The Woman

Chapter 16

It had been a week since Kazia last saw Raymond, countless times she had stared at his number on her phone, willing herself not to call him if only just to hear his voice.

She missed him, even that was an understatement.

For the first time in a long time something and someone meant more to her than her business. She wanted to be with him all the time, to talk to him, ask him how his day was, let him hold her and just listen to his heart beat. It was silly and she knew it but it felt so good and right. Kazia always thought she was complicated and hard to understand but Raymond got her, he understood her but he wasn't hers. He was free but he wasn't free because he wanted to be with her and that wasn't fine by her.

Taking a look at her watch she realised she was running late for her meet-up with Chisom. He was opening another Pharmacy and wanted her opinion on the layout. It was night and the construction workers would have gone so it would be a perfect time for them to walk around freely and undisturbed. Kazia picked up her keys and phone and made her way out of her office.

"Don't forget to lock up Mary-Jane and sorry for keeping you here so late."

"It's no trouble at all Ma."

"Have a good night."

"And you too Ma."

Just as she got to her car she remembered she had come to the office with a change of clothes and had planned to change into something more comfortable before meeting Chisom. After much contemplation she decided to go back up and change. Her toes were beginning to hurt from the shoe and she wouldn't be any fun if she was uncomfortable.

Getting into the office she didn't see Mary-Jane where she left her and that was when Kazia heard Mary-Jane's voice coming from her private restroom. Kazia walked in slowly and already had a stern look on her face ready to question Mary-Jane when she heard Raymond's name and stopped dead in her tracks.

Mary-jane had her phone on speaker and from a distance Kazia could see her doing her make up while she rambled on the phone with a voice she recognised as Raymond's assistant.

"Really?" Mary-Jane said. "But why would he end it just like that. I've met Grace once, she was so nice."

"You don't want to know what she did. She's not so nice, trust me."

"OMG! Spill! What happened?"

"Ok, don't tell anybody because Mr Raymond wants to keep it as quiet as possible but apparently Grace was stealing from him. She was taking all the money he sent her for their wedding.... wait for it...and sending it to her husband and daughter!"

Mary-Jane's lipstick dropped from her hands as she had a look of genuine shock. She quickly scrambled to clean the mess she had made on the sink while she urged her friend to continue.

"And trust me that isn't the juiciest part of it. On top of all she took from him he gave her more money and paid for her daughter's entire school fees for a year plus he gave her more money to set aside for the girl's education."

"No way! After all she did? Robbing him in broad day light? Why would he do that? No one is really that nice even if he was Mother Theresa's first born!" Mary-Jane said as she adjusted her hair in the mirror.

"Calm down, I'm not done with my story! It turns out he did all that because he had planned to end things with Grace right before he found all this out. I guess he was feeling bad about the whole thing and did all that to make sure she was well taken care of."

"This is messed up." Now Mary-Jane was using one hand to wedge herself on the wall while she changed into a pair of high strappy sandals. "Even if he wanted to end it, he still shouldn't have given her all that money. She should be in prison and why did he even want to end it. Was he seeing someone else?"

"Mr Raymond is a good man, he really did love and I'm sure he didn't want her to be arrested or taken away from her child. That's all I know and..."

Kazia had heard enough. She turned around and all but ran out of the office. He chose her, he chose! She didn't ask him to but he did. He wanted to be with her! Then she remembered everything else she said.... Grace hurt him. How could Grace hurt such a good man!

Her eyes were blinded with tears as her body trembled trying to take in everything she had just heard. Stopping just at the bottom of the staircase she pulled her phone out of her bag to call Raymond. She had to talk to him, she had to tell him she wanted to be with him too and she was sorry for everything.

......A call from Chisom came through just as she was about to dial Raymond's number.

The sound of iPhone's signature ringtone filled the empty staircase as she looked from 'Answer' to 'Ignore' deciding what she should do. She was in love with Raymond and she needed to tell him but Chisom had been nothing but be nice to her and she couldn't just dump him like that.

Damn it!

"Hey...Chisom." Kazia wiped the tears from her eyes as though he could see it.

"Hello Beautiful. I've been waiting for you. Are you still coming?"

"Ehn....yeah...sure. I'll be there shortly. Something held me up at the office. See you soon."

"Can't wait." And he was gone. Raymond's name now glaring on her screen beckoning her to call but she had to do the right thing first. She had to see Chisom, just for tonight then finally she would be with the man of her dreams.