Rain

Chapter 26

She leaned back into the chair kicking off her heels and sighed closing her eyes glad the day was almost over. The board meeting had gone well as she handed everything over to her uncle to take care of as her wedding was approaching and fast.

Opening her eyes, her eyes fell on the wall right in front as she stared at something in a frame, he had captured it really well she thought. From her smiling features to the dress she was wearing. She looked at the dress again, it was the same dress that Rhoda had given her the first day she went to church with them.

"What's got you in a happy mood? It possibly can't be yourself?" she blinked to find Nessa sitting in front of her with a curious expression, the unconscious smile she had on her face disappeared.

"What?"

"That painting of yourself, you've been staring at it for a total five minutes"

"No I haven't"

"Oh really, you didn't even notice me coming in and taking a seat did you?" she had a point there she realised.

"I'm sure you don't even realise you are smiling because of something else other than the painting. In fact a someone"

Rain tried to decode the puzzle of Nessa's sentence but got nothing, "Which someone?"

Her cousin continued, "Okay, I'll excuse the looks I saw happening at the orphanage and the last day you guys met"

"What looks?" The day after the dedication to the orphanage, Pastor Aaron had met just to say thanks to the team that had made everything possible. Fred had tagged along giving some excuse about just wanting to be there. Rain wasn't sure what looks Nessa was talking about. But from what she saw that day, Fred was the one giving looks to Nessa whenever she was talking to Pastor Aaron. She had brushed it aside not willing to dwell on it.

Nessa sighed and rotated in her chair, once, twice. "You and the painter boy"

"What?" she nearly shrieked, "You have no idea what you are talking about"

Her cousin shook her head, "But I think I do, you on the other hand, I suspect have no idea what is happening huh?"

She raised her hand pausing her cousins' cryptic questions. "Nessa, are you okay? I have no idea what looks you are talking about, the only looks I saw was the one Fred was giving you"

"What?" Nessa blinked confused but quickly composed herself not bothering to address Rain's latter comment, "I'm fine, it's you I'm worried about. You are involved in something you have no idea is happening and I'm afraid by the time you realize it will be too late"

"Nessa please get straight to the point"

"You are already treasuring a gift from your painter boy, see a look at it makes you smile and ...."

She stood up, what was Nessa up to? "Look just tell me already. Are you trying to say I'm not supposed to like his gift? What is so wrong with liking a gift?"

"No, Rain, you are rather giving much attention to his gift don't you think?"

Her mouth opened, "Just because I like his gift doesn't mean I love him" she said almost a yell.

Nessa shrunk a little in her seat, staring at her in shock.

"What?!" she yelled when Nessa stared shocked at her.

"I didn't say you love him"

But she implied it!

The little temper that had bubbled up, deflated, Nessa stood up, "I'll go now"