CHAPTER 23

IVAN:

Mum was quiet today and I've got Callie's outburst to thank for that.

  As our pool side continue to get flooded with guest i realised that Diana was not around.

"Need a glass?" Bernice called from behind me. She arrived Mexico this morning.

"Yeah, thanks" I took the champaign she held

"Nice dress" I commented admiring her red gown.

"Thanks" she smiled "Excuse me" she went on to meet some other people and I was left alone.

I sat down on a stool under the shadow, from here nobody could see me.

I combed through the crowd and saw Diana come in with her cousin. Steve held Diana in a more possessive way than a cousin probably should.

Not that I care but I've always had my suspicion about these two.

Diana's father was a way too busy man. He was a vet, as well as a rancher.

He had married his late wife Doris Chadwick out of convenience and not love.

He  had a fairly large ranch then and if he married her he would have enough money to enlarge his ranch.

One year into their marriage Doris died during child birth and since Doris was an orphan all her money went to him.

Back to Diana. I saw mother hurry to her. She pulled Diana away from Steve and told her something.

Diana looked frantically around searching for something or someone-me.

She argued with Steve over something before he agreed. They walked together into the party looking more like cousins than when they first stepped in.

Steve was about six years my senior which makes him eight years older than Diana. Something was odd with this two.

Steve is black, from Kenya he said. Problem is I don't know of her family married to black.

I don't even know any one except her father.

I needed to eat so I helped myself to a barbeque. With my plate and champaign I was heading to my corner but my dear sister stopped me

"Where have you been?"

"Around?

"Did you see Diana come in?"

"Yes?"

"Noticed her and her cousin?". "Anything weird?"

"A little" I needed to sit

"Open your eyes hermano!" She snapped.

"Callie, she said Steve is her cou---"

"You know any of her family that is black?" She hissed "Open your eyes Ivan!"

"Hmm!"

"I'll figure out what is wrong with those two"

"Thanks"

"Don't thank me now" she patted my back "Wait 'til it's over"

*******************

RUFI:

Ivan woke me this morning and gave me his best wishes on my first day at work. I braced myself for an encounter with Ms stupid.

Maria made breakfast giving me more time to get ready. Ana-Blaire resumed with her Nana after school.

I got to the massive blue gate that housed 'the honey source'. Last I heard their product was already in 16African countries, three European countries, and one Asian country.

The company was definitely going places.

"Yes?" The security officer at the gate answered through the intercom.

"I'm a new staff" I told him.

He verified before letting me in. He gave me a card to open the gate with.

"you're welcome" he smiled fatherly

"Thank you sir" I smiled back before making my way to the management building.

What I thought of the admin building seems like an exaggeration now that I entered this building.

It was ----- heavenly!

"You are Rufina Brown?" One of the ladies at the reception asked as I stopped in front of the magnificent arc table.

"Yes I am" I smiled at her

Her eyes sparkled black and I think I love her already.

"we've been expecting you" she said rounding the table

"I'll show you your table" she said walking ahead of me"follow me"

I went after her as I tried not to get too carried away with the view.

"This place does look awesome right?" She said with pride in her voice.

"heavenly" I breathed

"That's the word! She agreed as we walked through a glass door and came into another spectacular hallway we walked down until we got to another door that says 'Director'.

We walked through and the view that appeared looked just like the reception hall downstairs just a smaller version of it.

"This is my place?" I already knew the answer.

"Yes, that door" she pointed at the glass door "is the Director's PA's office and that" she pointed the other way "leads to the main man's chamber" she smiled.

"Main man?"

"The C.E.O" she smiled" By the way my name is Folakemi, you can call me Fola"

"its a pleasure to meet you Fola, you can call me Ruf"

"Alright Ruf, see you at lunch break" she left.

I spun in excitement, some people don't get an office this big and I get it being just a receptionist.

"yeepee!" I basked in the uniqueness of my space.

"Ruf?" I turned at the sound of my name.

"Yes?" I turned to Fola.

"if you need anything, just call for me at the reception ok ?" She had that look Maria gave me when she was worried .

"Sure, thanks"

"You are welcome"

Duty call

*******************

IVAN:

"We're gonna rock Nigeria!" Callie screened on our way downstairs. She was always hysterical when it was time to travel.

"Time to tour the giant of Africa " Nana added

"We did a  u-turn twice, at first because Callie forgot her teddy bear and the second time because Nana forgot her favourite bracelet. Bernice kept laughing while I did not know if to  scream at them or laugh. We almost missed our flight.

At eight am our flight took off. Nana slept almost immediately.

"Ivan" Callie called me. She had the seat beside mine while Nana sat beside Bernice.

"Hmm?"

"When were you going to tell me" she asked.

"Tell you what?" I asked lost.

"About her" she looked hurt

"Who?"

"Your girlfriend" she gave me a sad look "You think I don't know you have a girl?"

"What girl..." it clicked "Rufi?"

"Is that her name? I hear you call her brown eyes most times" her look was hurt mixed with happiness.

Hurt I kept it a secret from her, happy her brother found love. Or did he?

"I don't know cal" I held her hands "I'm scared, I feel this intense feeling for Rufi and it scares me, I want to protect her from everything and I don't even know if that's possible, its so scary Callie I don't even think its normal"

"you know what that means Ivan?"

I know, it sucks that my heart tells me Rufi is my love, but my head keeps reminding me how impossible it is for me to love.

"You found your soulmate Ivan, I understand how you feel conflicted, with everything we saw growing up it would be hard for you to believe in love, but inside this man who tries to shield himself from love is a man with a fierce ability to love"

Me?

"besides, I'll love to meet Brown eyes" she smiled "I want to know her little trick"

I laughed "What trick?"

"The one she used to catch my bro"

Now it all made complete sense. I love Rufi and it scares me I could love this hard, I also pray I don't wreck this. I pray I'm able to nurture this feeling and give it all I've got.

I love Rufina Rose Brown. I could love. Fiercely love.

Bernice's word came back to mind

When you decide to follow your heart you'll see its not so hard.

It was damn easy.