The Woman

Chapter 9

Raymond let out a little growl the moment his alarm began its familiar tune. He fought the urge to fling it across the room. It seemed as if he had just gone to sleep and now it was time to wake up. Instead of sending the alarm clock to its early grave he simply pressed the bottom that silenced it and rolled over to his back. He did what he normally did the moment he woke up, he did a mental calculation of all he had to do that day and then he remembered...Kazia. He was going to see her today and it filled him with a familiar glee. Today was the first day of mediations between her and her disgruntled former employee and he was more than ready to take care of it. He always gave a 100% to all his clients but the past few days he found himself giving more than that. He wanted to impress her, be her knight in shining armour and all that crap. That seemed to wake him up faster than a cup of coffee could and he went on his knees said a quick prayer, played his audio Bible as he showered and got dressed and in less than an hour he was sharply dressed in his Armani suit.

He made his way downstairs and was met with the beautiful aroma of something cooking in the kitchen. That was one of the perks of having his mother around, she always prepared him something delicious before work but today he wasn't hungry, he will filled with the thought of something else, someone else...

"Grace?" He stopped just before he descended to the last step as he saw his fiancée and his mum sitting on the couch gisting like old pals. "What are you doing here?" She seemed to always be around and had become oddly attached to his mum. It never seemed to bother him until now, now it just seemed odd.

"Sweetheart!" She rose from the couch and all but skipped towards him and threw her arms around his neck, all the while he was just hoping she wouldn't rumple his shirt. "How was your night?"

"Very fine." He looked from her to his mum then back at her and summoned up a smile. "Did we have any plans for today? I already wired you the money for the venue and the dress, was there something else?"

"No silly! I just wanted to see my man." And she hugged him again and he pitied his suit and shirt. "Have a nice day today baby!"

"Thanks!" He practically unhooked her from his neck and placed her back on her feet and walked around her to his mum. "I'm sorry mum I can't eat this morning, I'm in a rush."

"No problem, I understand. Do you want anything special for lunch?"

"Anything you cook is special mum. See you later." He kissed her cheeks and dashed out before Grace hopped on him again.

He had told Kazia to come in thirty minutes earlier than the time the mediation was set to start so they could go over a few things but he was still surprised when he saw her in his office, she was prompt, too prompt!

"Are you ever late?"

"Nope! I can't help it." She flashed him that smile he couldn't ever get used to seeing. "If you have like a morning ritual I can excuse you and wait outside."

"Naah! We're good to go." She had been standing by the window when he had first walked in so it gave him a chance to soak her in. She was probably a few inches taller than Grace but he still towered over her. She wasn't plum and wasn't slim either, she just sat perfectly in the middle and her knee length pencil skirt did nothing to hide her amazing figure. The few times he had seen her she had on minimal make up but it wasn't as if she needed it, her light skin was naturally radiant and even now as she spoke he could help but focus on her full lips, brought even more alive by the red lipstick she had on. Her hair rested delicately on her shoulders and swayed gently from side to side as she spoke.

"...anyway that's what I was able to get, what do you think?"

He gave himself a mental knock, he hadn't heard a word of what she just said.