THE LEAF

THE LEAF(5)

Chapter Five

I had never stressed over anything in my life apart from mum's absence  since she left but for once, I had something even more stressful. But this was actually stressful in a good way, my date with Kairah. Like ever since dad advised me to give her something so special I'd forget about my encounter with Ziki, it was completely all that I had in my mind, like dad's advice was actually good. The little alpha, toxic Joe inside me did sort of fear and dread the fact that Kairah's role in my life was risky because I had put her over my mum. She could literally break me if she wanted to but if all I carried around was my negativity how the hell would I move on from losing mum?

I had millions of plans for the school break but most of them, if not really all, couldn't top a candle-lit luxury dinner with Kairah. I practically threw all of the other plans out of the window and focused on planning the date with Kairah. Now where was I supposed to take Kairah? I couldn't go to the movies because I didn't want to end up falling asleep on our first official date. I couldn't go bowling because I might end up meeting anyone and everyone I know there. No fast food restaurants because that would give the wrong impression of not taking her seriously, it needed to be authentic, special and memorable! I mean places like Kempinski have quite the fitting description to my wanting but after our school hockey  team was invited to the hotel to celebrate our national win we kind of left them no choice but to ban us all from there for a lifetime when we trashed the place. Besides Kempinski is just a name, it's brand matters to people, I needed something that mattered to me.

I could only think of how nice it would be if I could take her to the Maldives for the date. It sounded really extravagant and too showy, I know, but what else is as special as putting someone in the sky? That's when it struck me! The sky! As out of pocket is it may have seemed I thought of a way I could put her in the sky but not in a plane yet still in motion. The Mövenpick Hotel, there was a revolving restaurant at the very top of the building and to make matters much better, the manager of the place, Derrick, was  dad's old friend from high school. He had come over to the place a few times, he even invited us there once on Tammy's birthday but she refused to have her party there, you know kids.

This was the perfect place for a perfect first date, amazing scenery, elegant food and a romantic ambience at night, what girl wouldn't fall for that? I mean I'd fall for that.

I set up the date with Kairah after making reservations with the manager and we had a date!

There was really no turning back from this because my anxiety really wanted me to, I was extremely proud yet annoyed that I made that move. Well, you can never know until you really know and I gave myself a chance to know.

So it was a Saturday evening, I was supposed to go get Kairah from her house at six o'clock, finally getting my driver's license didn't mean I could drive according to dad but that once he let me drive. I went to get Kairah from her place in Karen. I mean it was one of the most affluent parts of Kenya, let alone Nairobi so I had to look like I belonged. I wore a tuxedo, yeah, a tuxedo, all black, silky, three-piece  and expensive of course.

I followed the directions she gave me and they led me to one of the biggest houses anyone had ever let me into. An marble-stone exterior modern mansion with floor-to-ceiling windows, a giant oakwood door and a ballast covered driveway. They even had their own security! After I was allowed into the house I was directed to wait in the living room by one of her maids, one of them!

"Ahh, Jackson? If I'm right."

Mr.Simmons, Kairah's dad walked in shortly after. He wore casual sweatpants and the most dad t-shirt there was holding a tumbler glass half full with whiskey or something resemblant to it.