Chapter 3 A dream of the past

Diana

**

“Oh my goodness Albert, you startled me,“ I placed my palm on her chest, trying to calm my nerves.

Albert smiled, showing him a smile worthy of a million and I felt my heart skip.

He walked closer to me and placed his hands on my waist, running up and down my curves. “You missed me?“ He asked and I smiled at him before wrapping my arms around his neck.

“Yes. I did,“ I replied.

He leaned forward and kissed me on my lips. “I missed you too. Which is why we will be spending the whole day today,“ he said and my smile widened.

“Are you for real?“ I asked him, wanting to be sure.

“Of course. It’s going to be for you and I alone and that’s a promise because first, I will switch off my phone,“ he said.

He tucked his hands in his back pocket and took out his phone. Right in front of me, he switched it off.

“Shall we?“ He said and I nodded my head with a smile on my face.

He intertwined his fingers with mine before placing a small kiss on mine.

**

I woke up to the ray of the sun reflecting on my face. The moment I opened my eyes, I realized that it was a dream

Why did I have to dream about Albert? Just why?

I touched my cheek to feel that they were wet from my tears. I cried in my sleep and I did not realize it until I woke up.

I looked at the alarm on the nightstand to realize that it was fifteen minutes to six.

“Mummy,“ I heard Ammika call beside me and I turned to look at her.

“Is it morning yet?“ She asked me.

“Yes baby, it’s morning but it’s not bright outside yet,“ I told her and she scooted closer to me before wrapping her arms around me.

“I love you, mummy,“ she said and I smiled.

Ammika and Armani were my strengths. They gave me a reason to live when I wanted to die and leave this cruel world.

******

I thought my eyes must be seeing double when I arrived at work later in the evening.

Albert was seated at that same table he sat at yesterday but this time he had no one seated beside him.

“Thank goodness you are here Diana. Kindly attend to the table over there. He is done eating and I think he wants to pay his bills or order some packed dishes,“ she pointed at the table Albert sat and I mentally fainted.

I feigned a smile at her. “Okay.“

“Now I can go back home, I’m exhausted,“ I heard Rosaline say before she walked away.

I closed my eyes, took in a deep breath, and exhaled. It wasn’t enough that I had to dream about him but now he has come to haunt me in reality too.

Albert raised his head the moment I stood opposite him at the table he sat. A smile formed on his face when he looked at me and it riled me up as I felt as if he was mocking me.

I do not know why I felt that way but I did.

“Good evening sir,“ I greeted politely and in a professional tone.

“You do not have to sound so formal. You can call me by my name,“ he said to me and I furrowed my brows in confusion.

“Do you want to pay your bills or do you want a side dish packed for you so you could take it with you, which is it?“ I asked, ignoring his earlier statement.

I looked away from him, not wanting to meet his eyes, so I looked above his head but I could feel his hot gaze on me.

“I need your best side dishes packed for me so I can take them with me,“ he said.

“Which of the side dishes because I can assure you that we offer the best of our side dishes,“ I replied politely, still refusing to look at him.

“Just get me the one you would get for yourself,“ I said and I felt the urge to roll my eyes at him.

“I am afraid I cannot do that sir. I cannot tell your preference and I cannot get for you what is preferable for me,“ she replied in a calm tone.

“I said, just get me, anyone,“ he said firmly, leaving no room for discussion.

I closed my eyes, inhaled, and exhaled deeply. I refused to be angered by him. If he thought he would get a reaction from me while at work then he was wrong.

I guess the slap yesterday must be why he is trying to infuriate me at work so I would lose my composure and react and then get fired.

I refused to let him and so I smiled at him even when it wasn’t sincere.

“I will do just that,“ I told him before walking away.

I returned a little later with his packed dishes. “Here you go sir,“ I placed the dishes on the table for him.

“Thank you,“ he said but I could care less.

“My bills,“ he said.

I placed his bills for him on the table. “You can go to the counter over there to pay,“ I told him before leaving.

I heaved a sigh of deep relief when I saw Albert leave.

After I closed from work, I changed from my work clothes to my casual clothes and left.

“Diana.“

I heard a familiar voice call my name.

I thought he was gone but I was wrong. I refused to turn around to look at him because I knew it was Albert and I wasn’t going to spare him a minute.

I wonder if he doesn’t understand that I do not want to speak to him and I never want to see his face. I began to run when I realized that he was catching up with me.

“Diana, please wait up. Let’s speak,“ he said from behind me but I refused to stop.

The thunder cried loudly and aggressively, signaling that a heavy downpour was about to grace the earth and I cursed mentally when I realized that I forgot my umbrella at the restaurant.

I felt a hand on me and I knew it was Albert and he had caught up to me.

In anger, I removed my hands from his hold but he held my other hand with his other hand and I pulled my hands away from him again.

“Just what do you want from me!“ I exclaimed in anger.