(Chapter 34)

     
             [Itrisha's pov]
      

  His Armani ash brown suite made him look like a male model, the stark white of his dress shirt accentuated his molten coloured skin. He was devilishly handsome, I dropped my gaze when I realized I was staring at him.

  My khaki coloured flair bottom skirt, with my white elbow length dress blouse and a multicolored scarf of light blue, pink and ash brown, was no match for his rich man's look.

  He came around my desk removing the stock lists and perching on the desk in front of me. I looked at his light brown leather Clarks has one feet dangled above the ground.

  He drew me with one hand from out of my seat, pulling me to my feet to stand in front of him. Wishing I had worn my high heels today, I reached just at his shoulders in my khaki coloured flat women Clarks.

  "I had badly wanted that kiss this morning, in fact I don't think I can start my day without it." He said softly looking at me. I blushed in all my black glory from toe to hair root.

  "Can I please have a kiss now?" He asked, it was hard to look into his eyes, he was calmly serious and I looked away my emotions were in a turmoil.

  He stood up and tilted my face back up to him, I looked at him with all my needs in my eyes and told him. "Yes." his lips descended upon mines and I kissed him with all the passion raging inside me.

  I was almost breathless when he finally released my lips, I didn't know how are when my hands raised and entwined around his neck.

  We stood stare locked into the embrace, he eased back a little and my hands glide to his chest resting between us, he held me in a loose hug looking at me.

  "I love you, I want to spend the rest of  my life with you, I don't ever want to leave your side." He said and I felt like I was in a dream. "Don't you want that too? He asked.

  I nodded feeling nervous and shy. "Say it," he whispered, my lips trembled as I tried to be brave. "I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." I whispered to him.

   My lips were caught in a heart stopping kiss as he devoured my mouth. "Will you marry me?" He asked, upon releasing my lips, I wasn't sure if I heard him correct. "What?" I asked.

  He went down on one knee. "Itrisha  will you marry me?" I was so shocked, "Yes." I said trying to pull him back up to stand.

  He reached into his jacket and took out a jewellery box, my eyes bulged as he opened it and took out the ring. It was small an beautiful, the tiny diamonds glistened brightly as he placed it on my ring finger.

  I felt as if I was in a dream has he stood back up, staring into my eyes, into my soul. "I've wanted to do that for a long while now." He said and my eyes watered a little, I can't believe this is really happening.

  "I'll see you later, have a beautiful day and your breakfast is in the lunchroom." He said as he turned to leave. "Th-thanks, have a beautiful day too." I stammered, he paused and smiled before closing the door.

  I got on with my day feeling happier than ever, many people say the words 'I love you' just to get what they want and then hurt the person.

  Not everyone who spoke those three words meant it, but when Kemeil told me I felt it, it radiated from him through me and I know he was being honest.

  Kristen asked to take the rest of the day off, when she took her lunch break. She assured me she was ok and then left, I thought maybe she was a bit tired or it something to do with the baby.

  That evening when I went home, it was said that Kristen was hosting a short movie and the cost to see it was ten pesos. She had food and drinks on sale and everyone was flocking her, to  buy.

  I had thought she was not feeling well, why she had went home and how will everyone pay for a movie that was going to be shown in the middle of the front yard.

  Ms Eloise had the same thought has Kristen demanded she pay her ten pesos, or head to the back with all who didn't pay.

  Kristen had a book writing down names of all who payed, Jamie called out the names of those who paid and everyone else was directed to the back.

  He was very serious, I ran into my house and locked my door following uncle Vaughn who lived next door us.

  Jamie went and demanded he payed, we bought some of her fried chicken and pasta salad. Kemeil hand over twenty pesos when she came over with her hand out stretched. She jokingly demanded five pesos for each of the children or said they should go to the back also.

  Showtime came so we took our seats still wearing our working clothes, the ones that did not pay watched from the side of the houses.

  The name of the show was, 'THE NICEST THING IN A DECADE' everyone waited in anticipation for the movie to start.

