DDD 37
” I won’t stop until you talk to me.”
“Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”
“Esther!”
“That’s it! I’m coming over.”
” You still aren’t going to respond? ”
Esther was seated in her study while her phone beeps continuously. She occasionally stopped taking her records to update herself on the next string of messages from Daniel.
Somehow, he got hold of her number and made it a habit to torture her with multiple strings of messages all demanding for her to talk.
At some point, the whole thing became funny, she couldn’t deny that the attention was something and she unconsciously found herself looking forward to the next string of messages.
Today, she wasn’t in the mood. She was having some setbacks in business which made her wound up in her little study, calculating the profits and losses of the past month. So far, results proved she’s been slacking and it wasn’t good news.
Daniel’s unrelenting messages weren’t helping either. At least at the moment.
She read the last batch of messages, wondering if she was stalling the inevitable or just didn’t want to see him. Her mind reminded her of the fact she was supposed to get him off her case as quickly as possible but she shut off that side of her.
Deloise wasn’t returning for the breaks and there was still ample time to get him permanently out of the way. Right now, she just had to focus on doing the needful and reeling in more customers in order to maintain a good living.
Meanwhile, Daniel was at Elvis’s office. Since his travel to the state, the friends duo had grown closer than ever. Whenever they met, there was always a bottomless pit of conversations ready to be had.
It was like they were on a mission to cover every bit of action the other missed while away. Time and time again, they went out for drinks and hung out. They were their own boss and could afford the extra time.
Today, Daniel’s schedule was cleared up as a result of some alleged unforeseen circumstances. He decided to visit his friend’s office once again.
” I know I said I needed a minute but you’ve been on your phone the whole time. Are you sure you aren’t the busy one? ” Elvis spoke after watching his friend type furiously on his phone for over two minutes.
He was done with the document he was working on for sometime and realized maybe Daniel wasn’t actually as free as he’d announced upon entry.
” What? Are you looking for my attention now?” Daniel replied without bothering to look up. ” You didn’t expect me to mope around waiting for your busy ass when the world’s at my fingertips, right? I’m a world star. I’m busy even when I’m not busy.” He said with faux arrogance.
” Easy, airhead. What are you doing though? Where are we headed today?” Elvis shut his laptop and stretched his limbs.
” I don’t know. I don’t really feel like going out right now. The weather isn’t so pleasant.”
Daniel kept checking his phone which didn’t go unnoticed by Elvis.
” I know right? The weather’s been fluctuating recently. Whatever’s keeping you in the state must be serious.” He said , “There’s nothing I wouldn’t give to be in New York right now. ”
” I’m done with the most important things I have to do here. I just like the feel of this state. I’m thinking of getting myself a place. Somewhere I could call my own instead of living off a hotel. ”
” Living off a five star hotel you mean?” Elvis interjected with a smile. “I don’t get it though. What’s with the sudden desire to have a place here? Does it have something to do with the fact that a certain someone may or may not be living in the city?” He asked with a knowing smirk.
” I don’t know what you’re saying man. I’m comfortable with the calm here and that’s it. You can imagine whatever you like but that’s on you.”
Daniel didn’t feel like entertaining his friend’s suggestive questions. Heck, he was beginning to get angry himself. He kept on checking his phone to see if maybe, just maybe he lucked out but still… nothing.
She ignored him as usual.
The most hurtful part of it was the fact that he was sure she’d read them. She just chooses to ignore them – to ignore him. He was beginning to lose it. He wasn’t a patient man. He’d been so patient that now, he thought of taking matters into his own hands.
Maybe make do on one of his promises. Make her understand that he wasn’t bluffing after all.
Daniel jolted up and Elvis wondered if he lost his mind.
” I suddenly have something to do. I’ll call you!” He said and immediately left the office in fast strides. He was going to confront her. He was going to be heard. He’d make sure of that.
Elvis watched his friend with fascinated eyes as he muttered to himself while leaving his office. His mind could only come up with one fact. Whatever’s got him still in the city, got a choke hold on him.
*****
Esther was done with the tedious side of her business. She wasn’t the biggest fan of the calculative side of it and was honestly happy to be done with it.
She enjoyed baking from a very young age and when she decided to try out her hand as a professional baker, she never looked back since.
Baking was second nature to her. At a very young age, she realized her love for the kitchen and the process of creating delicious meals. Her mother was a great cook too and sometimes, she led herself to believe it was from her.
Esther walked out of her home with a key in hand. She needed to quickly grab some things for the chocolate cake order she received. An order which came with a strict deadline and good money.
She was born for it.
The moment she stalked out her door steps, she was met with the very familiar and hovering presence of a delicious smelling man.
The scent of his masculine assemblage was one capable of bringing every woman down to a feverish convulsion of attraction. An Attraction she so fiercely felt but determined not to allow him the joy of seeing her whither in immense attraction to him.
” What do you want?”
Her tone was razor sharp and her eyes morphed into an icy cold glare. She needed to get this over with as quickly as possible. She wondered just how long she could keep off the facade of being irritated before he finally decided he was going to leave.
” You.”
Daniel said in a sensual tone, his lips tilted to the right in a lax smirk. He stood still, unaffected by her not so joyful reception and happy to finally hear something from her. It’s been a while.
” Don’t mock yourself, Daniel. I’m in no mood for your childish behavior. Don’t you have something to do? ” She asked with exasperation.
” I have nothing else to do. Not to be a perv but you have refused to reply to my messages and calls, what else can I do?”Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.
” Leave me alone.”
She said it like it was simple math.
” No. Where are you off to? I can give you a lift. We can talk on the way, just… Please don’t walk away. ”
Before Daniel could finish his rant, Esther was off and in her car. She threw him a glance which clearly warned him not to follow after her and started her car to life and left him standing on her front porch.
Daniel stood for a while. A million and one thoughts ran through his mind. He was losing hope on ever getting to talk to her. With slumped shoulders, he beelined for his car and immediately headed for his hotel.
He needed some alone time.