not perfect either, living a luxurious life without happiness is nothing and family means nothing without understanding and happiness, go and sit down with your family, tell them what you really want, I am very sure they will understand you. But make sure you make a decision you will never regret sir. Take your time and learn something from Florence too before you make a decision to be with her, love is inevitable but it can also make you do something you might regret later. I believe in you sir and I know you will trust your instincts because they are always right." Joel advised.

"Thank you Joe, that is all I wanted to hear from you. And thanks for always supporting me in everything I am doing. So what do you think? Should I meet her today or should I give her some time? Because she sent me a text saying that we can meet today." Dan asked his driver again.

" Please go meet her, you can't understand her if you two don't meet and talk. But don't let her know your intentions as soon as now. Just be friendly with her and ask her about her life and her family. Just get to know her first." Joel replied.

Dan then called Florence and told her to meet him at Tintoler Hotel Ndori in 10 minutes if she was ready. Tintoler was one of the biggest hotels in Ndori town.

After five minutes they arrived in Ndori town, Dan got out of the car and got into the hotel, Joel remained in the car.

Ten minutes later, Florence arrived. Dan couldn't believe what he saw. He removed the sunny goggles he was wearing to confirm if what he was seeing was real.

Florence arrived carrying a small purse in her hand, she was in a red dress and red high heeled shoes, but without any makeup. She was not the banana lady anymore, she was more beautiful, very smart, everything was just perfect in her. Dan felt like giving her a very warm hug but it was just too early for that.

She went to the table where Dan was sitting, then she greeted him. Dan almost stood up to help her sit in a chair but that could just be even weirder. He greeted Florence then told her to sit, they sat facing each other, Florence was so nervous, she could not look Dan straight in the eye, she kept staring at her phone pretending to be busy. Dan was nervous too, he was not quite a storyteller.

The hotel waitress came to their table and gave them the menu to order something. Dan didn't look at the menu, he just asked Florence what she would like to eat.

"What would you like to eat?" Dan asked her. Florence kept quiet for some time, she was embarrassed to order anything.

"I will take anything, sir." She replied.

"Come on, anything is not something, just say what you like, don't be shy," Dan told her.

"I will just have a cup of tea sir, Florence replied."

"No way, you can't come here and take tea, please bring her one cup of cappuccino and a cup of black coffee for me," Dan ordered a cup of cappuccino for her instead.

Florence had never tested cappuccino, she had no idea what it was. But she had to pretend she did.

" So Florence, is your mum back?" Dan started the conversation.

"Yes, she came back at one, the time I sent you the text which you didn't reply," Florence said.

"I am sorry about that, so did you tell her you were coming to meet me?" Dan asked again.

"Yes, but I didn't tell her it was you, I just told her I was going to meet a friend. She wouldn't allow me to come if she would know it was you. She is always overprotective." Florence replied.

"I understand, she is a good mother, I am proud of her," Dan said.

"No, she isn't, I am an old woman now, I can make decisions myself. But I get it, she is just trying to protect me."

"Where is your Dad? And by the way, you told me your home is in Eldoret, so how did you get here?"

"I lost my Dan some years back, I think I was only 6 by then. So after his death, Mum took care of us, I have three siblings and I am the second born, firstborn is a boy, he is in school right now, at Embu University and lastborn is a lady, she is at Kisumu girls. Mum is working at Ramba boys high school as a cook, so that's why we stay around here." Florence explained.

"Okay, I am so sorry about your father's demise, so it's your mom who has been educating all of you just through this job. How does she do it?"

"Yes, she is a very hardworking woman, she could stay without food at home but her children get school fees. Though I failed her, and that's why all I can do right now is to sell bananas. I did my form four two years ago and I didn't manage to qualify for direct entry to the university through government sponsorship, I got a C (Plain), so my Mum couldn't manage to afford college fees, that's why I have been selling bananas to raise fees for myself."

"Hey, you didn't fail your mum, you did your best, you passed pretty well, stop blaming yourself for that. Focus on your future and make your mom proud, I am sure even right now she is very proud of you." Dan tried to console her.

They talked for more than two hours, she told Dan about her family, Dan also told her a little about him. But they didn't talk about their feelings or relationships that day, Dan just wanted to make her feel comfortable around him and to help her understand that not all rich men are not as bad as they are always being portrayed in our societies.

It was now getting late so she requested Dan to allow her go back home because her mother was at the market. Just when they were about to leave the table, Sarah got into the hotel, accompanied by two other ladies...

What happen next?...