Black Coffee (Tara's Dream)|Dearest Diary, - Book 1 (unedited)

II

II

I woke up to a ringing sound. However, my eyes were too fogged up that it took me some time to get my bearings. By the time I was completely awake and alert enough to try and pinpoint the source of that irritating noise, it had finally stopped. I sat up in my bed and looked around the room glad that the noise had not woken up Bri. Throwing my covers away, I stood up and put on my pair of rubber slippers before shuffling over to the crib to check on my baby girl.

I gasped even as I halted upon seeing the emptied crib.

Panic began to set in and I almost hyperventilated as my mind brought up an image of Troy with his hands around my neck, strangling me for the loss of his only child and very precious daughter, Briella. Briella, my panic ceased as another thought made its presence known in my mind. It was a memory. A recollection of the events of the previous day and the series of events that saw my darling daughter spend her night in her daddy’s premium suite that was way more expensive, more elegant and more spacious than what was my room right now. Actually, they had spent that whole ‘previous’ day which had been a Sunday exploring the city, visiting the animal orphanage, the Nairobi Safari walk and the Nairobi arboretum courtesy of David, who was now my designated driver.

I had not join them however. Since I had a load of work to do even though it was on a Sunday, I remained behind and prepared for my Monday meeting.

I walked back to my bed and straightened it even though I knew thay housekeeping would probably come in and do it again, making my work all for nothing. I tidied up the room and picked out an outfit for the day,which consisted of a simple plain and black knee-length, A-line nylon dress that I coupled with a white woolen half coat, a black and white handbag and black pumps, before getting ready to hit the shower. As I started my walk towards the said bathroom, the ringing noise started up again and being more awake this time, I was able to pinpoint the source  which I noticed to be the corded phone that was attached to the wall near the exit door and I made a beeline.

"Hallo?" I said speaking into the receiver.

"Hallo, Attara. It's Linda." I smiled. Linda was my agent, my publishing agent and today, the two of us were supposed to be meeting with a few editors and directors at a local publishing house in town.

"Linda." I said in greeting.

"I am sorry I wasn't there to meet you at the airport. I hope Lydia and David took good care of you?" her worried voice rumbled on and I answered back quite jovially, glad to be finally hearing her voice once again.

"Yes. They did." I convinced her.

"Good. I am calling about the meeting. I am on my way out of the house and I wanted to pick you up so that we can go together. Do you want to come with Bri? There is a daycare at work or I could ask Lydia to look out for her." Linda told me, but I found myself shaking my head no at the thought of a daycare.

"No. That will not be necessary." I told her. "She's with her father." I heard a pause on the other end of the line and I could only imagine what it was she was thinking.

"I thought you came along with her?" Linda’s voice finally said and I shook my head with a laugh.

"I did and he tagged along..."

"Wait, you two got married?" she sounded excited, too excited even that I almost hated bursting her bubble.

"No. He just came for his daughter." I told her beginning to feel uncomfortable. As one could tell, I was not much of a talker, especially when the topic had something to do with Troy, myself or our very dead relationship. I was done mourning it, but I still did not appreciate a reminder especially when I had to bear with him on an almost daily basis due to this very modern concept that I very much hated called co-parenting.