The world according to Rael.

Rael could not dare tell Priscilla about the text exchange she had just had with Steve on the phone. It had taken her a while to believe that those words had come from him. She understood his anger the first time because he had caught her with another man but this time, his behavior was totally uncalled for. She even found herself shedding some tears because truth be told, he liked Steve. As she got into the bathroom, her biggest concern was that he had said he will find them and cause mayhem. She knew he could easily track them if he wanted to. She had threatened him that she will report him to the wife and claim that he was still pursuing her if he did not stop his nonsense. She hoped that would scare him and keep him away. She did not want any trouble with Allan bearing in my mind that he was a client. As soon as she got out of the shower, her sister noted her change of attitude.

“What’s up? Who have you been fighting with in the shower?

“I have a bad headache. I think it’s a hangover.”

“I thought a shower is supposed to make you feel better. Sorry. I have some mara moja tablets in my handbag. Swallow a pair and if it does not get better, we fight fire with fire. Take some shots of the remaining drinks.”

“I think I will start with the shots”

“Hahaha! I thought so. Let me take a quick shower. Please do not call Steve while I’m gone.”

“Who is that?”

Allan called her while she was dressing up and asked if they would like to have their breakfast in their room then join him later or if they would join him for breakfast.

“I think we will join you. My sister is craving for some meat. I don’t know if she will manage to get some.”

“Right now she can get some nice soup then I can organize to have some meat prepared for her. Hangover must be killing her.”

“This one never suffers from hangovers. She has not even slept. I think she just wants it to ensure she can have more alcohol if she needs to.”

“Oh, alright. Dress up then let me know so that I can come for you guys.”

“We should be done in the next 15 minutes.”

Allan was at their door after exactly fifteen minutes and took them to have breakfast. There were other two gentlemen who Allan introduced as his business partners. They had breakfast over some small talk and once they were done, he told his partners that Rael would be the one handling their businesses at the PR firm.

“Is she as good and as discreet as Collins.”

“From what I have been told, she is very good and the background checks indicated that she has experience in handling sensitive customers.”

Rael wondered why a bar business would need one to be discreet. She was relieved when Priscilla excused herself from the room claiming to be going for a small walk. Knowing her sister, she knew she was itching to ask a lot of questions but was holding herself because it was work related.

“I know you have a lot of questions but you will have them all answered. We have lots of businesses and most of them are highly competitive to the point it can get dangerous. We thus keep most of our details and deals private and only allow the most trustworthy people inside.”

“I honestly do not know what you deal with but privacy is one of the most important aspect of our job. Whether you ask me or not, I am required to keep a client’s details private unless they request that I do reveal them.”

“Good. I am going to see off my partners and then I come we sit down and talk. I want to know more about you away from your sister.”

“Hahahaha! I am an open book. What you see is what you get.”

“Lies. We all have layers of personalities and only reveal them when need be or when we feel secure enough.”

“You sound like my therapist.”

“You go for therapy…. There must be an interesting story behind that. Kenyans don’t just go for therapy for the sake of it. Hold that defensive thought. I will be back shortly.”

Rael wished she had carried her laptop with her. She desperately wanted to see if she could retrieve Allan’s company profile. She was getting really curious. Texting any of her colleagues would raise eyebrows. Also, if indeed the company insisted on privacy, then most likely no one would know much about it. A lot of people wanted to be given Collins’ clients and her asking about one or being seen with one would be deemed as soliciting for clients and that would bring a lot of drama in the office. She wished she was close to Elizabeth because she definitely knew about them. She was getting to learn a lot about Collins and the biggest lesson of them all was that he was very secretive. He had a lot of private clients, his private life was very private and he managed to juggle lots of women without them fighting. He thoughts were interrupted by Allan’s voice.

“Can you share what is on your mind?”

“Nothing much. I was just thinking about Collins. I would have probably never met you if he did not pass on.”

“Collins was such a brilliant chap. I honestly have never met anyone with a mind like his. I just wished he shared some of the troubles he was going through. I might have helped. His death shook me. I have lost a dear friend.”

“I was equally shook as well. I am yet to come in terms with the fact that he is gone. We were not what I would call close friends and we fought quite a lot but when we got together for work projects or brain storming sessions, no one could beat us. We were quite a force to reckon with.”

“So I was told. I was really curious to meet you. The only other person whose name came up when I asked for a recommendation was Asha and it did not even last a moment because what we do and her religious beliefs would totally clash.”

“Ala! Do you smuggle drugs or people kwani?”

“Alcohol is a drug and we sell them so yeah. So tell me about yourself Rael. Any boyfriend?”

“I thought with all the background checks you have done, that would have been the easiest on to find about.”

“Touche! That is a good one. I honestly would have found out if I wanted to but since you had been cleared as a good person, I did not want to go there. I also would have been jealous. You are very beautiful and intelligent. I like you a lot.

“Says a man who wants totally nothing to do with commitment.”

“That does not stop me from liking you. What I just cannot promise you is any form of commitment”

“How does that go?”

“Same shit as dating a married man. Have fun, have good sex and I take care of you probably better than the one in your life right now.”

“I knew you knew more about me than you were letting on.”

“I did not but your boyfriend came to my premise to cause mayhem because he wanted to be told where you were. He apparently tracked you.”

“Oh my God I am so sorry. Where is he now? This is embarrassing. I am sorry.”

“I would have actually allowed him to see you but he was very abusive and once the background checks indicated that he was married, I called his cop wife on him. The wife wanted to see you by the way”

“Good Lord. This is so embarrassing. I am sure the wife would have killed me if you had let her.”

“No worries. You must be really good for a man to track and follow you to the point he does not care for his marriage or dignity.”

“I really do not know about that. I like him and I think that made me stupid.”

“This is honestly one of the reasons why I cannot commit. I would rather spend sleepless nights looking for money rather than falling in love then end up in therapy.”

“I see your point now. Would you want children in future?”

“I don’t think I can be a good father let alone allow a tiny human around me all the time. The best I can do is get the kid and the mum a house far away from me and I probably get to visit during the kid’s birthday. This would be very unfair so I would rather not have any kid at all. I am sure you want kids.”

“Not at this point in my life. I have not made up my mind like you but for now, I do not want kids.”

“Good”