【THE ATTEMPT】
~CLAIRE’S RESTAURANT~
“It’s hubby” Andrew blurted out.
Karen’s eyes widened immediately, her eyeballs were almost popping out of its sockets. Her mouth went agape and she was unable to close them.
The look he had on at that point was to die for. Rather than his usual cold and expressionless look, this time he stared at her lovingly. His eyes held lots of unspoken emotions.
“Sir…..” She said again without knowing.
“Would I teach you how to call me hubby? Huh wifey?” He said with a small smile at one corner of his lips.
“What the hell are you doing? Why are you trying to make her…..” The man from the blind date tried saying but Andrew was having none of it.
Andrew took a step closer to Karen who was still shocked at the turn of events. He pulled her by her waist and right there, he slammed his lips on hers not minding the stares from all angle.
Karen was more than stunned, she just stayed still not reciprocating the kiss. Slowly, her eyes went shut and she allowed her body to go with the flow.
He broke the kiss and then tucked her hair behind her ear. Even without a word from him, Karen knew he badly wanted to hear something from her.
“Hubby” She finally called and she could swear, he smiled more genuinely this time. She couldn’t help but smile too.
“Let’s go wifey!” He said taking her hand, interlocking it with his. He turned to look at the man, from the blind date, with a sneer on his face before leading Karen out of the restaurant.
Karen was beaming in all smiles as they got to the car, the whole scenario at the restaurant was still like a dream to her.
He opened the car door for her to get in before going to the driver’s side. He ignited the engine before driving off.
Karen’s phone buzzed and a message popped up from Kimora.
“How did the date go?”
“Andrew came” Karen replied almost immediately.
“Mad! How was his expression like? He looked angry right?” Kimora answered.
“Yup, he even asked me to call him hubby” Karen texted back.
“Cool, just play the cards right okay? I have to go now, I’m having a drink with Redford” Kimora said.
Karen let out a small smile dropping the phone on her laps before turning to look at Andrew whose eyes were focused on the road.
“He is back to his cold look” She muttered sighing deeply not knowing where to start a conversation from.
_______
~LANCELOT MANSION~
The ride home was silent and nothing much happened. No one uttered a word to each other. Karen fidgetted as she watched him walk past her.
He didn’t even act like someone was in the living room and was about to take the stairs when she ran to him
“You don’t have anything to say?” She raised a brow.
“Good night Karen” He muttered and meant to leave but she held him back this time.
“It’s Karen now?” She asked with a shaky voice.
“Isn’t that your name?” He retorted blankly.
“I don’t want that, Mrs Lancelot or wifey would do” She mumbled, looking at the floor while playing with her nails.
“Seriously? Then why would Mrs Lancelot go on a blind date?” He retorted with a loud scoff.
“It was to make you jealous, you have a girlfriend right? Do you know how badly I was hurt when I found out?”
“A girlfriend…..
“My first love, you saved her contact with that” Karen cuts him off.
“You mean Sapphire? She is my younger sister” Andrew answered.
“What!!?” Karen’s eyes grew wide once again.
“You didn’t say….. I thought….. I’m sorry for going on the blind date” She said in a low voice out of embarrassment before rushing up the stairs.
Andrew let out a slight chuckle watching her dramatic movements.
*
~AN HOUR LATER~
Karen bit her bottom lips nervously as she waited for the door to open. And it finally did, Andrew popped his head out through the door.
“Can I….. spend the night in your room?” She inquired.
“Hubby?” She added blinking her lashes rapidly in a way Andrew found cute.
“Cute” He blurted out without knowing.
Karen’s eyes brightened up immediately she heard that. Andrew cleared his throat looking away, he left the door open for her to come in.
Karen went to the bed and climbed on it quietly, sleeping on one side. Andrew kept on pinging his laptop until she fell asleep.
He joined her after rounding up with the meeting he had. He stared at the beauty sleeping soundly beside him. He took a deep breathe before taking his hand to her hair and stroking it fondly.
“I have no idea what it is I am feeling but one thing is for sure, I never want to see your tears” He muttered.
His movement on her hair made her stir up slightly. She opened her eyes only to meet Andrew staring at her lovingly, the same look he gave her at the restaurant earlier. This time he didn’t look away but he just continued staring at her.
