In the top most room in the hotel, a couple looked down through the window to the parking spot as the silver black BMW making its way past the crowd of reporters in its way. Benjamin put his hand round his wife's waist. He did not know how or why, but he felt his wife was in dire need of the comfort. He implanted a soft kiss on her forehead. She remained indifferent, watching the car manage to free itself from the reporters and out of the gate in to the busy highway.
"This is bad, Ben. Very bad!" She managed to say after a long while.
"Sandra…"
"He knows. I told you. I warned you that letting her go into the spotlight meant that some secrets will come to light. Now look!" She turned around almost suddenly and looked at her husband.
"Sit down dear. You are getting worked up for nothing. Please, sit. Here, have some water." Benjamin reached out for a glass and began to pour in some water from the jug.
"I do not want water. How can you be so calm?" Sandra retorted.
"He is a nice man. So far, he has been kind to us. Sponsoring all our needs from the private flight to the hotel to the visits round the city to the meals. And he has not looked down upon us not even one bit. And our daughter seems in love with him."
"Infatuated." Sandra corrected.
"I doubt so." Benjamin said but deeply regretted his words after the look his wife gave him. "Do you not think you may be exaggerating it just a bit? Look, he had said with Tasha seeing him she may, will definitely be, in the spotlight. And we have seen it ourselves just a few minutes ago with the news reporters and papazari…"
"Paparazzi honey. Pa-pa-ra-zzi." Sandra corrected pronouncing the word carefully for her husband. That word had always eluded him. She let out a chuckle at the thought.
"Yes. That word. But dear, please try and be a happy mother, for her. Ever since we landed you have been cold and everyone knows. If Brandon indeed does not know why, then you may have just given him the incentive to search for the truth now. And you know with great power and influence such as his, he shall not look for the reason for long." Benjamin handed over the glass of water he had been holding for his wife and she finally took it. Leading her, he sat her on the wide bed. She took a long sip, deep in thought to the wise words from her husband.
"You are right. Maybe even Tasha may ask him to find out why. Ben, I have to get to her before she asks for his help to sort it out!"
"Relax dear. I am sure she is not one to rush in to such favors. She has pride. Just like you." Benjamin gave his wife another light kiss on the cheek. He understood his wife. They had been married for thirty years back then when they were in their early twenties. They had met each other when she had gone down to the sandy coastal beaches for a brief walk with one of her friends and he had gone for a swim with his two friends. She had her hair braided in natural corn braids, had put on a free dress which had the wind rejoice as it followed its movement and in her hand were the black sandals she had put on earlier. He admired her every move, especially when she let the warm deep blue water kiss her feet. He recalled how she handled herself with great grandeur. She was a hard one to please at first, but he had known ways to comfort his very difficult wife over the years. Their first son, Immanuel, came four years after their marriage after a long struggle to conceive and it became an even more difficult pregnancy, but not worse than, when she was giving birth to Ronald ten years later. She almost lost her life. He loved her more each time he felt close and closer to losing her.
There was a slight knock on the door, interrupting his nostalgia. "Come in." He allowed. The door opened and Ronald walked in with Immanuel. Benjamin ushered his sons to seat at the sofa opposite the foot of the bed. The boys sat and looked at their okay father and slightly worried mother then at each other. "Well, I am sure you did not just come here to look at your parents as portraits!" Benjamin joked sitting next to his wife.
"Father. Mother. Ronald has something to say to us." Immanuel said and nodded to his brother to proceed.
"Ma', Dad, since this is the last free week of my holiday and I shall be going back to school next week for my final term in high school, I think it is better I let you know that…" he hesitated and looked to his elder brother for approval more than support, "Mr. Joseph promised me a position in the country's military cadet school as soon as I am done with school."
"What! When? When did he promise you that?" Benjamin asked.
"During lunch. He was on my left and while you guys were immersed in the story about Natasha's new job he asked what I wanted to do after school and I told him and he promised to have me settled soon after I complete my high school studies. Please don't be mad." He begged.
"It is okay." Sandra said to everyone's surprise.
