Loving Lola

Chapter 21

Aldean's POV

Dylan and I had been going through documents sent from the head office for over seven hours now.
In truth, I had started hating word "Urgently".
Over 40% of the notes attached to the documents held urgently, even for projects that would take commence 5 months away.

I wasn't looking forward to returning there in 4 weeks time. I liked working here and not having to go to the office almost everyday and having endless meetings.

"Let's take a break" I informed Dylan.
I could sense his energy was almost drained.

"Thank you sir. I thought if I saw another 'important notice' or 'kindly approve sir' I'd most definitely pass out".

I chuckled a bit.
"What's for dinner?" I inquired.

"More like lunch" I heard Dylan mumble under his breath but decided to ignore.
"I'll order pasta and whatever they sell with it".

"Great". I replied.

Dylan arranged the documents he'd been going through and got off the floor.

"How did work pile up so fast within three days"
I heard him mutter to himself as he walked out of the office.
I continued signing off projects that needed immediate approval while I waited for dinner to arrive.

"You're back Damien". I greeted my best friend as he dropped on the couch.

"Yeah man. Today was so hot. I thought I'd melt under the heat. I'm glad I applied the sunscreen your mum gave you" he said with a wide smile.

"You are welcome" I replied sarcastically.

Since when we were kids, he liked to use my stuff even when he had his.

During our teenage years, whenever I went to visit at his house, I'd take a lot of his things back home with me because he'd never use them. He always said his stepmom never bought them with love but my mum always did mine with love. He'd stack them in a locker until they were expired and throw them out.
His stuff were way more expensive than mine so I didn't mind taking them because he'd still use them regardless, thinking they were mine and luckily for me, I never ran out of them.

When we entered college, he made my mum do all the shopping for his supplies since we wouldn't live together and he won't be able to take from mine. My mum happily obliged.

"Any news about Sophie?" I asked.
His 18 year old step sister had eloped with her boyfriend and his family was devastated, well he tried to hide his worry but I saw right through it.

"Wouldn't blame the kid. After forcing me to an arranged marriage that failed, they didn't learn any lesson and tried to get her engaged to someone she doesn't like, let alone love.
She called me last night to tell me she's fine and she's planning to apply to college to study arts. The parents are going to freak".

He laughed humorlessly.

"I'll go have a shower and join you too for dinner".

After his rough marriage and ugly divorce from Samantha Brown 5 years ago, he literally went offline.
He disappeared from almost a month, even I couldn't reach him.
For almost a year, he over like a hermit. He stopped working at his father's company and refused to work at all.
It was a tough year for me too.
I always had to visit him at the condo he rented every weekend.
It caused me to drop a lot of activities I was involved with back then.

During a Canon exhibit my company was invited for and was mandated to attend by my father, I bought a Canon Eos 70D and a 35mm lens to show my support.
Since it was a Friday, I went straight to Damien's condo.

The next week I went to visit, Damien was back to his normal self.
He had decided to take up photography.

He began traveling the world and totally cut off from his family who he blamed for his misery.

Every year, I gift him with the newest lenses to encourage his new found love and prevent him from falling back into severe depression.

After dinner, Damien and I sat in the balcony of the house and watched the sunset.

"What's going on with you and Lola?" Damien asked without looking at me.

I sipped the brandy from the glass in my hand but didn't respond.

"You know, I see the way you look at her Al and that's not just any kind of look. It's the Aldean's falling kind of look." He said chuckling but stud sounding serious.

I looked at him with one of my brows raised.
"Aldean's falling kind of look? Is that a thing now?" I inquired, sounding a little rough than I'd expected to.

"No need to get defensive on me mate. I'm just asking because I'm curious. Man, even Dylan's curious." He responded raising both shoulders.

I huffed. "You both can think whatever you need. For now, no comment." After a pause I added "Damien, your step-mom called my mom this evening. She sounded sounded pretty worried according to my mother."

"Dude, I'll be thirty next year. Those people should get that by now, I shouldn't be staying at home."

"Dude" I replied imitating him " your sister left home, they need some kind of reassurance from you that all is ok. You should give them a call soon, so they can rest easy. Alright?"
I lightly coaxed him.

"Yeah whatever. At least that'd get them off your back. I'm pretty sure she has plans of calling you." He said chuckling, making me chuckle soon.

"I'll be going to Accra in Ghana for two days to tour. There's this museum 'Kwame Nkruma' that's got my attention and I'm sure I'll find other nice places to photograph there. I'll be leaving the day after tomorrow. Don't miss too much baby." He joked.

I scoffed. "I hav a lot of work I need to attend to urgently. And the branch in California is opening next week. Since I won't be there, they've sent me majority of the paperwork. I'll be visiting the HR department first when I returned to New York." I said laughing.

But really, some people will receive reprimanding when I get back for consigning their duties to my office.

As I walked back to my study, I felt my phone ring in my pants pocket.

Finally Lola was calling. I could feel my countenance light up.

"Hello?" I heard her soft voice at the other side of the line.

"Hello Lola, Aldean speaking" I responded.

"I hope my reply isn't coming too late. I wanted to inform you that I'll be able to make it to the event."

Right then and there, my lips undoubtedly curled into a smile.

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