Chapter Two - Davon

Nothing but a minor bump in the road…  That's all. No, not the road under the wheels of the black Hershma V.a, this road is as smooth as cream in coffee. The bump is on my metaphorical road, the road many call 'life'. After all these years, I'm just now realising that being rich also means being lonely. Deeply lonely. 

"Looks like there's a jam ahead, Sir." My chauffeur, Godwin, nods down the road. I pull away from my daydream to look down the road, black tarmac slick with surface water reflecting all the neons and lights of the city stood still with a gridlock of cars. Up ahead, blue lights flash behind a crowd of people. 

"Hmm, I wonder what happened?" I ask and take this opportunity to light a cigarette. I roll the window down slightly, letting a few specks of rain land inside the car, dappling my suit as I smoke.

"I'll keep an ear out if you desire, Sir." Godwin figures I care about what is happening down the road. Which, unless it is a friend or customer, I couldn't care any less. Regardless, I flick the ash out of the window and nod. 

"That'd be great, thank you, Godwin." 

My phone vibrates and I flick the burnt out cigarette into a steel bin in the door of the car, specifically designed for cigarettes. I pull my phone from my jacket's inner pocket and open with thumb recognition. A message from Lakista. 

Lakista: Liz has successfully been picked up. Look after her. 

My heart twists briefly with delight and excitement. This is really happening. This small little family hadn't just taken my money, not that I would mind, it looked like money would prove useful. But I still feel a buzz within me. I like speaking with Liz. But she always leaves mid-conversation, I always just assumed I bored her. To know she is now on her way to me in Gabriel's capable hands makes me smile. 

"Is something good happening?" Godwin must have noticed my idiotic smile.

"She's finally coming, Godwin." I tap out a quick reply to Lakista and ring Gabriel. 

"Gabriel. I hear you have my guest?" I inspect my nails before looking up to see how the standstill has progressed. 

"I do! And a beautiful one she is, Davon. Let me tell you, if I was straight I'd do all sorts to her…" Gabe chuckles through the phone. "Though, you may want to buy her more suitable city clothes. She's currently in the back wearing nothing but a cotton dress." His voice lowers to a whisper, I can only just hear him. "Davon, I can see her breasts. They're very distracting!" 

  "Keep your eyes on the road, Gabriel. What size is she?" 

"One second." The sound of the mid section privacy screen rolling down rattled in my ear. A distant conversation backed-and-forthed until Gabe returns, along with the rattling of the privacy screen once again. "She doesn't know what size she is. The clothes she has worn all her life have been hand made and from what I saw, isn't even aware sizes in clothes are a thing. But, if it counts for anything, I'd say she's a size 14. About 5ft 6. Small feet, maybe a five. Yellows and light pinks will suit best."

"Thank you, Gabriel. Take care of her. I'll see what I can do. The traffic is currently at a standstill here." 

"I will certainly take care of your precious cargo, Davon. The in-car navigation says we will arrive in around five hours, we will stop mid way for toilet breaks. Make sure you have some food ready for when we get there." 

"Of course. I'll see you then." 

"Indeed you will. Take care, Davon." 

"You too. Drive safe." 

I hang up and lean forward to look ahead. We are crawling forward at walking pace now. "Gabriel has Liz. They will be here in five hours. Can you take me to Liberton Co, I need to buy her some clothes." 

"Of course. It's nice to see you smile, Sir." 

"I smile all the time…"

"No. This is a real smile. A happy smile." 

I sit back into the seat and sigh lightly, I look down at the phone in my hand and go to open Liz's photo again. She is in the middle, and her siblings either side. Her big bright eyes are so curious and full of wonder. Her beautiful skin a pure bronze like I had never seen before. Her lips look so soft, I imagine what they feel like against mine.

There's a reason I don't smile much anymore, but that secret has been buried many years ago and I don't wish to unearth it.