HER GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT

Chapter 13: Target acquired

From ATHEWI groundbreaking ceremony Dave led the Calvary to Club clove. The drinks were on him. Three different cars pulled over into the parking lot. Three handsome young men and three beautiful young women alighted and went straight to the VIP lounge. Music was blazing the speakers. Booming latest hip hop music. Kyla was there too. She kept stealing glances at Dave as he served the drinks. Dave always knew his place, he kissed his job. He was the kind of gentleman she wanted but she was afraid of the past. She was the perfect example of Taylor swifts 2014 "Shake it off" hit. A line in that song usually described her best. Something about going on too many dates but not being able to make them stay. Kyla was smart. A celebrity and a city treasure her music had changed people's lives.

Almost every man would have wanted to be with her whether a fellow celebrity or a common hustler struggling to make ends meet. But being in love with Kyla had its unintended consequences. Something always happened to be wrong with her after they had s*x. Others claimed she was on the lookout by paparazzi every time and they didn't like media attention. Some claimed they couldn't meet her luxurious lifestyle. What captured her attention most was about wealth. There was one who argued it was very unrealistic to marry a woman who was earning more than him. So she had decided to shut them all out. Till then she had not gone on a date with a man for over two months. It might sound like a very short Manageable period but for a celebrity like her staying away from men for that long was not easy. Even her social media had no male in her photos. Then the trolls started. It all started when a fan welcomed her to a feminist online group for ditching men. There were arguments. She was asked if she was really a feminist in interviews. It was a tough question and she was a public figure but she answered it smartly.

"We should start thinking outside the box. A feminist is just a title all that matters is what am I doing to bridge this gap between the two genders"

That’s how she squashed the whole speculation. But the guns were hungry for more. They could not be satisfied. Someone else came up with an idea that she was avoiding men because she was into women. Another conundrum. A tough one at a time when the church, human rights organizations and the government were debating over legalizing same s*x marriages. Her parents had advised her to quit music over that debate and fans wanted an explanation. Even an old picture of her and one of her exes was not enough. She came up with an answer for the keyboard warriors. She wrote on her Twitter account;

"Am not into women. I have never been. I was raised in a Christian background the Bible is our main source of consultation. But that does not necessarily mean that I hate or don't like those women who are into women or men who are into men it's their choice and they are human beings like me. At the end of the day it's only God who can judge us. We're only human we should let God do his job"

Now she had her eyesight on someone she really wanted. All her previous relationships they wanted her. Forced themselves on her and left. She was now going against the Wind. Kyla was going for what she wanted. But something was holding her back. He was a bar tender. She was not worried about her image no. To her love didn't know boundaries just like music. She was worried about him saying no. Which he had all the reasons for. She was a celebrity most of the time on tour earned more money than him then there was the paparazzi. They were already in the club waiting to see who she was going to hang out with. Kyla’s performance at the ATHEWI foundation groundbreaking ceremony was already trending on all platforms. Some more juice could spike her popularity but not do the expense of someone she really wanted. Desperation however, brings confidence. Like a toddler Kyla made her first step.

"Hey can I have a selfie with you?" She asked politely.

"Wait you kidding right? I mean shouldn’t I be the one asking... Sorry begging for a selfie with you?" Dave asked surprised.

"Am trying to go against the wind here", Kyla said flashing a big warm smile. She tucked her air looking shy.

And Dave noticed. A selfie couldn't do any harm. Besides his boss was his best friend and was also busy taking shots with James and the girls.

"Okay I really admire your humility and courage just one and am gone", He said leaning in for the selfie.

She took several of them. Then straight she went to her i********: account uploaded one of the clear pictures taken on her sleek iPhone 11. Dave was waiting to check how they were when he realized what she was up to.

"Hold up! What are you doing?" Dave asked.

"Posting you got a problem?" Kyla replied with a question busy typing the caption with a special ATHEWI hash tag.

"No I mean am a bar tender", Dave said confidently.

"What if am into bar tenders now who's your boss?" she asked clicking the post icon.

It was too late for save to run away from fame. The next thing that followed was his phone beeping with friend requests. New followers on twitter and i********:. He had to switch off his phone. The five minutes of fame were already too much for him.

"Please don't tell him I was reluctant with the photo thing", Dave begged pocketing his phone.

"Am not snitching on you silly, I want to relieve you for the night and have a drink or two just me and you", she said rubbing her stick on nails on his mentum.

