ANOTHER KIND OF DIAMOND (28 page)

Carissa submitted all the papers she was asked to bring, signed some dotted lines and her first shift began. But just like she anticipated, it was a difficult night for obvious reasons, so hard that at a point she had to take out some time to let Tasha into her feelings.

A sobbing Carissa Tasha encountered. Baby I think I need to go home ‘cause I can’t do this! Carissa said in frustration as soon as she sighted Tasha and the tears trickling down her chicks informed Tasha that her friend was truly in pain.

You really wanna go right away or you wanna think about it a little bit more? Tasha asked based on her experiences with other girls in similar situation.

I’m not even sure about what I wanna do right now, continued Carissa. My mind wants me to go home so badly but my head keeps urging me on.

Why don’t you figure out what you really want then I come back and we talk some more, Tasha cut in quickly.

Tasha I’m so sorry I feel this way, Carissa continued.

I understand! Is not only you. Almost every one of us kind of had some issues on her first day.

Ok! Give me a little time and you come back then I’ll let you know what I want.

Tasha went away, after a while she returned to Carissa. Are you okay? She asked her friend.

I still don’t understand exactly what I’m feeling. I’m being real to you Tasha.

So what do you want to do?

I don’t know. I’m confused. I haven’t even made a cent, Carissa said.

May be you need to give yourself the chance, get what I’m saying, Tasha suggested.

I’m thinking! I wanna leave but Tasha tell me, where am I gonna get a decent well paid job without the training for it? I don’t see that happening! So, for someone like me this is the only way I can earn good money and live the good life, understand? No education required! So, it is good! She said nodding.

That’s right Carissa! I think you’re beginning to get it. Baby trust me, I know what I’m doing.

Yeah! You always know what you do Tasha!

Good! I’m happy you realized that! I’m not crazy! Trust me! If you want my opinion I’ll say give it a try tonight girlfriend and we see what follows later? Everything starts hard, don’t forget that!

Know what? You’ve never failed me Tasha, and I don’t think you’ll now. So let’s get back to work. And she stayed till the dawn of another day.

Chapter Sixteen
 

I
n South Africa, Isabel was running late to a party and she sped ahead. This will be her first time partying at Penney’s house called Mansion on the Hill by members of the inner circle. Earlier on that Saturday, she had gone shopping for new clothes and accessories and considering the caliber of crowd she anticipates at Penney’s she shopped on high class lanes. She equally took extra care with getting herself prepared for the occasion before she stepped out of the house and began the drive towards The Mansion. And like it was becoming common these days, she and Wallis were again going separate ways.

Somewhere in the drive she began to recall the argument she was forced into last night by Wallis. It was soon after both went to bed that Wallis eyes shifted to her side and he began; Babe don’t you think it’s better you come with me to this Business Men’s council tomorrow night rather than go spend your time at this party with people you don’t even know so well? And she thought of her own reactions.

Wallis, I don’t even know who you are any more, she remembered saying. What’s going on with you? I’m finding it so hard to believe you are the same guy I used to be with back in LA. Seriously! All you talk about these days is this bullshit thing about church and all their damned business meetings and fund raising stuff. We don’t even do things together like we used to back home I hope you know that. But let me tell you something-n, I can’t live any other life than what I’m used to so stop trying to force me into things I don’t understand ‘cause we may be married yet two separate individuals with different minds, okay?

Excessive indulgence in these things like we used to do kill babe! Wallis said in a very calm and loving manner. They are no good for anybody. Think of cancer and all kinds of dangerous illnesses you get by doing all the wrong things. Besides too much of parting and all that stuff take your mind from focusing on other things. I’m not saying don’t party, but I’m saying don’t make it a habit and don’t let it rule your life ‘cause there are other more important things.

I’m not fucking dead Wallis! I’ve been on drugs since I was 13, okay?

