The Forbidden Love

Chapter Six

Being summer, the sun was burning hot as if it were noon on Saturday morning. Nalishebo was the only one left home, her parents had gone to the farm. She did all the cleaning. Dorothy the house help left on Friday evening to visit her children in the countryside where they lived. As it was, Saturday and Sunday were normally her days off. So every Friday she went back to visit her children. When Nalishebo had wrapped up with her chores, she felt sweaty all over her body, so she rushed to the bathroom to freshen up. After freshening up she dressed up in a pair of black skinny jeans and a white body top, she left her room without minding combing her hair, she never had any plans of going out besides she had the whole house to her own.

She made herself a quick breakfast and ate. She went to the living room switched on a TV, sat down on a sofa to watch the omnibus of her favourite telenovelas that she missed during the weekdays because of knocking off late from work and being too tired to watch TV. When she began to relax and enjoy herself, she heard a loud bang on the gate. She peered through the window to see who it was. It was her neighbour’s son Charlie who came running while calling her,” Aunt Nana! Aunt Nana!” Nalishebo rushed out to meet up with him.

“Yes Charlie boy, please stop running you are going to fall and hurt yourself is anyone chasing you?”

Charlie shook his head, then answered breathlessly ” No! No one is chasing me, Aunt Nana.”

“Then why are you running as though you have seen a ghost? If there is none, has your mother sent for me Charlie?” Nalishebo asked in a soft voice.

“It’s not my Mum, but there is an Uncle outside the gate who sent me to call you!”

“Which uncle? Is anything in the matter.”

“ I don’t know? I have never seen that Uncle before, maybe he is one of our new neighbours?”

Before Nalishebo uttered a word, Charlie pulled her towards the gate. Nalishebo wanted to claim answers from the boy,” Charlie please wait.” It was too late they were already outside the gate. Nalishebo looked around to see the Uncle that called for her, she didn’t see any stranger but her boss Mark who stood against the wall. Nalishebo pulled up her face and tightened her lips then whispered to herself,” No, not him! He even has the nerve to come to my place, what does he want ?! I switched off my phone so that I can rest peacefully. But no! Here he comes showing up in front of my gate. Anyway, let me see what he is here for.

Mark got some chocolate from his pocket and gave it to Charlie as a token of appreciation, Charlie received it with both hands and strode back home cheerfully. He cleared his throat then he turned and looked at Nalishebo thereafter, asked, ” Miss Nalumino I must I assume you’re astonished to see me?”

She dodged the question because, in truth, she wasn’t happy to see him. Rather, she answered him with a question,” Has anything a rose from work that you would like me to help you with?”

“No, nothing has come up.”

“May I kindly know the cause of this visit Sir?”

Nalishebo didn’t want to hide the expressions that prevailed, neither was she good at pretending, to make her boss feel at ease, she managed to force a smile but maintained a metre away from him with her arms crossed over her chest. Waiting to hear what he practically wanted to say.

“Miss Nalumino sorry to show up unannounced, he looked around while he continued talking,” Is there anywhere quiet we can speak? Can I invite you for lunch? Dinner perhaps?”

“Is It confidential Sir?”

Mark read Nalishebo’s eyes that she was objecting to the invitation. A crooked smile transformed his face as he insisted,” I won’t take no for an answer.”

When Nalishebo lifted her head to look up at him, she was met by the full impact of his eyes, disconcertingly close pleading for her to accept his request.

“ Okay Sir, Let me get my purse please excuse me.”

Nalishebo hurried back to the house. Had a quick change of clothes, she wore a sweet-scented perfume did a little makeup, combed her hair. Got her clutch bag, checked if everything that a lady needed was there. Before she paced out of the house she wrote a small note which read,

Mama, I have gone out I’ll tell you everything when I get back, don’t bother calling my phone is switched off. With love Nalishebo.

On their drive to the outskirts of town, Nalishebo’s heart started thumping with fear cause she had no idea of where they were heading to, neither has she ever gone this far with a man, she kept wondering what will happen to her. Mark noticed how panicking she was, to lighten up her spirit he cracked a joke which he only laughed to himself the strategy he made seemed not to work. in the end, he found himself asking her personal questions.

“Miss Nalumino how many are you in your family?”

