COLD SUMMER

CS 5: HUSH

Hush (5)

She looked at the house she just purchased and smiled sheepishly. Looks simple and great, she noted. How much she’s wanted a smaller, nice and cozy home. Not a large mansion with so many rooms and spaces.

“Now, this more like me” she said and logan rolled his eyes

“did you have to sell your old house?” he said and she looked at him

“split the money into half and donate it to the less privilege”

“rebecca, you want to waste 5million dollars”

She stopped dead on her tracks and looked at him

“waste you say?. These people buying my books and products made me rich and these less privileged are one of them. So, giving isn’t wasting, it makes me happy” she said “with no further ado, I want you to go out there and find people in need. Mingle with the streets and see people who would die to have a daily bread but can’t and help them. Infact, make it 10million” She said going in and he followed her “don’t squander it on 2 people or 5. That’s money is enough to help hundred In a little way I can” she added and he nodded

This wasn’t the first time he will be doing that. Sometimes it’s either him or Gracia or Arman. They hang around and get to know people, drop money like a mailed box for them and move on to another. Most especially the Christmas season, Rebecca sometimes does it herself. She enjoys helping people and it gladdens her more that it brought smiles to faces without making it a public story.

“Rebecca, why don’t we focus on hospitals this time instead of slums”

“Should I go there and announce myself?” she said as she placed her hand on the wall

“no, I can get information on those who needs help and money, you know”

Then she remembered the cliff guy, Alexander Burnham. It’s almost a year since they last saw each other, she’s been in Ohio for almost a year, bonding with her family and now, she’s back with her nephew.

“where’s David?”

“You left him at Gracia’s, remember?”

“Right” she sighed “I need to get new furnitures”

“What happened to the old ones?”

“give em out?”

“Rebecca!”

“we should probably bring back my game night with friends and make people win them”

“never mind, I’ll just hand them out”

“Thanks Lo” she said “before the end of today lo, I want this place completely ready”

“Sure” he said “that’s all I’m good for” he mumbled

“im glad I didn’t hear that” she said

“we should head back to Gracia’s, I’m so hungry for her milk cookies” Lo said

“you should get married lo, stop playing bachelor, it doesn’t make sense”

“The woman I want doesn’t want me”

“then want someone else and stop wasting time on a woman that doesn’t know your worth” she said as they headed out to the garden

“do you know my worth, Rebecca?”

“you’re my stupid friend, lo”

“You definitely don’t”

“I care about how we understand and work together. I don’t have time to be seeing the husband in you”

He chuckled as they entered her Range Rover

“Husband in me”

“Shut up lo” she said as she started the vehicle and drove out

What was he expecting from almighty Rebecca ‘youre so perfect and a good man, every woman would be lucky to have you’. She doesn’t see it, she hasn’t seen it and she’s never tried to see how much he loves her, he wants her. She’s so engrossed in her own life activities than looking around her to know what’s going on. How can he make her look, make her understand how much he loves her. Rebecca is very stubborn and inattentive to things that doesn’t mean anything to her.

“This is not the way to Gracia’s” Lo said and she smirked

“we going to Rocco’s Choco”

“What!” he exclaimed

“Lo don’t act babyish now. You’re not going to taste any chocolate and you don’t expect me to just abandon my company like that, I ain’t stupid”

“Did you inform Arman that you were coming?”

“I report to no body Lo, I only report myself to God” she said as she drives

“have you reconciled with your mom” her best friend asked and she turned to see her and her boyfriend

“no Carmen” Hanani said “Hi Leo”

“Hey Berry” that shocked her, he hasn’t called her that in years

Hanani turned back to her locker to hide the blush on her face. She had liked Leo since sixth grade but he’s never looked at her once even though they were good friends, he’s always interested in this one or that one and now, her best friend and it’s hitting her like a nail but what can she do, she just had to look away which is so hard to do

“we heading to the basketball ball court for cheerleading tryouts” Carmen said

“Leo is cheerleading”

Leo laughed and Carmen had to punch him to shut him up

“No silly, I am cheerleading” Carmen said

“you good Hanani” Leo said “we should start our own comedy show”

Hanani raised a brow at him

“not funny leotando”

“leonardo, you little slime”

She stucked her tongue out at him “Leopando”

“I hate you”

“hey hey, I’m still here” Carmen said

“right, we see you” they chorused and gasp

“jinx” they chorused again and laughed

“we still got it” Leonardo said.. Carmen sighed annoyingly before walking away

“Carmen” Hanani called

“I know how to ease her. Tell uncle I’ll swing by today and I’m getting that phone”

“tell him yourself tando”

“love you too” he said and left, she sighed heavily

The last time they’ve had a conversation this long was in sixth grade. He had chosen new, high, and classier friends over her. she’ll get over him after all, she'll just need to find a new muse and a new person to like and give her attention to. She slammed the locker shut and rested her head on it to think of what to do with her time cause she knew her dad won’t be anywhere around the house at that time.