  A door opened and Kemeil walked through on the screen, Lori looked around at Kemeil as our eyes grew wide, since we were still wearing our work clothes.

  Me and Kemeil tried to slip away, it was a good thing we were sitting at the back, the twins started pointing to the screen saying. "Dada daddy, mommy mommy mommyyy." Jamie came and stood in front of us.

  "You both need to sit and watch the movie." He said grinning at us. We sat back down reluctantly, a few of them started to 'oohhs' and 'aahss' and the men were laughing and shouting as we were kissing on the big screen.

  How did Kristen managed to do that, I wondered. Kemeil hugged me to him as heads started to turn in our direction, he looked at the screen.

  "I best watch the big movie that cost twenty pesos." He said and relaxed back in his seat. It was weird and emotional watching us on the big screen.

  There were screams and applause, when Kemeil went on his knees on the screen. He squeezed me has we sat thier watching it, Kristen had managed to capture a precious memory.

  A few pictures of me and Kemeil flashed across the screen, then a big CONGRATULATIONS..

  "I want my ten pesos back." Kemeil's father shouted. "That was barely ten minutes and two chaste kisses." He bellowed, smelling the rat I hoisted Lameilia unto my shoulders and called Lori.

  Dashing pass Jamie and Sleven, I opened the door and sailed in. "I want to see more kisses for my ten pesos, this is robbery." They were laughing and shouting 'true.'

  I peeped from behind the curtains in the living room and saw them congratulating Kemeil, patting him on the back and shaking his hand. I was glad I wasn't in charge of cleaning his suites.

  We drank some juice and I bathed Lameilia and got ready for bed, while I waited for Kemeil to bring Lamond in.

  It was half past nine, when he finally came in with a sleeping Lamond on his shoulders and his breath wreaking of alcohol. I just allowed him to put him on his bed and pulled off his shoes from his feet.

  Lori was watching a movie and I told her it was bed time, she turned the tv off and I wished her a good night. Kemeil bathed and went straight to sleep, while I responded to my emails for the rescue centre.

  There were a few abuse cases and a homeless depressed victim, my heart went out to them. I searched for the nearest help centres near to them in thier countries.

  It was great working with other like minded people across the globe. Though I didn't meet them physically, speaking to them and also the people needing help gave me an even greater outlook on life.

  Just to know I've helped somebody makes living more important to me, to stop someone who was considering suicide. Placing them among people who won't judge them by thier bad choices, but help them to recover and move on.

  The rescue centre phone flashed with an incoming call, I answered to a young female voice. "Please I really need your help, I'm pregnant for a drug lord and he keeps raping and beating me anytime he gets high. I don't know how you are going to but I need your help right now, please, I'm not sure where I am....." She was talking really fast.

  She suddenly stopped talking and I heard a door slammed, a man's voice began to shout at her, I heard him hitting her as I was quickly dialing one of the twin techs numbers.

  "Good night Mrs. Kambohany, how may I assist you?" I was taken a back by how he addressed me, but quickly refocused as I heard the girl getting slaps and crying.

  I quickly told him to track the call I'm currently on. "That's in Uraguay where you guys are." he replied. "Send the address fast." I told him and cut the call.

  Hoping Sleven weren't drunk too, I gave him the details and the address. He was a bit hesitant but after I put the other phone on the speaker with the girl still getting licks and crying, he said he would get on it.

  She was twenty miles away, I called Jamie and pulled on a jeans, t-shirt and a jacket, then took out my gloves and guns. "You are not going anywhere, she says she is pregnant for a drug lord, go back in bed." Nicollete says then walk by me with Sleven.

  I sat on the steps that led down to the parking area and watch them sped off, I worried if someone will need my help and I wouldn't be able to assist them.

  I thought about people in abusive situations who can't really help themselves. This is real, it is happening all over the world, maybe I took up what I can't manage, but I'll be trying to help anyone I can, if it was the last breath I breathe.

  Silently counting to twenty and then backwards in my head, I tried not to over think too much, while I waited on them to get back safely.