“Four, three men one lady.”

“Am afraid I’ll steal you away from your boyfriend the whole day.”

“Sir, does this mean I’ll go back home late?”

Nalishebo once again dodged a question she didn’t want to satisfy his curiosity but to live him in suspense. Besides, she never condoned disclosing her personal information to anyone most especially to people she hardly knew.

“How old are you Miss Nalumino?”

“Sir don’t you think it’s rude to ask a lady her age.”

“Sorry.”

Unfortunately, after the conservation, there was silence until they reached the destination of where they were going. Nalishebo's heart settled in, when they made a turn at the Italian restaurant, being from a middle-class family, she had never visited expensive places before. So she was astounded to be at an elegant place such as this one.

Nalishebo wanted to open the door but this time Mark stopped her.” Miss Nalumino will you allow me to open the door for you please?”

Nalishebo responded with a smile, after Mark got out of the car, Nalishebo pinched herself to see if it wasn’t a dream. Meanwhile, her mind was full of fantasies." I thought this kind of thing only existed in movies. Little did I know they exist in real life.”

She got off the car, stood by the side waited for Mark to lead the way. Mark walked to the other side and held out his hand and said, ”Ms Nalumino would be kind enough to allow me to hold your hand?”

Just by saying those words, Nalishebo felt butterflies run through her stomach and her palms became flooded with sweat. Without saying a single word, she complied by stretching out her tiny hand, the moment Mark clasped his strong hand with hers, Nalishebo felt electric tingles through her body.

This was her first time to fasten her hand with the man who was not her brother.

They walked inside the Italian restaurant hand in hand, people stared at them. Some paired them as a couple while others admired them, when Mark overheard what was said he tightened his grip and guarded Nalishebo jealously as if there were some chemistry going on between them.

Nalishebo ordered one of her favourite dishes. Pasta with meatballs and topped up a bow of Greek salad with a glass of water. Mark also placed an order of steak and chips, he also topped up a bow of potato salad, and one of his favourite white wines.

“Ms Nalumino let’s eat our meal before it gets cold."

While they ate their meal Mark broke the ice between them,” Ms Nalumino would you mind a glass of wine?”

The way Mark showered her with care made her blush, she was happy to see the sweet side of him, she glanced at his strong arms that sent electric pulses through her spine, it took her a few seconds to respond because she kept on recalling how he looked at her, the way he clamped his hand with hers. She couldn’t explain the sentiments she felt at that moment.

“No Sir, I don’t take wine.”

“Why?”

" I have never tasted wine and I don’t plan on trying.”

“How nice, keep up with the same attitude Ms Nalumino.”

Mark was amazed at Nalishebo’s personality, he glared at her aimlessly while thinking himself ” I don’t know why am feeling this way, and I don’t like this direction where my heart is leading me to. I pray it’s just an illusion that’s going through my mind.” Mark recited to his heart.

After a delicious meal, they went to a movie at Plaza 5 cinema, they watched the Rush Hour comedy that was showing that week at the cinema. At the time the movie ended it was dark outside.

On their drive home, they had a stopover for ice cream at Quest Confectionary. They were no passersby, the streets were as quiet as the still waters. Before they got in the car Mark grabbed Nalishebo and pressed her against the wall. Their eyes locked, Nalishebo felt Mark's warm breathe send electric shivers through her spine. Her heart started racing fast, and her breathing rate changed. She wanted to say something but it was too late Mark's full lips were already on hers.

She had no idea on how to kiss, so she never kissed him back, Nalishebo opened her eyes wide, but was angered to see how Mark enjoyed the kiss.

Nalishebo pushed him away with force and said,” Sir is this part of my job too?”

“So...sorry I got carried away I don’t know what came over me.”

“That’s just an excuse, Mr Morgan! How can you steal a kiss from a lady you hardly know anything about?! I have no words to say to you, all am going to say is count me out as your Secretary I quit.”

Mark wanted to say something but she stopped him on the way by lifting her hand up showing a stop signal telling him not to let out a word. After that, she grabbed her clutch bag from the car and ran off while wiping tears from her eyes with a handkerchief. Mark tried to run after her, but she quickly stopped the cab and got away. Mark held his waist and stared perplexingly at the direction the cab went.