The Clock Is Ticking – Episode 32

Sequence 32

 

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At seven-thirty, Mattie had just finished setting the table when her phone beeped alerting him of a new message.

 

She yanked her phone from her pocket.

 

‘I am outside,’ read the text

 

‘Coming,’ she responded

 

‘I am downstairs.’

 

‘Why aren’t you just coming up?’

 

‘Come and get me.’

 

‘Chard.’

 

He sent her the smiley face emoji sticking out its tongue.

 

She rolled her eyes and hurriedly walked outside. Chard was leaning against his car when Mattie stepped out.

 

‘You made me come all the way here,’ she frowned ‘It’s good for your health.’ ‘It’s not funny.’

 

‘And who said it’s funny,’ Chard laughed

 

‘You are dramatic.’

 

‘Come here,’ he said

 

She took a step closer and stood in front of him.

 

‘I missed you,’ he said ‘I just wanted to spend a few minutes alone with you before we join the crowd.’

 

‘It’s just mum and my sister, how is that a crowd?’ ‘I would rather just spend time with you alone.’ ‘Let’s run away,’ she said in a serious tone. ‘I would gladly run away with you.’

 

Mattie laughed, ‘You are the most dramatic man I have ever seen.’ ‘So you claim.’

 

‘These aren’t claims and you know it.’

 

‘Dah!’

 

‘Where is Trinny?’

 

‘Trinny is sleeping over at a friend’s house they have a party tomorrow.’

 

‘Trinny loves things.’

 

‘Just like you.’

 

They both laughed before they lapsed into silence.

 

He raised his hands and cupped her face, ‘I missed you.’

 

 

She had missed him too but she didn’t want to make it obvious so she kept quiet. He bent down; she closed her eyes as his mouth descended. The kiss was warm, soft and eager. For several seconds she let him kiss her, he kissed her rubbing his lips against hers until she kissed him back. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed her body against his.

 

He deeply kissed her, thrusting his tongue over and over- tasting her, being tasted, pleasuring and being pleasured. His lips curved into a smile beneath hers when she moaned into his mouth.

 

Eventually they pulled apart both panting from the lack of oxygen and the intensity of the kiss.

 

‘I couldn’t help myself, when I get close to you, I lose my mind.’ ‘Let’s go inside,’ she whispered

 

He nodded and followed her.

 

Chard slapped her butt as she pushed the door open, she turned and glared at him. ‘You have to get used to it, I am your boyfriend now and I will get a little touchy during dinner.’

 

She gave him a warning look, ‘don’t even try it Chard, mum will skin us both alive.’

 

He grinned at her then stuck out his tongue. She shook her head and pushed the door wide. ‘Come in.’

 

She stepped aside to let him in and closed the door.

 

‘This way,’ she said as if it was the first time she was entering the house.

 

Her mother was watching television in the living room.

 

‘Mum, meet my boyfriend Chard,’ she said

 

Her mother looked up at Chard and her eyes widened, the man standing in front of her was handsome and he was smartly dressed. She had expected to meet an old & scruffy man. This man was too good for Mattie.

 

‘Mum!’ Mattie startled her out of her trance.

 

She stood up and smiled slightly and stuck out his hand for him to shake. ‘Uhmm, nice to meet you Chard,’ she said awkwardly

 

Chard shook her hand.

 

‘Where is Christina?’ Mattie asked

 

‘I am here,’ Christina walked into the room while typing on her phone. ‘And this is my youngest sister Christina,’ Mattie said

 

 

Christina looked up at Chard and all the colour drained out of her face, her eyes were wide and her mouth was open as her gazed remained fixated on Chard. She looked liked she had seen a ghost.

 

‘Earth to Christina,’ Mattie waved her hand in her sister’s face.

 

‘You are dating my sister,’ she finally managed to croak out. She was still looking straight at him.

 

‘Yeah,’ he replied wondering why she was eyeing him in such a manner, her face kinda looked familiar to him though.

 

‘Is anything the matter?’ Mattie asked she too couldn’t understand why her sister was acting this way.

 

‘Ch….ar..d is your boyfriend?’ she stammered

 

‘You two know him?’ Mattie asked

 

‘Yes,’ Christina responded

 

‘Her face looks familiar but I don’t remember where I saw her,’ Chard said Christina clicked her tongue in irritation, ‘Doesn’t the name Chrissie ring a bell in your ears?’ She asked, ‘Marquee night club? Chez Grill?’ she gave him a questioning look.

 

‘Oh Chrissie,’ Chard said when he finally remembered her.

 

‘You forgot me too soon.’ she said in a serious tone. ‘My bad, I meet a lot of people and it’s been a while.’ ‘Ya.’

 

‘It’s good to meet you again,’ he extended his hand to her. Christina looked at him before she shook the outstretched hand. ‘It’s good to meet you too,’ she smiled

 

‘How do you guys know each other?’ Their mother asked ‘Well….,’

 

A phone ringing interrupted her, it was Christina’s phone.

