SPIRITED (The Blended Hearts Series)

CHAPTER TWENTYFOUR

In the morning, when the sun came out and light filled her room, she walked out and collected milk before preparing breakfast. No one was up yet and that was so unusual. The first person to wake up was Conrad; dressed in a jean short and an army green shirt. Good morning he said smiling and helped himself with a cup of tea and a pancake. This is good. So delicious he said between mouthfuls and Jedda looked at him disgustingly before standing up to put her cup in the sink. Come on. Are you ignoring me again? Conrad caught her hand before she could walk out. No. I am not ignoring you. She fake-smiled and went up the stairs. He stayed there pondering on her answer. He finally agreed she was okay and went to open the door when someone knocked on the door.

Jedda woke up Nowel and prepared herself to start the day. Jedda had work and Nowel had lectures to catch. They went down the stairs just in time as their parents came out of their rooms. They greeted them and continued to the kitchen. A deafening sound of laughter welcomed them at the door as they walked in. They pushed the door open and there Tanah sat with Conrad and Estella laughing on the table as they enjoyed breakfast. Tanah stood up as soon as she saw Jedda.

"Hi. I am Tanah. I am sure you are Jedda." She smiled offering her hand. Jedda looked at it before saying, "yeah....Yes I am." And shook her hand.

She side-stepped and walked outside through the back door to wait for Nowel. She came out with a small flask and pancakes rapped in a foil.

"Wait.... She is not his girlfriend..." Nowel touched Jeddas hand when she reached her. Jedda looked at the tree in the compound; all her attention focused on the jealousy and anger she felt.
"I am sure about this. Trust me." She faced her and nodded her head before they walked to where the car was next to the gate. She opened the drivers side and drove out of the garage only stopping outside shortly to let Nowel in before firing the horn for the gate man to open the gate.

Njala street was still the same; people walked peacefully with their children, some in uniforms. Some jogged and exercised on the machines in the park. The place was so beautiful and a garden of roses; white and red covered most of the land on the road. Libraries, shops, boutiques and schools then followed in that order. Sunset pictures followed next in the far corner; she had to turn on a different road that led to Nowels campus. They drove for some time before reaching Nakulabye, they waited in line as the traffic lights turned before she crossed to the road that led to Wandegeya. And there was the biggest and most known University in Uganda; Makerere University. She put on her indicator before branching. The entrance was built with big letters that read MAKERERE UNIVERSITY in black and yellow. There were two gates; in one, cars entered and students too walked in while in the other, cars went out and students also walked out. There were guards on each side and each and every car stopped to be checked before continuing in.

Nowel put the flask in a bag that was at back in the car and gave the remaining pancakes to Jedda.
"What should I say? Thank you for the left overs?" Jedda said as she parked her car out side Complex hall. No thank you. Nowel said cleaning her face in the mirror. She snatched the pancakes back and moved out of the car. "Bye and thank you for these." Nowel said as she walked down to her school. Jedda sat in the car for sometime before driving away to her new destination.

She walked on to her office and started on the documents that were organized neatly on her desk. The room was painted grey and had pink butterfly designs on the ceiling. The walls were designed with different art pieces; one had a woman in an Ankara dress, a pot on her head, the next one had the sun set, the next one had little children running with car tires on a dirt road, they were happy. The last one was bigger and it had a girl, standing in a flower garden, her hands spread widely as she smiled endlessly. This piece always caught her attention and she always moved to touch it before sitting down. The table had a phone and her name card framed boldly in the middle. She removed her laptop from the bag before she started working on the files. The door opened and in came Eugene. He walked to the big window that was behind her chair.

"How is my little dreamer today?" he asked as he looked over to the people that filed in and out of his building.

"Very fine by the way. How are you?" Jedda said as she closed her laptop and picked up a file.

"I am okay, thank you." He sat on the couch and spread his hands behind.

"I have a new idea of a story." She turned in her chair and went to sit with him on the couch. She handed him a file before standing up. She walked to the window. "That is a love story. I am going to create a book full of poems. But in form of a novel." She turned to look at him. Read through it and see the plot. Tell me if you like it

He sat on the couch, his legs crossed and a look of concentration on his face. A lady came in and placed a flask and a glass jug of juice on the table. She poured them two cups of coffee before walking out quietly. Eugene read through the script as he sipped on the cup of coffee. Jedda stood by the large window, her back on the wall and her hands in her pockets. She was dressed in a brown suit dress; her hair tied up in a clean ponytail. Her face was clear with only a little glow of Vaseline and lip gloss. She crossed her legs; leaning back on the wall next to the window, watching him as he ran his eyes over her work.

"How did you come up with this? It looks real. And how did you know how one feels after exercise?" Eugene said as he placed the small cup down.

"You should know that writing is all about imagination and creativity. I see Nowel everyday and dad. How they behave after a run or a hard workout." She explained, moving around. "I can see the relief she gets after taking a glass of cold water. I see dad; his Adams apple bobs up when he is drinking water. He always takes the small Rwenzori bottle." She sits back in her chair and uses her heel to stop it from moving.

"This is great." he put his elbows on his legs as he looked at Jedda. He placed the file on the table in front of him. "Where is Nowel?"

"She is not here. She had to be at campus very early today." Jedda said as she turned back to her work.

" And when is she going to be here? Are her lectures for the whole day?" Eugene said gruffly as he looked outside the window. Jedda smiled at this. Even though Nowel denied it, it was clear he liked her. He only came to her office to see Nowel and it was only today that she didnt come. He looked stressed and disappointed.
" No. she will be here by lunch time"

"Lunch time. Lunch time. Okay." He took out a note book and wrote down. "Did you have to write it?" Jedda said as she looked to where he hid the small note.

Yes. And stop smiling."Eugene picked up the file from the table before gently opening the door and closing it behind him. Jedda kept her smile and started typing. She just had a new idea for her book.

The lady who had brought the drinks came back, knocking twice, she entered. "Excuse me, can I take those?" she politely asked pointing in the direction of the table. "Give me a cup of coffee and you can take the rest." Jedda said looking up briefly before going back to whatever she was doing. The lady poured her a cup and placed it slowly on the side of her table. She then moved to the door with her tray in hand. "Suzan" she heard her name and turned back. "Thank you" Jedda said holding the cup and Suzan smiled before walking out.