“Not this time Tobs, come hell or high water, we will have this conversation!”

Actually to tell the truth I do not know what I was expecting but it certainly wasn’t this. I needed to breathe! It feels suffocating in here.

I informed them both in a haughty voice that I was going to the Ladies and they both smiled knowingly, which made me all the more uncomfortable. I leaned on the closed the door and heaved a heavy sigh. I quickly put a call through to Jasmine, bringing her up to speed. “Wow Tobs, a lot of girls will love to be in your shoes. So Rick follows you around town now? Na wa oh,” She said laughing mischievously. “Where did you get that idea? I didn’t say that,” I exclaimed in an aggrieved voice, mortified. Or does he?  “Calm down Kitten,” she said in the tone Rick normally uses when he calls me that name and ended with a sexy growl that left both of us in stitches.

“So sugar plum what do you intend to do? You certainly can’t hide away in the toilet all evening,” Jasmine said with a giggle after our laughter had subsided. “Did you ask him what he came to do there or did you just run to the toilet on sighting him?” She asked impishly. “No I didn’t! I mean I didn’t ask him what he came to do there,” I said indignantly. “Anyway I have to go, bye,” I concluded hurriedly going out before both men start wondering what I am up to.

When I stepped out, Rick was not in sight and Dennis was having a phone conversation, his eyes fixated on me the moment I stepped out. I looked around expecting Rick to materialise from anywhere. The night was not going well but I managed to maintain my poise even though I was shaken.

I looked up and saw Dennis watching me closely with a blank expression on his face. It appears it is my bane to fall for difficult and unusual men I thought as I stared back warily at Dennis. I wonder what he is thinking. “Shall we?” He asked with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Shall we what?” I asked my heart beating erratically. “I think we should go to the Yacht, we have a lot to discuss and we will have privacy,” Dennis said brusquely. What! I didn’t want to be on his Yacht, in a cosy little place with him. Discussion? What kind of discussion? I looked at him, ready to protest but then he raised his hand.

“Not this time Tobs, come hell or high water, we will have this conversation!” Dennis said with determination. How am I going to ‘escape’ this now? It appears tonight I am full of ‘escape thoughts’ I obviously did not watch enough adventurous movies because I don’t know how to get myself out of this precipice I thought cynically. I walked silently with Dennis to the car, feeling more like a prisoner than a girl out on a date with a guy.

When we had driven a few meters I asked him to stop the car, I wasn’t going to be bullied into a conversation I wasn’t ready for. As soon as he stopped I stepped out on the high way. I hate drama but I had no choice. “Tobs this is the middle of nowhere, is there a reason we are stopping?” Dennis asked opening his door and walking over to my side.

‘I cannot breath,” I said actually having an eerie feeling take over me as I gasped for air. I really felt suffocated in spite of the cool evening breeze. That was the last thing I remembered. I opened my eyes and found myself on the hospital bed with Jasmine staring anxiously into my face. “What happened?” I asked in confusion.

“Tobs honestly I don’t know whether I should hug you or smack you, other girls will swoon into the arms of their lover and find themselves shagged up in bed but you had to land yourself in hospital,” she said with a shaky voice and a sprinkling of tears on her lashes.

I could hear the relief in her voice and see how worried she looked. Jasmine hugged me tightly and sat on the chair by my bedside obviously exhausted. Did I really pass out? What time is it, I wondered as I looked around to check the time. “It is 11.00am Tobs, you gave us such a fright” Jasmine said quietly, still visibly shaken from the ordeal. “11.00am? Oh dear” I exclaimed. “You, young lady are going nowhere, Doctors orders and yes Debbie (my Secretary) and Mama have been here to see you. No, do not look around neither Dennis nor Rick are allowed here but the girls are coming over shortly,” Jasmine said finishing breathlessly. “We are here already pumpkin; we came as soon as we heard!”