 

‘It’s Jericho,’ she said

 

Her mother grinned, ‘Answer it.’

 

‘Hey baby, yes. Okay.’

 

She cut the line and placed the phone safely on the table then she looked at her mother, ‘Let me just open the door for him.’

 

‘He is joining us for dinner?’ Mattie asked ‘Yes,’ Christina responded

 

‘Do you have a problem with that?’ Her mother enquired ‘No,’ Mattie answered.

 

‘Good,’ Christina smiled before she walked to the door.

 

 

‘I am interested in how you guys met?’ Mattie’s mother said ‘It’s a story for another day,’ Chard said ‘Okay.’

 

Christina and Jericho walked in hand in hand a while later and after introducing the men to each other, they walked to the dining room and sat down at the table.

 

‘You should get a bigger table,’ Mattie’s mother complained.

 

‘This table is big enough for me and Trinny,’ Mattie said

 

‘Okay.’ she said. ‘Chard, can you please say Grace before we eat,’

 

Chard nodded and opened his mouth, ‘Lord we thank you for this meal and everything you provide for us daily. Bless the hands which have prepared this meal in Jesus name. Amen’

 

‘Amen,’ they said at the same time

 

They ate their meal while listening to Christina and her fiancé talk about their day.

 

After a while, the table suddenly went quiet and it took Chard a while to realize

 

Mattie’s mother was talking to him.

 

‘Sorry,’ he said.

 

‘That’s fine. So tell us about yourself and what do you do for a living?’

 

Chard cleared his throat, ‘I am a CEO of Aviva Multinational Insurance company,’ he said

 

‘Wow!’ she exclaimed wondering why a man of his caliber would want to be with an average woman like Mattie.

 

‘How did you guys meet?’

 

‘Well it was…..,’ Mattie began but was cut off by her mother.

 

‘I asked him and not you.’

 

‘Okay.’

 

Chard glanced at Mattie’s mother, he could tell the woman hated Mattie from the way she spoke and responded to her.

 

‘She was hired by people Magazine to shoot their cover photo and I happened to be their cover person.’

 

‘And it was love at first sight?’ Christina asked in a teasing tone.

 

‘Nah, we actually hated each other at first,’ he laughed remembering how he had kicked her out of his office and how she had later humiliated him by asking him to apologize to her.

 

‘So are you comfortable being with a woman with a child?’ ‘Yes I am okay with it, I actually have son too he is two.’ ‘Oh.’

 

‘So what are your plans with her?’

 

 

‘I love your daughter and I want to spend the rest of my life by her side.’ ‘So you would want to marry her some day?’ ‘Yes.’

 

‘No offence but has she told you how old she is?’ ‘Mum,’ Mattie glared at her. ‘What? I am just asking.’

 

‘It’s okay,’ Chard gave her a reassuring look ‘So?’

 

‘Yes she has.’

 

‘And you are fine with her age, I mean she is will be thirty five soon and before we know it, she will hit menopause…,’

 

‘Mum!’ Mattie slammed her fist on the table.

 

‘What sort of behavior is that Mattie? In front of guests?’ ‘You are being unreasonable,’ she said tears flooding her eyes. ‘Fine, I will shut up.

 

Chard held Mattie’s hand and squeezed it comfortingly.

 

She looked at her mum, ‘Like I said I love your daughter and I don’t think she is old, she is perfect for me.

 

‘I see.’

 

‘I hope you are no longer jumping from one woman to another,’ Christina said Chard coughed and shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

 

‘What is that all about?’ Mattie asked

 

‘Well he knows what I am talking about.’

 

Mattie looked at Chard.

 

‘Long story,’ he said.

 

‘I am just looking out for you Mattie I wouldn’t want him to hurt you.’ ‘I would never do anything to hurt Mattie,’ Chard said defensively ‘Okay,’ Christina laughed.

 

They finished the rest of their meal in silence.

 

***

 

‘Thank you for coming,’ Mattie told Chard later that evening as she walked him back to his car.

 

‘You are welcome.’

 

‘I apologize for my mother and my sister’s behavior. I didn’t know they would

 

react in that manner.’

 

‘It’s fine.’

 

They got to his car and stood quietly for a minute. A thousand thoughts went

 

through Mattie’s mind- wondering how his sister and Chard were connected.

 

‘Chard?’ she called his name.

 

‘Yes.’

 

‘My sister Christine.’

 

‘What about her?’

 

‘Did you ever have sex with her?’ she asked the question that had been bugging her all night.

 

Chard was silent for a minute.

 

‘I want the truth Chard.’

 

‘Yes.’

 

Mattie suddenly felt weak and her knees grew weak.

 

****

 

TBC

 

 

 

The Clock is Ticking

 

 

Ella❣