Dangerous Entanglement

episode 40

/KELVIN’S POV/

Operation get Janice was set in motion the very next day, I didn’t want to waste much time if I really want to get, I will really need to act fast because I know I already blow away my free chance and I was still very timid and now that I am becoming more like Dexter, I will need to work to get what was given to me at the platter of gold and I throw away.

 ‘When do you become this?’ I asked myself as I tie the lace of my Nike. The timing was very wrong, not now that my mother is very sick and I all actuality she is on her death bed.

‘How come, I would have said Dexter is the influence here, but he is not even here when it all started’ I queried myself as I put on the sleeveless hoodie jacket.

‘Or should it be Hannah, she is the one who blew up my timid acts and flushed the ashes into the red sea, now I am all blown courageous and I can boldly say I am Dexter 2.0.’ I smiled at myself as I plugged in my headphone.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter who or what the influence is, at the moment what’s important is getting a way to at least meet with Janice, then from there, what’s gonna be will be.’ I stepped out of the apartment and I took a straight look down the hall into the elevator and as fate will have it, Janice was the one I saw there, she was head bent on her phone, I guess she was working on her playlist also because she was plugging her earpods on her left ear.

‘Calm down dude’ I said to myself, jumping to run over to her in the elevator was what came over to me at the first sight of her. But nope, that’s not the right approach to go about this matter.

“What will Dexter do?” I asked myself out loud as I walked over to the elevator, and was thinking what Dexter would have done if he was the one in this situation. I got down and Janice wasn’t there at the down floor anymore.

‘Well, I know the route she will be going through, except she has been going out often and has discovered other routes which I didn’t show her. But whatever the case may be, I am sure I will be able to track her. I set off slowly and all through my run, I was unable to track Janice.

Funny enough I never planned to go for any run, but circumstances made me run even beyond my stretch but still I end up with not achieving my objective. Slowly and very exhausted, I walked back from two blocks, back to our building, I was a little bit fortunate to sight her sitting at the concrete slab cooling off the long run, she is obviously an addict runner. But it seems fate wasn’t ready to favour me on this yet because I was still in the celebration mode and was already devising ways of approaching her immediately I got there. But just like I said, fate wasn’t ready to let this play out.

“What’s up Tim?” she greeted the doorman and walked into the building.

“Oh s**t” I cursed as I hasten my steps to catch up with her. The elevator doors were already closing up when I got into the building, I really need to get into that lift. Fortunately and unfortunately, I saw a lady and her nine year old boy inside the elevator with her, Janice was still head bend on her phone.

I raised a hand gesturing to the lady, to hold up the elevator for me, I had a little acquaintance with she and her child, I once assisted her with her grocery packs some weeks back, she was delighted and happily assisted me, The extra seconds she bought for was just enough for me to walk into the lift with them, that was when Janice raised her gaze from her phone and noticed my approach. Now that’s the fortunate part of the scenario.

Though I stepped into the elevator with her, but I couldn’t make any move, because of the lady and her son, and most importantly the fact that Janice wasn’t even giving me any attention aside the casual pleasantries we exchanged just as I stepped into the elevator. So instead, I was having a little play with the child as he was a fun child.

“He ran high temperature this morning so I called in sick for him” the mother had said, as he questioned why he wasn’t in school.

“Oh, sorry buddy… get well soon.’ I pet him as the elevator door opened up and they stepped out of the elevator leaving just Janice and I in the elevator. I had to move fast with my approach knowing the next floor is my stop and also where I suspect to be hers also considering it was where she came on into the elevator the other day Sandra and I were going to my apartment.

Sandra was standing, resting her back at the surface of the elevator cab, opposite the elevator door, I was standing adjacent to her with my hands stretched behind me resting on the hand rail in the elevator. There was not too much time for me to think or raise up a plan, so I just outwardly said…

“How you doing Janice?” I enquired as my first move towards. She heard me, I was sure of that because I was closely looking at her since the lady and her son stepped out, and I could see her fling when she heard me called out her name. The next second, the elevator door binged open and she immediately moved to step out of the elevator.

“Have a nice day” she said to me smiling as she stepped out of the of the elevator cab.

‘This won’t be easy in any way’ I thought to myself, quickly grabbing her hand trying to stop her from going out.

“Hey, will you be going out for a run tomorrow?” I enquired following her with my hand still holding on to her hand lightly.

“Possibly…” she nonchalantly responded removing one of the airpods from her ear.

“Come on, I do not see any reason for you not to go out running.” I said to her making sure the sarcasm was obvious in my tone.

“What do you mean?” she said, obviously not getting my sarcasm.

“Come on, I mean, it’s obvious you are an addict runner, it seems you are very keen and obsessed with staying and looking fit.” I mentioned to her trying to defend myself.

“Okay, that’s true” she said affirming to my speculations.

“But why do you want to know if I will be running again tomorrow?” she enquired.

“Actually I enjoined the run with you the other day” I began to explain scratching my head.

“And I will really love to have another run with you.” I continued.

 “Really…?” she asked stooping at a door which is obviously where she will be going into.

“Absolutely, and I will really love it if you say yes to that, at least give me a chance to make up for the silly way I treated you the other day.” I quickly made my point. She looked at me with ridicule as she opened the door.

“And what about the lady? Your wife or your girlfriend? Which is she? And how will she take it when she sees us together.”  I laughed out loud at her many questions.

“What is so funny?” she asked with a frown on her face.

“First of all, she ain’t any of the above mentioned option” I said to her still laughing.

“So, I guess that gives answers to all other subsequent questions.” I said still laughing.

“Okay then… ” she said shrugging her shoulders stepping into the apartment.

“You were late by some seconds today, make sure you are not tomorrow” she concluded closing the door behind her.

‘You were late by some seconds today’ I replayed her words in my head again.

‘Did she actually saw me this morning and only pretended not to?’ I asked myself.

‘Wow!!! That is fascinating’ I marvelled.

I guess even if she was angry, she is now at ease and peace with me and don’t mind coming to get that fruit juice and anything that comes afterwards.

‘Operation get Janice is successful I guess’ I thought to myself as I was joyfully jumping to my apartment. I didn’t waste much time to step into the shower to have a very good bath in order not to only wash off the sweat but also to ease the stress and help me find good restful sleep.

Before retiring to sleep for the rest of the morning, I decided to serve myself a quick breakfast of cereals and scrambled eggs. I sat at the kitchen counter and was about to dive into my meal, a spoon in my right hand and phone on the left hand, I was scrolling through my stories on f*******: and i********:, Sandra’s post was all over and I must say I was getting tired of it already.

“s**t…!” I cursed as I remembered I haven’t send the mail I was supposed to send to the constriction firm who were supposed to come do the alterations needed at the club. I was supposed to send it the other night before I diverted to checking up on Sandra, before I get distracted by any other thoughts again today, I should do that straight away.

Mamma, let me call my sister to know how she is faring and let it not be like yesterday that my sister had to call me late in the evening when I was already at the club. She didn’t let the phone ring for long before she picked up.

“What’s Tanya…” 1 greeted.