Grand. - Episode 9

Showed His Face

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Present Day 

15th February 2017

Wenesday evening 

Miss Cherry's

We sit side by side. Yasmin has instructed her driver to pick her up at my place at seven. 

"Do they know?"

She has been gazing out of the window all this while having this lost look on her face. 

"Who?"

"Sarah, Suzie and Samara."

I notice she is the only one whose name does not start with the letter s.

"No." She says bluntly then stares vacantly into space. 

"Why? I mean will you tell them? They are practically your best friends and are supposed to support you in such kind of mess. "

She shrugs.

"I don't know . I feel like they are not the right people to tell. I wonder how they will react when this finally blow open."

"Duuh, they are your best friends and are supposed to support you no matter what."

"Tell that to Sidney."

"Sidney, who is Sidney."

"Never mind." She turns and look out of the window.

I can't pry much deeper at the moment. The bus pulls at my place

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. Miss.Cherry's house is just next to James' place. We cross over together. The smell of lavender and roses mixed in the atmosphere bringing a note of tranquillity and homeliness around Miss Cherry's place. We round back and sure enough Miss.Cherry is there tending her vegetable garden. She doesn't believe in buying groceries from the stores. Says alot of chemicals has been used to make those veggies. 

"Hey you cute little thing." Her face lits up when she see's me.

"Hey Miss.Cherry."

"How was school?"

"School was fine."

"Who is your friend?"

"Oh yeah..Miss.Cherry this is Yasmin. We go to school together. We were hoping we could take a little of your time. Can we go inside?"

"Sure, anything for you my dear. We could munch on some cookies i made this morning."

"That would be great. Am starving." She sheds off her gloves and we all head into her house.

 

*******

Johnson's Bungalow

At around 7:00 pm we leave Mrs.Cherry's compound. Yasmin bids me goodbye and goes home driven by her Chauffeur. I cross and open our gate. I can see dad's car parked on the driveway. I had texted him earlier to tell him i will be helping Miss. Cherry with some work in her house. I open the front door and my nose is met by the smell of chicken. My dad is a great chef. My mouth waters as i try to imagine what will be accompanying the chicken stew. 

I head for the kitchen.

"Hey dad, am home. Smell good in here. What's  cooking?"

He is standing by the kitchen table stirring soup, a kitchen towel strung over one of his shoulders.

"Chicken stew and chapati. Go get ready for dinner. I hope your day at school was great." 

"It was." I say as i head out for my room. 

I place my bagpack on top of the bed without switching on the lights. As i make my way to the switch, i feel a soft warm hand over my mouth and another one grops my waist. My nostrils are suddenly engulfed in a lemon-vanilla smell.

"It's me Penny, don't be startled."

I switch on the lights. His hands is still over my mouth and waist.  He must be unsure of what i will do. I recognise his voice alright. He releases me then goes and stand by the window. I sink on my bed. Looking at him i notice his legs are slightly bowed having an overall effect on his body posture. Its a good one.

"Where have you been Lloyd? Do you know how worried sick i have been?"

"I know Penny am sorry." He says in a gentle and calm manner. I bit my lower lip. I am relieved that he is okay and has finally decided to show his rich face in my room. 

"How did you get in here?"

"Your window, you always leave it open."

"Always, have you been watching me?" I ask concorting my face in disapproval. 

"Relax Penny..not like that. I have been meaning to talk to you since Sartuday.  I came here always but never got the courage to knock at your front door. Today i came in through the window even before you dad came from work. I've been waiting since.

A blanket of silence settles in between us. 

"Have your parents tried contacting you?"

"No."

"Did they kill that woman found in the Lake?"

He turns around having a confused expression on his face. 

"What woman? What are talking about Penelope?" He edges closer to where am sitting. 

He clearly doesn't know or he is just so good at faking it.

"Where have you been?"

"I went to my brother's place in Raven."

He has a brother? Everyone in Grande knows the Erickson's has one kid.

"A woman's body was found in L.Grande on Srtuday. A day after your parents eloped. This can't be a coincidence."

"Penny i know my parents. They wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Did you know your parents would flee and leave you behind?"

"No."

"So how sure are you they did not kill her and throw her body on the lake, only that they knew it was shallow and it was only a matter of time before it was discovered so they fled."

