TWELVE

Bill had to sleep on the couch in the living room till the next morning. He wondered what gave Lora the nerves to act the way she acted the night before and this got him more exasperated. Has she gone out to seek advice on how to deal with her husband? Never! She can do no such thing. He laughed foolishly at his thought. He got off the couch and looked around, his servants were all up for their responsibilities. They greeted him but he rebuffed them heading towards his room.

On getting there, he discovered that the door was still shut from last night. He wondered if Lora wanted to bury herself there since she hadn't come out and again, he began knocking hardly.

"Lora! Open up!"

Bill's voice was husky and loud enough to be heard all around the mansion that Sam had moved an inch to meet him but was stopped by Isha.

"Stay back. Let him be!"

After several knocks on the door, he fulfills and pushed open the door then discovered that it hadn't been locked and Lora wasn't in.

"I had been wasting my fucking time on this goddamned door, and where on earth could she have gone?"

"Lora! Yikes, she's getting on my nerves."

He yelled as he frustratingly kicked at his feet making his way back to the living room.

"Where's Lora?"

He referred the question to Isha.

"At work," Isha said plainly.

Bill didn't utter more words but the rage coming out of him was like air from a pricked balloon. He turned and found one of his servants staring at him.

"And you, what the hell are you staring at? I feel you wanna lose ur job already."

SUPERMARKET

Kings' supermarket was so busy as customers walked in and out, some making orders and the rest shopping by themselves. Austin and Fred were both busy at their office creating designs as usual. On the other side, Lora and Naomi moved from one department to the other and filled some new products on their shelves. It was obvious that all the employees were busy in their field of work.

While Lora worked, the flashback from yesterday's threat crossed her mind as a smile hovered on her lips. She never believed that one day out of these miserable days, she would laugh again. All thanks to Austin who showed up during her difficult time. The same Austin that occupied her mind was also busy reminiscing over yesterday's date with Lora and smiling at it.

Lora kept grinning over and over without realizing that Naomi had been keeping closed tables at her.

What's with that smile on ur lips Lora?" Noami voiced out.

"Smile? Have I been smiling?" She asked stunningly

"No, you've been dancing."

"Oh, dancing! Thanks for letting me know Sweetie. I'll concentrate now."

Lora blurted as she smiled. A lot was running through her mind that she didn't know what she was doing and this got Naomi confused. Today she will smile, tomorrow she would get angry, and next...? Lord knows what's up with dear Lora.

As soon as they were done, they returned to their office, and immediately Lora slumped exhaustedly in her seat.

"That has been a hell of a job." Naomi confessed and immediately a knock was heard behind the door. " come on in, it's open."

The door pushed open as Austin came in.

"Oh Austin, fancy seeing you here," Lora said, straightening up from her seat. They were stunned by his appearance.

"Hello!" Naomi waved and he smiled. "Do sit. I will just get something from outside."

Naomi said and left to give them privacy.

"So, how are you doing?"

"All tired." Lora dashed and stifled a yawn.

"Obviously. Have you eaten something?"

"Not yet."

"C'mon, let's go get something from the canteen."

"Let's what...." Before Lora could complete her statement, Austin grabbed her hand and they flung themselves out of her office. "Oh my!"

THE MANSION

Sam was in the kitchen moving about and trying to make lunch for everyone when Isha came in to collect a mug from its rack.

What do you intend on making sam?" Isha asked.

"Maybe yam chips with puddings."

"Maybe?" Isha knitted her brows. "That means you have no idea of what to cook."

"Don't forget I am *Sam the cook* I will fix something in no time, just watch."

Sam said playfully and Isha laughed.

"I trust you with that anyway. Happy cooking."

Isha said and made to leave then...

"Nanny," Sam called

"Yes?"

"Why does sir Bill treat madam Lora so cruelly?"

"I don't know. That has always been his nature."

