Mandy and Olivia were with Shea that morning. They wanted the juicy details about the date last night. For some reason Shea had been snippy about them.
Mandy and Olivia were her only friends. They all loved in close proximity to each other.
Utalii and Hamptons residential were just minutes away from each other. Waridi was a bit further away.
But that didn't stop Olivia from visiting. Olivia's mother was Shea's father's( Obadiah's ) lawyer back then.
Mandy's family lived in Happy Harbour, until Mandy was ten. They moved to Old Town after Mandy's father died. Mandy's mother became a maid in Shea's home. Obadiah had a particular liking to Mandy's mother therefore Mandy would often come home and play with Shea.
It was Obadiah who paid for Mandy's education. All the way to University. Mandy also got capital to start her business from Obadiah.
Mandy had gotten the whole story from Mathew. She remembered Mathew's rambling.
"She has a fear of an unearthly snakes. I mean who doesn't. I haven't even seen a snake outside the TV but I had nightmares about them."
She just wanted to hear it from Shea.
Shea finished downing her hand squeezed orange juice. She looked up at Mandy and Olivia, seeming completely oblivious to the question they had asked.
"What!" She retorted.
Olivia sighed,"How did the date with Mathew go?"
"It was OK." She answered
"OK? What does OK mean? You didn't like it?" Blabbered Mandy.
She could not believe her ears. She had expected to here praises and Goodwill from Shea about the date. At least that's what she got from Mathew.
Mathew spoke with high regard for the accomplishments at the date. He got to know her better and she got to know him. But now Mandy was saying it was OK? Something wasn't right somewhere.
"It was everything like the dates you read about in books." Shea added
"So what's the problem?" Asked Olivia
Olivia didn't want to push the matter too hard. After all, it was Mandy came who came up with the idea to match Mathew and Shea together. Not hers. To her, the idea of searching for love was a wasteful endeavour.
"It was a usual night for me. Dinner at a fancy restaurant. Driving around town. I've done those things all my life. The Fro-Yo was great though."
"I feel you. It's hard for a guy to be romantic when the girl is rich. Buying expensive jewelry for her, she buys it for herself every Saturday. Fancy hotel? Please... Men need to do something different."
Shea smiled at the last remark. Mandy noticed a glow in Shea's eyes. Olivia didn't notice this.
"It's hard to find that guy who can add flavour to life and not replay the same old crap."
Mandy noticed the glow in Shea's eyes again. Olivia noticed it this time too. Mandy didn't know why that happened but Olivia knew very well.
Olivia gave Shea the look. The look that says,"You are hiding something that we really need to know." Shea saw the face and read it perfectly.
"There's this guy, " she blurted
"Another besides Mathew!" Retorted Mandy
" Tell us more, how did you meet?" Asked a curious Olivia, ignoring Mandy's remark.
Shea went on to explain how she met Chris. Shea didn't skip a detail. She told them them how he guilted her into a date. She told them that she felt different when she was with Chris.
Mandy couldn't believe what she was hearing. She sincerely thought anyone apart from Mathew was a step down.
That wasn't what she hated the most. It was Shea's tone when she was talking about Chris. It was as though Chris was an angel sent from heaven. It made her blood boil!
"Do you love this Chris?" Asked Mandy
"What no! I barely know him. I just liked when I was with him, I experienced the world differently. Not like I do everyday. To be honest I went on the date with Mathew thinking I would feel the same way but I didn't."
"So that's the problem. You were expecting the date with Mathew to be like the date with Chris. So when it wasn't you didn't enjoy."
"I think in this scenario, it's a matter of first come first serve. You already seem to like Chris so just see what he has to offer." Included Olivia
"What about Mathew?"
"He should wait for you, if he really liked you!" Added Olivia
Mandy was at a loss of words.
Mathew's House. Night
Mandy has been resolute for all the time she was there. Mathew was rambling about the next date with Shea.
Mathew didn't even realise Mandy was not listening. Not until he asked a question.
"Mandy? Are you even listening?" Asked Mathew. Mandy seemed to get out of her trance.
"What!"
"I'm sorry was I boring you?" Clearly his temper had risen.
"Nah, I was just thinking." Mandy said in a low tone. Mathew could see that she was not OK.
