Ruby was saying, "I think I saw a man shoes….", she choked the rest of her statement down her throat.
However, the end of that suspicious statement dangles before her eyes.
The damage was done. Savage and fierce. Mika and Ruby looked at it other dumbfounded, as I stood in front of Diana with my wet clothes in my hands.
I found my way around the frozen figure of Diana into her bed room with my wet clothes in hand.
"have a good night Mika," Ruby said and turned to go.
And Diana broke from her trance and rushed to accost her. Whatever that transpired between all three of them out there, I didn't know.
it was later in the night that Diana slide into bed next to me, and I awoke temporary to see her.
"I was able to convince her to stay," she murmured to me on the bed."…
"who to stay…?"
"Ruby", it was late and I can't allow her to drive back home all by herself."
"thanks Diana. Now let's go to bed.
*****†****†****†*****
It's a dream. I am dreaming. I heard voices, beautiful voices of maidens in the hue of their full blossom.
I heard one asking the other, "hope you had a good night sleep?"
" a very long sleep, submerge in nightmares. My training with him was helping me sleep. Now the nightmares are back."
"why not continue the therapy with him?". Silence. Another silence. Oh what a suspenful dream. I was waiting for an answer. I wanted to eavesdrop on these maidens.
Trap in the suspense of waiting for a reply, I forgot to continue breathing.
I found myself drowning. As fear grip my deprive lungs and starving heart, I explode into the last zest of breath of a dying man.
I awoke, nude and soaked.... Then I heard, "after what I saw yester night I have finally decided to stay far away from that man."
The events of last night came flooding my mind. Diana was not in the room. It was not a dream afterall. I got up from the bed, and move to the window overlooking the garden.
I felt the fresh air from the garden on my skin as I took in the sight of Ruby and Mika under the shade of fresh plantain papyrus few yards away from the window.
"you look like him when he is distress you know," Mika said. "my papa?." "no, spooky?"
"and how will you know that?"
"I spent three years in the ship with him. Lets say I have a glimpse into what he feels for you. and I see the way you look at the man Ruby. You are hurt because you feel something for him. Until you two work out whatever you got going on, I don't think either of you shall ever live fully."
"you know, after D'mick, I was actually alright, pulling through, healing. People around me were worried about me. but deep down, I knew I will be fine.
I was on my way to freedom… but this strange man came out of the blue, and bring with him my worst nightmares…"
"so, you still cant remember, anything about you and him three years ago?"
"no mika. Alittle promnesia her and there when I am with him. Umn… especially close."
"how close Ruby?"
"...when we are undergoing the therapy, my body seem to respond to his body in it's own accord."
"I think that's the essence, same reason why they hook you up with him... the memory of your bodies can juggle the mind...
he talk about you in the ship you know….".
"I don't want hear about any of it Mika," Ruby said heartily. "I don't want to remember. The man is trouble Mika.
Arrogant and cunning under subtle meekness, that gives him a polite deposition.... From monk to gangster. Gentility to brutality….
And he say things right. Things that makes you feel like the world revolves around you.
he calls me my lady when he is giving me a massage? He calls me my… and like a shaman he weaves his webs, and get you sexually ensnared and bound to him right?"
Ruby was so blunt and serious in her mannerisms, it made mika looked at her and burst out laughing, and she join in, despite herself.... but her laughs soon turned to sobs.
" I am screwed Mika...." she said and cover her face with her palms as though ashame of herself....
"No, girl friend. not even close"
Where is diana? I pondered behind the curtain still naked, waiting to hear more from the hot exchange between the two women in the garden.
"But, know what you mean Ruby, trust me I know," Mika said in a warm smile, causing Rubys expression to turn morose, "oh Mika, you don't mean it. you too? I feel like I am going to puke."
"not like the way you think, Ruby. We never joined. He didn't allow it to happen. But he did made me feel treasured."
"oh, you've fallen under his web none the less," Ruby said and sighed in relief.
"he has chosen you Ruby, I don't care about whoever he is with. After all you asked him to stay away.
And you are playing a dangerous game, trying to use Rhymz to make him feel jealous.
I saw you on that table pretending... to be listening to his every word at party....
He is also in too deep with you Ruby."
"no, I can't be with him either. He is a friend, more like a brother now. he also claimed we did dated in the past, before D'mick. I don't need a man Mika, they are all the same."
"Rhymz don't look at you like a sister."
"I know, but we have our limits. Socially we are okay."
"I see how you regard ryhmze Mika." Mika flashed, and glanced away, before looking at Ruby to reply, "you observe well Ruby. Unlike you, I wouldn't lie to myself. This is my last shot at life you know.
I have toyed around in the shadows for so long, it wearies me to the core. I want to live now, and not tomorrow. Perhaps, my world is different from yours…"
"how long have you been working for father?". "sorry I can't answer that. I work for him," mika answered with a finality that would've have curtail an adept in sworn oaths to a calling.
