Chapter Twelve
We drive six hours straight. Silence, music and no drama I’m beginning to wonder if I am still awake and all this is real. Its already past eight and the small town we decide to rest in is quiet and looks deserted. Vincent has already arranged the places to sleep and all that.
He is a piece of work and can be a nutcase when it befalls him but one thing I admire about my cousin is that he is organized and hands on when it is needed.
‘you are letting the ladies sleep on their own? Don’t you think they will escape in the middle of the night?’ Question raises an eyebrow at Vincent as he throws his bag on the bed.
Vincent looks exhausted as he turns to Question and says, ‘they wont, I have all the car keys and unless one of them knows how to hot wire a car we shouldn’t worry much.’
He tosses his bag on a couch before throwing himself on the bed.
‘how long will it take for us to get there?’
‘only an hour drive—but I figured it would be great to get there in the morning since we are going to alter all their bookings and sleeping arrangements.’
'all this trouble just for Vincent to get his girl back.' Question mumbles to himself but loud enough for all of us to hear.
'are you complaining Q?" Vincent sits up on the bed, "because I don't see what you get to lose by a free veccation and a road trip for that matter."
Question must be tired because he stands and glare daggers at Vincent who in turn blinks in surprise because well the bastard never get challenged often, especially by someone as cool and loyal as Question
‘In case you had forgotten I had not planned for a free road trip and to almost die at the hands of a crazy woman and I am not even allowed to complain a little?’
‘you are not allowed to make noise for some of us who need to get some sleep.’ I say in the middle of a yawn, ‘just lie down and cool it off dude.’
‘yes please.’ Vincent quickly agrees with me
JULY
‘hello everyone, good morning, welcome to my channel, my name is July and this is day one of the road trip riot.’ I flash a toothy smile at the camera lenses before I continue, ‘we are about to get back on the road and we will be at the safari lodge in less than an hour, I cant wait.’
‘I am July.’ Ludo says loudly passing right infront of the camera blocking its view of me, ‘my name is July is a tad too formal for a crazy You Tube video.’
‘I purse my lips at her, ‘this is not a crazy video, I am sharing my veccation with the viewers.’
‘how are you gonna explain the guys?’
‘why would I film them?’
Ludo shrugs, ‘because they are hot?’
‘so? I don’t care, now move, I am trying to surround myself with some positive energy and here you are reminding me of how screwed up this trip is now.’
Ludo offers a tiny smile, ‘well here is a motivation for you—at least it wasn’t the police who came after us.’
I glare at her, ‘what is wrong with you—go take a shower.’
Ludo waves a finger at my face, ‘get your camera ready girl.’
‘I am beginning to think of selling it and escaping all you crazy people.’
‘Tasha is here.’ She says simply before squealing gleefully, ‘she took a late flight and she is already at the lodge we are booked in.’
I just open my mouth because—well what in the ever lovin hell am I supposed to say to that other than the fact that this was a bad idea to begin with. I am already thinking of how to avoid the coming disaster.
‘are you susre?’
‘positive.’ She waggles her eyebrows at me before dance-walking into the bathroom, leaving me to stare at the camera in complete shock. Oh no.
***
There is this movie I watched long back, a horror thriller which had this certain chilling sound every time shit was about to go down. That melody has been stuck in my brain for years reserved for times such as these… and I am hearing it now as I sit rigidly in the car holding my camera like it could suddenly turn into a portal to take me away from here, in the past or future or oblivion. Anywhere but here.
‘wow, did you get a snap of that.’ Ludo marvels at the sight of the lodge as we enter the parking area and the staff are already making their way towards us, ‘look at that.’
Question glances at her, he is also questioning Ludo’s excitement about this.
‘give me that camera Jules.’
I shake my head like a freaked out four year old, ‘I don’t want that crap in my record.’
Ludo sighs and gets outs of the car and immediately begins to exchange pleasantries with the staff.
