Icing on the Cake

SIX

Sylvia sped along the highway while Jaden’s heart raced. Sylvia had insisted on driving to the place she had said she wanted to go to and Jaden had reluctantly agreed based on the fact that she had not run away the previous time he had given her the car keys. And now, on their way to wherever she planned on taking them to, she was speeding well over 120kmph which he feared would kill them soon.

“Miss!” Jaden called his voice a pitch higher than usual. “Can you slow down a bit? You’re going to have us killed.”

“Are you still calling me that?” she asked, smiling.

He glanced at her with hitched eyebrows.

“OK. OK. But I can’t slow down. Sorry.”

He sighed and relaxed back into the chair. He had thought the speed was to enable her clear her head after the break-up she’d just had but also wanted to make sure she was in her right senses.

Sylvia glanced at him. “You’ve never driven like this before.”

“Yeah, I have. I just didn’t think you were sane doing it.”

She chuckled, taking a bend off the highway. She drove still till she came to a mountain and took the path cleared out for vehicles. Jaden sat up.

“You’re sure you’ve come here before?” he asked.

“Yep. Why? You’re scared?”

He glanced at her and didn’t reply immediately. “I didn’t say so.”

She smiled knowingly but did not press further. She drove round the mountain, going higher till she got to a point she normally parked and stopped the car. She parked and released her seat belt.

“OK. We’re here.”

“OK,” Jaden breathed and released his own seat belt. Sylvia got out of the car and he followed suit.

“Are you ready? We’re going up,” Sylvia said, watching him.

“Up?” he repeated, his eyes widening and Sylvia laughed.

“I thought you said you were not scared.”

He averted his eyes and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Well, I’m not...”

“It’s not a shameful thing to admit you’re not a fan of heights.” She shrugged. “It’s who you are. Be proud of it.” Jaden looked at her and she smiled. “But don’t worry; we’re not going to the highest point. Just the part over there,” she added, pointing to the part of the mountain that was only a bit higher than the part they were standing.

Jaden looked where she was pointing and nodded. “OK.”

She smiled and they started going up. Jaden was slower but they both got to the supposed part of the mountain and Sylvia sighed heartily. She went to the edge of the mountain, closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply. The soft breeze blew at her and she stood there for some time. When she made to waver, Jaden quickly reached out and held her, and she opened her eyes.

“I wasn’t going to fall,” she said and Jaden hiked one eyebrow up. “Thanks.”

He nodded. “You’re welcome.”

She sat on the grass and patted the space next to her for him to sit. Jaden hesitated, eyeing the way she was seated; her legs dangling down the mountain while she sat on the edge. “C’mon, you’re not going to fall.”

He took in a deep breath and made to sit beside her. He made sure he was balanced and then looked up to see Sylvia looking at him with an amused smile playing at her lips. He smiled and she laughed a bit.

“You’re funny, Mr. Jade,” she said.

He shrugged, putting his hands behind him and relaxing on them. “Well, what can I say? You’re just getting to know how fun and less annoying I can be.”

Her laughter slowly died down and she turned to look at the sky, her face becoming emotionless as many thoughts raced through her mind. After some time, she closed her eyes and allowed the breeze to soothe her.

“Why didn’t you complain about how fast I was driving?” Her voice cut through the comfortable silence.

Jaden did not reply immediately. “I did complain.”

“Why didn’t you complain much? You know what I mean.” Her eyes were still closed.

He smiled a little. “I understood what was going on. I do it at times too; drive that way to clear my head.”

She opened her eyes now and nodded. “That’s cool. I come here most times too to clear my head after the fast drive.”

“That’s nice,” he returned.

She sighed heartily. “I’d want to stay here more but I’m thinking you’re hungry,” she said as she caught him stifling a yawn for the umpteenth time.

She started to get up when Jaden held her hand. “If you want to stay, stay. Don’t leave because of me.”

She pulled her hand away gently and stood upright, stretching a bit. “I know I shouldn’t have said that part.” She gave him a hand to help him up. “I’m the boss here and if I say I want to leave, you’re not expected to say anything.”

He raised his hands in surrender, ignoring her outstretched hand also. “OK, Boss.” There was a tinge of sarcasm in his voice but Sylvia ignored him.

“Don’t try to fall. Please, let me help. I don’t want to be the cause of someone who was supposed to take care of me falling from a mountain.”

He still did not take her hand but got up afterwards. “Thanks for the offer. I wasn’t in need of it.”

Sylvia bit her lip as if stifling a desire to punch him in the face and turned away; walking from the spot they had been sitting. “You’re lucky I’m in a good mood, Mr. Jade!”

He chuckled and followed her down the mountain. “Will we be going home now?”

“Is there any place else you want to visit?” she asked as she entered the car, not waiting for him to open the door.

He entered the driver’s seat also and drew his seat belt across himself. “Maybe my girlfriend’s place,” he said with a glint in his eyes.

She eyed him and scoffed and he burst into laughter. She smiled too, liking the camaraderie between them a bit. Maybe, it was not too bad having him as a driver, she thought.

