Please Break My Heart – Episode 10

By Tomi Adesina

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 “What did you think of KP?” Dora asked as we ironed our clothes. I stared at her as I pressed the iron firmly to my shirt collar, the shirt needed a great deal of aggressiveness, just as Dora’s question might require. I did not have any real encounter with her boyfriend so why was she asking my opinion. I guess it boils down to one of those traditional questions that require an answer whether it was appropriate or not.
                                “I think he is cute”. I replied, trying to avoid her gaze.
                                “Cute? Oh…whatever, I don’t need you to make me feel good about KP” she replied, sounding unimpressed with my replied.
                ‘This girl is such a wonder’, I thought. I decided to switch the topic. “Hope you guys had fun yesterday?” I asked, smiling at her.
                                “Come on Darlene, is there any real fun in picking groceries?” she asked, looking straight-faced.
                Now Dora had stunned me. Here I was trying to make an effort in being friendly, but she was bent on rebuffing my efforts. I was now wearing a frown.
                                “Oh no!” she yelled as she caught sight of my face. She then burst into a cold laughter as she tried to cover her mouth with her hands. ‘Now what did my evil stepsister consider funny?’ I thought. “You really need to develop a sense of humour,” she said, as she smiled. “You shouldn’t take life too serious, it’s too short, and we ain’t going back alive,” she concluded with her eyebrow raised.
                I must admit that I did treat life with a great deal of seriousness. That is my nature and I shouldn’t be crucified for it. Nevertheless, Does Dora’s definition of ‘sense of humour’ imply replying me meanly? I would rather not have a ‘sense of humour’.
                                “I would say that your jokes are wacked” I replied, sounding offended. Only yesterday, she was an angel and now all I can see are the traces of ‘Cinderella’s evil stepsisters’, but I honestly, I can’t be bothered.
                                “I will have to improve on them in the nearest future” she replied. “I am taking lessons from Chuck Norris,” she added. “Let’s talk about you Darlene,” she said, clapping her hands excitedly. She looked like a middle school gossip ready to hear anything. I turned off the iron as I hung my cloth. “Tell me about your love life”
                                “I don’t have a ‘love life’” I replied, taking my seat. “But, I used to have a boyfriend.” I said.
                                “Are you single?” she asked.
                                “Yes”
                                “Wow!” she sighed. “I have never pictured you as the single type even for a day. You have everything a guy wants.” She said. “Well…almost everything.”
                I sighed.
                                “Why are you single?” she asked as she put aside her iron. “This is Lagos and single guys are like flies here, I can get you a real man in a snap,” she said, snapping in my face.
                I jerked. Dora smiled at me and trotted out the old cliché that ‘a trouble shared is a trouble halved’. “I don’t have a problem,” I said, standing up.
                                “You do Sister” she replied, following me. “You are still single and that is uncomfortable”
                                “I recently broke up with my ex!” I yelled. “Is that comfortable”
                A grin danced round her lips. “Now we are getting to somewhere” she started, taking her seat. I leaned against the door and watched Dora ‘psychoanalyse’ me. “The real problem is that you haven’t met a real man,” she said. “Just look at KP, he’s a real man, he has all the packs in the right places.”
                                “Are we going to talk about me or KP?” I asked.
                                “I am so sorry” she replied. “What was your ex like?”
                                “Well…Paul is the one way guy, not really funny, but he tries to bring up some wacked jokes like you” I replied, wiping a sweat off my brow. “I think he loved me”
                Dora sighed. “Did you love him?” she asked, with her eyebrow raised. I stared at Dora and shook my head. It felt too heavy to say ‘I never loved him’. I had started to feel guilty about my break up with Paul. “Why did you date him?”
                I smiled. “To keep my pride and prove a point to Sir Williams.” I replied, taking my seat. “Dating Paul was my decision and I accept full responsibility for it, but I wish I never did”. Dora stared at me carefully; she opened her mouth and then swallowed. “Don’t swallow it Dora. I’d rather you spit out what you think about me.”
                                “How could play with a man just to appease your ego?” she asked. I buried my head in my hand. “Did you at anytime fall in love with him?”
                I wish I could have had an affirmative response. “No. Dora, we broke off on very weird circumstances. He threatened to commit suicide, and I was lucky to have my boss around to help.” I stressed. ‘Did Dare really help?’ I thought.
                                “Where is Paul now?” she asked, as she sat beside me.
                                “Honestly, I have no idea. He disappeared after he threatened to commit suicide,”
                                “Do you think that he could have carried out his threat?” she asked.
                ‘Oops!’ I had never thought of the possibilities of Paul actually committing suicide because he packed some clothes. “I don’t think he could have, he packed some of his clothes and left his phone behind as he left town.”
                                “I think it is important that we carry out a detailed investigation on his whereabouts. I don’t think you will feel comfortable until you are sure that he is alive,” she said. ‘Paul couldn’t have committed suicide’ I thought. Dora inhaled deeply. “Let’s talk about Jake,” she said.
                                “Jake?”
                                “Yes…Dad calls him your ‘guardian angel’,” she replied. “I am dying to meet him”
                If Dad could mention Jake to Dora as my ‘guardian angel’, it meant that he held him in high regards, maybe not as high as I might imagine, but Dad must have him in his heart. “He is in the Bahamas” I replied, with a smile. “Personal retreat” I added quickly.
                                “Is it a body and soul retreat?” she asked. I nodded in agreement, not knowing how to explain Jake’s ‘personal retreat’. “Is he fun to be around?” she probed.
                I laughed. “He makes everything fun, I have missed his presence.” I replied, with a large smile. “I have not been able to communicate with him and that makes me so upset,” I added, with a frown.
                                “You must like Jake a lot.”
                                “I love Jake. He has been my friend and brother, I miss him”. I yawned. “We have got work to do tomorrow”
                                “Yes, we are going to have a busy day tomorrow in the office, Dad always require alertness of me” she replied. I smiled at her. “Do we continue this tomorrow?” she asked.
                I looked at Dora as a lady who was throwing in every effort to make friends with me, the least I could do was to come down from my high cloud. “Sure Sis”

