Partnering With Mr Right

CHAPTER 1 BETTER OFF

NORA

The clouds grumbled above, a distant fading growl heralding what was either going to be a downpour or a drizzle, Nora wasn't sure.

A web of agony and sorrow lay before her in the form of car photos and plate numbers.

It was dulled now by the ages that had gone by, but the image of her father's laughter, and her brother doing drifts with his bike, ran along the track of her mind, enhancing her pain.

But she had to force herself every now and then to look at the photos, to find clues.

Just like now.

But her father's image came again. He sipped on cappuccino as he stared lovingly at her. "You know one of the reasons I've always wanted to be successful is so that I can be of help to disabled people. I really see those peeps. It's some work to be born with bent hands that can't even type on a computer enough to apply for a job, or being in a vegetative state, and every one else is busy with their lives."

" You are doing a good job of that dad," Nora would always respond.

Her dad's gaze would once again train lovingly, observantly at her. " You look so much like your mother ...I just wish she was alive to see you turn five."

Nora was about to respond, as usual---

Her phone rang.

It was her boyfriend, Daniel.

She answered the call.

"Hey love," said Dan.

"Baby." She clutched the phone dearly to her ears. Dan's voice was the relief she needed at the moment.

"You still busy? When you coming over?"

" Umm..I guess I won't be free for a little longer. Miss me?"

" I do. But take your time. Okay? We can see tomorrow and have wide sex, do crazy stuff lovers do." His voice was raspy--hungry.

It did things to her, things she wasn't sure she was ready for at the moment. Her stomach sang with delight.

'Fuck'

" Okay. Uhh ..See you tomorrow then. Bye bae"

" Bye," he ended the call and she wished he didn't.

She wanted to talk to him somewhat, some more.

Heck she wanted more than that.

Now she couldn't refocus.

She couldn't put a stop to the naughty thoughts he just implanted in her mind; they were running around like unchecked mice now in her brain.

And this chilly about-to-rain weather wasn't helpful, at all. "Fuck this."

The clouds rumbled again in agreement.

She stood from her desk. She could attend to all these later.

She fished for a trenchcoat, choosing the brown one this time, before she fetched her car keys and headed out of the building.

She had gotten to Dan's place, her eyes and mind dancing with excitement, with all the things that would go down tonight. The fact that she was surprising him was just the garnishment she needed, to bring her in-the-moment fantasies to life.

She could imagine the surprise in his face, morphing into a mischievous sparkle in his eyes as he kissed her and then..

She parked her car, some distance from his yard.

She got down and passed The lawns and gardens which had been trimmed to control the aftereffects of the rain fall.

Grass had a tendency to shoot once it was rainy season.

Dan's place was a condominium. And his apartment was at the upper floors.

She took the walk to his floor and paused when she saw two footwears.

Dan's timberland, she knew; but the red heels beside it?

Her heartbeat skyrocketed as a cloud of doubt hovered over her mind.