THE GOSSIPMONGER FRIEND

"Hello. Please sit."


"Thank you. Good morning!" She grunts as she slumps to the swivel chair across me.

"So, how was the week in my absence? Did everything go well?" I ask as I open my computer.

"Absolutely, ma'am. Here is the hand-copied report. I emailed you the soft copy." She hands me the copies.


"Okay. I will go through it. Meanwhile, please mobilize the team for a brief meeting in the afternoon. We have a few things to discuss concerning our new tasks," I say.

"Okay. I will do that right away. What time will the meeting be?"


"Aah, 3 p.m," I say.

"Noted."

"Great. That will be all," I say with a gentle nod.

"Alright. I'll take my leave now. Good day, ma'am!"

"Good day, and, Mirabel?"

She turns to me. "Yes?"

"Thank you for taking care of things and the team while I was away. You did a commendable job."

"I must admit it was pressure at first, but I didn't want to let you down. I had to employ your bravery and courage to manage. I'm glad I didn't fail you," she responds with so much enthusiasm.

"You did awesomely great. Congratulations," I say genuinely.

"I am honored. Thank you. I'll leave you to work now."

"Okay."

Well, seems like fate is finally smiling at me, huh! Everything is looking just so bright. And my special with Damian tonight will even makes things brighter. Yahallah!


Later in the evening!

"Are you sure you don't want to join us? It is just me and Grace," I ask Damian as he parks in front of my coffee shop, hoping to share a moment of warmth and camaraderie amidst the cozy ambiance.

But as I glance at him, I can't shake the feeling that something is amiss. His usual vibrant energy seems dimmed, replaced by a weariness that tugs at my heartstrings. He looks exhausted, burdened by some invisible weight that hangs heavy on his shoulders.

"I am sorry. We can do this some other time, babe, please," he pleads softly, his voice tinged with a hint of resignation.

"It is alright. Are you okay, though? Will you be okay?" I inquire, concern lacing my words as I reach out to him.

He gives me a weak, reassuring smile that betrays the beauty that his genuine smile brings about. "I will. I will just wait for you in our house," he assures me, attempting a smile that falls short of genuine persuasion.

Whatever demons he is wrestling with and whatever fears he is keeping hidden, I vow to unravel them tonight. Because seeing him like this, distant and unsettled, is something I simply can't bear. It seems like what he wants to tell me tonight is so deep, and I am willing to listen to it all and offer him the solace that he needs.

Our house! Oh, how sweet that sounds. "Which one particularly? Yours or mine?" I asked just to be sure.

"Yours," he says.

"Okay. Drive safe," I say as I grab my purse. "Would you mind if I leave the rest of my stuff here?" I ask.

I don't need to drag my laptop and the pair of heels inside, and since he is going to my condo, sorry, our condo, it wouldn't hurt if he helped me with them, right? "Of course not. Give me a call when you are done. I will pick you up," he says.

My! I adore his caring side, but that will be too much. "No, don't worry. I will just meet you there. I am not planning on staying for too long since they are about to close anyway. The weather doesn't look too good," I respond.

"Alright then. Take care and say hi to Grace for me," he says, leaning in for a goodbye miss.

"Okay. Bye."

As I step out of the car, Damian blows me a kiss before driving off, his forced smile not escaping my notice. I return the gesture with a smile of my own, but it quickly fades when I realize that my ever-watchful friend has been eavesdropping on us.

I shoot her a playful glare, but deep inside, I can't help but feel a twinge of annoyance. Can't I really admire my knight in shining armor in peace without her trying to meddle?

I sigh inwardly, reminding myself why she is still my best friend despite her penchant for gossip. She may drive me crazy at times, but she is also the only female friend I have in this entire vast borough of Mombasa. And despite her flaws, I wouldn't trade her for the world.

But at times she is just... annoying! Not always, though, but most of the time, she is! Like now, why did she have to sneak out here and eavesdrop on us?

Sigh!

Ahem!

"So..." Grace begins, her tone teasing and playful, but I cut her off before she can delve further.

"So, you were eavesdropping on us?" I interject, my annoyance evident in my voice.

"I just wanted to check why the street lamps are illuminating more brightly today. It seems we have an additional lump," she retorts, her words dripping with sarcasm, and I can't help but roll my eyes at her feeble attempt to cover up her snooping. It is not even like she is trying to hide the fact that she was listening to my conversation with Damian.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" I ask, my irritation growing with each passing moment.

"You!" she inches closer, her eyes scanning all over my face. 'Your face is glistening with redness. Love is really taking a long one on you, huh? Damian Almeda is all over your face," she observes, her tone teasing but her words hitting a nerve.

I am glad she observed that right. And she did not have to go all around the circle just to spit out the obvious. Sigh! "Yeah, so what?" I reply defiantly, refusing to let her playful banter get under my skin. But deep down, I can't deny the truth in her words. Damian has indeed left his mark on me, and I wear it proudly for all to see. I am not hiding it, nor am I ashamed to admit it. "I still don't know how I am able to stick with you for this long. You are annoying," I mumble and brush past her as I tap my feet to the ground.