PORTUGAL; THE LOVE BUTTON

Aside the rays of afternoon heat that the richly blue sky poured on the multicolored umbrella shielding Dera’s pretty self, the atmosphere outside the coffe shop she settled with her handy purse was quite pleasant. One last feel of the most beautiful experiences she had unregrettablly savored and ‘Easy breakfast and lattes’ was just the right place to be; perfectly situated a few yards away from the beach. The cafe, although mounted on the rather hilly side of the environment, had a beautiful sight of the wide water body ahead and it was close enough for one to easily get attention-swayed by the noise of waves' collisions. Just around the corner stood a rocky area for one to get a closer look and feel of the sea if they well pleased.
Like it was in the present, she spotted herself backing the cafe, resting her Afro head on the left shoulder of the most amazing lad she’d ever being on dates with. A tear, a smile and the loud beep from her phone which was a part reminder of her evening flight ringing through her leather purse, snapped her back to her attention-starved ice tea that was gradually growing in it's plastic to-go cup because of the melting ice cubes in it.
Scavenging through her purse, she pulls out a handy packet of serviette which she always carried in case scenarios when she’d been in need of it, picks out one of the neatly folded pink tissue and damps the drops of salty water her eyes had produced. She finally gave the content in front of her placed there about fifteen minutes ago by the bight faced waiter, a long sip.
An American by birth and an African by origin, Dera was an upcomer on the verge of being a Hollywood chef because of her unique ways of portraying the food world. Dera was able to possess a 4.5 star rating from the hardest food critics, Mr Shelling and so she earned her one way ticket to explore more and start up her own cooking show.

a month ago

“I’ll miss you mom”, Dera was caught squeezing her 45 years old look alike in an embrace amidst the bustling in the airport. “I wish you safe travels my dear. Don’t forget to text me when you finally settle in”, the older woman pacified her daughter who was on her way to Portugal. She then spinned the portable four wheeled crocodile skinned bag into the hands of her daughter who she encouraged as she was set to fly over three thousand miles away from her.
“Attention please. All passengers for the departure to Portugal, be on board”, a female’s voice rang from the intercom above the two ladies
“That’s your cue baby. Go”, Dera’s hands were released from the grip of her mother’s two. “Bye Mum”, she smiled faintly
Buckling her seat belt, she recalls the dread of a plane’s takeoff and silently wishes for a hand to grab till the experience was over. “Sorry, do you mind swapping seats? The window view keeps me relaxed when flying”, a calm masculine voice returned Dera to the present. Meeting those contact-lensed eyes perfectly engraved in his handsomely carved face, everything around her shifted all attention to him causing him to stand like a celebrity in the spotlight.
“Helloooo!”
The call out and snaps she faintly heard slowly grew louder and clearer. “Do you mind?”, he chuckled as he figured she could hear him properly now .
“Oh sure. It’s fine to swap. No problems”. Like someone suddenly awaken from a drooling sleep, she hastily made way for him to get to the fourth row’s left window of the plane’s economic class.
“Hello passengers onboard, this is your pilot speaking. Ensure to fasten your seatbelts, we are about to takeoff”, the intercom ahead came on.
Heaving a deep sigh and a couple of deep inhales and exhales, she prepares herself for her worse nightmare, admist wishes and silently prayers that she doesn’t end up embarrassing herself in front of the cutie seated beside her. Although this wasn’t her first flight neither was it the second nor the third, she still hasn’t come to terms with the powerful surge that filled her whole body whenever a plane plunges to the sky. “You can do this. You got this one Dera”, she whispered while still trying to relax her tensioned body.

