CHAPTER TWENTY NINE: GARY KISSED ME!

'Hmm, you're such a great kisser.' Sheila held George's face to put a stop to their kiss.

'And you're an amazing kisser.' He whispered as he tried to catch her lips once more. 'I have been dying to do this but the campaign preparation would not give me the opportunity.'

'The house has been so lonely and boring without you here. Thanks for the presence of the house staff who have been so nice to me.' She wriggled out of his embrace. 'Let's go inside, I want to prepare home made for you. Moreover, what are these packages?'

'They are meant to be surprise so don't bother to be inquisitive.'

They both picked what they dropped initially and headed inside, but Sheila kept on chatting. 'By the way, how far with the campaign?'

'Don't worry, I'll give you the full gist of it. You were with dad and mum and how were they?'

'Dad is looking better day by day but he still looks lean and I believe before the D-day, he must have really gained his weight.'

'I should pay them a visit because I've been given two weeks to prepare for my wedding.'

'Oh what a perfect news to hear now. At least, you'll have time to do your shopping. Can I see your shopping list?'

'One thing at a time honey. You need to feed this stomach some sumptuous food different from the jargons I've been eating.' They both got to the kitchen.

'You know I have to order so that we would not be wasting food since no one knew when you would be around. Now that you're here, just go upstairs, take a shower, watch some news or film to while away time as I make something unforgettable for you.'

He turned to look at her and held her close to give her a sweet kiss.

'What's that for?' She asked after the kiss.

'Thank you honey for all you've been doing. Without you most especially, I would have been lost. I thought it was easy but, it's a huge challenge. Thanks for staying by me.'

For once, Sheila was left speechless because she didn't expect gratitude from George. Suddenly, she burst into tears. 'Honey, what's wrong?' George asked in confusion. She drew him closer and held his face. 'You're so sweet with your words and they made me cry.' She said childishly.

'Then be ready to shed more tears because there are more to come.'

'George Allan Isaac IV, please let all be tears of joy.'

'I promise you honey.'

'Thank God I have you in my life and thank you for being in my life.' She pecked him on the lips and immediately turned him towards the door. 'Shush, it's time to cook.' She pushed him out of the door.

Alistair was coiled up on the sofa in her bedroom finding it so tiring to undress and lay on the bed. It had been weeks of tired less work with George and his campaign preparation. She and her crew with some external journalists were invited to cover the events once the campaign started. It had been brain blowing strategy which needed thorough execution. She was hungry and did not have the strength to prepare any meal but ordered for Chinese. While waiting for her food, she rested on the sofa and kept herself busy playing game on her phone. She heard the door bell ring and checked for time thinking her order had come but, going by the time, it was too quick for it to come. Slowly, she let herself leave the seat and headed towards the door. Before she got to the door, the bell chimed again. 'Hold it I'm coming.' She peeped through the hole and was surprised to see Gary. She sighed and opened the door slightly. 'How can I help you Gary?'

Gary pushed the door opened and let himself in. 'That's not the way to greet your guest.' He said walking towards her kitchen.

'I don't remember inviting you to my house.'

'Do you have to invite me before I come?' All this while his back was facing her as he dropped the food he brought and started looking for plates. 'Are we not friends?'

'To George, Sheila, Stuart, Bernard and Felix, yes but to you I'm afraid not.'

Gary found plates and satisfied with dishing the food, he turned to her. 'I may not be your friend but at least we interact.'

'On professional ground.'

'That's a good starting step of being friends. He carried the plates of food and walked towards the dinning which left Alistair no choice but to follow. 'And what do you think you are doing?'

'The next step of being your friend is to feed you. If I remember correctly, you're lazy at cooking so you could stay up here and starve yourself to death.' Gary smiled mischievously.

'Gary leave my house.' She said through clenched teeth trying to control her anger.

'Not until I see you finish this food.'

'And what gives you the assurance that I would take anything from you?'

'It's a way of stretching the hand of friendship Ali.' He said quietly.

'I don't want your friendship period.' She left him and strolled to the living room. 'When you're done, you can let yourself out.'

He came to sit beside her. 'Can't you see that I'm trying my best to apologize here? What can I do to say I'm sorry for my behavior at the meeting today?'

'Oh, you realized you were a pain in the ass?'

'I crossed the line and I'm very sorry.' He held one of her hands and Alistair couldn't breathe. She had been in love with Gary for so long and it was as if Gary just saw her like a friend. She had kept it to herself waiting to see if Gary would look at her the way George looked at Sheila but, it was becoming an illusion. Their other friends had advised her to come clean with Gary but she was afraid Gary would laugh at her. She closed her eyes briefly to enjoy the warm that spread to her heart for this little contact but immediately jutted herself to reality and quickly withdrew her hand.

'But why do you always find it amusing to ridicule me?'

'I was only teasing you and not ridicule you. You're the best in all you do because you give all it takes to give an excellent result. As from today, if you say I should keep my distance, I promise I'll give you space but I want us to be good. No grudges.'

Her heart sank with his statement but how would she tell him not to keep his distance without looking too obvious?

'I believe we were all tired and edgy so a little innocent comment could flay up pent up tension. Moreover, we have many months to work side by side and no one would want to jeopardize this campaign and elections.' She gave him a smile ad she stood to go to the dinning. 'If I had known you were coming with food, I wouldn't have ordered.'

'I knew you were tired and from the old time, we were always our brothers keepers.'

'Sister.'