"He has no human sympathy in him. I could recall when I asked if I could go see my sick mother at home but he rebuffed and told me that the kitchen chores were more important than my mother. If madam Lora hadn't calmed me down, I would have poisoned him. He's such a fool."

Sam cursed furiously.

"And how would you think of poisoning your boss?"

Sam became speechless.

"Sir Bill's a sexual pervert as we all know and I don't think he's capable of changing anymore. The best we can do for Madam Lora is stay by her side and not do anything to hurt her because I know how many times I've stopped her from committing suicide."

"I feel so sorry for her, she's so hurt."

"There's always a way out of any problem Sam and I know there's certainly a way out of hers too. It's just that patience needs to be exercised."

AT THE CANTEEN

Austin and Lora had ordered vegetable spaghetti with lemon juice and had begun eating.

"So tell me, how did you start creating designs?" Lora asked between a mouth full.

"I started when I was seven years in class one. Then, I used to be the smallest in the class and my classmates usually tease me about it, calling me smallish. I loved drawing and creating designs on a sheet of paper, on the wall and that had always been my talent. So one day, we were asked by our teacher to design an object and give meaning to it on an A4 paper, to be submitted on the stage on our project day. I went home and started working on it and it took me a whole week before I could get it correctly. My grandmother was the only person that encouraged me. The d-day came, and we presented our assessment, as announced, on the stage. After all the calculations by the officials, I was chosen to take first place and to my and my family's greatest surprise, I was given the honor to study computer graphics at the college of art for the next 12 years. From then onwards, I started working on designs of any products."

"Wow, interesting! Should I call you *lord of graphic designs*?"

Lora said and Austin chuckled.

"Okay. What's ur aim for this?"

"I have always wanted to make greater designs that would lead me far beyond and this supermarket is one of my many achievements."

"I believe you'll get there someday," Lora assured.

Yeah, sure." He smiled and continued with his unfinished meal. While he ate, Lora stared closely at him and the way his lips responded to his meal, he was an absolute knockout.

"Miss!" Austin called when he straightened his head to find Lora staring at him and she was forced to withdraw her eyes, blinking hard.

"Yes? urm....are you done eating? We should go back inside already, work awaits us."

Lora confusedly said as she got up and made her way into the supermarket at a fast pace but Austin only smiled at her reaction.

* * *

Naomi sat, working on her system when Lora came in with smiles all over her round smooth face and Naomi wondered why she was smiling all the time. She didn't seem to fathom anything concerning her behavior.

"Lora." She called as she looked up at her. "Where were you?"

"I was out for a while, to have lunch."

"With Austin right?" Naomi fired, her expression appeared grievous cuz she knew that Lora never goes out to eat instead she brings it inside the office.

"How did you get to know?"

"I saw you two in the canteen earlier."

"Really? Well, he suggested that we had lunch together there. Do you have a problem with that?

"No, I don't." Naomi's face wasn't bright but she hid it behind a smile.

After a few hours spent in the supermarket, the usual closing time clocked as everyone went home. Lora pulled up under the garage as she made her way to the doorstep, ringing its bell. The servant in charge of the door opened up and she traipsed in. Immediately, she headed upstairs to her room, and on getting there, she took off her heels, hung her bag on its rack, and subsequently flung her body on the bed. She layed on her back and faced the ceiling and instantly, thoughts started running through her mind. Already, you know who occupied that mind, Austin. Ever since the day he walked into her life, it changed for good. She felt loved even though they weren't dating. At least there was someone she called a friend during her time of distress. How would a cute guy be this caring without demanding something in return? He was a free-minded dude with brains and beauty in the part of his life she had seen.

What was this feeling? Why does she feel differently for him? Why does she smile each time she sees him from afar? Why does she feel completely free with him? Was this what they call true love? Yes, it's love. No doubt!

All these were running through this mind of hers and in a blink of an eye, she had started bouncing over the thick bed chanting a love song. She was going to lock the door again behind that mad dog, Bill then sleep off while Austin was still on her mind.