K.C Philips

Chapter Six

11 Years Later

If Izuchukwu Philips, CEO of Beta Oil Group, had not been diagnosed with a terminal illness, Ikenna, his first born son, wouldn't have left his family in the United States for the family business in Nigeria. Ikenna had never been interested in taking on his father's legacy. He saw himself as his own man, a man who had his reputation to build, rather than further that of his father.
Ikenna had been the CEO for two months. He would have left three weeks into his tenure, but his ailing father pleaded with him to at least head the company until K.C turned 30. Vivian was a practicing paediatrician; she had no managerial skills. That left K.C to be the heir-apparent. Not because he was the first or second born, but because of his elder siblings' lack of interest. K.C has no choice. The family business needed a head from the family.

K.C's relationship with his family strained further after leaving Nova Gus. He didn't spend Christmas in the US with them. He didn't feel like a Philips anymore. Rather, he was in Toronto for a personal celebration.

It was in a mall that K.C collided with his jaundiced past.....

K.C rolled his trolley down the alley. He was dressed in a thick coat. Arriving at a shoe rack, his eyes were drawn to a nice pair of Jordan shoes. Without an afterthought, he went for them. At that moment, a light-skinned Negro lady stopped by the shoe rack. He glanced at her. Her coat stopped at her thighs, showing the lower part of her grey skinny jeans. He looked back to take the shoes. Something didn't feel right.

Man, she looks familiar.

When he felt her turning towards him, he knew immediately that this lady knew him from somewhere. He looked at her again, this time more carefully. Everything else seemed to pause.

"K.C?"

K.C did a double take. He was sure he knew he her. The only aspect of her that eluded him was her name. When he shot her a third look, it dawned on him.

"Jessica?"

They seemed to say "Oh my God, look at you!" in unison as they became entangled in a tight embrace, smiles on their faces.

"Where have you been?" That again they said in unison. Weirder this time, they said "This is weird" in unison. They laughed. A thousand memories came crashing between them, like an avalanche.
K.C watched her laugh. He was enthralled by how much she had changed, by how beautiful she had become.

After a light conversation, they put all their items into plastic bags, made their payments and left the mall.

"It's so cold here," K.C said, shuddering lightly as he sunk his hands deeper into his pockets.

"Just as cold as you were when you left me on the lawn almost eleven years ago," Jessica replied, looking at K.C with a straight face.

K.C was silent. He was going farther in his guilt trip.

"I'm sincerely sorry for how I hurt you that night, Jessica. The thing was...."

"Don't worry. I've forgiven you. It's all in the past." After buffering, she continued, "It was good seeing you again, K.C." She entered her car and turned on the ignition. She was about to drive off when she heard K.C's voice.

"We could go out tomorrow, you know." Jessica didn't look fazed by the suggestion. Quickly, she penned down her phone number and address.

"I'll be expecting you by 12 noon sharp. Come a minute later; you can as well forget about it."

"You know I won't," K.C said.

"I know you wouldn't," she said, before driving off on the snow-laden tarmac road. K.C watched her car move until it was out of sight. After that, he walked back to his car with his shopping bags. Driving back to his hotel, he smiled satisfactorily.

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K.C got back to his hotel room after checking in. He pulled off his coat and sunk deep into the comfort of his bed, his hands behind his head. He ran into Jessica again. He was amazed at the fact that Jessica had agreed to go out with him after what he did to her eleven years prior.

Which girl would agree to go out with a guy if he ever did such?

He sat up in his bed; a new thought came to his mind: Fisayo and Dotun. He wondered if they ever got back together after what Dotun had done. His mind shifted swiftly to his family. He would visit them to know how they were doing. At least, they replied his Christmas messages. His nephew, David had his birthday in two days and he had already bought him a present.

Clearing his mind of the thoughts, K.C stood up, went outside to the balcony and stared into the breath-taking Toronto skyline. He could not stop thinking of Jessica.