JEALOUSY IN DEATH

9.

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9. Desiree

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Desiree sat in the living room and watched as Bobo drew on a large drawing book.

"See, Dee," he said and came close to her with the book in his hands.

She took the book from him and saw a drawing that was likely her. He had drawn strings in form of her locks and they looked like the crown on the Statue of Liberty.

"Is this me?" He blushed and looked at his bare feet. "It's beautiful."

"Can you write your name on it? I can spell my name but not yours."

"Try to. Desiree, say it and try to write it."

He took the book and got on the floor. "Desiree," he said slowly. "D?"

"Yes."

"E?" She nodded and he continued, "C? No S?"

"Yes, good job."

"A?"

"No, but you tried. It's I."

"D-E-S-I-R?"

"Yes, good. You're a smart boy."

"I am?"

"You sure are. Let me help you." She got the book from him and wrote the rest of the letters. "Desiree."

Lucas clapped and smiled. "Why do you write with that hand?"

"I'm left handed." He got the pencil and tried to write all the alphabets with his left hand. She watched as he scrawled and smiled at his attempt. "You don't have to write like I do."

"But I like it."

"Okay." Her phone rang and she passed it to Bobo. "Your dad wants to talk to you."

"Daddy," Bobo said and she went to the kitchen to give him some privacy.

She came back to the living room when she was sure he was off the phone. She gave him the glass of water she was holding and he looked confused.

"Water is good for you," she explained.

"But I'm not thirsty."

"You don't have to be thirsty to drink water. Do you want to grow tall like daddy?"

"Yes, Dee."

"So drink then."

He handed her the empty cup after he was done and she went to the kitchen to drop it. When she got back, he was on the sofa she had been sitting on, she went to the other sofa and watched as his eyelids fluttered shot. Desiree and Bobo were in the kitchen deciding on what to make for dinner when Lucas entered dressed in a well fitted, deep blue suit and holding a briefcase.

"Dad, do you want rice or couscous?" Bobo asked as soon as he saw him.

"I want whatever you want, buddy," Lucas answered. "Aren't you going to give daddy a hug after his long day at work?"

Desiree watched as Bobo ran into his father's arms, he was pecked and tickled and they were both making funny noises. She picked up a pot and got started on the meal. Bobo had insisted on having rice, but his father was interested in him eating healthy meals, so the only thing she could do to make his choice as healthy as possible was to add lots of vegetables.

She boiled some quantity of rice in the pot and washed the vegetables. Bobo had gone up with Lucas so she was all alone in the kitchen. She tuned the radio on the counter to a music station and bobbed her head as a song played. She chopped vegetables such as cabbage, spring onions, carrots and bell peppers. Another pot was placed on the cooker to boil corn and peas.

Bobo and Lucas joined her in the kitchen as she added spices to the sautéed vegetables. She quickly grilled prawns and mushroom then added them to the boiled rice along with the vegetables. She allowed the dish stem for few minutes before plating for her audience.

"Fried rice and prawns with several slices of mushroom. Dig in," she said as she placed a plate in front of Bobo. She got Lucas a plate and she heard him say, 'Thank you'.

Desiree poured chilled, plain water in their glasses and got herself a plate. Lucas said the grace and cutlery clattered on plates as they ate.

"You come up with the best healthy meals," Lucas said.

Desiree was slightly taken by surprise by his admission and she made it obvious in her response. "Gee, thanks. That means a lot coming from you."

"Dad's rice is always salty," Bobo said when he was almost done with his meal. Desiree covered her mouth so as not to laugh loudly.

Lucas looked at his kid and rubbed his head. "Thanks kiddo for airing our dirty laundry." He wasn't openly laughing but his eyes were twinkling. Desiree smiled his way. "Where did you learn to cook?"

"My mum, I also check recipes online. I'm a quick learner so I search for healthy meals and try to make them. Personally, I'm okay with noodles, I could eat that all year long but since I'm cooking for you both...had to learn better options."

"Can we eat noodles next?" Bobo asked.

Desiree looked at Lucas and he shrugged. "Sure, why not? Your dad doesn't mind."

They ate their remaining food in silence and Desiree tidied the kitchen when they were done. Lucas went with Bobo upstairs and she heard their laughter reverberate around the house. He did smile and laugh with his kid but not with anyone else, maybe her in particular. She was almost certain that he didn't like her. He never met her eyes and even the compliment felt like a sandwich to lessen his rudeness and brusque attitude. The conversation around the dinner table had felt like a show for his kid. Desiree lingered after cleaning the kitchen. The guest house was always so boring with only her in there. She knew Lucas wouldn't be a great companion, but a girl could hope, couldn't she?

Lucas came downstairs after an hour and paused when he saw her sitting in the kitchen.

"You're here."

"It's still early, I could be needed around."

He walked to the fridge and got two bottles of beer, he placed one in front of her and took the other. She watched as he took the stool far away from her.

"I don't bite, you know."

He raised his brows and looked at her. "What?"

"I know you don't like me but you don't have to make it so obvious."

"Why would you think that I don't like you?"

"You have a different persona around me. I'm taking care of your son, the least you could do is pretend to be nice."

"That was a mouthful. Do you speak to people you work under like that?"

She raised her head high and said, "I'm sorry. You just make me uncomfortable." He made her uncomfortable when she wasn't being turned on by his presence.

He came close to her and opened the beer bottle. "You changed your perfume."

"What?" She tried not to lean into him as he towered above her. "Oh, yes my perfume. You told me to."

"I like this one."

"Umm, thanks."

He went back to his seat and she took a sip of the cold beer.

"I don't hate you. Why would you think that? You are my son's nanny, if I disliked you it'll be like shooting myself in the fucking foot."

"Thanks for clearing that up."

"I'm sorry for saying your perfume was nauseating when it truly was. My delivery was probably too harsh but that's the only way I know how to express myself."

"You could learn to be nicer and maybe smile a little bit more."

"Drink your beer."

So commanding. "Okay. Do you want some of the chin-chin I made today?"

"If I say 'no', would that be too harsh for you?"

Touché. "I mean, no. But you could learn to sandwich a compliment into it. Like, I don't like chin-chin but if I did, I wouldn't mind tasting yours." The words came out totally wrong and she hoped he didn't read another meantime to what she just said.

"I do like chin-chin, but I can't tonight."

"Alright, that's fair."

"Thanks for offering."

"And that's so nice. I think you are nice but you like to-"

"See you tomorrow, I need to get my nightly exercise." He dropped his unfinished beer and walked out of the kitchen.

She shook her head and said to his retreating back, "I'll see myself out."

There was no hope for him. She'd thought he was nice but liked to put on a hard exterior, turned out that was just her being optimistic. The way he rudely cut her off was saying exactly what she feared, he really wasn't nice. Desiree took the beer with her as she walked to the guest house. She wasn't much of a beer drinker, but she'd taken the drink when he offered to kind of impress him, only to find out there was no point to it. He could say he didn't dislike her but she knew he did. What she didn't know was why.