You need to get out of it babe and you need to do it now! Wallis said

Ok tell me, how are you gonna leave all the things you used to love behind so suddenly and think that life goes on like nothing happened? Why do you even say you love me if you don’t want me to do things that make me happy? Wallis when you love someone you want them to be happy for whom they are, not for what you want them to be.

I’m thinking you might wanna try other things sometimes. Come with me to this church I go to. There are lots of good stuff you can do there too, like getting involved in charity. I mean things like raising money to help those who cannot afford things we have is good.

Those who don’t have can’t blame Isabel for not having what they probably don’t need anyways, so is their fucking business not mine.

Stop that! Can you even listen to your own voice right now Isabel! Listen! Babe, I want the best for you.

Like I want for you Wallis, but I know that going to this Church and their business meetings is just not it. Anyways right now you are confused by all the stuff that Pena of a guy has been putting in your head. Isabel continued.

My life has changed for good and is gonna stay that way as long as I breathe the air on earth. Wallis emphasized. There is no going back to doing it the old way, never!

That’s fine! You’ve made your choice and that’s ok but I also have the right to choose what I want. Isabel said.

It was a long argument that continued far into the night before they fell asleep in distrusted minds. And now driving in a new BMW, a present from Wallis on her 22nd birth day, she couldn’t help the sense of guilt that overcame her as she thought of how she reacted last night. I shouldn’t have talked to him the way I did so I’m gonna apologize when I get home, she though. But then the street caught her wondering mind so suddenly and swayed her in that direction as she continued cruising along one of the most exclusive streets of the Jozi rich, so she chose to bask in its serenity. Now, her eyes diverted to the beautiful flowers and trees decorating the streets, with every single one of them swinging in a symphony of the night’s wind melody and she couldn’t help but recall the story often told about heaven. Probably this is just a little bit of what it tastes like hanging out with Angels, she thought but, the essence of it was quickly lost the moment her attention shifted again. From her position at the moment, she could see the lights from Mansion on the Hill glittering like stars on a moonless night and she knew she was really close.

Once at her destination the rest was easy. There were men milling around and waiting to park cars for the guests. Door men opened the doors; hostesses helped her get comfortably seated before she was left on her own.

The first thing that struck her once inside the house was the beauty of it, something like what Isabel sees only on the pages of papers. Now in the living room, she busied herself feeding her eyes with some of the most expensive furniture man ever made here on earth. The interior decoration presented like something out of this world she thought as she took a quick assessment of the room from top to bottom, over and over again but no matter how much she tried to assess the place its uniqueness continued to fail her mind.

Moving her eyes constantly around, she finally focused on the sofa and those really tasked her imagination. They were made of real soft natural green leather and beautifully set with finishing gold and silver lining in opposing directions. And the colors in their designs so real that one will think he is looking at some real leaves plucked from trees and pasted on furniture, but they are not. Those are actually some designs from one of the South African bests which have always been a marvel to anyone who had the privilege of stepping into Mansion on the Hill. The woods of choice in all of the furnishing are of mahogany and cider with classical professional polish that the soft sent of pure nature truly pervades the rooms. The carpeting, of a color so close to earth that you couldn’t difference what is inside from the kind of sand you see on a beach. The result of the roofing finishing a perfect blend of white and light sky blue colors sparsely spiced with dots of stars. Whosoever this décor is must be one of the best the world produced as the walls complimented everything in a hint of olive green to produce a defiant unity.

Still feeding her eyes, with all that is presented before her, the familiar voice of the hostess foisted distraction.

Hi Loretta! So you made it! Penney said as she approached. I was almost losing hope you’ll be here tonight! And by now she was close enough for a hug. As soon as that happened, Isabel took to immediate assessment of Penney’s outfit, ending up with Woo! Babe you look so good I almost didn’t recognize you!

Thank you! You look even more gorgeous! Come with me. I’m going to introduce you to the party, continued Penney who took her by the hand and she followed.

Silent! Silent! Penney began. Everybody, meet my friend and the latest addition to the house, Loretta…….. I’m so sorry but please remind me of your last name again, she whispered to Isabel.

