Blindfolds

14

She leaned back into the seat, and folded her arms across her chest, sulking like a child who got her candy taken away.

“So, What's your name again?” Grace had turned her body slightly to look behind at Dinma.

“Dinma.” She offered what she hoped was a smile and not a 'So you decided to talk to me' face.

“Nice.” Grace turned back to face her front. “When did you start working for Yoms”

Yoms! How pathetic.

Dinma prevented an eye roll, and lean to dust off an imaginary lint off Zara's shorts. It wasn't necessary to answer a lady who had tagged her a bedmate at first glance. So she tried to keep herself busy with the task of making sure Zara's seat belt was well strapped.

“Dinma.” Grace called.

“Mm...” She replied, finally looking up to see the lady turned towards her.

“When did you start working for Yomi?” There was an edge to her tone.

“I can't remember.” That was close to the truth.

“She's been with me for three months now.” Yomi offered.

“Yeah that's true.” Sarcasm laced her tone.

Yomi offered her a glance from his rear mirror, clearly to find out if there was something wrong, and she made him a face at him. Good for him to notice.

“Three months? You must be really good at baby sitting.”

“She's a teacher too.” Geez! Dude what the heck?

“A baby sitter and a teacher, how cute.” Her tone indicated nothing but disdain. “I'm a doctor.” She added.

“How noble.” Dinma replied through a clenched jaw. She didn't know who Grace was, but she instantly knew she didn't like her one bit.

Gratefully, nothing else was said during the trip. Grace was able to distract herself with her phone, and Dinma tried to point out whatever fascinating to Zara.

They got to the beach few minutes after one o'clock. And after they had found a good spot to park, Yomi and Grace left to purchase some slippers as the foot wears all had decided to wear was not favourable in the beach, or so Grace had said.

With the two gone, Dinma was able to look around the beach. It wasn't exactly crowded. A few families had blankets tossed on the sand while they played and ate.

“Auntie Dee see horse.” Zara yelled excitedly, pointing to a horse that had a little boy on its back.

“Do you want to ride?”

Zara bobbed her head.

“Okay. Let's wait for daddy.”

A few moments later, Yomi was back without Grace, a black polythene bag which she guessed had the slippers in his hands, and his beautiful face schooled hard features. Like he was upset about something.

“Where's Grace?” She prompted as he neared them.

“Erm.” He looked over his shoulder, “She stopped to greet a colleague.”

“How bad to leave an admirer behind?”

Yomi's brows shot up, “An admirer?”

“Wait, you seriously don't know. Grace is a die hard admirer of yours, of course you'd be too blind to see it.”

He chuckled. “Dinma, Kamsi's my sister-in-law.”

Realization hit her as her eyes widened at the information. Of course she had to be his sister-in-law, and instantly she knew why Grace looked familiar, her features matched that of the woman whose portrait hung in the room she slept in. How was she slow to not recognize that?

“Wow! I didn't know that.”

He stepped towards her, his mouth hung above her ears causing her heart to race, then he whispered. “Were you jealous Dee?”

“What?” She spluttered.

He took a step back to look at her face, a cocky smile on his face.“Mm hmm.”

“Daddy can I wride the horse?” Zara pulled on his shorts.

Dinma was grateful for the distraction, because she felt her face was on fire from blood flushing into her face.

“Of course sweetie.” Then he said in a fake monster voice, “Come here.”

The little girl giggled as she ran around Dinma's legs while Yomi tried to catch her. Dinma just stood awkwardly as the two ran around her. Yomi finally got a hold of Zara in front of Dinma. He bent and picked up the giggling child, his face a few centimeters from Dinma's as he stood.

From where they stood, Dinma felt the world blur out of existence, and the only thing that stood was the depths of his caramel colored iris. Even the giggling of the child seemed far off, she could only focus on how beautiful his eyes were, and she'd never seen anything as interesting as his eyes. She didn't realize she had made some steps towards him, that she should see the birth mark that was inconspicuously hidden beside his nose.

The sound of someone clearing a throat jerked her into the consciousness of her surrounding, and she had to a few steps back.

Dinma turned to see the scowling Grace, “Did I miss something?” Her tone held so much venom.