TWENTY MINUTES LATER, Jaden and Sylvia were on their way home. They got home but Sylvia insisted on going to the gazebo for a while. Jaden agreed and went inside while Sylvia went to the gazebo. He went straight to the kitchen, greeting all the cooks and housekeepers cheerfully.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Ludascott,” all the workers returned in the same cheerful tone.

“Mr. Ludascott, what can we do for you?” Miss Mary asked.

“You all can just call me Jaden. And please, I’d want Miss Browne to have any refreshing juice. She’s at the gazebo.”

“Yes, of course. Would that be all?” Ms. Humphrey asked.

Jaden nodded.

“Okay then, we’ll bring it in a short while.”

“Yes, we’ll do so,” Ms. Jane said.

“Thank you,” Jaden said and smiled before walking out of the kitchen.

“Ah!” Mary sighed dreamily and leaned against the kitchen counter, holding a wooden spoon against her face.

“Better face reality girl, this is not the time to daydream,” Ms. Humphrey said as she looked in the refrigerator for Sylvia’s best flavour.

“But did you see him smile? It seemed as if he smiled directly at me,” Mary said to no one in particular as everybody ignored her and continued their various works.

“Mary, stop dreaming and get to work if you don’t want me to smack you with this spatula,” Ms. Humphrey cautioned and Mary went to work, still singing love songs.

Jaden went outside and walked to the back of the house towards the gazebo. He passed the pool in no time and got to the patio, where Sylvia was seated. She had her face in her palm.

“Why are you here?” Jaden asked, silently asking her to raise her face. She did and Jaden’s gut tightened. Sylvia was about to cry. If it were to be in another scenario, he would have wanted to see tears stream down her cheek but right now, he surely did not want that. Mercy. He was sure he did not want to ever see her cry.

“Huh?” she muttered.

Darn!

She was really down. And this was no pretense. He held her hand and helped her up.

“C’mon, let’s get you inside.”

“I don’t want to.”

Jaden sighed. “Okay, let’s just go to the gazebo. C’mon,” he coaxed.

He supported her as they walked to the gazebo and then he settled her on a chair and sat on the chair next to hers.

“Now, Sylvia, you surely don’t want to cry in front of me, right? I’ll remember it one day and use it to taunt you. You don’t like that, do you?” Jaden tried talking, just anything to get her not to cry.

Instead, Sylvia just looked at him.

“You shouldn’t be here. Just go in. I’ve called my friends and they’re on their way. You’ve helped me enough,” Sylvia said.

“Well, I haven’t. I think this is the part where the helping starts.”

Sylvia sighed. “What happened last night?”

Jaden blinked. “What happened last night?” he repeated.

“When I went back to look for you at the hotel, I overheard you and Dave talking. So, what happened last night, and don’t tell me nothing happened.” She paused. “Don’t even think of lying too.”

Jaden was silent. He felt like disappearing. What exactly had she heard, he thought. Lord! What should he say? Just then, Ms. Humphrey arrived with Sylvia’s juice. He inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank you, Ma,” Jaden said as she dropped the glass on the table.

“You’re welcome dear,” she replied.

“Momma thanks,” Sylvia said.

“Welcome, dear.”

“But you shouldn’t have stressed yourself.”

“I should have, Sylvie. You’re looking worn–out. Whatever did that little scum, Dave do to you?”

“Nothing serious.”

“Are you sure?”

Sylvia sighed. “We’ll talk later, momma.”

“Okay. I’ll leave now, please.”

She excused herself and walked out and Sylvia watched her go.

“Momma?” Jaden asked her, getting more and more used to the freedom between the employers and the employees in the house.

Sylvia looked at him. “Yeah, momma.” She paused. “She has been with us since I was a baby, and she had been taking care of my brother before that. I used to call her ‘momma’ then so the name stuck,” she answered his unsaid question.

“So, you have a brother?”

“Yeah, an elder one. Sidney. He’s in the States now. He’ll return soon I think.”

Jaden nodded. He had to continue talking though, to avoid answering Sylvia’s question. “Why did she remain here for so long?”

“Her husband died. She had two girls before he died anyway. And she knew my dad so she simply agreed when he asked her to work long term. My dad wanted to stop her from working some years back but she refused.”

“Your dad trained the girls?”

“Yes.”

“Your dad’s nice. I like him.”

Sylvia stared at him.

“What? Did I do something wrong?” Jaden asked, feeling a bit uneasy.

Sylvia shook her head.

“Then, what is it?”

“I’m just trying to picture you as a nice person,” Sylvia said, still looking at him before shaking her head. As his eyebrows hitched up, she said, “I guess I can’t.”

Jaden rolled his eyes. “I guess your mood does not affect your insults. And come to think of it, you see all guys as dumb.”

She shrugged. “They are.”

Jaden’s eyes shone. “We are not.”

She sighed. “Thanks for the drink.”

“Why?”

She was the one now to roll her eyes. “I know you’re the one who sent for it.”

Jaden nodded. “You’re welcome.”