engine roars
“You seem like you need a hand”, the charmer by her left side clutched hers with his big hand as the plane propelled it’s way up. Minutes later when the birdlike engine was smoothly soaring amongst the clouds, Dera thanked the young man for his generous offer of a hand that she almost perforated with her nails.
Wiggling his hand to ascertain it’s functionality, he teased, “As long as it’s still working perfectly, no worries”. She was glad he found the experience more funny than painful. “I’m Dera by the way”, she reached out a hand for an introductory shake. “Yeah, I think I heard that when you were pulling yourself together moments ago”, he shook the outstretched hand with amusement in his voice. “I’m Cole. Cole Williams”
“Dera Hudson”, she added laughingly. By the time they arrived their destination they had talked about anything and everything they needed to know about each other.
“Here”, Cole handed out a contact card of the hotel he’d be staying at. “This is my hotel’s card. I always pre-booked during my travels”, he said to answer the question he perceived coming. “Give me a call when you’re all settled. It would be nice to catch up with you sometime later”. “Bye then”, he said as he didn’t get any audible response from Dera.
“See you again”, her response final came when he was about ten feets away, moving towards the airport’s exist. He turned, nodded, smiled and waved to the lady that has unknowingly caught him off guard.
They genuinely liked each other very much and they went on as many dates as they could squeeze out time for, enjoying every moment shared. The two shared their goals, aspirations and plans in their own areas of work. “I think it’s ambitious to be a celebrity chef, Dera. You can feature in magazines too, have your own cooking sector in every magazine that matters and progressively have your own exclusive cooking book”. Cole said on one of the days they were hanging out. “That’s a bright idea Cole. And you know what will even be cooler?",she quizzed enthusiastically. "You can help with the book’s editing”, she dreamily suggested.
Cole was on his way up the corporate ladder at his place of work, New York Times press as the Assistant CEO (chief editorial office). He was the youngest chap to head the position plus his direct boss, the Chief Editorial Officer had handed every operational authority to him so a lot was required from him.
Three weeks later this couple will have to make a choice to continue or trample the blooming relationship they’ve had going. “I don’t understand why I have to leave my career to live with you! Why? Because of the same job you obviously found enslaving?!”, Dera flared at Cole the evening he suggested she permanently lived with him in New York.
Cole loved his job and everything concerning it; the traveling, the editing, the creativity, everything. But he found it enslaving. His passion was to be an editor who wasn’t confined to the idea of a superior authority and this he had mentioned a number of times to Dera.
“It was just a suggestion and you didn’t have to speak meanly about the fact that I wanted more from my job”, Cole matched his partner’s energy.
Seeing that they were both too angry to come to terms, she picked up her ever-serving purse and stormed out of his room. An hour later, Cole heard a knock on his door and found Dera in a much cooler state.
“I’ve done some thinking”, she said when she offered herself a seat inside. “When I make suggestions, I don’t impose them on you but whenever it’s your turn, you always try to pin it on me. We can’t move forward with that Cole”, she firmly said.
“I have a week left before I return to my mom in Africa to earnestly begin preparations for my first cook show. I can't just throw away my life's work because you want me staying with you for good, Cole. I'm sorry but I can't".
"I reconnected with an acquaintance who is in need of a freelance editor so I recommended you. Trust me, it’s worth giving Anna’s husband a shot”, she finished with the hope of Cole understanding her plight and accepting the offer of freedom.
“I just got of the phone with the office", he began. I got the promotion I applied for”, he announced rather remorsefully. “You applied?!” Dera was surprised. “I thought you said you wanted out with those people?”
“I filed in the application two months ago when the offer was on the table”, he explained. “Besides, that was when I greatly fancied the post of the CEO”, he finished without fully meeting her eyes.
The air-conditioned executive suite felt colder for Dera after what she had heard from the one man that had swept her off her feet. She knew this was definitely a goodbye because they were two ambitious young persons who wouldn’t compromise either of their careers for the other.
“Oh wow. Ok”, she was careful not to show any breakdown. “Congratulations Cole. It’s a huge opportunity and I’m happy you got what you sought”, she said with all the genuity she could muster. “So this is it? ”We move on with our lives?”
The last flicker of hope in her heart was quenched when he nodded yes. Silently, she picked herself from the comfy sofa they had always like to lay in cozy cuddles and left. The remaining days she had left in Portugal were the saddest of hers. Tears had stopped coming to her eyes because she had cried out every drop of salt water in those brown eyes.
But she picked up her pieces and patched them back on till this present day of her return to her mom. She had decided to leave all the hurtful memories behind because any trace of sadness sensed by her detective mom would lead to a painful revelation and she didn’t want that. So she dedicated the few hours she had before her flight to revisit those places she had been to with the most amazing person who sadly won’t be hers to keep.

buttons

Hours later, seated by the window of the plane to return her to her mom, she nibbled at one of the red buttons that beautified her rainbow colored crocheted dress. It was one of the dresses Cole loved to see her in. The thought of Cole made her forcefully wink back the tear that was about ruining her simple face touch. Practicing her breathing technique to help her find calmness before the pilot announced the takeoff, a similar voice asking a similar request broke into her silence.
“Do you mind switching seats? The window view is great for my relaxation”, Cole smiled down at her. She was star struck seeing him there so he tapped her back into reality. The petite lady jumped on her boyfriend who assured her of his love for her. “I want to be where you’re at Dera, always. And I don't want you giving up on your career because I love you”, he confessed. “Finally, the words I longed to hear”, she thought with a heaved inward sigh of relief as she tearfully breathed on his shoulder.
And there they were, chattering in the same manner as they did on their first encounter but this time, in a loved up embrace.

The end