She stepped into the building with Lo and breathed in deeply. It’s been more than a year since she stepped into her own company and now, it feels new to her.

“too bright”

“keep it cute lo and smile at the people greeting us”

“yikes” he scoffed as he walked towards the elevator while she was busy answering her workers and signing books for them.

So right, he’s not much of the nice guy and opened person to people but sometimes, watching her wants to make him do things that are very good. Maybe it’s not so bad to be very nice to people. Since he started his disguise giving, he’s met so many people that he had actually come to like and wanted to reach out to the more.

He smiled as he watched her do her everybody thing before walking up to him

“I thought you would have gone up” she said

“You and your workers are one good tingle”

“Not like as I’ve they aren’t bad eggs amongst them” she said as she tapped the elevator button and it opened, they stepped in “but you know what they say, take care of your workers and they’ll take care of your work.”

“Surprisingly, Helen ain’t at her desk” Rebecca said “weird”

They walked up to her office, she opened the door and…

“what the hell..” she said and they scurried away from each other

“Rebecca…” Arman said in surprise and Lo shaked his head, he wasn’t surprised at what he saw, that’s the bastard for ya. Good at his work but doesn’t know how to keep his trousers zipped

“Ma’am...” Helen started, tears already gathering in her eyes

Rebecca looked at the other lady

“and you’re?..”

“im, I’m… I’m new here, I just joined yesterday”

“Yesterday!” Lo exclaimed and looked at Arman with disappointment written all over him

Rebecca licked her lips and tapped her feet on the ground, thinking for a while. The ladies can’t run out cause she’s at the door, standing and wondering why the hell this is happening right now.

“Rebecca, we should probably castrate him” lo said and Arman gasped.

He knows what Rebecca is capable of doing to people when they get on her last nerves

“Rebecca…” Arman started

“First of all, get out of my office, of my company and off my vicinity. I really don’t wanna see any of you right now” she said and stepped aside so that they can get out of her sight.

When they left…

“Rebecca, I…” Logan started

“leave me alone, please” she said and goes to sit on the sofa after dropping her bag on the table. He didn’t try to push it. So, he simply left her alone to what’s bothering her.

Later

Rebecca sat on the couch and Gracia gave her a good look

“what’s bothering you Mami?”

“I watched a real life 3some today, in my office”

“woah, a fucktard did that in your mini mansion, like, your mini baby”

“yeah and the f**k cause I don’t know what to do with em” she sighed “mi confused man, mi need massage”

“gimme way baby, gyal no like wait”

They laughed

“we should do dancehall, I love it” Gracia said

“Tell me more” Rebecca said and they were silent for a while “where’s David?”

“asleep, I’ve put him to bed”

Rebecca nodded

“you know what darling, just send them away”

“it was…” Rebecca swallowed back her words. How can she tell Gracia that Arman was having a 3some at work

“it was who?”

“Never mind, they’re just really irritating. It was a man and 2 ladies”

“Where the f**k was Arman when that happened. He’s the one in your position now”

“I thought you don’t care about him again”

“He’s still my husband. I believe I’ve punished him enough and it’s heart breaking when he comes here every day to beg me telling me he’s changed”

“hmmm, right. Ofcourse, he’s truly changed”

“you need to see the flowers, everything he does just for me to forgive him for cheating. Every man is a cheat and I should accept that but I’m thankful that he’s changed”

“Praise Jesus hallelujah, Gracia. Your daughter”

“yep, at her grandpa’s place, you forgot”

“right, I did forget” she stood up “I’ll just be upstairs”

“Sure, I’ll bring you a glass of water”

Rebecca nodded and left

Change, Arman on the road to change, she’ll probably choke on a glass of hot chocolate. She’s known Arman for his promiscuous attitude but since he married Gracia 7yrs ago, he’s been faithful until he cheated on her months back and she sent him out of their house. Now, everyone thinks he’s really changed but hey, a tiger can’t change it’s skin, can it?. She warned Gracia not to marry him but love can make you stupid.

