Two of You

Lydia inhaled the nutty aroma of her cappuccino, allowing it to calm her raging thoughts. She peered out of the window of the café and was lost in her thoughts. So lost, that she didn't even notice a man sit down in front of her. ''Lydia?'' he called, snapping her out of her trance. He reached out his left hand and held her right one. ''Brent,'' She smiled warmly. It was their fifth date. ''Nervous?'' he asked. She looked into his chocolate eyes for comfort. ''A bit'' she lied. She was quite nervous. It was her first day as an executive at one of the biggest media houses, Teal Tomato. she hadn't even bothered doing research about who she'd be working for. She had hoped to meet the CEO when she was chosen to be hired but he had urgent matters to attend so he sent an apology letter accompanied by a box of chocolate pralines and a request for an appointment. ''Would you like me to take you?'' ''This is our fifth date! I couldn't let you do that.'' she laughed. She was amazed at how easily things were moving along between them. Not to mention how he was already acting like her full time boyfriend even though they hadn't even kissed. They'd met just after the most horrible two months of her life. First, her dad had a minor heart attack. Then, her older sister had fallen suddenly ill and passed on, leaving Lydia to raise her teenage niece. He saw her fighting a older woman over a tray of pre-packaged prime ribeye and immediately decided she was the one. She initially rejected him in the meat aisle but after meeting at the wine aisle and reaching for the same wine, she reluctantly took his numbers. When she finally called two and a half weeks later, he was relieved that she had remembered him. She had fought herself about calling him. He was handsome, tan and had eyes anyone would get lost in. His body resembled a statue; his muscles showed but he wasn't big like a body builder. His teeth were a little crooked but she found herself fascinated by them. Her niece had pushed her to call him, saying that she needed to get out for a change. Lydia knew she was right and even though she was weary, she decided to call him. "What kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't give my lady a ride?" he insisted. "So I'm your lady now?" she blushed, taking a gulp of her cappuccino to hide her face. "The real question is: are you not?" he chuckled, half serious. Lydia smiled gratefully but found herself feeling conflicted. She had been hurt before so she wanted to tread as slowly as possible. She definitely felt something towards him, she just wasn't ready to dive deeper. Not just yet any way. "you haven't said anything about yourself. I feel like I've taken over the show. I speak too much" she said, changing the subject. "Nonsense! I love hearing you speak. Now, what would you like to know?" "well, I don't know your full name and it's our fifth date" "Brent K Freeman. I am the second of three children. I have a brother and sister. My brother and I live in the same area because we can't live apart" he explains. "You haven't said anything about your siblings" "I'm not used to doing that on dates" he admits. "then what do you usually talk about?" "my mansion" Lydia rolled her eyes, imagining they were going all the way back. "that's odd. Living arrangements are hardly a date conversation" "You don't care that I live in a mansion?" "no" Brent was in shock. He had dated women who cared more about his family name and his fortunes than him. Lydia didn't seem to care about his mansion. In fact, she didn't seem to know anything about him or the fact that he was a billionaire from a family of billionaires. He almost wondered if she lived under a rock. "you're a breath of fresh air, you know that?" He smiled and he truely meant it. After chatting for a further twenty minutes, Lydia finally agreed to have Brent take her to work, 'only because my car is in service' and because Brent suspiciously knew the directions anyway. She sauntered confidently into the foyer and rode the lift up to her office. On her door was a steel plate engraved on it: Miss LL Mokoka- COO. Her new assistant was already waiting for her inside. ''Nandi, you didn't have to be this early'' She sat down in her chair. ''I needed to. it's your first day here and I needed to gather all the documents I assume you would ask me for and make sure your day is in order'' she points at the stack of files on the left corner of the cherry oak desk. ''Colour me impressed. Such initiative? You're going places'' ''thank you Miss Mokoka" Nandi blushed. Fifteen minutes hadn't passed when Nandi answered a call. "Miss Mokoka's office, how may I help you? Yes sir, she's been here a while and has acquainted herself with her office. I'll send her through" she hung up and looked at Lydia with a worried face. "What's wrong?" Lydia asked. "It's just... He's quite strict. Never smiles. We are all kind of afraid of him" Nandi sighs. The CEO was notorious for being a killjoy. He never smiled, and compliments were rare. He could reprimand his employees with just a glare and there were even rumours that he killed a guy who once had an idea that was better than his. (The guy had actually been promoted and was working remotely, but no one knew that since he hadn't bothered to share the news with anyone.) He was always seen with different women and women didn't seem to mind that they wouldn't stay. They just wanted a piece of him. At first it was rumoured that it was because of money, but the women who had come by him all said he was more than just his money. "We'll just have to change that, won't we? I've been called a ray of sunshine. When I get back we can discuss bets" Lydia laughed before she disappeared out of her office. She felt nervous as soon as she stepped out of her office and fiddled with her dress. She took a deep breath to calm herself, then she sauntered to the CEO's office. As soon as she reached the door, something surprising caught her eye. An engraved steel plate, just like the one outside her own office, written: Mr BK Freeman-CEO