  "Mind telling me why you're sitting out here, fully dressed right now Ms newly engaged?" Ms Eloise spoke lowly from behind me.

  "Mind telling me why you're not in your bed resting, to take care of your very active grandkids?" I asked her.

  I smelled the smoke from Francis' cigar from across the yard, Ms Eloise was using her walking stick to poke me.

  "See how this old woman always interferes with me, don't make me open my big mouth and wake everyone up, you know I've got an extra volume control in my throat." I told her.

  Francis and someone else laughed lowly from across the yard. She grinned lowly behind me, we have an unusual relationship.

  It's somewhere between cursing, understanding, warring and agreeing with each other. No one paid us any mind any more, wether we are arguing or just bantering at each other.

  "Tell me what's going on and I'll leave you alone, well maybe to be honest." She said cackling lightly and kept poking me.

  "Alright, alright, you antagonistic cow." I told her as I tried hard to refrain from telling het two Jamaican words.

  She slid from her wheelchair using her stick to balance and sat down Beside me. Neat trick I thought as she grinned at my surprised face.

  I told her everything and waited has she digested all that I had told her. "You may not be able to save everyone who calls or reach out to you, so always be ready for disappointments. It is a good thing and I promise to help in whatever ways I can." She said.

  Hurried footfalls came from the pathway that leads to the back, stopping us from our chatter, Nicollete and Darren came into view.

  "Really! I knew you wouldn't have gone to bed." Nicollete said, "Anyway you can go to sleep now she's dead." She said looking at me.

  I held down my head as tears welled up in my eyes, Ms Eloise hugged me as I started to cry. "No shit! I'm kidding, she and a bunch of others are in the infirmary, now come and give me some supplies then go to bed."

  One of these days I was going to clobber Nicollete, but right now I was too grateful to her for going to save the girl and however many others they had managed to rescue.

  I lay down quietly beside Kemeil, Nicollete was adamant that I should go to bed. I would go and see them first thing in the morning.

  Morning came and I jumped out of bed, after checking the time several times and seeing it was correct at now ten, twenty-five am.

  The place was quiet as I dismounted the stairs, I saw Kemeil sitting at the counter with a bowl of warm water steaming his face. Hangover was a bitch.

  "Morning." I greet him, the children were nowhere in sight. "Morning bebé, Lori has gone to school and the twins are with Chioma, since you and mama couldn't wake this morning." He said looking at me affectionately.

  I hugged him seeing his misery from the hangover. "It's been a while since I drink with fuck-face Francis and Darren they are dead when I feel much better." He murmured angrily.

  "Congratulations by the way, you are a hero, I heard you end up saving over fifteen persons. When did you turn super woman?" He was saying but I was too shocked to answer him, I  ran back upstairs.

     *             *                *

  I drove around to the infirmary, I would leave from thier to work. Greeting two of the resident doctors upon entering, they congratulated me on my double blessing.

  It wasnt me who went for them, so I couldn't take all the credit and I told them so, but they ignored my input of Nicolette and the others and congratulate me anyway.

  My first stop was to the young girl who had called, she was badly bruised and lay on her side with her little belly bumb fast asleep.

  I sat on the chair and looked her over, one of the nurse stood to the side and took up a file preparing to read to me. I held up my hands stopping her, I studied the marks on the girls arm noting that none caught her stomach, she had shielded her baby.

  When the nurse started to read aloud her file, she slowly opened her eyes, she had pale green eyes that were full of life.

  She looked me up and down, I thanked the nurse and stood, she sat up. "You were the woman on the phone." She said lowly. "Yes, nice to see you, feel better I'll see you later." I told her.

  I went on to the others fourteen girls and two boys, sixteen in all. I called Everol has I drove to work and told him the list of supplies I needed.

   Only four of the houses were completed and I had three pregnant teens. Kristen hugged me so tight when I got to work. "You didn't have to come in you know." She said tearily.

  "I'm so happy to have ever met you and call you my friend." She continued to say teary eyed, my eyes watered and I say to her. "I hope you never feel different about me."