His large brown eyes look at me fiercely then a lone tear leaves his eye. I stand up and hug him instinctively.

"Am sorry Lloyd, i didn't mean to hurt you."

Realizing what i just did i quickly break the embrace and cower back to my reserved politeness corner.

"I don't know what is going on Penny. Please help me figure this out."

"Do you know of a Hazel Grace?"

"Nope..why?"

"She most likely is the woman whose body was discovered in the lake. Finding who she is may hold your key to unlock the mystery behind your parents fleeing the country.

He sinks on the bed beside me bathing the air around us in his scent. He is rubbing both his eyes with his thumb and middle finger. I can't help but continue interogatting him.

"Has the police contacted you yet?"

"Yeah yeah. They came at my place on Sartuday. I haven't been watching the news or anything. When i am stressed i sleep alot." He then lies on his back and i follow suit.

"What did they want to know?"

"Basically where my parents had gone."

"And you said..."

"The truth. That i don't know. My Parents left two notes. One concerning the money and another saying. Honey we are sorry to do this but you will be fine. Eddy will take care of you. We are not sure when we will back. Take care. We love you."

The way he mimicks her mum's voice is hilarious yet so exact. 

"Eddy is your brother."

He nods.

"Leaving two notes was a smart move on their part. You dodged a bullet."

"I geuss." He responds.

My dad opens the door and i sit up startled. 

"Who are you talking to? He asks scanning my room.

I look beside me and Lloyd isn't there only my phone.

"Was watching some videos on YouTube then Janey called. Must be the voices you heard." I respond waving my phone in the air.

"Oooh ..okay.. dinner is ready and you are not ready."

"I'll be there in a minute dad."

"You have five." He says while closing the door behind him.

I let out a sigh of relief. Lloyd appears from the other side of my bed.

"When did you..you know..roll over."

"I heard him coming. Happens alot of times when am over at Sarah's place." He pauses letting out a sigh then continues. "I need a place to crash Penny. I can't go back to Raven now and the police made it clear that our house is out of bounds. I dont want to be there anyway."

"But you cant stay here Lloyd..my father..."

"Please Penny.."

I totally understand why everyone in highschool has their dream date as Lloyd Erickson. 

"I need you to be absolutely quietly." I tell him while grabbing my clothes from the closet then heads  into the bathroom. I come back to find he has headphones on and is watching a movie on my laptop. He removes them and pause the movie when he sees me. 

"Have you eaten?"

He shakes his head.

"Will be back." I say heading out.

 

*****

Sleeping in the same bed with the most gorgeous male in high school is not an easy task. My bed is an huge one. There is room to fill two people comfortably between us. I try to close my eyes and catch some sleep. All i can think of is on top of my bed i have Lloyd and under him his 10 million dollars. Am lucky he didn't see it when he hid from my father. This is fascinating and scary at the same time. I turn and lie on my back facing the ceilings. From the movement on the other side i know Lloyd is awake too.

"When will you be back to Lionsdale?"

"I don't know. Maybe i will go stay with Eddy. Can't stay here.."

"But you can..." 

Hit pause. I don't know why i just said that but i honestly don't want him going to Raven.

"You could stay with me and my dad until the storm clears out."

Pause.. pause Penny. I also don't know why i suggested this right here. It seems like Lloyd has  the power to will me protect him.

"You father would not agree to that." Lloyd says.

"Trying wont hurt."

"Okay."

He turns and he is facing me now. I also turn to face him.

Read " Imagine Mountains " by the same author ( DORSILA ANYANGO )

. I can mentally trace the outline of his face in the dark. Sarah would drain me in a toilet if he knew i shared the same room with her boyfriend let alone a bed. Which brings me to the thought. Why has Sarah been skipping school?

"Has Sarah been with you in Raven." I suddenly ask.

"No. I haven't talked to Sarah since last week. Why do you ask?"

"She cut school Monday and hasn't been back since. Thought she was with you."

"No. Maybe she had her own reasons."

"Yea. Maybe." 

We fall back to silence. 

I can hear Lloyd breathing slowing down. He must have fallen asleep.

 

******

Author's note.

Thanks all for reading. Hope you really enjoying this book. 

Ani Ohev otha/otah (Love y'all)

Till next time.

Lehitraot(Bye.)

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