Question and Joshua also exit the car and I just sit there, watching Vincent and Nancy make their way to the reception area already, hand in hand. I wonder where Tasha is—I cant see any super model woman prancing around to cause havoc on all of us. Maybe she is civilized enough to not ambush us the moment we step into the scene.
Or maybe, my crazy mind hedges, maybe she is lurking somewhere in some dark upper room with binoculars and rifle in hand.
‘July!’ I jump when Joshua opens the door and calls my name at the same time, ‘are you okay.’
I flash him a do-I-look-ok glare, ‘I have never been better.’
‘good then,’ he ignores my in coming fury by taking my hand and pulling me out from the car. ‘lets go,’
I am in dire search fo any sign of Tasha such that I don’t have time to shake off the fact that Josh has his arm wrapped around my waist and keeping me close to him like we are a damned couple on a vacation—because that issue needs to be addressed. Thoroughly. I am here to help my friend ( whose friendship status is hanging by the thread) escape a dreaful situation not go back home with a boyfriend—whoa slow down there Jules—he is not a boyfriend status yet dude.
We reach the reception and only to find Ludo glaring life threatening daggers at Vincent, her fists planted on her hips, ‘what gave you the right, you don’t even know where that money came from.’
‘I know exactly who paid for this trip and I am not letting him clear up my mess.’
‘oh so you agree that you caused this.’
‘Ludo.’ Nancy raises a plam at her, ‘please.’
‘please what Nancy? Your father wanted you away from him and that’s what we are trying to do because dear daddy knows best, right?”
Can you believe that Ludo turns to me for affirmation? I just blink at her and keep my mouth sealed, if they think this is a drama then they have no idea what is coming—where the hell is the woman or was Ludo just messing with me?
‘who doesn’t want their own room? Why are you complaining?’ Vincent is calm, red alert red alert.
‘I don’t like that you are poking your nose in all our plans as if you have the right.’
Question comes to hold her arm, ‘perhaps it was too overboard of you to rebook everyone without asking Vince.’
‘its for the best,’ Vince replies cooly, ‘we cant have these three together in the same room for 48 hours, we already know what they are capable of.’
I give him a stink eye, ‘what is wrong with you? You are not righteous in all this.’
‘I never said I was--, but why do you ladies make everything so difficult.’
‘because you are a control freak.’ I tell him,
‘get used to it.’ He takes Nancy’s arm to walk away and my temper is already reaching the roof of my head when a familiar voice comes—well not that I have talked to her before but the woman sounded exactly as I had imagined
‘Vincent darling.’
Time stops—it is at this point that it comes to mind that we were causing noise at the reception area because now I see everyone’s attention was on us and now all the pairs of eyes turn to the stunning woman at the entrance.
‘Tasha!’ Vincent is the first one to speak.
Tasha smiles at him, ‘hello Vincent.’
Vincent has this iconic expression on his face as he finally figures out what the hell is going on., well its not hard to miss the smirk on Ludo’s face and any smart man can put two and two together.’
‘why are you here?’ Vincent asks.
Tasha tosses her hair from her shoulder and walks into the lobby, ‘why am I here Vincent?’ she looks at Nancy, ‘so you are the in famous woman.’
I don’t want to look at my friend to see her reaction but when the silence stretches I just have to glance at her. Nancy’s mouth is hung open as she looks at Tasha and then back at Vincent who is not at all offended to see her there. In fact, Tasha and Vincent’s eyes keep doing that back and forth we-have-untold-stories-between-us thing and I have never felt so enraged in all my existence.
Nancy removes her arm from Vincent’s hold, ‘Tasha!’
Tasha widens her smile, ‘nice to finally meet the girl Vincent couldn’t shut up about.’
Nancy scoffs, ‘is that so?’
‘Nancy-.’ Vincent begins and Nancy raises a hand at him.
‘lets not do this here.’ Is all she says before walking back outside. Tasha shrugs with puckered lips before turning and also walking out. Vincent remains frozen there for a moment before he rushes out calling Nancy’s name.
