Chapter 16
"It's Sunday Lucy, no one is supposed to be here" Keisha whispers as they walk further into the floor.
Keisha sights a rotating CCTV camera.
"You do know we are being watched right?"
Lucy is unmoved and at some point, Keisha stops walking behind her fearing they might get into big trouble snooping around the president's office.
Lucy shuffles and quickly scan through a bunch of papers and folders on the secretary's desk. An alarm from another elevator distracts her.
"Someone is here, hide," She tells Keisha who hurriedly finds a safe spot to hide. Lucy scoots under the secretary's table.
Brian walked into the floor and being a very neat person, the littered desk catches his eyes as he walks by and worst of all is that he saw footprints on the mopped floor.
He stops and traces the footprint leading to the desk out of curiosity.
"I'm so sorry" Lucy apologise as soon as his eyes landed on her.
"Who are you?" Brian asked coldly
"My name is Lucy Woodsen and.." She quickly crawls out and raised her hands in the air.
There can be a thousand Lucys and a thousand Woodsens but there can only be a few Lucy Woodsen and with the uncanny resemblance from childhood, Brian can't ignore the sudden uneasy feeling that slowly went up to his chest.
"Lucy?" That was all he seemed to only pick from all she had said.
"I really am sorry. If you let me go once, I promise never to come back here"
"Is your mother Jayda Cruz?" He asks curiously as he stared into her ocean blue eyes. The eyes that looked up at him when she laughed and cried. As the facts become clearer, Brian is only seconds away from exploding into happiness.
"Yes, that is her name. How do you know her?"
"Lucy!" Brian lifts her in the air.
He was overly fond of her back in the years and genuinely loved her like a big brother. After so many years, the little girl he'd known has grown impeccably into a fine young woman.
"Gummy mallow!" He referred to the name he used to tease and call her. A name she never liked.
"No one calls me that except..." Lucy at this point is dying out of curiosity.
"Brian," They say in unison.
Lucy squeals in profound excitement as she jumps into his arms.
"It's really you" Lucy scanned him from head to toe. He looks very handsome in close up. She has all along had a crush on her childhood crush. Fate?
*************
"I school in the city and recently, Mum moved too." Lucy takes her seat on one of the chairs in his office.
When she mentioned 'mum', Brian could feel the brief pause in his heart. That woman even after so many years still affects him and as much as he has tried over and over again to forget her and move on, the hearts wants what it wants. Jayda Cruz.
Instead, the memories from that night were the only thing that lingered on his mind and dominated his thoughts.
He suddenly feels the need to see her, hug her, kiss and make love her.
"How is she?" He asks with a pang of guilt in his voice.
"She's fine."
"Is she remarried?" He asks, prepared for whatever outcome. But can he really stay away even if she's with someone or worse engaged? He knows he can't.
The only reason Brian stayed away and never went back to look for them is that he still carries the grudge with Jayda from back then thinking if she ever feels the same way he did for her in the slightest, it would be best to let her wander in regret thinking of what could have been. He dared not to think she moved on after everything that happened that night after he confessed every tiny detail of how he felt for her caring less who heard.
"No, she's not married. She's not seen anyone since you know"
A wave of relief sent cold shivers in his body. He's never felt that way at the mention of someone's name, ever.
"She'd be so happy to hear that I found you" Lucy reached for the cellphone in her bag.
"Don't tell her yet" He instantly objects.
Lucy gives him the 'why not?' look.
"I want to surprise her instead"
Now that he has seen Lucy, Brian is aware it will be twice as hard to stay away from Jayda and if that will eventually happen, he wants to witness every bit of reaction she makes.
Will she look at him with love or with the same hate she gave him that night?
He's not prepared for the latter.
"Why did you leave? You didn't even tell me" Lucy asks the one question she vowed to ask if they ever meet again.
Although there is an explanation, he couldn't explain to her for now and Lucy could tell he's not ready to share.
"Don't tell me. I feel like I'll get hurt even more." She fakes a smile.
"Look at you" She scans him again for the umpteenth time. Taking in the details of his chiselled jar, manly muscular arms, his towering height, his woody smell, his compelling charm and so much more, made her fall even deeper in love with him.
"How'd this happen?" She makes gestures at nothing in particular, referring to his wealthy status.
"I was lucky. Turns out my dad had a wealthy father and I can't remember ever been told about it before his demise. I invested the money and here we are"
"You look a lot more handsome when you smile," She says, lifting the sudden silence that took over.
"How so?"
"Your death stare is hot but can make someone commit suicide. I'm surprised you have so many people still working for you. You must really pay them well" Lucy chuckles
"I have so many questions"
He gives her a go-ahead nod.
"Are you married? Engaged? In a relationship? Do you have a child or children?" She spree talks and Brian couldn't help but laugh at her.
"I'm sorry, it's just that when I tried to do some digging before the first shoot, I couldn't even find a single picture of you on the internet not to talk of a proper bio."
He quirks up a smile "I do have a child. A daughter"
Lucy slowly frowns.
"I'm single and not married"
Lucy frown quickly transitions into a wide smile.
YOU ARE READING
36:26 A Chase Encounter
Romance"Brian I am your Godmother!" Jayda reminded him in case he forgot she is ten years older than him. A whole decade. "Age is just a number, I don't care," Brian said as he continued to walk closer to her until her back hit the wall of his office and...
