36:26 A Chase Encounter

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

It's Saturday and like every other weekend, Lucy visits Jayda. She even brought back their weekend breakfast ritual- cooking pancakes.

It's been almost a month since Jayda's official move to New York and so far so good. She'd managed to acquire Mrs Mary old coffee shop and set to officially open for business in the coming month.  She would have opened but the renovation seems to be taking longer than expected. She even opened a business account on Instagram for the shop which she changed to Euphoria coffee and Confectionaries as well as uploaded some of her past works in Minnesota. She's pretty much determined to make the business a hit- she doesn't really have a choice. She has to make sure there's a lot of sales in the next couple of months to fully buy the shop off and pay back the loan from the bank so as not to lose the house.

"You really need to get at least some pieces of furniture, for now, mum" Lucy complains as she lays the plate of pancakes on the wooden floor.
Jayda smiled in return as she picks up a fork.

"So mum, I won't be staying till tomorrow," Lucy says

"Why not?" Jayda asks disappointed.

"Keisha and I have a thing... it is regarding school"

Lucy knows that the moment she tells Jayda that she has a part-time job, she will not hear the end of it.

A little white lie never hurts especially if it's for a greater cause.

"So, ChaseApp! Found anyone?

"No one. They are all just....too young."

"You mean to say you've not actually held a conversation with anyone?" Lucy's eyes pop out of curiosity.

"Some didn't go past their cheesy pick-up line but there is one..." Jayda tries to hold back from saying more.

"Come on mum!"

"He seems cool" Jayda says trying to dismiss the topic but Lucy won't have it.

"Cool? There's got to be more. ChaseApp is not cool, it's amazing"

"You sound like you've met someone spectacular from there. Have you?" Jayda's face slowly transitions to a questioning look.

"I'm just saying. If you go online you'll see why. A lot of people who are now married got hooked on the app." Lucy fast-talks.

"Are you okay?" Jayda looks at her with concern.

"Come to think of it, you've been really persistent, I might add too persistent regarding this whole dating thing. What's the catch?" Jayda drops her fork on the plate to focus more on her daughter's face.

"There's no catch. I just really want you to start dating. I say that out of love and concern for you." Lucy genuinely says.

"Thank you" Jayda mouths. "So how about you? Got any love interest?" Jayda picks up her forks and continues to eat.

"Well....there's this guy who is like totally out of my league but at the same time, there is absolutely nothing wrong in dreaming high. This guy is everything mom."

"What makes you say he's out of your league?"

"He is just way above me. He's like Mark Zuckerberg kind of person"

"What?"

"Yes mum, now you see why" Lucy shrugs but not in defeat. " I only met him once and since then, he has dominated all my thoughts especially during my free time"

"Does he attend your school? Has he ever noticed you?"  If there's one thing Jayda has missed, it's having personal talks like this with Lucy. The duo was so close back in Ely making Lucy very comfortable discussing almost if not all of her personal worries.

Kudos go to Jayda. She mommed her well from making the same mistakes she made.    Although she still feels edgy about the time when Lucy will eventually have a boyfriend, it's a little bit of consolation prize to know that Lucy above eighteen and in the university which means she's old and wise enough to take on consequences of her actions.

"He's not in my school. He's really rich like super-rich. I bet he's used to dating supermodels and top actresses. He'll never notice someone like me." Lucy says, stabbing a poor piece of pancake with her fork.

"Make him notice you. Walk up to him, have a conversation, hang out and let the future take it from there."

Lucy suddenly bursts into laughter.

"Mum! I can't believe you just said that"

"You seem to be into him plus I don't think women need to wait for men to ask them out or walk up to them first. It should be a decision any gender can make and look at you, I do not think a man in his right senses would turn you down. You are Lucy Wooden. My daughter"

"And you are Jayda Cruz, my mother and you need to ask your Chase App guy out. Take your own advice. Motivate me"

After a brief moment, Jayda picks up her phone from the floor and logs in to her Chase App account. She clicks on Sdavis and begins to type.

JAYDA CRUZ: Hi, so I was wondering if you can come out for lunch tomorrow morning? I think it's time we met.

"Ding done!" Jayda holds a wide grin on her face as she shoves the screen of her phone at Lucy. "Your turn"

"Lunch?" Lucy quirks up a brow at her.

"Please don't tell me you expect me to meet up with a stranger at night?"

Lucy does not reply seeing that she makes a point.

"It's your turn"

"I'm not sure he's on the app." Lucy scoffs.

"Do you know his name?"

"Just Chase I guess" Lucy blurts out before realizing she'd said something she can't take back.

"Chase?" Jayda holds a 'start spilling' look.

"Yes..." Lucy drags her words in defeat. "He is the owner of ChaseApp" She confesses.

"What?" Jayda bats her eyelashes repeatedly.

"Yes mum, I mistakenly ran into him one time like that"

"You have a crush on that kind of person?" Jayda says, breaking the silence that suddenly took over the empty room.

"I can't help it, mum." Lucy fakes a cry as she talks.

"But you worry about that. I don't want to talk more about it. Can we just drop it?" Lucy knows that if she continues with the topic she'll end up spilling the fact that she's modelling with Chase App which would make Jayda go ballistic.

Sdavies: Took that out of my mouth. I'd love to meet up with you tomorrow.

Jayda smiles at his reply.