Flashback

She sat there, giving Helen an intense look and she could see fear all over her. That’s right harlot, let it roll in you psychotic hoe. Digging a man in my office and not just any man, my friend’s husband

“Miss Robins, he started the advances first. He was the one that pushed me into it”

“nothing can make you do something you don’t wanna do unless there’s already the motive in you, Helen. Stop lying you slut, you’ve always wanted to do it. To Arman, to lo but Lo doesn’t seem interested in anybody and Arman, sweet Jesus, that thing will never stop kicking”

“I swear, he started it”

“and when did all these start”

“4years ago”

“what!, 4years ago. You’ve been sleeping with him for 4years and you started working for me 3years ago”

“ive known him before now. I and Beth”

“The other girl”

She nodded and Rebecca bit her lower lip as she stood up

“we’ve known each other for 6years but he deals with Beth alone. Beth is educated but she was a stripper and I was a bartender. He would come over secretly and I would lead beth to meet him in his car, he would pay me and I will leave em. It went on like that for a year and the half until beth wanted more with her life then he turned to me. He would just come for a drink or two but that little moment sent a lot of messages to me and he’s one tall glass of hot chocolate”

Rebecca raised a brow at her

“im sorry ma’am but I couldn’t resist him. He’s rich, handsome, caring, understanding and attentive. Who would resist such a man and God help me, he knows the right places to move me”

Rebecca gave a slight chuckle. She wasn’t surprised about that. Gracia said it all the time but now she knows that not only her friend is getting such Queen moment and feeling.

“Oh, so you love him?”

Helen sighed “yes I do ma’am and…he doesn’t love me or Beth but miss Gracia, we both know that. His wife is really important to him, I swear it. Sometimes he would call her name instead of ours, he talks so much about her and it really annoys me, he talks about his daughter too. He just wants to keep that thing active and he pays us every time for it but he loves Miss Gracia so much and that I can’t deny.”

“that’s good” Rebecca drummed her fingers on the table and wondered why she called Helen back to question her

“it so happens that you and Beth ended up here, in Rocco’s Choco”

Helen didn’t say a word

“HELEN”

“it was all Arman’s idea. He wanted me to be closer to him and that time, you were distrusting your secretary so, he pulled strings and got her fired. He…”

“recommended you and had good records about you”

“I am educated ma’am, I know my job”

“yeah you do and I can’t deny that you aren’t good at it”

“and then, Beth returned months back and needed a job. He worked her too and we agreed to do it together since it’s not free”

Rebecca gave a wicked smile

“its not for free. Did you know that he’s married”

“He never hid it. He flaunts her in our face everytime”

“So you knew from the beginning that he was married”

“Yes I knew, we both knew”

“and you still f****d him”

“He was paying good money and he’s …” Helen sighed “he’s too good, too good to be just for one woman”

“Yeah, I should probably pull my pants down and have a taste, you STUPID FOOL”

Helen stood up

“I understand that you will fire me but I can’t help it, couldn’t help it”

“I should fire you 3 but no, I won’t do it. I will make sure you have a taste of what’s called punishment, my dear. It’s tall, thick and trust me, it’s a full plate of salad. You’re gonna so liiiiiike it” Rebecca said and smiled

Helen gulped down hard. Rebecca knows that Helen doesn’t like salad but she had to use that word and Helen knew that Rebecca doesn’t threaten unless she meant it and she knows not what runs in Rebecca’s head at the moment.

“Go home Helen, go home and rest. Tomorrow’s gonna be a very, very good day”

“Maam, I am…”

“Get out” she shouted and Helen ran out of the office

Present day

Rebecca brought out her phone and dialed a number, it rang twice before the call was answered

“Hey

 You hardly call me

Cause I had nothing for you

 What is needed?

Check your w******p and you’ll see what’s needed.

 I got you

Don’t care”

She ended the call and threw the phone on the bed

“Now, what should I do to you Arman?” she asked herself as she goes to stand by the window and looked out.

Arman was there, laughing at something he saw on his phone. He looked so happy and peaceful and that was really irritating her. Gracia came out with a tray filled with cookies. The nanny followed with another tray filled glass cups and a jug of orange juice.

Arman turned and looked up, his eye came in contact with Rebecca's and she smiled before going back into the room. She hasn’t decided what to do to him yet, there’s always a punishment when you step on her toes. She may retain him because of Gracia and to save her marriage but she’s not letting Arman off easily, he’s gonna get what he deserves.

“im so glad you back, Arman. I know we’ve not been…” He stopped her with a kiss “Gracia, you and our daughter are far more important to me than anything in the world. I’m back and we good”