____

 “Why did you turn down my lunch request on Saturday?” Dare asked as took his seat.
                I rolled my eyes. “I was under no obligation to accept your invitation, was I?” I asked.
                                “No.” he replied. “How is your speech for the Annual Meeting coming?”
                                “I have something drafted up, but I will check with Toni later in the evening” I replied. Dare cleared his throat. “Is there any problem?” I asked.
                                “No, just make sure that the speech is fabulous” he replied, as he walked out.
                It was lonely on the top floor. I could understand why the top floor used to be for Dare and his ex. They would have some cherished moments on the top floor. I couldn’t doubt the fact that Dare must have taken interest in me. Why else would he bring me to the top floor? He claims it is professional, but cheap tales will not buy me. I stared through the large window that provided me an amazing view into the city. ‘Looking might help ease the boredom’ I thought.
                                “How is the lady on the top floor doing?” Toni asked, barging in.
                I was so excited to see her that I could not rebuke her for barging in. “Take me away from here” I said, hugging her. I did not like being away from Toni; it was boring. “I miss you Mrs Small”
                                “Oh please…”she stressed, releasing me from the embrace. “You have a beautiful office here. I can see you changed the wall papers, Reina liked it Turquoise”
                                “Toni, you know so much about Reina, why is that?” I asked.
                She sighed and took her seat. “Reina attended the same high school as Dare and I”
                                “Wow! You were Dare’s school mate?” I asked, taking my seat.
                She smiled and nodded her head in agreement. “We attended virtually all the same schools”. It sounded like ‘Jake and I’ to me. “Reina was in love with Dare since we were kids and she did not stop until she was finally his prom date. The whole school rocked when they won Prom King and Queen as a couple. They were a cute couple.”
                                “Why did they split?” I asked curiously.
                                “Reina had her excesses. I am not saying that Dare is a saint, but Reina always pushed him too far. She always wanted to be the captain of the relationship; she took decisions on Dare’s behalf, especially concerning this firm”
                                “Hold on Toni, I can’t believe that Dare would have allowed anyone ‘boss’ him.” I said, interrupting.
                Toni scoffed. “Anything is possible when you are in love. He loved her but their break up was inevitable. She took swipes at every lady around Dare, including myself, and I guess she also got bored of him.” Toni paused and smiled. I raised my eyebrows in anticipation. “You are so into Dare right?” she asked.
                                “Oh, come on… why do you say so?”
                Toni knelt before me and held my hands. “Don’t fall in love with him”. I immediately released myself from her grip. “He’ll make you suffer”. She then took her seat and smiled. “Did I act like a mother?” I shook my head.
                                “Are you also taking lessons from Chuck Norris?” I asked. “My step…umh…My sister also spits out some unbelievable jokes, and she is a Chuck Norris ardent. I am not in the least attracted to Dare, I am only interested in a few details about him, and maybe I could psychoanalyze him”
                                “If you want to analyze him, you can meet him in person. But, I think there is more to your interest in Dare, anyways he and Reina ended things maturely.” She said.
