Chapter 15: Chapter 15

"Where the hell have you been Maya"? were his first words when his eyes met mine. Even though he was angry, his eyes were filled with so much pain and genuine concern. Why will he be so concerned about me? Yes he apologized for everything and I genuinely forgave him. I didn't expect him to be my new guardian or anything.

"We went to my house to pick my stuffs" Tracy responded from nowhere before i could even speak. Where did she come from all of a sudden?

"So you both decided to leave your phones unattended?" He asked again, this time calmer. His eyes looked sunken and his hair was all messed up like he hadn't slept in days. But he still looked so attractive in his white T-shirt. This is my first time seeing him dressed casual and it suited him so well. I couldn't keep my eyes off him till Tom showed up also in a white shirt and looking tired as well.

"Are you girls okay" he asked catching his breath. He must have really searched for us.

Yes, we are fine, I replied apologetically. We left our phones. I asked Tracy to move in with me so we went to her house to get her stuff. But what are you guys doing here so worn out?

We called you girls again and again to find out if you were okay but when we had no response continuously for two hours, we decided to come and check. After we got here, we questioned security but he didn't even notice when you went out. He thought you were still in there. So we kept knocking and questioning people. We even had to request for police officers to give us warrant to breakdown the door.

Please don't make us worried like this. The way he spoke made us feel so guilty. I didn't know they cared so much. If we had been in trouble, I know help would have found us somehow and it really gladdened my heart.

"We are very sorry", was Tracy and thanks for coming to check on us...She said shyly."

" Well if you don't mind, why don't you join us for coffee? You guys look tired." I added without thinking.

"Okay but let me disperse the crowd and the police...."said Mark as he moved to the crowd. He spoke to them, thanking them and all. Then I saw the police went to sit in the cars and started driving out whiles other neighbours went back to their rooms.

So, instead of coffee, Tom ordered food when Mark was dispersing the crowd. Tracy and I could not eat much because we had supper in her parents house. But the way Mark and Tom ate, I think they hadn't eaten the whole day. I felt so sorry and guilty. We were eating and enjoying the night, whiles they were here searching for us. How unthoughtful of us.

After eating, Mark and Chris left after giving security the obligation of keeping eyes on us. We also retired to bed shortly since we had to go the work the next morning. The next couple of days were quite normal. There wasn't anything new. I proceeded with my handing over notes and Mark only came to the office once. He was casual and not his usual bossy self. Tom called to check on us everyday as well. I didn't notice anything different till friday when I got to the office. I had finished my handing over and was returning my office tools when I noticed Mark and Tom come to the office.

shortly after that, there was an email for all staff to assemble at the conference room thirty minutes before closing time. I thought it was going to be a brief staff meeting to announce to everyone that today was going to be my last day so I put closure on every pending work. Tracy had come earlier to inform me to get ready so I was expecting her to come and escort me to go to the meeting when the door opened suddenly.

Mark? I called, trying to hide my excitment. Since he apologised, he has become one of the sweetest people I have ever known.

"Yes", he replied with a smile while walking towards me. He has this effect on me whenever we are alone. I just can't think straight and my heart keeps beating so fast. I wanted to escape an awkward moment so I asked what he wanted so that I could get it for him very fast and join the others. I was also praying in my head for Tracy to come in at any moment but it seems my prayers never got out of the window.

Can I help you, I asked him, looking away.

"Yes, he smiled again, coming close to me. I was thinking if we could hang out after tonight."

Hang out? I repeated with surprise.

Yes, unless you have other plans, he said sadly.

On one condition, I said, trying to find out his reason for despising me before.

"Shoot"....he said with so much expectation showing in his eyes.

If you promise to answer the question I asked on Saturday night..before I could finish, he interrupted.

"About why I treated you badly in the past?" He asked making me astonished.

How did you manage to guess so fast

"I knew you wouldn't want anything more than having that knowledge."

So, you promise?

"Hmmm...Sure", he said doubtfully. There was pain written all over his face.