"Ma'…"
"It is okay, Ronny." She repeated. "If you are sure that is what you want to do, then I as a mother should be proud of you. You know I just worry for you." She smiled at her two sons, lovingly. Ronald quickly got up and rushed into his mother's arms.
"Thank you Mom!"
In the BMW speeding off the highway, Natasha was recalling her crossing paths with the reporters again. She was feeling different emotions. Brandon, on the other hand, was feeling very happy. He looked at Natasha constantly. He noticed she was distracted but he did not ask for he knew what was on her mind. The car went on for a while with the three individuals in it having different thoughts: one wondering whether she was going to make it being a celebrity and all her linen hanged in public, the other feeling happy that the woman he was with had teeth that could bite and the last one wondering what two senior people were going to do in the mall at two in the afternoon on a Monday. Natasha did not seem to notice that vehicle took a different turn from the one heading to BESMA Group until she noticed the gate it had driven in to was not one she was used to. She rolled down her window and was greeted by "Supreme Mega-Mall" at the top of the building. She quickly turned and looked at Brandon. "What are we doing here?"
"Shopping, my dear. Did you not say that you needed clothes since the one you had on in the morning was…"?
"Okay!" She snapped back and looked at Watson via the rear mirror, blushing.
In the mall, everything looked so exquisite and expensive. This one of the best malls in the country and was known to favor those with very deep pockets. Natasha walked ahead leaving Brandon and Watson behind her, following her like body guards. She was feeling better than she was in the morning. Nothing seemed to impress her as she walked round and round looking for a stall that had good taste, at least taste that excited her. Then she saw it, a stall at the top most floor of the mall. By the looks of it, this design shop seemed to be doing well for itself for it occupied a large surface area of the floor.
As soon as she stepped in, she was met by the most expensive original designer bags, red-bottomed heels, jewelry, make-up and clothes of all colors and designs imported from different and the best designers in the world. The men walked quietly past her and sat at the guest seat near the changing rooms. Watson was impressed to see his boss actually take a woman for shopping and sit down and wait. Natasha was soon surrounded by the attendants of the shop who assessed her and discussed amongst themselves what would suit her and after a moment, they all went round the mall picking different items, leaving her standing there confused. It reminded her of the preparation for the party in DD City when Brandon had the same thing happen to her then afterwards… She looked at Brandon, who was looking at her and blushed. He smiled back at her and it was as if he knew what she was thinking of.
For the next two and a half hours, Natasha was trying on different clothes, shoes, make-up and jewelry. She was very exhausted. Even more so when she noticed that Brandon was busy doing whatever he was always doing in his phone. Whenever she put on a something and walked past him he just stole a quick glance and went back to his phone without saying a word or letting an impression escape. Even Watson was better at it for he was very keen at whatever she was doing! Two hours had passed and Brandon did not comment on anything yet she had already tried out three-quarter of the mall. She had had enough.
"Is there not a single thing you like?" She asked angrily as she marched towards where Brandon was seated.
"Why would you say that?" Brandon asked smiling lightly with his deep eyes looking at the dress she was in at the time. "I like the one you are in right now."
"You are so annoying!" She shouted and got in to the changing room. After a while, she got out changed in to her original clothes and shouted even louder, "Let's go! I don't like this place anymore." Then she began walking to the door and stopped after having noticed than no man had got up from the couch. "Why are you not up yet? Let us go!" Brandon nodded and stood up, followed by Watson.
"Wats, please escort Ms. Claire to a taxi." Brandon instructed Watson who nodded.
"Wait, what?" Natasha asked shocked.
"Because we have to go back to work. I have some pending things to do. And you have to go home and rest. You are unwell." His voice was calm and serious.
"But I also have work to do!"
"Ms. Claire, you going to rest was not a request. You know I happen to know your boss and I could have him fire you." He mocked ignoring her angry face. He took out his cellphone and dialed a number. "Hello Ms. Ryan, Ms. Claire is on her way for a visit and I am sure you are almost off work. Please wait for her." Then he hung up. "Let us go, Wats." The two men walked past the angry woman before them and she could feel herself explode.
"Damn you!" She hissed underneath her breath and she stormed out of the shop, leaving behind very confused shop attendants.