Mdachi stepped out of the apartment and closed the door behind him.
"Hey, Dachi," Anita called from ahead.
"Yeah," Mdachi answered, flipping his attention to her.
"You didn't quite say where Edward went."
"Oh, yeah," Mdachi admitted lightly. He started toward the elevator. "Edward went to where he used to sometimes hang out with Hallington."
Anita raised a brow, following behind him.
Mdachi turned and saw the expression on her face.
"By that I mean Eastlands," he clarified.
Anita stopped. "You mean ghetto?" she asked, her face crumpling in sheer disgust.
Mdachi halted and sighed in disappointment. He cast her a look that reflected his setback.
"Why would Edward go there?" Anita grumbled on, thwarting Mdachi from speaking. "I know that Umoja was one of his and Hallington's favourite places to hang, but going there now? Not a good idea. Like, with the looming danger just like you said-"
Mdachi raised a finger. "Perceived," he clarified.
"Okay. Whatever. Perceived."
"Mhm," Mdachi nudged her to continue.
"It's not advisable for him to go there."
"Hm." Mdachi shot her a skeptical look.
"What?"
"Didn't you say your mom has our safety covered?" Mdachi challenged.
Anita sighed. "Of course she does," she affirmed, reaching forward for the upward elevator button. "But we all know that place crawls with all kinds of vilesome and nefarious people. I honestly wonder how Hallington could go and like that place. And if it weren't bad enough, he also had to infect Edward with the heinous disease of liking that place." She wrapped her arms around herself and shuddered. "That place gives me the creeps."
Mdachi glared at her wanton-bred, pompous behaviour.
Oblivious to his reaction, Anita struck his final nerve by imaginatively spitting out in disgust. "Just vile," she condemned, tone full of contempt.
Mdachi's gasket had completely blown.
"I'm so disappointed in you, Nits," his voice came out surprisingly calm. His eyes had softened. "I'm just so disappointed."
The words hadn't really carried so much weight, but they punctured through Anita's heart like a Maasai warrior's heavy spear. She clutched her chest, feeling like the spear had actually gone through it-hurled with a force great enough to take down a gladiator.
Mdachi didn't want to look at her. He stared at the elevator doors as he waited for it to arrive.
Ping!
The doors opened.
A seemingly middle-aged woman, dressed in a nice flowery cotton dress that hung from her shoulders with the help of fashion-point straps, stood elegantly inside. She was frantically shuffling through her Dior-made designer handbag as if she were looking for her life-saving injection before her heart stopped the next minute.
The two friends remained staring at her in silence.
The woman fished out a bunch of keys from the bag. "Uh-huh," she celebrated, "I knew you were here."
She shoved the keys into a side pocket aggressively, as if paying it back for the stress it had cost her, and zipped it shut.
"Ahhh," she let out a breath of rejuvenation, then shook herself up dramatically.
Taking a step forward, she saw two pairs of feet standing right outside the elevator.
She flinched and jumped back in startlement, her eyes slowly tracing from the shoes to the faces of Mdachi and Anita.
She removed her hand from her chest. "Nita?" That's what she normally called Anita.
Anita shrugged with an eye roll. Miss Gweriva always never got her name right. Like was Anita such a difficult name?
Miss Gweriva stepped to the threshold of the elevator. "You guys really gave me the spooks." Her tone and voice were extravagant in that soft, posh manner. "Don't you know people can just be kidnapped after stepping out of the elevator in desolate buildings like this? Didn't you watch Six One, kids?"
Anita groaned internally. She always felt Miss Gweriva was a cliché-trying to cite movies in conversations like the youth did, trying to be funny. It was just so forced in Anita's eyes.
Mdachi meanwhile just stared in mesmerised intrigue. Miss Gweriva was dashing. Her style-point hairstyle-short side lines at the front retreating into a fluffy, radiant black afro cloud that sat softly and warmly around her head-was just plush, letting her hair act as her African crown gracefully.