"That guy over there. In a red suit", He said pointing at Nick.

"Nick! He owns this club?"

"Yes, should I get him for you?"

“No I'll just text him stay here", She Said on realizing Dave was restless.

They saw Nick check his phone and he immediately excused himself walking towards their table. Dave thought Kyla was using him to get to nick but he brushed off the thought when he realized she had his number.

"What's up K my boy here causing any trouble? I just saw your post it looks otherwise" Nick asked taking a seat opposite to hers.

"No as a matter of fact I wanted to personally ask you if he can seat with me for the rest of the night", Kyla said looking at Dave who was looking relieved.

"You got it K see you around. Dude call in someone to take your place. You two have fun", Nick said walking away.

That's how Dave landed a date with a celebrity. Good things take time and patience. Since the false r**e accusation he had never opted to look for love. It came knocking and he was willing to open it was time he gave someone access to his dern life. They sat there drinking and talking. Happy to find each other and hoping they were both the final chapter for each other. That's what hope does to us. Mark says it f***s us. The moment we meet someone we start picturing ourselves with them for some years to come without creating room for disappointments. And the two were not an exception. Meant for each other everyone thought so but nature does not forgive or its just humans and the internet who don't forget. Either way Mother Nature was going to dig up the past like it never had and father time was ticking.

"I see you've sealed a marriage already father nick", Tania teased the whole group staring at Dave and Kyla.

"Yeah some puppy love connection between the two it's just for a night I think", Nick said getting on the comfy VIP coach. A round glass table at the middle with all kinds of drinks.

"It might go somewhere dude give it a chance right baby?” James asked his arm around Anita's shoulders.

She looked gloomy the whole evening and she also did not want to leave her man in the hands of Linda. Playing cop for a grown ass man was not easy but again, the end should justify the means right? Maybe. He was worth it.

"Yeah love can grow", Anita said cheerfully.

"Exactly hunny!" Tania said happily.

"Don't forget it can so grow for long but never get harvested", Linda joined in.

"Then it should die", Anita said smiling.

James and Nick were in the dark. None of them was good at riddles especially from the girls. But lucky for them Linda had shed some light to Tania about a longtime childhood crush she had on James. So she orchestrated a plan to leave Nick and the girls then steal James away for a little confidential chit chat. Anita didn't like any of it. Neither staying behind nor James walking away with Tania for a refill when the club had waitresses made her happy. She wasn't going to solve anything. James was hers alone. The egocentric learned Linda was trying to steal him away from her and someone told her they met when he went for community service. James said nothing about it maybe if she brought up the topic then he could have wanted to know about the community service that ended with her being given a special tour around the Reverends mansion.

"You got to sort this issue out", Tania said as they got to the wine cellar.

"Which issue?" James asked checking out the different brands of wine.

"Linda and Anita those two might kill each other", Tania teased.

"My girlfriend and my best friend you pissing on my back... "

"Am not trying to convince you it's raining.... It's raining"

"Enlighten me"

"Linda is into you, congratulations you're the last one to know!" Tania said walking away.

It was a shocker. He had treated Linda as sister for long. Any s****l acts between them never crossed his mind. Not even once. Tania had dropped the bomb at the worst of times. Now he didn't know how to face her. How to face any of them. James did what he had to do. He texted Anita to meet him outside. For the first time he couldn't face his friend. But at heart he was glad she felt the same way. He was hoping she did and for a long time. Longer than he could remember. The two did not have to conceal their love any longer. They were free to love each other like normal people, his next target was acquired.

“You are not going to say goodbye to them are you?” Anita asked when she found him waiting outside leaning on his car.

At heart she was really happy James wanted them to leave. She didn’t know how long she could have put on that show of pretending to be comfortable when she was not.

“They don’t need us besides I really want to be home right now” He said getting the door for her.

Anita made herself comfortable as James went round to the driver’s seat. He keyed in the ignition and roared the engine to life, swerved the car from the parking lot and drove the car past the black entrance. The neon lights made the roads clear and colorful.

“Okay, get us home I have something for you”, Anita said avoiding eye contact.

“Am I getting laid?” Asked James looking at her.

“Eyes on the road don’t get us killed”

“Am sorry mum” James said happily.

As he drove she leaned on him and slept on his shoulder. He couldn’t imagine how much she loved him and how much he was not sure if he loved her the same. With Linda in the picture, his priorities had changed.