Rowland!

Yeah! Rowland! It is been like two years we‘ve been talking but today is her first day at the Mansion so welcome Loretta Rowland to the house! Guys, please be good to her tonight and everyone endorsed in various designs.

A guy named Billy immediately took to peculiar interest in the new comer as he turned and whispered to another guy sitting close by, isn’t she pretty? And being one of the most important guests out there at Penney’s place, his approval meant a lot to the party.

Returning to Isabel, Penney continued. Babe, make yourself as comfortable as you would in your own home, okay? Penney’s place is everybody’s home. I’ll like to show you round since this is your first time, okay? Are you ready?

Oh yeah! Let’s do it babe! Isabel said before a small tour that introduced her to all of the essential areas of the house began. While it lasted she was intrigued by one of the rooms, designated ‘Changing Room’ because of its content. Here, lay different kinds of costumes representing all kinds of professionals. There were uniforms for fire men, sailors, soldiers, policemen, Doctors, nurses and others. For the nurses, is not the kind she was used to back home in the US but the real thing handed down by Florence Nightingale herself. Not able to image why these uniforms are in the room, she turned to her guest for answers. What are these for?

Oh! I can see you are a fresher at Penney’s party scene.

I wanna start learning! Isabel responded excitedly.

That will come up later in the show, okay? When we get to that part, this whole house will go electric, Penney demonstrated with her hand. And all the cloths busy doing their jobs. Relax babe! It’s too early for probing.

Isabel liked everything she saw nevertheless. The carvings and sculptures in the house presented of very special quality as a compliment. But it was the paintings displayed on the walls that intrigued her most. She has flair for the arts but never gives the attention required for expression and now she tried relating with these unique works on deeper level. She couldn’t interpret their intricacies and complexities yet the blend in color and the general beauty they displayed are obvious to all eyes. By her assessment, these must be products from some of the world’s best painters and something about each of them aroused a kind of curiosity in her and she struggled with understanding what makes works of art so unique by connecting with her own inherent qualities. She settled for it, approaching and giving each the special attention it deserved. She thought one particular painting was strange but still appealing to her in some ways. It was a display of a man in a pool of his own blood with his two hands crossed on his chest and both of his eyes still open. A name written in blood red attached somewhere on the frame completed the gruesome site. She couldn’t hold on much longer on that, so she quickly moved her eyes and went for another. This one had a name too but it was everything regular. A beautiful work set in the olden days, probably in the medieval world of a lady carrying some fading roses in a basket and she also tried to interpret what that represented but couldn’t quite figure it out. The roses are pink, so what? That was much she could do before shifting her eyes to a corner of the frame, and saw the name Giuseppe, tried to read it out but still couldn’t pronounce the words right. She was still struggling with that when a maid approached and with curtsy she said ‘Madam Dinner is ready’. Isabel left every other thing and immediately hurried away to the dining room.

The way the tables were laid out in Penney Dinning can make another story and Isabel didn’t miss that part either. Several layers arranged in ascending order based on seize. Some with gold base and some with silver depending on what they carry. The first table contained the starters like vegies, all sorts and loads and loads of them. The second the main dish, and there were so many varieties from African to Continental dishes. And the third contained some of the best desert any chef can offer in cakes and other sweets in different designs. The fourth table amazed her a little bit but she loved the idea. There were hard drugs of all brands, marijuana, heroin, cocaine in all sorts of mixtures and blends that even though she considered herself a pro in the act, she never had the privilege of using some of these. The drugs took the most beautiful of all the tables in the room like a king or something, Isabel thought, yet she couldn’t help but wonder about the boldness in having drugs laid out in the open like that. What if the police decide to raid the place and land everyone in jail? Oh, the house is well guarded from intruders by many men outside. This understanding was reassuring enough to ease her mind ‘cause she still did have a feint knowledge that the fugitive of Wallis’s imagination is that someone who attracts the police presence like flies to feces even though she is not totally convinced she is one.