Secrets

Sybil left him dumfounded. She stormed to the highway to get a cab. "Golden globe" she said to the cab driver as she got in. She slumped on the seat and calmed her racing heart. 'How dare he say that I'm like other girls? If he knew what I'd been through he wouldn't utter such rubbish'. she thought angrily. She couldn't get over what he said. It was like a gun shot directly at a critical spot in her chest piercing deep. She sighed as she closed her eyes as flashes of the past engulfed her.

'Noo!! mom! mom! mom! wake up please! how could you do this to her? you said you loved her how could you? You monster. I'll kill you!! I'll kill you you bas**rd! you hear me I'll kill y–' She was jerked back to reality by the screeching sound of tires. She looked out the window and they were already in front of the company.

"Thank you" she said as she paid the cab. She had calmed down and returned to her unfazed personality which everyone knew her to have. She walked calmly into the building as if nothing ever happened. But her mind couldn't forget how she had been insulted.

Sybil headed straight for her office to gather her things and close for the day. She needed rest and peace of mind.

She went home feeling calmer. There is no place like home. She unlocked her apartment door with her card and headed straight for the shower.

Feeling refreshed she decided to grab a bite. She hadn't eaten a proper meal today and she craves local African food. She turned on the cooker and placed a pot over it and drizzled vegetable oil in it. She brought a pack of long grain rice down from the cupboard alongside the ingredients needed for making 'Jollof' rice. This was a famous Africa dish which she loved and craved anytime she thinks of her mom. Tonight was a night of reminiscing.

Remembering how she helped her mother anytime she made Jollof rice. Savouring the apetizing aroma and taste of African cuisine. How glad she was that she was African otherwise she wouldn't have been able to taste such a delightful meal.

Although she was glad she couldn't say the same about others. She was considered an outcast ever since she was born for being black. It wasn't her choice but she was being blamed. Dreadful stares and spiteful words thrown at her anywhere she went. She was once called a 'monkey' by a white cashier at a department store.

Placing the rice in a bowl and washing it in the sink made her feel she was getting rid of the hateful comments of today. She stationed the water and put the rice aside. She grabbed her tomatoe paste, freshly peeled onion and a pack of shrimp from the refrigerator. She poured the tomatoe paste and onions in the heated pot over the cooker. She began adding other ingredients.

Sybil opened the pack of frozen shrimp and marinated it with lime. She placed the shrimps inside the post of sizzling tomato sauce. She grabbed her spatula and stired it. Grabbing the washed rice, she poured it into her sauce and added a cup and a half of water and a little more seasoning cubes. Covering the lid and allowing the flavours to sit in.

She grabbed her kitchen cloth and began to clean up as her rice cooked. "I'm homeee!!" Diana yelled as she entered. She has a way of annoying her welcome. Especially when she's in a good mood.

"Did you hit the jackpot today?" Sybil asked as Diana made her way to the kitchen. The kitchen was not as large as it seemed bit it has enough space and suitable to their taste. The counter is placed at the centre of the kitchen along side a cooker in the middle. The refrigerator is placed opposite the counter along with the green cabinets. They chose the colour green as a signature hue for their kitchen. Sybil was the one who chose the colour when installing them. She has a keen interest for the colour green and feel attached to it. She even gave it a name 'Sybil's green' .

Every decor in their house was green. The couch, wallpapers, curtains and carpet. Different hues of green dominated their apartment making it look like they were one with nature.

The green and white hue contrasted making their apartment homely and warm.

Diana was drawn in by the aroma of the rice. "Are you making shrimp Jollof rice?" she asked as she opened the pot to check. The rice had already cooked bit needs to be burnt to get the

at signature smokey aroma and taste of Jollof rice. She stired it to get the flavours round and left it for three minutes to get smokey.

Diana loved Jollof rice to. She also appreciated Sybil for making her local food and never straying away from her nationality even though she had never been there.

"Get the pl–" she was surprised to see the table set. When it came to local African dishes, Diana never hesitate to set the table. Sybil dishes their food onto their plates along with fresh coslor in a side dish. Jollof rice is never complete without cold coslor and fruit juice.

"So how was work?" Diana asked as they began to eat. Sybil always cooks local dishes anytime she was stressed. It has become a habit of her to cook anytime she has a lot on her mind somehow pouring the emotions onto the food.

"The usual." Sybil replied not bothering to stop eating.

"Anything.....unusual happen? Any misplacements of words or attitude?" Diana persisted.

Releasing her hands from her cutlery, Sybil glanced at Diana who now has a serious expression on.

"No". she replied no longer feeling interested in the food. "Excuse me". She stood up and left the dinner table but Diana was not having it from Sybil tonight. She had given her time and space to get over it but Sybil didn't seem like she was ready to move on.

She watched as Sybil went into her room with a gloomy expression on her face. The door slid open and she watched her back disappear behind the door.

Sybil sat on her bed her mind wandering off to that dream she had months ago. She wasn't sure if it was a dream or not. It felt so real. The wind that rushed by, the feeling of being in his hands. A blush creeped on her dark face at the memory. Everything felt so real. She's never had a dream like that even though she's spent most of her life living in her own fantasy.

Remembering the fright she felt at the screeching of the the bird and he chase, she knew she needed to talk to someone about the dream or she would forever be left lost.

Rushing out of her room across the hallway, she raced to Diana's room suddenly wanting to talk to her about it. She felt Diana would understand what she meant since Diana was a woman if secrets to. Secrets she didn't bother to uncover.

"Diana I need to–" her word were cut off at the sight of the empty room. Sybil hadn't heard the front door open or close so how come she wasn't in her room? Passing time away in Diana's room she decided to go through her clothes collection and maybe try some out. She walked towards her closet and began going through the clothes when a piece of paper fell off from one of the clothes.

She picked it up and it was Diana in the photo with someone? Who could the other person be? Did Diana have a younger sister she didn't know of? looking at the picture intently it seemed to be pretty old and spoiling.

Lost at the sight of the image, she didn't know someone had entered. "What are you doing?" Diana asked at the sight of Sybil in her room.

Shocked Sybil turned back and was drained of her spirit at the sight of Diana. She didn't hear he front door clock open so where had she come through? The image in her hand slipped and fell and Diana's eyes widened in horror at the sight.