The door was opened and in came Tessa, holding a tray with glasses of fruit juice. She looked around the room, placed the tray on the table and smiled.
"How is the photo shoot going, ma'am?"
"It is fine," Kiara's response was abrupt, somehow showing that she was not in a mood for more conversation. Sensing it, Tessa immediately left the room.
The whole photo shoot was done in total silence, for none spoke to the other. Kiara would have loved to say something, just to make him feel better, but she was not sure what to say.
Once Jeremy felt he had taken enough pictures, he said his farewells and went back downstairs.
Kiara had to clean up herself and make sure that she looked her best, so that no one could tell that she had been crying. Without much confidence, she walked towards her mother and whispered, "You do have a hand in Jeremy's coming here, don't you? Thank you mother, because it was necessary for us to meet."
Aletha looked at her daughter and took her grandson. The ladies in the place were all over the place, enjoying themselves and admiring everything about the party. As such, Aletha and Kiara managed to find their own corner to talk without much disturbance.
"How did you do it, mum?" she asked in a very low voice.
"Jeremy had been asking me too many times, begging for me to arrange for the two of you to meet."
"Does dad know?"
"He obviously doesn't know, and he should never know. If we were to go according to him, both of us should never talk to Jeremy."
"Oh," Kiara sighed.
"Jeremy came to talk to me one day when I was taking out the garbage out. And he went straight to the point, asking me, Mrs Noels, do you think there is any way in which I can talk to Kiara? I do understand that she is married to someone else now, but I have a few questions, just so that I can go through the healing process. I gave it some thought and since he had been begging me for a long while, I finally decided it was only fair to give him a chance."
"Yes, yes, you did well mamma. Thank you."
"So I informed him about the baby welcome party, and told him that the only way to get in was if he came as a photographer who has specialized in baby photography. I told him to create pages on social media sites and to make sure that his work was on point. That poor boy was all over the place, taking pictures of strangers just to make up a meaningful portfolio."
"He was? Did he do all that?"
"Check his website; Elianah Photography. He went all out. And he put in his CV with the Pinkertons. Obviously your grandmother did not pick him, but when I came in, I insisted on another photographer, leading to Jeremy being hired to come today."
"You did, mum? Oh mamma I am so touched that you went to such an extent."
"Lower your voice sweetheart, you don't want anyone hearing our conversation, do you?"
"So Jeremy had to go through a lot just to come and talk to me? What did I do? I messed up a good man."
Kiara was expecting her mother to comfort her and say something like it shall be well, but the woman simply shook her head and reiterated Kiara's own words:
"You messed up a good man."
The rest of the event became meaningless to Kiara. She was not happy at all.
The highlight of the evening was when Vine's grandmother announced that she had a special gift for Vincent.
"Vincent Lisandro is a special child, and he deserves nothing but what is special. As such, my husband and I constructed a play centre, right inside the Victor Mall, I'm sure most of you have seen that the eating place which was on the ground floor has not been working for a while now. Well, it's because we were re-modifying it to become a child eating place. And we extended the place further, all that lawn which was behind is now turned into something beautiful. Well, I introduce to you…please put the images up the screen, Tessa…I introduce to you Lisandro Play Centre. This is a world class play centre, with some items hand crafted specifically for this site. There are some gadgets and toys you will see here which you have never seen in any other places before, and might never see anywhere else again. We have a children's restaurant too, serving the best meals any kid could ever wish for.
The main focus of the Lisandro Play Centre is to teach children through play. Most of the toys that you will find there are educational, but the education comes in a fun way.
We ensured safety. All the gadgets have been tried and tested, and are safe for use by young children. This play centre is open to children up to age twelve. In honour of the new child, Vincent Lisandro, the great grandchild that will inherit all the wealth that my husband and I sweated for, I hereby introduce to you this: Lisandro Play Centre!"
Everyone clapped their hands as lady Pinkerton handed over the centre keys to Kiara. The ladies in the room started talking again, repeating that Kara was lucky, the child was lucky, and all such talk.
When it was all over, Kiara could not wait to be alone. She took a shower and immediately pulled out her diary,
Dear Kimmy
I am choking…I am dying inside. I destroyed a good man. He is a good man, Kimmy. He is a good man but I broke him. Now what does he have? Who does he have? He is all alone.
Kimmy, do you think he too might need a friend? Do you think he might need a friend to pour out his heart to, and to tell the deepest secrets of his heart…dear Kimmy, I think he too needs a diary…
***.
For the first time since she moved into the mansion, Kiara found herself standing in front of Vine's door, knocking.
"Gareth?" came Vine's voice from inside.
She knocked again.
"Gareth, is that you? Come in!" he said.
"I…umm, it's me," she stammered.
Shocked, Vine stood up and went to open the door. He saw Kiara standing in the doorway, the child in his arms. He failed to hide the shock in his eyes.