Mathew sat next to her. He put his hand on her shoulder.
"Shea said the date was great but she didn't feel it in her soul."
"Feel it in her soul? What the hell-"
Mandy raised her palm at him, Mathew stopped."She went on to tell us about another date she had with some guy. His name is Chris. In her words, it was the most alive she had ever felt."
Mathew's gaze dropped to the ground. It felt like his whole future had shuttered. The fact that there was another man made him feel even worse.
For the longest time he would force himself into difficult situations. At work, even in relationships. He used to force himself to be strong and courageous. Sometimes it would work out sometimes it would not.
Right then the voice in his head to him he could do it. Right then he knew what he should, do because he really loved Shea.
Mandy spoke no word, she just let it sink in. She knew Mathew very well. Too well some would say.
"What are you going to do?" Mandy asked
"I don't know! Shea's the one with the choices. Whatever she chooses, will be fine with me. Even if she chooses the other guy!"
"Look Mathew. You are a great guy and I'm sure if Shea got to know you better she would love you too. You just need to show her who you are."
Mathew thought of those words. Mandy was right. Shea didn't know him that well, nor did he know her.
What he needed was get closer to Shea. At least he knew it was not over. He still had time. Time for her to get to know him. Time for her to like him.
Mandy wanted to tell him that Shea was already on a second date with Chris at that exact time. She decided not to.
Shea's House. Night
Shea dropped on her bed. Date two with Chris was a delight. They had spent hours together.
Chris had picked her up from her father's company, TechSolutions LTD, at seven.
Chris arrived by bicycle. Shea wasn't skeptical about hopping on the bicycle at all. She didn't know why but she felt as though she could trust Chris.
They rode around town. Chris showed Shea his favourite spots. He told her a bit of history about some buildings.
Shea was fascinated. She never really took into account the beauty and culture of Old Town. Not until she met Chris.
She began to wonder why her father hid her from this beautiful world.
Shea especially loved it when they ate mishkaki (pieces of roasted meat on a stick). The meat was spicy and left her wanting more. Chris had to surrender his to her.
Shea really wanted the night to go on. She was disappointed when Chris rode her home.
As he bid his goodbyes Shea felt a deep surge of energy. She wanted to kiss him.
Chris was being a gentleman and did not want to take that step so soon. Shea respected that but it made her want to kiss him even more.
As she lay on her bed she remembered telling Chris that she had gone on a date with another guy. She didn't know why she said it though. She felt that she needed to be honest.
She was surprised when Chris didn't freak out or change his behaviour when she mentioned date with Mathew. He didn't mind.
"You are very beautiful. I'm not surprised that other guys are attracted to you, I would be suspicious if they weren't. But we aren't committed to anything yet. So you are free to on dates with other people" he said
"You would too?"
"If I want to I could also go on dates."
She didn't like that. She didn't like it one bit. She was supposed to share him with other women! She didn't think so. She really liked Chris and the thought of him riding a bicycle with another girl brought a weird taste in her mouth. But as he said, they weren't in a relationship.
Private Investigator's Office.
It had been a long day for Elvis. He had just wrapped up two separate cases about a cheating wife and cheating husband. Back to back.
He had been a PI for twenty five years. The cases he dealt with changed over time. Became more complex, forcing him to change. He didn't have his speed and agility, or his will to live, but he could still throw a punch.
In order to keep his mind sane he always had a bottle of whiskey. He sat in his office with a glass half full(or half empty) of whiskey. The source bottle was completely empty.
But Elvis wasn't drunk at all. They didn't make the whiskey the way they did when he was younger. He remembered back two decades ago he would be wasted at the bottom of one bottle. But now he was actually alert, typing in his report with speed and accuracy.
He heard a knock on his door. It was late, he thought. The door crept slightly in and a face popped up.
"Come back tomorrow." He blurted out involuntarily.
The man opened the door wider and got in. He had a briefcase in his hand. Elvis's temper began to rise. He was about to curse at him when the man opened his briefcase.
Elvis had never seen so much money outside a check. He swallowed his temper then looked up at the man.
"What do you want me to do?" He asked without a care
"I need you to find this something for me."
The man handed Elvis a tablet. The screen showed a map. In the map there is a blinking light.
"Looks like I'm going to Old Town!"