Chapter 28

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

She wondered if Clement thought she would run away before the time he had promised to pick her up which was forty five minutes past eleven o'clock. He had called her thrice since the clock had struck the eleventh hour of the day. She had just gotten off the third call with him and it was just ten minutes past eleven. Anyways, she was all set and ready for the first part of their date in a fucial pink A-line gown. It was a high cow neck long sleeved dress with fringes at the sides. She paired it with flat black gladiator sandals and a black tote bag. She had put on a bra length wavy black wig that accentuated her black lipstick. She looked gothic. She had chosen this particular look because today would decide her fate with Clement. She wanted to look strong when he rejected her. She was so sure that he would and she was wholly prepared for it. If he didn't reject her, then it will be a pleasant surprise.

She had packed the dress and all he had sent her in a small suit case with the best of her lingerie. She was not planning on wearing any kind of upper underwear anyway. He arrived five minutes before the promised time and she knew that patience had eluded him on the way to her home. She laughed internally. This man might be the death of her. She wheeled the suitcase outside to the porch and locked the door. She didn't keep her key where she normally kept it; she flung it into her handbag. She didn't want anyone hanging around here when she was back from the dangerous hike that she was going on, no one, not even her prying sisters. She wanted no one to see her if she was rejected, broken and in tears as she was sure to be and also wanted no one back here if she arrived with Clement, all in the mood, that is if he risked it all and took her.

'Je comme votre derriere,' he said with a smirk the moment she turned around. She smiled, denoting from his smirk that he had said something very naughty.

'What did you say?' she asked him.

'I said that you look extremely beautiful,' he told her. She giggled.

'You are a liar, a blatant brazen one at that,' she accused him. He chuckled.

'I did say that,' he said without stress, confirming his lie. If he had not been mendacious, he would have argued vehemently.

'Unless derriere means beautiful, I doubt you actually said that,' she added.

'Aright mon Coeur, you caught me fair and square,' he admitted. 'I said that I like your-'she interrupted him then.

'-my behind,' she completed for him. She laughed when his left brow lifted. 'Some French words have been incorporated into the English language mister,' she told him.

'I agree,' he said. 'Now, a splendid date awaits both of us. But first of all, I'm going to drive you to lunch.'

'It sounds good,' she said with a smile, determined to enjoy herself, let herself go as if it was her last day with him and she was going to a place of no return. He returned her smile. He took her suitcase and guided her to his automobile. She had seen him with three different automobiles at one time or the other. But this one, it was one that she had never seen him drive. It was silver like the dress he had sent her. It seemed new but she didn't make any comment on that. She allowed him to guide her into the front seat of the door that he had previously opened for her. She sat down properly, tucking her dress neatly under her voluptuous lap. He leaned in for the kiss then, taking her unawares. She leaned up into his hot mouth. He suckled her lower lips quickly before he finally let go.

'There was a time when I always came up with lipstick whenever I did this,' he told her with a smile. 'What sort of products do you use?' he asked her.

'The type your money can't buy,' she teased him. He smiled and shut the door, surrendering. He placed her suitcase in the backseat and came in through the other side of the vehicle.

'I have you all to myself for today,' he reminded her. 'Why are you wearing this hideous wig?' the word hideous got to her. She thought that he didn't know what hideous actually meant. He did not know the half of it.

'It is not hideous you wicked man,' she said. 'It is perfect for my makeup.'

'Well, I think that your natural hair is a hundred times better than any wig. I like its colour so much. It reminds me of a well made chocolate and milk drink,' he said to her. He started the engine and began to drive away. She wondered if she would be back tomorrow morning, sad or happy. She sighed inaudibly and turned to Clement who was focused on the road.

'The lipstick incidents, is-'it with Sandra? She bit her tongue then to keep from completing the question. What shall she say if he said yes to that? Why did she want to know anyways?

'Are you referring to my earlier comment on coming up with lipstick smudges after a kiss?' he asked her. She nodded. 'You are curious about who it was,' he stated in a matter of fact way.

'Yes I am,' she replied him.

'It was my ex-fiancée,' he said. 'The bitch's name was-'she interrupted him, blurting the name out without thinking.

'-Sandra,' she said. He turned to look at her for a moment, surprised, before he refocused on the road.

'How do you know that?' he asked her. 'Oh! My mum's birthday party right?' she nodded in response. 'I didn't know she told you so that day. I would have told you all about her then.'

'She didn't tell me that then,' she said. 'She met me having lunch at the café close to my work place. She implied that it was a chance meeting. But, I knew that it was planned. She talked to me then. It was the week after your mum's birthday,' she confessed.

'Chloe, you didn't tell me that she had come to see you! I would have warned her to stay away from you!' he said angrily. She didn't know if he was angry at her or at Sandra or at himself. Panic rose in her. She didn't want Clement communicating with that demented bitch.

'I did not do so because I knew that you would blow up which you are doing now. Anyways, I handled her already so you can spare her,' she said in a bid to pacify him, feeling a little bit achieved.

'You did, didn't you? How am I sure that it worked?'

'It was effective because she hadn't thought to bother me since then.'

'I'll take your word for it and let her be.' She relaxed internally.

'You promise, don't you?'

'I do,' was his reply. She smiled and looked at her nails which she had painted black that morning.

'Where are we going to eat?' she asked after a while. He hesitated for a moment.

'We are going to a Chinese restaurant. I already booked a table for two. I hope you like Chinese food?' he asked. 'I made a mistake. I should have asked you first before I had done so.'

'Stop blabbing Clement, I do like Chinese food,' she assured him. He laughed.

'Then, Chinese restaurant it is?' he asked her with lifted brows. She could not help smiling while staring at him. He was handsome and all hers, for today. Whether she would own him after today depended on him.

'Yes,' she answered with a nod.