When A Man Wants - Episode 5

 

VINCENT'S POV

The elevator  dinged  and as it opened slowly, we stepped into what could have been the biggest gallery that I have ever seen even in my past life.

“Wow!” I heard Lisa say under her breath as we stepped out of the elevator on to the marble floor or should I say transparent. We could see right under us, I mean we could see everything happening in the floor beneath us . There was another gallery like this as well. There were many people just as there was in here. It was like it was just opened as there was paparazzi and several camera shots here and there.

The space in the room could accommodate more than twenty thousand people at once, it was that big. There were several clusters of people infront of each art work. There were art works hanging on the wall and those positioned on the floor.

“Oh my God! This is so beautiful, I think I need a drink..”  Lisa panted, there was a waiter behind us so she grabbed a cup on her tray but soon realized it was an art work and the waiter was just a statue.

“Oh my God!” This is unbelievable!” She screamed, putting the cup back. “So how can someone get a drink in here?”

I almost laughed at her predicament but I signaled to a ‘living’ waiter whom I just spotted and she came over.

“Thanks Vincent

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/when-a-man-wants

. I almost had a stroke.” She said after drinking to her satisfaction. Then we began to walk forward  down the aisle.

“This is something else! The last time I was here, you were badly injured and the place was ablaze and now few years later, it has become the Lyon’s den”

I frowned at her to explain that expression.

“Well, let me bring you up to speed about the 31st century dude. The Lyon rules everywhere now. I mean this guy is just the Lord of arts! He has everything. All the best paintings in Africa and among the best ten’s in the world are his. They call him the future of art. He is an icon. People study him even as a subject in the class, you can imagine. But the mystery is, you wouldn’t know him , he prefers a low key life, he could buy a thousand jet and prefers to fly in an economy class, I don’t just understand that part. I have never seen him before but I sure do not like him.”

Paintings…arts….this place….seeing all these make me feel such a rush that I cannot even explain.

I signaled to her as to why she doesn’t like him.

“There’s a rumor that he steals credits for works that other people do , I mean, no one has actually seen him paint, if you know what I mean,”

I gasped. Well….

“”But that may be untrue.” She continued. “Even if its not, I do not like him, at all and I can tell that you are no more listening to me…”

Well, she was right, I wasn’t. I was looking at the painting by my right hand. It was so alive, a modernized oil on canvass coupled with technology making the art seem like a living thing. It was the eyes of a beautiful woman…..her brows were furrowed and the criss-cross on her skin was made with the perfect blend of rich colors….I could imagine how the artist must have painted it….the pupils on the wall were dilating ……like a flow of water, so the brush would have to be in this position….

“What are you doing?”

Lisa’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts and that was when I realized that I was holding my hand up, as if I was trying to paint an invincible picture  in the air.

“People are looking at you, stop that! We don’t wanna cause any attention. You know we came without an invite and we still haven’t found….oh…hi…please can you help us?”

I watched as she shifted her attention from me to a woman who was dressed like one of the guides of the place.

“You are a guide right?” Lisa asked with a smile and the lady nodded, returning the friendly smile.

“I am Rosa, how may I help you?”

“Please, out of curiosity, when was this gallery built?”

“It was completed last year 2nd of August and the opening is today.” She replied.

“Okay thank you. Was Lyon the owner of the building that was there before? The one that burnt down?”

The lady looked at us as if we were both crazy.”I’m sorry. I don’t know about that. Excuse me.” Then she left.

Lisa sighed. “Something is off about this place. I mean, I found you here. I couldn’t have mistaken that….” Just then her phone began to ring and she excused herself.

I sighed, if I was found by her then something had brought me here and…..I felt someone pulling my arm. Looking down , I was surprised to see the little boy in the plane. He was dressed up in suits and shiny shoes and his hair was all curled up, he looked so cute, I couldn’t help but bend down and played with his little hands.

We weren’t talking, we were just smiling at each other.

“What! I cannot believe that this boy is here again!” Lisa snapped at us as she approached us. “IS this boy some kind of a wandering spirit?”

She then bent down to join us. “Hey, little man, what do you want? Where are your mummy and daddy?”

The boy instead frowned at her and dipped a finger into his left ear.

“Look, you need to let this boy go , okay? I do not know why you both keep meeting. I am so sure its an evil plan to get you to jail and I will not be saving you from jail! “

I scoffed. She worries too much but she has a point. Why do we keep meeting and why am I so fond of this boy who is now looking at me and smiling and doesn’t he talk too?

“Oh my God! Freddie! You will give me a heart attack wandering off like that!” Said a lady who was now rushing towards him and turning him to face her. She squatted.

“Do not go wandering like that baby, please. I will die if anything happens to you too!”

I watched as she scolded the boy. It was the same woman on the plane. This time , her hair was all pulled up and pinned at the center of her head. A pair of diamond glittered on each of her earlobes, she was really beautiful and the expensive gown she wore was sweeping the floor. Even while she bent with her child, there were people taking pictures of her so Lisa pulled me back.

“Let’s get out of here before they think we are kidnappers…”

Eventhough I wanted to stay so badly, I knew she was right so we turned and we began to leave….

“Hey! Excuse me.”

Lisa scoffed as the lady called out to us so we stopped.

“Now what?” Lisa said, rolling her eyes.

The lady walked towards us and that was when I could really see her. Her emotions were not easily hidden on her innocent face. Her guilt was evident in the crease of her lovely eye brow and the down curve of her lips.

Read " Returned " by the same author ( Tobi Loba )

. But…her eye, those eyes showed her soul. They were a deep pool of restless gold, an ocean of hopeless grief. As I looked into her eyes, I knew that all the beauty of the universe cannot even compete with this simple thing….what could sadden this beauty…its like a dent in all of her perfection….i should draw an image of her…..

Okay what did I just think……?

“We haven’t been properly introduced. I am ANika, Anika Lyon.”

Lisa and I exchanged glances.

“You are the Lyon?” Lisa asked, almost like as a statement and she nodded.

II remembered she had said she hated the Lyon’s family or something like that.

“Okay. I am Lisa,he is Vincent and what's the name of our little wanderer?”

Anika smiled . “His name is Freddie and I am so sorry for the last time. My husband can be impatient sometimes.”

“You don’t say.” Lisa blurted but I cautioned her.

“I feel, there is a reason we keep meeting and coming back to the country, we could really make use of some friends…” Anika started….

“Please come to my birthday parry….” The boy whined. Pulling at my shirt but his mother took his hand off of me.

‘Well, he can talk, thank God!” Lisa declared but she cautioned herself seeing my face.

“So, if you don’t mind, we will like to invite you, Freddie will clock six tomorrow.”

I collected the card from her but Lisa yanked it from me, looking at it.

“We will think about it and give you a call. We hope your husband won’t be punching him this time….”

The lady looked more embarrassed so I just quickly stepped in and shook her hand, then the boy;s hand. I signaled that we would come….

“Just you please…not her..I don’t like her….” The boy cried, pointing to Lisa who stuck out her tongue at him. So I just grabbed her and pulled her away, waving at both child and mother…even as I watched them and they both smiled at me…there was a part of me that was eager to see them again….

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Okay..that just happened...what do you think of Lisa? Is she too overprotective and what about the connection between the father and son....I think i like the part where they don't talk and yet connect....well, a birthday party is coming up...who is coming?