"But I also want you to know that you look so beautiful...I mean, you always do"...He completed just as he walked out the door.

God, I could not believe my ears. Did he just tell me that I was beautiful? I was so flattered and frozen to the spot. How I have longed to hear those words from him and when it came, I am so happy but also confused.

Am I crazy to think that he loves me? No. He possibly can't. He is engaged too. Could it be true that he doesn't really love Tilda? Maybe he just said it as a friend. Whiles I kept thinking about his last words, there was Tracy.

"Come on, we have to leave now. Everyone is waiting", she said, grabbing my arm and dragging me through the main office to the conference room. At the door, she insisted I open the door which made me suspicious but knowing Tracy, it will just be useless to argue so I opened the door but the whole room was dark.

Immediately the lights came on, all I could hear was a loud shout hitting my ear drum.

Surprise!!!!! came the thunderous voice of all those gathered. There were banners with write up of Send of party, We will miss you, you are one of a kind and so on. There were doszens of different kinds of flowers all around. My mind suddenly went to the day Tom sent me the dozen roses. Could he be responsible for all these? I don't remember the last time we had a party for any any of our former staffs. But I felt within me that Tracy will have first hand information about this. She must have been the main planner.

Every staff was at the party and my jaws started to ache with all the smiles and the number of thank you responses. I even received a gift from my CEO and many others. Have they known all along? How come I didn't have any hint of this event? Almost everyone had a gift for me. I never knew I was this important to them. The CEO hugged me and gave me two kisses on the cheek as he whispered. "We have lost a gem. You will always have a position here if you ever wish to come back. We will miss you so much". His words filled my eyes with so much tears.

The HR Team did a short presentation for me on my relationship with colleagues and how I work. It was the funniest I have ever seen as they animated me as a workaholic who didn't have a social life. The Sales and Marketing team, Operational team, legal team, even the stakeholders were there. This is my first time of attending a party totally dedicated to me. I was on cloud nine. Kira called me to cut the cake as the others cheered on. I will never forget this day. I don't remember any day that I laughed this much.

I saw Tom slowly approach from the group of investors as he came over and gave me a big bear hug. Then he gave me a gift and surprising asked me to open it. I had not opened any of the gifts presented to me so far so if felt strange opening this gift. It was a very huge box. I opened it and saw a big box smaller than the first one. I lifted my head and looked at him as he smiled sheepishly. I couldn't help but notice the anger on Mark's face. He grew cold the instant Tom gave me that hug. He wasn't angry when our CEO hugged me but when it's Tom, It's different. It made me unconfortable but I continued to open the box.

Another box again. Everyone was eager and kept shouting.....OPEN! OPEN! OPEN!

So I opened again and it was a smaller box. I looked at him with a confused look and he smiled again. So typical of Tom. He has a very cunning way of sending his gifts.

The shouts didn't stop so I proceeded to open the box and for the fifth time, it was a box but this box was weigh smaller. If its a prank, then he got me because I was beginning to think its a complete empty box and I was as well getting annoyed with opening all these boxes.

I unwrapped the small box and this time, there was a case in it. It looked like a jewelry case so perhaps its and necklace or earring. I excitedly opened the case and met the biggest surprise of my life. Could it be real? The stone on this ring should cost a fortune. A pink diamond ring....I couldn't help but hear comments from all angles.

"Maya is getting married?"

"How long have they dated"?...was Susan's voice.

"He must love her so much to give her such a ring"...was Kira

I was speechless as I looked at Tom's hopeful eyes when he took the ring ans went down on one knee as he spoke. The whole room was dead silent now.

"Will you"? His voice echoed in my eyes.

"Will you marry me"?

I noticed Mark had stormed out of the gathering. Yes he was this much angry but why?

Tom has put me in a very unconfortable position. we are not dating or anything and he proposes from the blue? I like him a lot but I have never thought of getting married to him. I just don't feel the bond. I see him more like a friend. How do I tell him in front of all these people that I will not marry him? It will be so embarrassing but can I also accept the proposal and pretend to love him? What a mess.....