Mika belonged to Nka to the last drop of blood. She will follow him into the bowels of Armageddon and back.
However, Ruby treasured the concealed. Its her name sake anyway. What your are trying to hide is want she is always after.
Mika was in for a long howl, for I know ruby will never back down till she wrench out from Mika something solid about her pack with her father.
"what do you do for him? what were you doing at the clubs?"
"I was just hanging up with Diana. Don't ask anymore, because you will be wasting your time. you can talk to you father, he is the only one that holds the power to tell you."
Sipping their coffee, which probably had gone cold like the flavor of the their conversation, I moved away from the window, and hit the shower.
My wet clothes, the night before now hang ironed and sparkling in the open wardrobe. I would've loved to wear something casual, but the snow white long sleeves shirt and grey trouser happened to be my only option.
I slid into them, and walked out of the bed chamber in search of Diana.
She was not in the kitchen, but the steaming hot coffee smelled fresh.
She must be closed somewhere, for the oil in the frying pan was frizzling waiting to receive the whipped eggs, vegies and flour, in the 2litre class bowl.
I poured myself a mug, as Diana walked in with fresh grapes, "you are up late kuga. How are you doing?" she queried, before pulling of the gloves from hands with her teeth.
"I will live, if I don't die with shame anytime soon."
"it seems like you're out of options Kuga. I want your huge bulk out this kitchen, let me get to work, before we all starve and worsen the mounting friction between all four of us.
Beat it kuga. go face it," Diana said in a smirk, as she handed me a plate of hot pie from a food flask.
I gave her a kiss fully on the lips, before walking into the garden, living the woman standing in the kitchen with the spelling of o on her face, as her eyes follow me all the way into the garden, for I turned around to make sure she was still looking.
Diana is easy, all embracing and accepting. In her, I found a friend I can never have in Ruby.
unsettling is the fact that men are not looking for friendship in women. We want pandemonium, chaos and trouble….
Perhaps way too much trouble, one that awaits me in the garden as I closed in on the two women at the round table with two vacant chairs.
I sat opposite Ruby. between us sat Mika to my left in the arc, around the table.
"good morning ladies," I said with as much exaggerated authority as I could muster, causing the women to exchange a knowing glances that gave off the vibe that read like, "guess I told you."
Mika stood up, looking straight ahead at the kitchen door and said levelly;
"Diana will need some help in the kitchen." She walked briskly towards the back door, leaving us to our chance, perhaps the last one we will ever have, for I decide to go all out on this one.
"there is nothing to talk about Kuga. I think it's all clear now."
"I totally agreed. But our therapy remains unfinished. It's not about what we feel emotionally. We can let the body do, what it has to do.
And it's not about reawakening memories of long ago, it's about getting you to live this one. After that, I promise I will walk away from your life, forever…"
"this is not just about me, is it? to you, it seems like some kind of ritual you have to performed"
"it's a ritual I have to fulfilled Ruby. But don't get superstitious. No voodoo crap involves.
This is purely body chemistry. Truth is, I don't know what I am really doing. I only ride with the energy. And I know I have to complete this task before I moved on."
"how many clients do have Kuga?"
"only you Ruby."
"oh, so I'm like your first student."
"the first and only student, and shall be my last."
"how can we continue when you've already break your oath, not to do it with any other before we complete the therapy."
"I have not broken that oath…". I saw the slap coming but I did nothing to avoid it, it caught me flat on the face.
"I saw you naked with the woman. you have the guts to lie to my face…. what exactly are you up to, going around screwing women.
We are done kuga…. I am tired, tired of you games and inconsistencies" she said in exasperation, instantly looking haggard and withdrawn.
"I think you should take a nap."
"A nap... that's the point. If I closed my eyes, it flipped open, and the sleeping pills helps not anymore, it comes along with it skull splitting migraines. No, I think I will be fine without painkillers..."
"I remember you telling me the massages helped you sleep. And I know you don't trust me now, but ….".
"but what?".
"maybe you are right. I have outlived my stay... I better get going..."
It was one of those hopeless situation. Perhaps, it was time after all. I have to go back home, to my mountains and gardens, and live all this behind.
But the more I think about it, the more I wanted to stay, not for anyone but me.
and I have to meet with Nebulous hopefully he will help me got out of this quagmire.
Sensing the distress her eyes, I tried again. "we are adults' Ruby, and there is no question about what we feel for each other. But now, it's your health we are talking about Babe…".
"Babe..." she reiterated and laughed gravely.
"what is wrong with you, man. Babe.... men who called their women 'babe' earned the honor to call them that. and you are far away from honor....
you've have no shame, Kuga. I was on the verge of losing my mind, you came and draw me out of my melancholy...
I smell the fragrance of hope blooming, but you dashed it. rekindle a flame within me, blew it out.... now you dare talk to me about my health....
I need you out of my life...."
"you are not giving up are you?"
"no, not until you feel alright Ruby."