This is worse than I had expected. And ludo doesn’t even look guilty for bringing such hurt on Nancy. Question turns on her she has to take a step back…
‘I know you are crazy but I hadn’t figured you for cruel.’ He hisses
Ludo scoffs, ‘cruel? Am I the only one who saw that? Vincent isn’t telling the truth and I love my friend too much to let her fall for a lie.’
‘he wasn’t lying?’ Question stresses
‘I am not a child Q—something other than a crazy crush is going on between those two and until we clear all skeletons from the closets I am not letting it go.’ She marches outside as well. Question follows after her demanding answers. So now its just Joshua and me left in the lobby with the unsuspecting crowd watching us.
This is bad, really bad, but perhaps Ludo is right. I didn’t miss Vincent’s strange reaction to Tahsa the same way Nancy saw it vividly.
‘come on.’ Joshua takes my hand and I don’t even take note of where he is taking me because—well this is just screwed up. It is when he closes the door and turns to face me that I realise where we are.
‘why did you do that July?’
I blink at him, because, let me spell it out, ‘what makes you think you have the right to bring me into a room to reprimand me?’
‘do you ever think of the consequences of your actions before doing such things?’
‘what things?’
‘taking Nancy from her wedding and bringing Tasha here?’
I fold my arms, ‘you said Tasha was an imbalanced woman after Vincent—but from what I saw Vincent is pretty much holding her dearly in his heart.’
‘damn it you two—couldn’t you not mendle and let Vince take care of it himself?’
‘not when it comes to Nancy.’
‘do you really care about her that much? Vincent loves Nancy—he is trying to mend his relationship and you two are not helping.’
‘maybe it doesn’t need to be mended.’
‘that is not for you to decide.’
‘yes.’I nod, ‘Nancy decides—but she needs to know the truth, not half lies just to get her to attend some short gun wedding and then what?’
Joshua sighs, runs a hand down his face before he says, ‘what do you think is going on?’
What do I think? I plant fists on my hips, ‘Vincent loves Tasha.’
‘no he doesn’t.’
‘and you would be so sure of that because?’
‘because,’ long pause, ‘if he wanted to be with Tasha he would have married her when she lied that one of her kids were his.’
I slow blink at him, new revelation people and what were these guys stance? Tasha is a crazy woman pinning on Vincent.
‘and they are not?’
‘she told the truth when she realised Vincent was marrying Nancy the woman he loved—this is all just a messed up mishandled situation July—but Vincent doenst want to lie to Nancy.’
Wow, just wow.
"If then he really wanted to tell the truth he can do it now by all means." I turn for the door.
"Where do you think you are going, let her handle it "
I want to flip him off but he is probably right,
"Fine then I will just go find my room."
"The staff will do that, let's go sight seeing,"
I bend my head sideways considering his offer. And well what harm could it do. Mr Babutsi is already going to rain curses on us for letting Vincent get close to his baby girl anyway so why not just enjoy the veccation while I can.
"Sure!"
***
I have dreamed of this veccation for a very long time. Okay maybe the long time as in from the time we kidnapped Nancy from her wedding and her father came with the trip proposition.
The idea was for us three girls to enjoy this place away from home and spend three days convincing ourselves that fairies existed and all wishes can come true.
But no as karma have it here I am with Joshua god knows who taking a lunch break at a local restaurant after hours of driving around following my list of places of course.
And what's so fun about checking out places and malls with a guy? They don't get it. They never did and they never will.
"So what's the name of this place again?" I look around the place that I understood to be called the old house.
"Stop with the-guys-ruined-our-vecation stance."
"Well what do you expect? This is not what I had in mind."
"Me neither," he says seriously.
‘well what did you have in mind?’
Still serious he shakes his head and says, ‘I wouldn’t be here, probably be at work, or doing something else with my life.’
Who knew peace maker could be sarcastic.