'Yes sister.' They both laughed and sat at the table.

'Hmm, pasta my yummy yummy.' She attacked the food.

'I knew it would wake up that giant in you.'

'Yesh vou are light.' She said with mouthful of pasta.

'Easy girl, no need to rush. I bought enough for the two of us.'

'You cooked this?'

'I texted my cook to prepare it while rounding up the meeting.'

'Very thoughtful of you. Hmm, so delicious.'

The door bell chimed. 'That should be my order.' She said and Gary gave a sigh which she noticed but she went to take and pay for her order.

'Chinese?'

'Yes but I prefer the pasta. Thanks Gary.'

'How are you spending your break?'

'I'm still working because I need to perfect the media aspect. The introduction must be captivating and convincing with the right choice of words.'

There was a pause as they ate in silence. Gary scratched the back of his head as he looked briefly at Alistair but continued eating. 'Are you part of Sheila's bride's maids?' He eventually asked what was on his mind.

'Yes, I'm actually her chief bride.' This sent Gary into fits of laughter that got Alistair flustered. 'I'm sorry Ali, I just couldn't help it.' He apologized after he calmed down. 'What a coincidence. I'm George's best man.'

'I didn't expect less but I don't know why Sheila should pick me as her maid. Don't you think people would talk putting my profession in consideration?'

'Does your profession deny you of your private life and choice of friends?'

'No but people see us as people who have no regard for privacy and they will fail at nothing to expose us.'

'Are you rejecting her request?'

'I feel so honored for her to choose me but I also think about George's future scandals, the people would always attach my submission to our friendship so, I'm contemplating on refusing it.'

'Your reasons are really genuine but Sheila doesn't do things without proper thinking. Let me talk to her and see how we can go about it.' This time, they had finished eating and packed their plates to the kitchen. 'Let me do the watching since you brought the food.' Alistair said.

'Don't bother, let me spoil you today.' Alistair laughed and shook her head. 'Washing plates is a form of spoiling me? Gary, you're so funny.'

'Thank heavens, i've made you laugh again today.' He rinsed the plates and she dried them.

'So in what form do you want me to spoil you?' He stood beside her with his arms folded across his chest, giving her a strange look she could not interpret. This increased Alistair's heart beat as he looked so handsome in his posture. 'I don't know.' She shrugged. 'As none of my so called friends never see me as a girl.'

'And who says that?'

'Is it not obvious among you guys? She spread her hands to drive home her point. 'You treat other females differently from the way you treat me. You make me look like a man with a woman structure. It can be so frustrating when you need a shoulder and everyone looks at you as a weakling.' She finished panting.

'But Ali, you made us believe you're stronger than us all most especially when you had problem with your dad. You stood up to him and you won.'

'You thought I did that on my own?'

'Well, we were scattered then due to school.' He gave a lame excuse.

'Yes we were all not together, but George stood up to my father and it cost them their relationship till date.'

'I'm sorry I never knew. I thought you were extremely strong like you projected to us.' He held her shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes. 'But I want you to know that I'll always be here for you. I want to make up for those times you needed a friend and I was not there.'

Alistair gave him a reassuring smile as she patted the hands on her shoulders. Internally, she would give anything for Gary to hold her closer in a warm hug or even a kiss but, she would not push herself at him so that she would not regret if the feeling was not mutual. She had seen how the boys had used their good looks to break so many hearts but, she would guide hers from being broken because she had no shoulders to cry on.

'Don't bother Gary, I'm older now and stronger. I can take care of myself.'

'Are you sure? Even from men?'

'Gary, I have seen my friends break girls' heart without looking back way back when, and I have locked my heart in an iron cage so that it would be untouchable.' Liar! she scream inwardly. You're dying for this man yet, you pretend to be strong. No one is here now, why not tell him? Instead, she moved away from him and headed to the living room where there would be space to breathe.

'Then I take it there's no man you care for.'

'I have not seen anyone that has taken my fancy.'

'Then as my friend, would you mind to keep my company on George's wedding day? My being with you would save me from my old flame who might be there that day.'

'Is that your only reason?'

'Is there any other reason you can think of?'

'That's good enough but, don't expect me to fight to wade them off.'

'If such happens, can't you fight for me?'

'Gary, we are not romantically involved, we would just watch each other's back.' She said with her heart in her mouth.

'You don't have a boyfriend and I don't have anyone now so what's wrong in being there for each other? Come on Alistair, you've changed or has someone broken your heart before? My Alistair would never back down for a fight.'

My Alistair! Oh my gosh! But instead she said, 'Gary, we are grown now and we have our priorities so it would be wrong of me to block someone's interest which could even be reciprocated by you.'

'You've gone all feminal on me.'

'I am one and needed to be treated as one.'

'Do you know you're a very beautiful girl?'

There was a long silence at which they stared at each other.

'Gary, please don't patronise me.' She said quietly. Gary moved closer to her and looked deeply once more into her eyes. 'Your eyes are the most beautiful green eyes I have ever seen.'

'Gary.' She whispered weakly going weak on her knees. At that time his phone rang but he ignored it. 'Take your call.' It came out croaky as she looked somewhere else to break the sexual attraction between them.

'Speak to me.' The person on the phone spoke fews words. 'Tell them I'll be there.'

He held Alistair's hands. 'We are not done with this conversation, I'll be back very soon.' He did the unexpected and kissed her before he left her spellbound. She touched her lips and screamed. 'It's real! I'm not dreaming! Gary kissed me!'