"Umm, I'm really sorry to disturb you, Vine. Would you mind babysitting, I truly need some rest. I have a headache, and the day was extremely stressful. May l leave him with you, please? I have his milk bottle with me here, and diapers just in case he needs a change. Here, just a small bag with all his staff. May I just sleep until midnight and then I will take him?"
Vine stood there, starring at Kiara.
"Come in," he finally spoke.
She walked in slowly, and saw that the room was more than beautiful. She had never expected Vine to have such a good taste, for the room looked exceptionally good with all kinds of modern furniture.
Vine walked and took a seat on a pure white couch.
"Take a sit," he said. "You don't need to ask and beg me that much. He is my son, I can take care of him. Give him to me," he took the child and kissed me while the little boy smiled.
Not wanting to stay any longer, Kiara said her goodbyes and she immediately left the room.
Back in her room, she called Tessa to come and meet her.
"Tessa, you and I are going out of the mansion tonight, and there is no negotiating about that."
"Where are we going, ma'am?" Tessa widened her eyes in both alarm and fright.
Although Kiara had her own car, she never left the mansion. The Pinkertons, although providing her with a lot of luxuries, did not allow her to leave the mansion.
"I'm going to make a call for me to meet someone, and you will take me to him. Tessa, I am not negotiating with you, I am telling you what we are going to do. We don't have much time, so go now and find me a maid's uniform. I will wear it so that it's not easy for anyone to see me."
"Ma'am that is really dangerous . Trust me, you don't want to cross lady Pinkerton's path like that."
"Hand over your phone," Kiara stretched out her hand.
"I cannot possibly do that, ma'am."
"Oh yes you can. Hand it to me." Kiara was shocked by the way in which she was commanding Tessa, and she told herself surely part of Vine's character was rubbing off on her.
"Not my phone, ma'am. I can plan to take you out, but please, spare me the use of my phone. Phone calls can be traced, I cannot take that risk, ma'am."
"Ok go and get me the maid uniform." Kiara demanded.
Tessa ran out and while she was gone, Kiara went to see lady Pinkerton.
"Grandma, I am off to sleep, I have come to say goodnight."
"You're sleeping early today? Good night to you too my darling. And where is Vincent?" the lady smiled sweetly.
"He's with his dad."
"Oh, that's good. Vine seems to be doing a good job with the little one, is he not? I see that he cares a lot for his little one."
"He does," Kiara smiled before proceeding, "Grandma, I think Tessa has been overworking herself. She does so much for me. Today she mentioned that her younger brother is not feeling well, so I thought since the party is over and there is not much to do, I can let her take a day or two off."
"Her young bother? She never mentioned that to me."
"She probably didn't want to disturb the party. But is it ok if I let her go now? Today?"
"Is it not too late? What are you planning? You want a driver to take her there?"
"Yes, I think that can work."
"If you say so, Kiara."
Kiara thanked her grandmother and went back to the room to find Tessa standing in the room, looking very scared.
"You don't have to look that scared. You and I are going to leave this place, and you will make sure that I leave with you. I will not be caught under any circumstances whatsoever. Listen carefully to what I am going to tell you. First, should anyone want to know why you are going home this late, you will say your little brother is sick…"
"But ma'am,"
"You little brother is not feeling well. That's what I have already told grandma, and we won't change it. Tessa, you will stick to our plan. This is how we will execute it….." Kiara went on to explain the plan while Tessa listened carefully. Although she was against the idea, Tessa found herself in the basement. A driver was standing next to one of the cars.
"Hey Tessa, I understand you're taking the day off? I will take you home," the man smiled and opened the door.
"Thank you", Tessa got inside the car and it started moving. Once they were near the main exit, Tessa called out, "oh wait, that's one of the maids. She is also off today. Please let's pick her."
"What was she planning to do? Going home on foot?" the driver laughed a little, seeing that the said maid was walking on foot towards the main exit.
"I wonder." Tessa laughed. "She's new, so I guess she doesn't know much."
The car stopped and Tessa lowered the window before calling out, "Hey, come get a ride. The drive will drop you off at your home."
In came a shy, timid maid, clasping a little bag, wearing an oversize hat, and she threw herself in the seat next to Tessa's.
"Good evening," the driver greeted the maid.
"Halo sir," she responded in a low, fearful voice.
"You're new, when did you join the staff here?"
"On the first of this month," Kiara whispered. Although there was a close to zero chance that the driver was going to recognise her voice, for she hardly spoke to any driver anyway, she still did her best to alter her voice.
"She's very shy," Tessa commented, praying that the driver was not going to continue asking too many questions.
When the driver dropped Tessa off, Kiara also opened her door.
"Oh, you're going to the same place?" the driver asked.
"Yes, thank you," Kiara nodded and walked off. When the car had gone, she thanked Tessa and she proceeded with her trip.
From where Tessa and Kiara dropped off, it was a seven or eight minute drive to get to Sharon's house. Quickly Kiara got a cab and she was on her way to the same old place which she knew so well. The place where it all began.