‘what about you?’ he sets his drink down and sits back on his chair fully concentrated on me.
I give a small shrug, ‘I would probably be with the girls exhausting all our credit cards bitching about Vincent.’ I tell him honestly
‘its all about him huh?’
‘he found himself smack in the middle of the girls hate circle, that’s a place you stay for a while.’
Josh laughs, ‘I can see that now.’
I join him to laugh and before we know it we take a one hour lunch break talking about this and that. Conversation flows so easily without even lashing out at each other. It turns out Josh is head chef who works on contracts. He is so knowledgeable about food I start having the urge to have him cook for me. But we don’t stay on his topic for long as he seem to ask more about me. Must be the sun or tiredness because I am more than happy to indulge.
I even tell him about my pre-school which I have recently opened and the business plans I have in mind.
After I am sure that I have told this guy every detail that I’d rather keep to myself, he sits back and suddenly exclaims, ‘where were you all these years?’
I know what he means. The attraction between us is hard to ignore anymore and the way we are easily flowing in our conversation you’d swear we have known each other for years, not days and a few hours.
Maybe its time to talk about this like adults and stop behaving like high school kids. Hell if this was still high school I would have been abusing my poor diary with questions it can’t answer right now and Josh would be writing me love letters that he will never deliver.
I chuckle at that thought.
‘What?’ Josh says with a grin probably suspecting a crazy thought just passed my mind.
‘I imagined you writing me love letters.’
‘That is funny, because I am not really poetic.’
I shrug, returning his grin, ‘when love is in the air, you will be surprised how poetic you are deep inside.’
‘Maybe,’ he leans forward, elbows planted on the table, ‘so we just move on from here right? Is there any need to return to the basics?’
Basics—well we did have a make out session among other things but organization have always been important to me.
‘This is insane.’ I say
He is about to say something when someone pulls a chair and plops down on it. It’s Tasha and I almost start when I see her. Its like I have just helped summon a ghost back from the undead and now its really here roaming about and smiling at me like a dear friend because—you get the picture.
‘Guys, I am starving, what did you have for lunch.’
Why is she so jumpy happy? Either she murdered Nancy or she broke off the relationship.
‘We were just leaving.’ Josh says taking his phone from the table and sliding it into his pocket.
‘aaaww come on Josh—you cant ignore me as soon as I just get here—my brother is mad at me, Vince hates me right now—at least you should be more understanding.’ she turns to me, ‘right July?’
I almost cringe at her addressing me directly. I have to get the ghost reference out of my head or I am seconds away from running away screaming.
‘by the way thank you for calling this issue to my attention,’ Tasha goes on and I can feel Josh’s reprimanding glare on my face, ‘that man is stubborn as hell one of us have to save the relationship.’
Lord have mercy—we really did awaken a ghost from the living hell. I feel the instant regret for that decision and now I want to set it right.
‘Look Tasha—I am sorry we did that.’ I let out a sigh and face her, ‘you shouldn’t be here—I mean…’ I search for words before I blurt out the ghost reference in my head.
‘You should leave Tasha,’ Joshua speaks up and focuses on me, ‘this was a huge mistake.’
‘no it wasn’t—its fate and its sealed…Nancy is a nice girl but Vincent has a way of unleashing his anger in the most brutal way—he doesn’t want to solve our issues, he’d rather go marry some random girl just to prove to me that he is angry.’
‘Nancy is not some random girl.’
‘she is just been caught up in a battle that has nothing to do with her. Your heart is in the right place for wanting to end their relationship… why would he lie about me if he really wanted to marry your friend?’
The million dollar question. I look at Josh whose face is ice. I instantly know there is more untold in this issue here. Perhaps it wasn’t a bad idea to bring Tasha here after all.
‘where is Nancy?’ I ask Tasha.
‘she went to her room.’
With one nod I stand from my chair and Josh does the same.
‘enjoy your lunch.’ I tell Tasha and walk away before Josh voices out whatever that he had in mind to say.