Kendrix
"Yeah, I did, I wasn't supposed to show myself to you but I have something important that I need from you,"
She said and I wondered what it could be that she was willing to blow her cover for.
"What are you talking about?"
I was still trying to figure out if this was just a very realistic dream but the more we spoke, the more it was clear that it wasn't a dream.
"I have something that I need your help for, if you don't mind helping me for old time's sake,"
Veronica said. I was still in shock at the fact that the woman I loved had been alive the whole time I thought that she was dead, I tried to not let the fact that she stayed away from me get to me, she was right about not wanting to remain in a place where she was constantly at risk of being killed but she knew me enough to know that I would have moved with her if she had told me, I would have moved my whole life away from O-when to where ever she wants to be. It dawned on me that she might not have trusted me the way I trusted her, that's why she didn't try to tell me, didn't even reach out to me for eight whole years while I mourned her death.
"Why are you frowning again? You don't want to help me?"
She asked. How could she act so indifferent, did she really forget everything that we shared? I didn't like that I was the only one still holding on while she acted like we were just old friends; we were more than that, we were everything to each other, or so I thought.
"You were alive all these years and didn't think to come to me or talk to me, I finally met you again after eight long years and you are acting like we are just regular people who knew each other in the past, why are you acting so indifferent?"
I was forced to ask; I couldn't keep it in, it was just too hard to comprehend.
"I needed a clean start, you had your whole life there, I couldn't drag you with me, you would have hated me later, I did what was best for me,"
"You faked your death,"
I reminded.
"No, I didn't fake my death, I left you a whole ass letter in my house where I know you would find it and later, I watched the news and saw that my house burnt down, it was like the universe wanted me to get a clean start for real so I just stayed away,"
She explained which didn't make any sense because there had been a body in the house even though it was burnt beyond recognition.
"What about the body that was found?"
I asked. I started to feel so dumb with each question that I asked.
"I don't know about nobody, I left O-when long before my house caught fire, if someone died in the fire, it has to be someone that sneaked into the house or one of the people that burnt it,"
she explained. It made sense to some extent but I just couldn't understand why she didn't feel the need to reassure me that she was okay and just wanted to be gone from O-when.
"Are you going to help me or not Kendrix? I had to think hard before I approached you, if you don't want to help then just tell me so that I can find someone else to do it,"
She said. I felt bad for thinking about my feelings without putting hers into consideration. I was hurt by what she did but she had her reason.
"What do you want me to help you with? If it is something easy, I can do it, as long as it is not illegal,"
I said. She smiled, the smile, it hadn't changed, she always had such a beautiful smile that calls to the people around her, who could say no to her when she looked the way she did, I have never been able to say no to her and that's not about to change.
"Nothing illegal, I have this business that I have been doing and recently, there is a deal I have been working on but a little something happened and I might lose the deal, the man I am working with wants someone who can stand for me before he signs the deal and he is very specific of the kind of person he wants,"
She explained.
"What kind of person?"
I asked with interest.
"Someone with a lot of experience, when I saw you yesterday at the hotel, I honestly didn't want to bother you but if I don't bring someone soon, I might lose the deal and I don't want that,"
She continued. She looked so sad at the thought that she might lose a deal and I had the urge to help her no matter what. I knew Veronica well enough to know that she was very determined and would be a great person to work with.
"I will help you, when is the meeting?"
I asked and she smiled.
"Tomorrow at twelve noon, I will be the happiest person if you can help me with this,"
She said. I ought to be on the plane back home by ten am tomorrow but the thought of turning her down didn't sound so nice. I wanted to help her so I agreed.
"Of course, just text me where we will meet them and also share the supposed proposal so that I will know what it is all about,"
I told her.
"Sure, I will airdrop the file now,"
She said and did just that, I gave her my contact and she left. After she left, I stood there for more than five minutes wondering whether I made the whole thing up in my head. Even after I got into my hotel room and read through the file that she sent me, I still couldn't believe the woman I thought was dead all this while was still alive. Yes, she had her reason for fleeing before those after her came, she had every reason to lay low but the fact that she didn't tell me whom she was supposed to be in love with felt like a betrayal. I put everything behind me and stayed up all night reading through the proposal she sent me and made some corrections. By twelve noon the next day, I met with her and together we went to speak with her business associate. It was weird sitting with her and hearing her talk throughout the meeting.
The meeting went easier than I thought and she was able to sign the deal.
"Thank you for your help today, I am so happy that I decided to put away the fact that I wasn't supposed to show myself to you and ask for your help, I would have been a crying mess if I had missed this opportunity,"
She said in excitement after the deal was signed and the investors left. It was just the two of us in the small office and I nodded. Now that it is done, I wonder what will happen with us, will she want to go back to her life and forget that we met? I couldn't do that, now that I knew she was alive and well.
"I should buy you a drink, as thank you for helping me and to clear off all old misunderstanding,"
She suggested and even though I needed to return to O-when, I also needed an explanation so I agreed.
"Of course,"
I agreed and she led the way, and we got into a cab together, all the while, I couldn't take my eyes off her, it was still a shock to me that she was here and not a figment of my imagination. We went to a rather private lounge. It was just the two of us in our booth and we sat next to each other. The drink wasn't doing it for me, I just wanted to hear from her why she chose to abandon me in O-when and start a new life without me.
"Stop looking at me like that Kendrix, I am real, I am alive, and I am not about to disappear,"
She told me.