Unbelievable, Meredith thought as she remembered what he said when he hired her.
"Please don't hesitate to intervene if I stray away from my schedule. I have zero notion of time when I'm in a discussion."
Now the man told her off, the change was too sudden, and Meredith had a little idea from where it seeped. Seeing Kenneth gone the night before, the woman immediately left the restaurant. Meredith took the same route as the man, and she fell upon the moment where he covered Mondays' head with the umbrella.
Meredith followed them to the hotel, where they entered together. Unfortunately, her booking was elsewhereㅡthe hotel privileged the fair's authors. The teams accompanying them booked in various hotels nearby. Meredith didn't know what happened next, and she imagined the worse. Kenneths' mood was excellent when she met him that morning. She noticed how his eyes kept drifting across to Mondays' booth as though he awaited her arrival. Something happened, and Meredith had to pluck the root before a plant sprouted.
"Monday, what's wrong? I can see you're flustered," Ben said as he knelt next to her desk.
"It's nothing, Ben," the woman said, getting up. She needed a cigarette.
"Where are you going?" Ben yelled as the woman left their booth.
"I need some air," Monday replied without looking back.
She rushed to the terrace, hoping to find someone who could spare her a cigarette.
Things were looking up thought the woman who took the cigarette another exhibitor gave to her.
The nicotine dose was strong; Monday coughed. She pulled less the second time and let the vipers out, hoping her troubles would get carried away with it. She closed her eyes and opened them straight away; the images were vivid. Monday could almost feel his touch and hear his heavy breathing. Kenneth made her come so hard her heart seemed to throb through her knickers just with her mind's replay.
"Shit."
This infatuated state of mind was what Monday dreaded. The woman hated the torment of the visions of their night together. She crushed the cigarette butt in the ash urn and went down to the toilets. She was on the seat when she heard the toilets door open, and the sound of heels and squeaky sneakers neared.
"I can't wait for the prize announcement."
"The competition is stiff this year. There's a lot more of those desperate housewives writers and millennials."
Many enjoyed associating the terms with online writers who got published. Hence, Mondays' category of writers.
"I swear if one of those books wins, I'll do a petition. The committee can't allow such a thing."
"Some have a pretty good chance, though. Especially Dayé Yeni, I heard even Kenneth Mosely reads her books."
"Speaking of which, Micheal said he saw them enter Four Knights together."
"Pff, some women would do anything to get pointers. Everyone knows the committee will ask his opinion."
The comment was Mondays' cue. She came out of the toilets and pushed through the two women despite the vast space which allowed her to contour them. Monday began to wash her hands while looking at them in the mirror," don't mind me. You can carry on bitching."
One woman cleared her throat while the other slicked her hair back.
Monday took her time to dry her hands and watched as the older one of the women entered a toilet while the other approached the mirror to retouch her makeup.
Monday turned to her, "good luck with the prize, may the best book win." She then left the toilets. There was no use making a scandal. Gossiping was rooted in human nature, just like jealousy.
Speaking of the emotion, an explosion of it was imminent. Monday was on her way back to her booth when she found herself intercepted by Meredith.
"Hi."
"Hi," Monday said and tried to pass her only to see Meredith block her path high school bully style.
"I love what you write."
Monday cocked a brow, "thank you, I'm flattered," she wasn't in the mood for a chat, especially with someone from Kenneths' entourage.
"Kenneth is a gentleman. Many think he's prince charming."
Mondays' eyes became slits, "gent-leㅡman? Listen, I don't know what he told you, butㅡ."
"He didn't tell me anything, but I prefer to warn you. Kenneth is a busy man," Meredith paused and then added, "he has no time for romance. He doesn't even want it in his life."
Monday sighed; her day suddenly felt like Groundhog day with Kenneths' name rebooting in every scene, "excuse me, may I ask you why you're telling me this? I don't want anything from your Kenneth either. I don't get why all of you people spend your time bowing down to him as though he were a monarch, the Dalai Lama, or the Messiah. Get over him; I know I am."
Monday passed the woman and returned to her booth.
What was wrong with these people? She thought when she arrived at an empty spot.
The woman didn't need to look at the program to know where everybody went. A bag with a dish on king prawns and fried rice was on the table with a note.
Eat at least.
Monday sketched a weak smile, Ben's delicate attention in moments like these were everything. The woman sat to eat but didn't finish as a few visitors arrived.
Monday did her promotion signed and chatted, thanks to their presence, the woman didn't see the time pass, and before she knew it, Ben and Tim were back.
"Wow, Monday, you missed something. It was Kenneths' best talk yet. The man was on fire. You'd think he won the lottery. You missed out. Monday?"
The woman was livid, and she was sure if she heard the man's name again, she would explode.
"Monday?"
"Guys, sorry, but I won't be able to finish the fair."
"Monday, hey, what's wrong?" Ben said and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm not feeling too well."
Ben looked at the table, "it isn't the food, is it?"
"No, it was perfect, Ben, thank you."
"But there's the prize Monday," Tim added.
Monday looked up at Ben, "did Lennon hint anything?"
"Monday, you know I can't say anyㅡ," Ben said, giving Monday an apologetic stare.
"Never mind, I won't stay anyway," the woman got up.
"Monday."
"Sorry, I'm going back to Paris. I'm ready to be blown away by Charles' nagging. See you guys."
"But your flight is at 8 PM."
"I'll see if I can change the tickets." The woman picked up her bag and left, the two men bewildered.
In the meantime, Kenneth finished his talk. He wished to head back to Mondays' booth but got trapped by the committee, who asked him to give out a few prizes. The man went to the stage prepared for the disclosure. He imagined seeing Monday there as she was nominated, but she was not in the crowd.
He then hoped to see her on the stage to get her prize, but none of the envelopes he held had her name. He, on the other hand, won three different non-fiction categories. The ceremony ended, and the man returned to his aisle wishing to see Monday only to find Ben and Tim packing.
"Excuse me, is Dayé around?"
"Monday, left a while ago. She wasn't feeling well," Ben said.
"Monday?"
Ben frowned, "yes, Monday is Dayé," the man finished while giving Kenneth his shame on you stare.
"Oh, eh, yeah," Kenneth said, feigning to know.
The man returned to his booth. A sentiment of guilt pinched him as he realized he didn't even know something as primary as her name.
During that time, Monday arrived at Heathrow. Kenneth, the women in the toilets, the prize, Meredith, everything jumbled up in her mind and finished by getting to her. All Monday desired was to get home and forget the whole booking fair affair from day one to its end.
Ben and Tim were about to leave the fair when they heard someone yell after them. The men turned to find Kenneth, who caught up to them.
"You work with her, right?"
"Yes," Ben said while Tim nodded.
"Can you give this to her?"
Ben stared down to look at what Kenneth's stretched out to him. It was a hardback edition of his book.
"Sure, I'll give it to her."
"Thank you," Kenneth turned to walk away.
"Do you have a message?"
"Just tell her to read the book?"
Ben frowned but proceeded to pack the book in his satchel. The man saw how Kenneth approached Monday. Like a few at the fair, he heard about their return to the hotel together. He didn't have Mondays' version, but he was sure something happened between the speaker and the author.