His gaze drifted downward, scanning Miss Gweriva's dress. It matched beautifully with her hair, her wedge heels, and the designer handbag dangling effortlessly chic from her arm's crook.
Vibrant.
Completely vibrant.
Miss Gweriva reminded Mdachi a bit of his mom, but his mom wasn't elite-like so much; not even usually, anyway.
"Hi, sonny," Miss Gweriva put her hand forth delicately.
She was all smiles.
Mdachi caught the arm in a shake. "Hi, Miss," he greeted politely.
Miss Gweriva turned to Anita. "He's one of your two boyfriends, right?" she asked, pointing at Mdachi.
Mdachi raised his brows.
Anita slapped her forehead lightly and slumped her hand down her face in exhaustion. This was exactly why she didn't like Miss Gweriva. Now Mdachi couldn't blame her.
Miss Gweriva waited patiently for a reply with a smile.
"He's one of my best friends," Anita finally responded.
Miss Gweriva exhaled. "I knew you were striking familiar," she told Mdachi, their hands still held together.
Mdachi smiled. He really didn't know what else to do.
He turned to Anita, silently begging for help with his eyes.
Anita raised her shoulders in indifference and looked away.
"Ohh!" Miss Gweriva exclaimed, pulling her hand back as if the realization suddenly hit her. "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable, sonny," she apologized, placing a hand on Mdachi's shoulder.
She withdrew it and stood more composed and surreal. "But I've been meaning to ask: is your mom the owner of Gema Blooms Corporation?"
Gema Blooms Corporation was the Vitesos' greenhouse family business. It had been recently run by Orwa, Mdachi's father, but when he died, Neema took charge.
"Yeah, she is," Mdachi replied.
"Oh, goodie," Miss Gweriva almost squealed, clapping her hands together.
She reached into her bag and drew out a card. She offered it to Mdachi. "Here, sonny."
Mdachi took it.
"That's my business card. I'm a huge, huge fan of your mom's work. And I so love the orchid you guys produce. I'd like us to partner up and have my hotel get those fresh botanical supplies."
Mdachi flipped the card, still looking at it. He looked up at her. "Hotel?" he asked with a raised brow and puckered lower lip.
"Yes, hotel," Miss Gweriva answered hysterically. "Diamond Stars Hotel. I'm a shareholder there."
"Don't we already have supplies being delivered there?" Mdachi countered.
"Nooo," Miss Gweriva denied quickly. "You must be confusing us with that other Diamond-something-Hotel. You see, sonny, we've actually been trying to collaborate with your mom for a while now, but we haven't been able to get through to her. Maybe the hotels and companies pitching to her for a collab are too many, and ours got forgotten somewhere under the stack? I don't know. That's what I'd like to believe."
"Diamond Stars Hotel is actually such a pristine and well-reputated hotel. Your collab request must have been forgotten in the pile. I'll make sure this gets to her," he said, shaking the card lightly in his hand.
Miss Gweriva's eyes shone with glee. She reached forward and gave Mdachi a brief hug, literally squealing this time.
"Thank you so much, sonny. I'm sorry, I didn't even ask for your name."
"It's okay. I'm Mdachi."
"Good. Mdachi, thank you so much. I'll be waiting for your mom's response. My contacts and everything else you might need are right there," she gestured to the card.
"Okay." Mdachi gave her a warm smile.
"Alright, Miss Gweriva, we need to get going now," Anita grabbed Mdachi by the arm and pressed the elevator button.
"Okay. You go on."
The elevator arrived.
The two stepped in. Mdachi shoved the card into his jacket pocket.
"Have a nice day," Anita waved at her while faking a smile as the door closed.
"You don't like her much," Mdachi said.
Anita didn't respond. She just folded her arms, looking rather exhausted and annoyed.
"Hmm," something sparked in Mdachi's mind. "She said boyfriends earlier." He retained a devilish grin.
"She meant you and Edward. Now zip it about her and let's just go to Edward's house already," she said bluntly, not even turning to face him.
Mdachi let the grin spread. He fought so hard to hold back a laugh.