That Forbidden Love

Chapter 11

Zack

Standing by the window of his office with a magnificent view, from the sixteenth floor which made it almost possible for him to see half of New Orleans, Zack looked down at the people, chattering, going on about their daily jobs, minding their business, trying to hustle for something to eat.

Zack was lost in thought, reminiscing about the same person that has been haunting his mind for the past few weeks.

“Mr. Whittaker,” she called out again for the second time, Zack was far gone in thought to the extent that he did not hear Maggie beckoning on him. Trying to get Zack’s attention, she hit the glass table, at the center of his office with her fist bump, and called out his name once more, “Mr. Whittaker,” she repeated.

By now, Zack was back to the real world, into reality,

“Oh sh*t, for how long have you been standing there?”

“I got here just now,” Maggie replied. “Are you feeling, okay?” She asked out of curiosity.

“I’m good, don’t worry about me,” he said as he advanced to sit down.

“Alright. I wanted to remind you of the charity fundraiser you are supposed to attend by five.” She said, still standing.

“Charity? Oh, shoot is that today?”

“Yes sir,” she looked at Zack’s face “and it’s starting in the next two hours,” she added.

“Really! I guess I should go and get ready then. Is there anything else?”

“No, that’s all, sir”

“Okay thanks.”

5:10PM

Zack reached the hotel where the charity fundraising was been held, he was ten minutes late, which was very unusual for him, he gave his car to a valet before making his way to the entrance of the building.

“Phew! The event hasn’t begun yet,” he said to himself. He was immediately recognized by one of the businessmen present there who waved him over. He mingled for a bit before there was an announcement made through the microphone by the anchor telling all the guests to find a seat while the program commenced.

Moving forward with the event, “Oh no!” Zack thought as he became uncomfortable where he sat when he heard the name of the band, Pulse, was called. The one time he decided to attend a social gathering after hiding out for a few weeks turned out to be the one Jazmyn where she was also present.

“This is going to be a long evening.” He signed.

Zack sat there and listened to the soothing familiar voice wafts through the whole room. He was thinking about how badly he missed that voice and as he heard the lyrics of the song, she mentioned she wrote to a special someone.

He realized that he is too much in love with this incredible woman to let her go because of something as little as social appearance. Who cares what his mother thought, it was his life, and he deserved to be able to do what he wanted, no one should try to babysit his life.

With that thought in mind, he listened to the rest of the song with a smile on his face.

A few weeks before the charity fundraising event, Marigold Whittaker, Zack’s mother, had seen numerous pictures of her son with a strange woman whose name she’d never heard of in the tabloids.

Being Zack’s belle society mother, she had always cared about social appearances, everything she did was mostly because she cared about her social status, she wouldn’t want anything to mar it. She was not pleased with what she saw on the tabloids, which made her decide to have a conversation about it with Zack.

With Zack always refusing to pick up her calls, she sent Justin, as usual, to deliver her message to him.

Zack decided to show up at his mother’s house, days after Justin had delivered her message.

Marigold explained to him, the series of reasons why he couldn’t continue to date Jazmyn, to her, those reasons were, logical enough, no matter how Zack felt about the whole conversation, he could not go up again his mother, which resulted in him gradually withdrawing himself from Jazmyn.

Zack got up immediately after her performance and followed Jazmyn’s trail to backstage. Where things got heated.

*****

Jazmyn

Jazmyn was backstage getting ready for the next performance that she was meant to give at the fundraising. Though Jazmyn chaired the event, she still wanted to perform with her band. The foster charity event was to assist the foster center to gather more funds to keep the place running.

Also, she thought they could perform the song she wrote about Zack while they were apart.

“Hey, kiddo!” Jean- Pierre greeted Jazmyn.

“Hi Peepaw,” she replied.

“What’s up with you recently, you have been mopping around and moody.”

“I’m perfectly fine,” she exhaled deeply “just nervy,” she added.

“If there’s anything wrong you can come talk to me, you know that, right?” He assured her looking in her eyes.

“Of course, Jean, I know that and I’m really grateful for you being there for me all these years”

“No problem sweetheart.”

Jazmyn gave him a brief hug. Right after they are called out on stage to perform.

While Jazmyn was rendering her song, she closed her eyes and all the memories of them that have been blocked all these while open and everything started to flow naturally. She sang with raw emotions, and everybody at the even could feel real emotions coming out of the song.

She had to rush out of stage the moment she finished and went to the restroom giving herself a good pep talk, trying to encourage herself.

Jazmyn, you are better than this, you can’t go back to the dark place you were three years ago. It was in the middle of that that she heard Isaac’s voice flooding through the door.

“Jas, Jas are you okay there? You just kinda run outta there? Is everything cool?” He bombarded her with questions.

“Oh umm, I’m good, I just couldn’t control my emotions back then. Give me a minute I will be right out.” She checked her face in the mirror and retouched her face.

“The song got to me too,” Isaac said as she came out. I thought something’s wrong and that’s why you ran out. But you are good right? Nothing wrong? Because you know if something is wrong you will tell us?”

“Of course, I will tell you. Who else would I rant and rave on to if not to you guys?” She said to lighten the mood.

“Okay then, it’s not like you have any other friends apart from us,” Isaac said jokingly.

“Well come on let’s go mingle with good people and have a good time.” Jean-Pierre shouted as he stepped into the room, with a cup of punch in his right hand.

“Is it alright if I stayed back a little bit before joining you guys? I’m just really tired.”