“Hubby” She called with a cute smile raising her hand to his chest. She ran her hand, making invincible lines on his chest.
“Do you have any idea what you are doing to me wifey?” He asked with a deep grunt.
“I make you go crazy right?” She said sleepily.
“Yeah” He admitted without a second thought.
“That’s because I am Mrs Lancelot, no one else is allowed to make you go crazy except me” She said with a small smile.
“Don’t try pushing me away okay? It won’t work again, I am going to make you mine no matter what because I grew to love you and I am not planning to give up on us. I don’t regret marrying you either” She said smuggling closer to him. Surprisingly, Andrew wrapped his hand around her waist.
“I love you, Andrew Lancelot” She said in her mind as she closed her eyes, drifting into slumber.
________
~FANCY BAR~
“Cheers!” Kimora said to Redford and they clinked glasses.
“I’m glad that worked out, I am the best relationship expert” Kimora said flipping her hair backwards.
“I knew he had something on her, Andrew is not the type to carelessly get married to just anyone. He would have rather cancelled the wedding but then, he chose Karen” Redford added.
“I’m so happy for her and I can’t wait to find true love too” Kimora said with a deep sigh, staring into the space.
“Seriously?” Redford muttered with mixed feelings.
“Yeah” She answered.
“Though he is right in front of me but sadly, I guess he can’t be mine” She added taking another gulp of her tequila.
“Says who?” He retorted.
Kimora raised her head up and their eyes locked with each other.
“Huh?”
He leaned closer and placed a light peck on her lips, he pulled out just as their lips met.
“What…. what does that mean?” She asked touching her lips. Redford just smiled at her without saying a word.
________
~TANNER CONGLOMERATE~
“I need it to be done today” Yasmine said as soon as she stepped into Mr Tanner’s office.
“Chill beautiful” He said, abandoning wh@ťěver he was doing before she came in.
“I can’t wait any longer, I’ll get the lady to our designated spot and you just do what you have to do. Tonight” She said before turning to leave.
“How about one round in here?” He asked smacking his both lips flirtaeously as he watched her backside swayed dangerously under her right and revealing gown.
Yasmine didn’t bother to reply him as she stepped out of the office. Mr Tanner stared at the space already imagining Karen’s n@ked body on the bed.
________
~NIGHT_LANCELOT MANSION~
Andrew rushed down the stairs causing Karen to jerk up from the couch. She was actually watching a fashion show playing on the TV.
“Is anything the matter? Where are you going to?” She asked concernly.
“I just got a call that granny is unconscious, I’ll be back” He rushed on his words before going out without waiting for her response.
Karen swallowed into nothing, her eyes going to the wall clock. She sighed deeply on seeing that it was late already.
FEW MINUTES LATER*
Karen furrowed her brows as she answered the call from the strange number.
“Andrew Lancelot currently got into an accident and he has been admitted to the hospital” A voice said from the other end.
The voice sounded familiar to Karen but she didn’t pay attention to it as she was feeling agitated already.
She ran out of the house without a second thought. She found a cab within a minutes and she got in.
“Where are you going to ma’am?” The cab driver asked.
That was when it dawned on Karen that she forgot to ask the name of the hospital Andrew was admitted to.
“I don’t even know the name of the hospital…” She mumbled taking her phone with the intention of calling the strange number.
“Did you just say hospital? An accident occurred a few minutes ago and the victim was rushed to Goldie hospital” The driver said.
“Take me there please” Karen said almost close to tears.
*
~GOLDIE HOSPITAL~
Karen rushed into the hospital and she headed for a nurse behind the desk.
“Mr Andrew Lancelot, his ward please” She called out almost breathlessly as she had ran from the cab to the hospital.
“VIP Ward 550, third floor” The nurse said after a brief moment of pinging on her system.
Meanwhile, Mr Tanner was lying down on the hospital bed of the dim-litted ward. His phone buzzed loudly, it was a text from Yasmine.
“She would be arriving in a few minutes, took me lots of effort to bring her to you so don’t mess things up” The text says causing a smile to spread on Mr Tanner’s thin lips.
The door opened almost immediately and a female figure came in.
“That’s it….. walk right into my den” He said to himself and she walked closer to the bed.
He pressed on a button and the door got automatically locked without her knowledge.