                Mrs Small was taking a swipe at the way my relationship ended with Paul. “How did you know that they ended their relationship on good terms?” I asked with a grin.
       “I think I was well informed with that relationship, maybe I skipped out on the bedroom details. Anyways, to your question, Reina still sends Dare monthly good will messages, and don’t ask me how I know that” she replied, standing up. “By the ways, how are things with you and Dora?”
                                “I think we are coming along well, she is very sweet, except on her dry days when she dishes out what she calls ‘jokes’.” I replied, pouring myself a cup of coffee. “Do you care?” I asked. Toni nodded in affirmative and I handed her a cup. “Here you go.”
                                “Thanks dear, is there any news on Paul yet?” she asked.
                I had no answer to Toni’s question. Dora and I haven’t started our investigations yet. “There is no news yet. I am going to contract a detective on his case before the week runs out; hopefully I can find him alive.” I wiped the tears that were soon gathering in my eyes. “I’ll find him Toni.” I said, trying to assure myself.
                                “Don’t worry Darlene, I am sure that Paul won’t hurt himself.” She replied
                She was right! If Paul should commit suicide, he won’t be hurting himself because he’d already be dead. The only person he could hurt directly would be me, as I will feel guilty about his death. “Toni, I need you to help me look at my speech for the annual meeting,” I said, trying to divert from my current sorrow.
                                “I’ll check it over lunch. Do you want to go with me to Chinese?” she asked, approaching the door.
                I nodded my head in agreement. She winked at me and closed the door gently. Thoughts of Paul flowed through my mind as soon as Mrs Small left. There was a light tap on the door. “Please come in”
                                “How are you finding your new environment?” Dare asked.
                I had to be professional about my duties and start ‘compromising the truth’ when necessary. “It’s been wonderful here,” I replied, with a large smile.
                                “You don’t have to tell a lie Darlene,” he said taking his seat. “By the way, you look beautiful when you smile,” he said. I smiled. “I was teasing,” he said, quickly.
                I frowned.
                                “I like it when you frown, your attitude is enchanting” he replied, with a grin. I shook my head. “Do you mind joining me for lunch this afternoon?” he asked.
                I smiled. “I am booked for lunch.” I replied, as I opened my laptop.
                                “You turned down my request on Saturday, and you are doing it again today, why?”
                I shrugged. “I am booked today, just like I was on Saturday. I am having lunch with Mrs Small, I don’t know if she will appreciate a third party”
                Dare laughed. “Third party?” he asked. I didn’t need to give him an answer. “I am no third party to Toni, not that I want to tag along, but she won’t refuse me”
                I grinned. “I’ll have to check with her,” I replied, lifting the receiver of the intercom. Dare was all smiles as soon as I dropped the receiver. I don’t have to tell you how the conversation went. Toni said, ‘I’ll be honoured to have him with us, yaayyy!’ What a woman! Couldn’t she have guessed by the tone of my voice that I didn’t want Dare with us at lunch?
                                “So, do you want me?” he asked.
                I drew a dry hiss. “Do I have a choice?” I asked. “Oh…yeah, you are also the boss!”
                Dare stood up. “I will not come if you don’t want me there.” He then reached for the door. “See you later”
                                “Please join us.” I said, almost sounding desperate.

… to be continued