The next morning, Sarah made it her business to go and have a word with Manuel at his office.
It took her less than thirty of driving from her apartment to Manuel's office. The layout of the place was incredible. The office was located on the eighth floor of the MJ High Rise Cooperation building. You go through revolving doors into a vast lobby of chromium and green and white rubber block flooring. A row of elevators is on your right and on your left is an enquiry desk, a row of telephone booths.
She rode to the eighth floor in an express elevator and walked along some more green and white rubber blocks before reaching a double plate - glass door. She pushed open the swing doors and sauntered over to the switchboard.
The young woman at the switchboard who happened to be Manuel's secretary watched her come.
"Mr Johnson," Sarah said to the young woman.
The young woman gave her a look full of repressed yearning and asked if she had an appointment.
"No," she told her, "but he'll see me. Tell him the name's Sarah Palin and am in a rush."
The young woman said regretfully, "Mr Johnson never sees anyone without an appointment."
"Ask him," she coaxed. "call him and tell him I'm here. You're in for a big surprise sweetheart."
She put through the call saying, "Sarah Palin is asking for you," she said timidly into the receiver. "she says you'll see him." she listened for a moment, her eyes growing big, then she hung up. "You can go in, Mr Johnson will see now."
Sarah looked past the young woman with pride and sarcasm and strolled into a big airly room.
Manuel sat behind a vast desk covered with business papers, a cup of coffee, his half opened laptop and a portrait of his mother.
"Good morning Manu," she said closing the door behind her.
"What an unexpected visit, Sarah" he said smoothly. "I must confess I didn't expect to see you soon."
"Came as a surprise to me too," she said and drew up a leather - padded black office chair and sat down.
"What happened yesterday? I told you to go keep Lucia company while I was working on some company issues, and when I went there I didn't find you." Manuel said as he went to stand by the window.
Sarah got up and crossed over to the liquor cabinet and poured herself a glass of wine, "I did go at the park just as you asked me to, but to my surprise your girlfriend wasn't really interested in seeing you."
Manuel turned with surprise and faced Sarah, "what do you mean she wasn't interested in seeing me?"
Sarah walked over to the desk, putting the glass down, she grabbed her purse and removed five photographers of Lucia dancing and making out with several half dressed men.
Sarah threw photos over to Manuel.
"Am sure those photographs will explain why." she said picking up her glass of wine while eyeing contemptuously at Manuel.
He picked up the photographs and his eyes widened with disbelief.
"No way, could this really be Lucia? Am.- I can't believe it, where did you get this photographs from? This is rubbish."
"You better believe it Manu, that's one hundred percent your so called Lucia." rolling the glass in her hands, "I didn't find Lucia yesterday when I went to check up on her at the park so I decided to wait for a while, and as I was waiting a friend of mine sent me those pictures, she was shocked seeing Lucia dancing and making out with several men so she just had to send me those pictures to confirm if it's really Lucia."
Manuel threw the pictures in disgust and faced the big window again.
Putting the glass down she crossed over to Manuel and touched his shoulder with sympathy.
"Am really sorry Manu, but there is literally no way I could hide such sensitive information from you, I've known you for five years Manu, you are my best and most dearest friend of mine and I just can't stand it seeing Lucia do this to you.
I know Lucia very well am sure these are signs that she doesn't need you in her life, don't let her torment you like this she's not worth it, you need someone better, someone who really knows you well, who understands you and cares and loves you, in short you need a real and strong woman Manu and... - "
"But I still can't believe it. How could it be, my Lucia doing that. I know she's crazy and a little bit insane but she can't go that far, she's just so fixed with me to do such disgusting things behind my back."
Manuel's face hardened and Sarah could tell that he really was angry.
Sarah reached out for his hand, "let's just face it, I know it's painful but it's better than living in lies don't you think."
Manuel broke out from her grip and moved to the cocktail table and poured himself a glass full enough to float a duck and gulped it all at once.
Sarah seemed worried, "I knew I shouldn't have brought this to your attention, am really sorry I just wanted to expose the type of girl you've been dating."
Shd said apologetically and moved towards Manuel.
"Don't say that Sarah, I know you are just looking out for my best interest. You've really been so good to me, I don't know what I couldn't have done without you."
"so what are you going to do now?" she asked facing him.
"Am not sure for now. I just need some time to think about it more clearly."
"I understand Manu, so if it's time you need then it's time am gonna give you." she said.
Moving closer to Manuel she passionately put her cute slender hands romantically on his massive chest and flicked an invisible spec.
He tendering took her beautiful hands off his chest and held them in his hands.
"I can't thank you enough Sarah, I mean I really appreciate it alot. I can assure you that am ever grateful to you. Right now my presence is needed in the board room so it's better if we discuss this another time."
He eased her to her purse singling her that it's time she went.
"Sure thing Manuel what will you be doing after work? you should drop by my flower shop and we'll finish our discussion. How does that sound?" she said picking up her purse, and the photographers, "I will leave these pictures with you incase you want to have a closer view."
She placed the pictures in one of Manuel's books on the table.
"I will surely pass by your shop, I swear." he assured her.
They moved languidly to the door, "sure thing Manuel I will be waiting for you."
Manuel gently opened the door for her. She reached out, hugged him and tendering kissed him on the cheeks.
"Am always going to be here for you Manuel no matter what. Take care of yourself, okay." she assured him and walked away in a casually and sexually way..