YOLANDA
It is now cold where dad’s hand was caressing on my face. He has long left the dining table, but I find myself staring at the chair he was sitting on, asking myself what just happened.
This is what I was hovering at him; he gets so cold towards me, and then warms up before getting cold again. I swear he makes me feel like I talk to two different people in one body – like those with multiple personalities. At this point, I would rather live with my father than him.
I do not wait to be told about my chores, so I take the dishes to the kitchen and throw away the bits that are left in them before I rinse them and put them in the dishwasher. It is very late now, but I do not feel like going to bed, so I decide to tour the penthouse that starts with the ground floor, then the second floor, and lastly, the third floor that leads to the rooftop. I really am smitten by penthouses and how one came up with this design. It is a two bedroomed penthouse making one of them a master bedroom, and there is a laundry room, theatre, a pool, and a jacuzzi room with a sunroof on the second floor. There is also a minibar just across the lounge, and my favourite thing about this house is that when you enter, you are welcomed by an immaculate black and polished piano and a black polished violin on its stand. I know less about instruments, but damn they stand out.
I was about to go and grab myself some water in the kitchen when I heard the doorbell ring. I remembered that my dad mentioned sending someone up with my belongings, so I rush to open the door. I gasp when I see a coloured man with so many tattoos all over his face going down to his neck. He looks very serious, and he does not look like he likes people. Just then, another man appears behind him, but this one looks a bit nice with just a teardrop tattoo on his face.
“H-how may I help you?” I ask, nervously.
“Hey, I am Kyle, and this is…” The nicer guy introduces himself but gets cut off by the scary one.
“Where is the boss? Tell him that we are here,” The scary man says.
I nod, afraid to even question ‘who is we’. He looks so sour. I bet he did not get enough hugs from his mother when he was young.
Before I could go and get my dad, I hear Kylie scolding the scary man about being so serious. Dad comes down before I could go and call him, and he has changed into a pair of black skinny-leg jeans, a black shirt, a black biker’s jacket, and black Timberland boots, looking dapper. Is he going somewhere at this time of the night?
He says nothing and walks past me, heading to the door. Why are they calling him the boss? What work are they doing for him?
I was about to follow my dad out, but he closed the door before I could reach it. I wonder what they have to talk about so much that he has to close the door.
Anyway, I decide to finally go to the kitchen to get my water. The door opens, and my dad walks in with Kyle.
“Yolanda, I am heading out,” Well, that is very clear. “This is Kyle, your bodyguard, and chauffeur,”
“Why do I need a bodyguard, daddy?” I ask.
“Because I said so. I am leaving with Capo. There is something I need to do, so I will see you in the morning. If you need anything from the car, Kyle will get it for you,” So the scary man’s name is Capo?
I turn to look at Kyle, then back to my dad. Is he seriously going to leave me with a man I don’t even know?
“Can’t whatever it is wait until morning?” I ask.
“No. Kyle,” He stares at Kyle, and Kyle nods at him as if they just communicated something with their eyes.
As soon as dad and Capo leave, leaving Kyle and me in the same room, I groan so loud, annoyed.
“It won’t help to sulk, you know. Your dad has made up his mind and sulking won’t change that,” Kyle says. I roll my eyes and throw myself on the red leather couch.
“Are you even allowed to talk to me?” I snap at him.
“Unless you don’t want me to talk to you, yes I am allowed to,” His response makes me sit up and look at him. I notice his hands have tattoos on them. I just wonder what his body looks like.
“Unlike that scary man, I do not mind talking to you,” I say, making him laugh. He has nice straight teeth.
“Scary man, huh? His name is Capo. Don’t mind him, he is like that with everyone,”
“So, he never smiles or laughs?”
“Barely, just like your dad,”
“My dad has his days, but the scary man looks like he was left at the hospital after they gave birth to him,” His eyes widen up before he laughs.
“You would be surprised to find out that he is a nice person. Perhaps one day you will get to know him,” I gasp and shake my head.
“No thanks! I would rather not,” I then remember the sweet treat hamper my dad got me. Some chocolate and sweets would be good right now, so I ask Kyle to get them for me. The only thing I came up here with was my new Samsung Z4 flip and the charger, so I will do some admin work while I am still up because I slept at my dad’s house during the day, and now I am wide awake as a bunny.
As soon as Kyle gets back, I question him about why dad insists that I have a bodyguard with me.
“Does he think that I am going to run away?”
“No, not at all. He sent other men to his house too for the two girls,” I nod, satisfied by his answer. Knowing that he will not tell me why we need bodyguards, I decide to keep my mouth shut and offer him some goodies, but he kindly refuses them.
I like Kyle already. It is easy to talk to him. He asks me about school, friends, and even my boyfriend which I answer honestly, and when I tell him that it was my birthday an hour ago, he becomes so surprised and wishes me a happy belated birthday.
“So, have you started preparing also for your Matric dance?” He asks after I hinted at it.
“No, I lost interest,” I tell him.
“Why. I thought all girls wouldn’t miss it for the world,”
I just shrug, not even wanting to talk about it, but Kyle has a sweet face so I will tell him.
“Mom was supposed to be there on that day; she was supposed to be part of it, but how do I go on with it when she is no longer there?”
“Ey, ya!” He runs his hand on his face. “Big boss’s wife. He loved her, and even though he barely shows any emotions, we can all see that he is missing something, and he is hurting,”
I raise an eyebrow at him. We are probably not talking about my stepdad, are we? I never saw what he is talking about. That man goes on with his life like he did not lose someone he loved.
“But hey, I think you should go. It only comes once, and to be honest, you will regret it for the rest of your life if you don’t. Maybe this is what your mother would want you to do since you are saying she was supposed to be part of it but think of it this way; you loved her, and she loved you. She will always be in your heart, so even if she cannot be there for you or with you physically, she will be there with you by spirit because she is always in your heart. You are carrying her everywhere you go,”
Wow, not that I am looking down on Kyle or anything like that, but I did not expect to hear these words from a guy like him. I truly appreciate those words, and they made me feel so much better.
“Thank you, Kyle. I didn’t know I needed to hear those words until you said them… thank you,”
“It’s alright, princess. I just want you to make the right decision, that’s all,”
“But, I won’t have a date. My boyfriend dumped me,”
“That is his loss, not yours. You can go alone, and you surely will find a better boyfriend,” He winks at me. He always has something nice to say, and I like how comfortable he makes me feel.
I look at him and stare into his blue steel grey eyes, and he stares back at me and a cocky smile creeps out on his lips. I quickly dart my eyes down and blush.
“I am tired now. Would you like some coffee before I go to sleep?” I ask. I noticed there is coffee and as much as I would like some too, I really want to go to sleep.
“I would love some, please,” He says.
After making him coffee, I walk back to the lounge and place the coaster on the glass coffee table before I put the coffee on top of it.
“It’s hot,” I warn him.
“Just as it is supposed to be, princess. Thank you, but I have to ask how much sugar you put in it?” Oops! I forgot to ask him.
“Three?” I question my answer too. He chuckles and shrugs.
“That’s okay, but I normally drink one and a half,”
“I can go and make you another one,” I offer, but he kindly refuses.
“Go and have your sleep. I will be alright, Princess, thank you.”
As I walk past him, my clumsiness causes me to trip and almost fall, but Kyle is quick enough to catch me. I hold on to him, and I realise that my face is very close to his, and his breath reeking of strong whiskey fans all over my face. I close my eyes and zone out in his warm arms like a princess waiting to be kissed by her prince.
“Princess,” He whispers as his hand slides on my back.
Oh my, my, my. What is about to happen?
Aksara