Denise sits in the car while her driver, Harold, starts the ignition. She sits in the back seat, reading her favorite magazine. They drive by the mall and by the other shops, where many people are busily buying and selling. She is so excited because she is about to meet the date her friend, Elena, set up for her.
"Harry, are we there yet? We have been driving for hours now," she whines.
Harold just smiles and shakes his head. He loves it when his mistress calls him Harry. She is actually the only one he allows to call him that.
"Just a few more minutes and we will be there. Please stay calm."
"I am calm. I am very calm." Denise puts the magazine away and taps her hand on her lap. She only does that when she is very nervous.
Harold looks at her in the mirror. He smiles again when he sees what she is doing.
"Ma'am, you do not need to get so nervous over this. I mean this is not the first time you are going on a date like this, is it?"
"Who? Me? Who says I am nervous? I am not nervous." She sighs. "Who am I kidding? I am nervous as hell. I don't know why I feel like this?"
"Ma'am it's going to be okay. It is just a date. You should not feel nervous at all. In fact, the person who needs to be really nervous is the man you are meeting. Because you are the most beautiful and intelligent woman I have ever seen."
Denise smiles and sits back in the chair. She felt her tense shoulders relax and felt more comfortable.
"You know, you are right. I don't need to feel nervous. After all, this is not my first date. I just hope he does not turn out like the others."
"Let's just hope so. By the way, we are here."
Harold pulls up in front of a fancy restaurant. The sun was already up in the sky and the heat could be felt. Denise put on her sunglasses and Harold gets down to open the door for her to step out. She gets out of the car and Harold holds her hand as he closes the door behind them.
"Thank you." She smiles at him.
Denise walks into the restaurant and looks around. A waiter approaches her.
"Hello, ma'am. Do you have a reservation? Can I get you a table?"
"Actually I am here to meet someone. I am sure he reserved a table under the name of Ransford Ashley?" Denise says, not sure if she got the name right.
"Of course, ma'am. The man is already here. He said he was waiting for someone. I am sure that person is you if I am right?" the waiter looked skeptical.
"Can you please take me to him? It's just that this is the first time I am meeting him, you understand?"
The waiter nodded. "Sure. Please come with me." Denise follows the waiter to a table, where a man wearing an expensive suit is seated. He already has a glass of red wine on the table in front of him. He raises his head and sees the waiter with Denise. He gets up from his seat and plasters a smile on his face.
"Denise. I am so happy to finally meet you. My name is Ransford. Please, have a seat." the man says and pulls a chair for her and she sits down.
"Thank you."
The waiter asks for their orders and they quickly pick up the menu and start to order their food. The waiter quickly leaves to get their orders while they both start a conversation.
"Wow, I am quite impressed with how you handle yourself. When Elena told me about you, I must say I was not expecting to meet such a beautiful angel like yourself. I am really fortunate to have finally met you."
Denise blushed. She has real beauty, but she always blushed whenever anyone compliments her on her beauty. She is the only daughter of her late father and the heir to a mass fortune left to her by her father. At the age of 33, one would think she has all the men eating out of her palm. But, that is not the case. Every man she came across, did not really want her. All they wanted from her was her fortune and that made her sad most of the time. That did not stop her from going on dates though.
"I have also heard a lot of things about you, Mr. Ashley. I hope we can become good friends."
"Just friends? Come on Denise. I like you and I want to be more than friends with you. So, can you at least tell me something about yourself that I don't know about?"
"I don't think there is anything to tell. I am always on TV and everyone knows much about my life. Maybe what you should do is find out what you really want to know yourself."
Ransford smiles back. "I like that. I guess I have a lot of time to do that, right?"
"It will depend..."
"On what?"
"A lot of things. Don't worry, it's nothing to be worried about."
The waiter arrives with their food and serves them. He quickly leaves when he is done. Denise pulls her hair behind her ear and plays with it and Ransford watches her carefully.
"Do you know how cute you look when you do that?"
"Do what?" Denise replies, innocently.
"Play with your hair like that. It looks really cute. I like it."
"Thank you." Denise blushes again for like the fifth time that day.
Then, they began to eat.
"So, tell me about yourself. I really want to know you more." Denise looks at Ransford, with so much admiration in her eyes.
"As you already know. My name is Ransford Ashley. I am 34 years and a businessman. I deal with the importation and exportation of cars and car parts. It's a business I started on my own about 2 years ago and now it's fetching me lots of money."
"That's impressive. So, where do you live?"
" I stay here in Accra, on the spintex road. I have my own house and own two cars."
Denise looked impressed. Maybe this is the man she has been waiting for, her whole life. She smiled at him and continued eating.