Web And Dust - CHAPTER 10

"I think she's still upset about the whole stuffs"

Tasmine stood back from the door she had been leaning onto, eavesdropping on the conversation that Cherry and Curtis were engrossed in. They were having some sort of deliberations and kept their voices low. Tasmine couldn't quite make out the other details and she didn't have the time to wait either. She had an appointment to keep and she didn't want to give the impression that she was a latecomer.

At the time she set out, the birds were silently chirping away, the sky clear and promising. She got into the car, given the permission to take it, her cologne leaving trails of fragrance behind her as she flung her bag into the passenger's and got in. She was hoping the meeting with Mr. Harold would yield meaningful result as she hated to waste her precious time. She had a limited knowledge about Mr. Harold because he had never come across her as the outspoken type. He was deeply introverted and seemed to calculate his words carefully before he spoke them.

Tasmine flipped the card in her hand. "11 Momodu avenue, off Yaba road."

She wondered why she had to meet in his hours during working hours. She had expected he'd be in his office this time of the day. She knew he was definitely working in an office e and had probably heard once or twice a reference to the department he oversaw. Was it sales or personnel?

Thankfully, the traffic this morning wasn't hectic as commuters had already gotten to their workplace. Even the traffic wardens were now chatting idly among themselves.

When she arrived in her house, she was surprised it was set in grand style. For someone with his carriage, she had expected he'd have a modest taste, probably a bungalow with three rooms and a car he shared with his wife. What was before her was a complete deviation; a state-of-the-art duplex and a garage that could rival several prominent people's she knew. The latest range rover was sitting with reckless abandon, flanked by a Toyota avensis, the latest model. Like what the heavens? It hadn't even been in the market up to three months

She was shell-shocked as the gatekeeper phoned upstairs seeking to know if he'd fixed an appointment with 'the young lady who said her name was Tasmine'. The man hung the phone and gave her a nod to go ahead. She traipsed her way towards the door trying hard not to look too astonished. When she held onto the handle that would lead her in, which by the way was coated in reach bronze, she wasn't sure what to expect.

The inside still did manage to beat her anticipation. The air was richly scented with what smelled like spice and a flavour she couldn't quite wrap her mind around but was sure she'd perceived before. This was grandeur.

The walls were plastered with marbles the like she'd never seen even in the US. Her feet sunk pleasantly in what she recognised as oriental Persian rug which made her feel like she was gliding through well manicured carpet grass.

Paintings hung on both sides of the wall, depicting ancient times, and would most definitely cost a fortune. One though caught her attention. It was one of a man with lustrous blue eyes that was somewhat feline. There was sadness in her eyes and they seem to gaze beyond her to a place without her mind's grasp. She found herself reaching for it and when her hands found the surface, she allowed her hands to run freely around the eyes.

"That painting never ceases to do the charm."

She freeze at once and withdrew her hands. She had better manners but had just been stunned by the beauty she saw.

"I'm sorry I might have trespassed."

Mr. Harold waved it off as he made his way down the stairs. He still had his nighty pyjamas on and the blue were a good complement to the rich red of the rug. He gestured for her to take her seat on the sofa and took the one opposite her. Tasmine liked that there weren't too close else he would have noticed her unease.

"Would you mind a glass of wine? I know it's a bit early"
"Not at all."
"Alright then." He strolled to the mini bar hid from view by an archway that separated the living room from the dining area. He came back wielding two glasses that held dark liquid half filling them. He passed one to her.

"Your dad always loved that painting too. He literally begged to have it but I can't just let it out of sight. It is the most cherished possession I have that holds memory of my late wife."

She noticed he cringed a little as he said the 'late wife' and she felt genuinely sorry for him.

" I'm sorry to hear about your loss. I know how you must be feeling. "

" Yeah. I know. She was my everything. We had dreams, aspirations that would make a lot of difference. She just..."

Tasmine reached out to hold his hand but he whisked it away before she could touch him. He took a deep breath and sat up straight.

" I didn't call you here so we could reflect on our losses. No, there's more to your coming than that. " Hw stood up and made for a shelf she hadn't seen. It was engraved into the wall behind the front door. It was near impossible to notice it on one's own.

He brought out a folder. It was dull brown in colour and as he approached her, she could see that it had rough edges and most of the pages disentangled. He placed it on the table and sat down again.

"He wanted you to have this, wouldn't want any other to have it. He said it was his little gift to you. He said there was something he had to meaning to tell you but wasn't able to."

She pulled the book towards herself and opened the first page.

"What's mine is yours and what's yours is mine
Just tell me it's okay and I will be fine

She couldn't help it as a tear came rolling down her cheek. She didn't think Mr. Harold would care and so she absentmindedly turned on to the next page. It was here that things got blurry. Instead of words and letters were uneven arrangements of dots, hyphens and slashes. She looked up and saw the anxiety in Mr. Harold's face. He was immediately eager to find out what was written, the hidden messages as much as she was. She kept turning the pages and each and everyone were filled with similar markings.

"Can you make sense of anything there?"
"I don't but I'll definitely try."

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