  We went through some clothes together, has I tried to choose the right sizes for the rescued youngsters. There were nothing on the news channels about them.

  I would skip evening class today and head over to the rescue centre to see what I could help to do. They couldn't stay in the infirmary for too long.

  When I got home Kemeil and the children were there, he was sprawled out on the couch, clearly still not feeling like himself.

  I laughed when he said he already made dinner, because I knew it must be soup. He looked menacingly at me and I laughed some more, the twins started to giggle even though they didn't know why I was laughing.

   Lori was lying on the floor of her bedroom doing her homework. I changed out of my clothes and put on a jeans and a stylish top.

  A lovely pot of beef soup was on the stove, when I went to the kitchen, I warmed it up and share a small serving in a bowl.

  Kemeil walked into the kitchen, he leant against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. No one told him to get drunk last night, he was obviously still feeling the effects.

  "How does it taste?" He asked. "Like food for hangover people," I replied. I wasn't fast enough off the stool, has he squeezed me from behind. Kissing my neck and biting my shoulders, I squealed like an excited little child.

  "Ok, ok, it tastes ok." I told him. "Just ok?" He asked, I wasn't going to give him any compliments, so I kept my mouth shut.

  He hugged me kissing my cheeks and molesting my breasts, can't this man see that I'm trying to eat, I wondered.

  I felt his dick on my back, he braced it on me. "I'm trying to eat Kemeil." I told him. He bit my ear lightly, his body felt good cuddling me on the stool.

  Lori bounded down the stairs and I was immediately left in peace, as she walked straight into the kitchen.
   

  "How was your day at work?" Kemeil asked while dishing out a small bowl of soup, even though I know he must have eaten already.

  "My day was great, I'm going to head over to the rescue centre to help out." I told him. "Can I come mommy?" Lori asked, "sure honey," I replied.

   Leaving Kemeil playing with the twins on the living room floor, with a train set I've never seen them with before, I only hope they pack up all those parts before I get home again.

  Those twins were being spoiled, I thought as I drove along the quiet road leading to the farms then the rescue centre.

 
  We are supposedly the only ones who use this road, since the land was bordered by the dense woodlands and hills beyond.

  The builders were doing a great job, they were working on two more cabins. Chioma and her team was still here working also, I thought they already went home.

  I went over to them to extend my appreciation to them, for working late to get the buildings ready. The containers that they were setting up, would be an office with employees restrooms, visitors restrooms, a reception area, a kitchen and store rooms.

   Chioma's cousin who did landscaping, made the place looked so picturesque. It gave me a sense of peace and seats for relaxation were made around some of the trees.

  I hope this will be therapeutic enough, for everyone who stays here to heal from whatever they have gone through and will leave here a better, renewed and stronger person.

  Two beds were placed in each cabin, which consists of two small bedrooms, one bathroom, a small kitchen and small living room that could be dined in also. A small porch with a tub was at the back to facilitate laundry.

  The front of yard had trees with seats, or benches you could sit on outdoors. Everything was not completed as yet, but it was so beautiful that my eyes watered.

  A few elder spaniards have been asking after guard duties and work. Kemeil made sure they were all well taken care of but I guess they see this as an opportunity to earn.

  Also there were lots of recreational ideas being put in place to uplift and to groom those who will be staying here into a better version of themselves.

   As I went home that evening I finally felt like I've found my purpose in life. I was happy for the decisions I had made to reach out and offer help to persons in need.

   Everol was just leaving when I reach home, he must have been updating Kemeil on some work business or other.

  "Congratulations to you on your engagement and on your huge rescue Itrisha." Everol said wrapping me in a big bear hug, he was hardly an hugger.

  After he released me from almost squishing me, I catch my breath to tell him. "Thank you very much sir, I had great help from some of your most noble kinsmen and women."

  I gave him a dramatic half bow and he boomed with laughter, I haven't really saw him laughed this much and I wondered if I had miss something.

  Kemeil smiled at me then gave Everol a friendly pat on his shoulder, he then wish us a, "buenos noches Kambohany's" and left whistling.

To be continued...

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