Just a Little Sugar

Strawberry Cake Roll With Icing Sugar And Chocolate Drizzle

Mark held it together.

He held it together while Sheila probed him with questions; that he conveniently denied, Richard having told her about how he'd been the past few days.

The annoying git.

He held it together through out the stupid meal he had with his mother. It had him checking his phone every two minutes, anxious for it to finish.
His mother had noticed that, and pestered him about it.
With talks of "am I that boring to you?"

Or " So you have more important things to do."

He wanted to tell her that if she wanted to spend time with him she should have stayed around.
But he held it together.

He held it together when she had asked for money. 15 million to be exact.
To fund her lifestyle of country hopping and fronting for the gram.
All while giving speeches about men, and their cheating ways and how she left her husband and didn't need his money. She'd post pictures of expensive things she'd bought and say she paid for it with her money. Her cover story was that she owned boutiques in Lagos and Abuja. Which wasn't particularly a lie, but he couldn't remember the last time she'd been there.

He knew that was all he was to her. A walking cheque book. The fact that he had believed her antics when he was younger surprised him. Now he could see right through her.

She'd tell him stories of how her father didn't pay her any money as alimony and his 13 year old self believed her. Until he grew a little older  and found out that his father had given her 24% of his 55% share of the company.
She continued complaining on end about it until he bought her out again. Gaining his 24% again and giving her 201 million for it. That was 8 years ago. How did 201 million finish in 8 years?
Mark did not understand.

But he held it together.

"Is there a one off payment that I can pay so I don't have to see you again forever?" Mark had asked her.

Maybe it wasn't the most respectful thing to say. But Mark was way past respectful. He was fed up. He was done.

She had slapped him. Hard
But Mark held it together.

She went into a rant about ungrateful he was, how he knew she needed the money, how he and his father were stingy and had the same genes.
Mark watched her expressions. He had her height, she was 5'11. For a woman that was grossly tall. He had taken her face. His complexion, was like hers, ebony and dark and rich.

She was as beautiful as he was handsome.

In the past he had loved to hear that he looked like his mother.
But right now he wanted to claw his skin out. He wanted to break his nose. He didn't want to look anything like her.

But Mark held it together.

She had stormed out- without paying, of course, and had vowed never to call him again.
Make wasn't surprised. It was theatrics.
She had called him on his own birthday asking for 6 million, a few years back. And had said the exact same thing when he'd refused.
Theatrics.

But Mark held it together.

He held it together when he called for the bill. Only to realise that she'd ordered for the most expensive thing on the menu.

But Mark held it together.

He held it together when he got home and Sheila asked about his day.
He held it together when she said she'd schedule an appointment for his doctor to see him on Monday.

Mark held it together.

He held it together till Sunday night. He dressed up and went to Just a little Sugar.
It had seemed like he was a bit late. The place was fully packed. He was adversed to crowds, especially at times like this. But he could pretend, for Sugar.