Chapter Three: Love Tales For Sale

    At channel 7 on the television, the female correspondent was talking rapidly trying to pin all the information she had in one sentence.
   “Tonight it was confirmed that Lana Raymond, the daughter of Dar-es-salaam’s business tycoon has accepted a hand in marriage to Abdulrahim Nurdin who is a son to the owner of Sahara Oil Company, Hakeem Nasoor. The pair will…..”
   One particular man felt that the whole of today’s news was a personal blow to him as the correspondent’s voice trailed off.
He was seated at the door of his small garage and sweating a little because of the Dar-es-salaam heat. He was dressed in a body tight black t-shirt and fitting jeans. His hair was ruffled up and tonight he looked strained.
   Although it was 8:23 PM in the evening and business was closed, he didn’t feel the urge to go home. He was in no hurry.
   Now Jackson kicked hard at one of the numerous beer cans lying in front of him.
   You’ve had too much to drink Jackson. He said to himself. Go home it’s over.
   Flashbacks of the evening’s news came to him and he felt his hand crumpling the beer can he had in his hand.
   He could have taken more, only that he had drunk way too much and he was out of funds.
   After all the things we’ve been through then she just gave herself away!
   Jackson’s mind reeled back ten years ago when it had all begun.

   His father had died, his mother having followed four years later. Jackson himself was ten years at the time and he cried a bucketful of tears on that day.
   It was then decided that he should stay with his grandmother Harieth.
   Harieth loved Jackson so much for his liveliness and good groom. She wasn’t rich but also she wasn’t  so poor to sustain a living. She owned only a small grocery stall and that was enough for her.
   One day when Jackson came from school he had a troubled look in his face.
   “Is there anything you want to talk about,” Grandma Harieth asked him.
   “Grandma,” he started “The other kids at school tell me that I’m poor and they laugh at my worn out shoes.”
    Grandma Harieth pulled her grandson close to her and looked into his eyes. “Jackson you cannot own everything in this world. God gives us that which is essential and what we need. It is only that some are granted more that the others.”
   From that day onwards Jackson was content with himself, even when his grandmother passed away five years later he still remembered her words.
   Now he was left alone, he did not have a place to stay or means of survival. So he went looking for a job but he found none because he didn’t have much schooling.
   Then one day he found an old abandoned motorcycle. He took it to a lone spot then made it a hobby to try and fix it by spare parts he collected. One day a man passed by and the repaired motor cycle caught his eye. Jackson sold it at a good price and decided to repair vehicles in his life since he had fallen in love with the job. When he turned 18 his skills had grown considerably and he got employed in a garage.
   Two months later he left his job to start his own garage by the little money he had saved.
   Then one day as he went to the mall to buy groceries and other food supplies, his life changed.
   He was at the cashier when he realised that he was short of funds. He looked down at his purchases and he realised that all were essential. He decided to return the flour but the line was too long to squeeze through.
   Then without knowing a female voice said behind him, “Take it, I’ll pay for that.”
   “W-what,” he stammered. “No. I’ll just take it on another day. I don’t need it. I really don’t.”
   But the girl pressed on and he gave in. Later outside the mall she remembered talking with the girl while two heavy set men in black were at either of her side.
   “Thank you so much,” he said, having also been given a large tip.
   “A pleasure,” she said “I’m Lana by the way. Lana Raymond.
   “Jackson Nurdin.”
   ” Goodbye Jack, ” said the girl motioning to the men as she gave him a handshake. ” See you around. ”
  Jackson frowned.
See you around?
  Jackson stood there transfixed when he realised in his hand he had a piece of paper with a hastily scribbled mobile number.
   He thought there was something familiar with the girl but he did not know what. He later realised that she was the daughter of a famous Saudi Arabian business man who resided in Dar-es-salaam. Raymond Ross. For three consecutive nights he slept not a wink. He lay down, staring at the ceiling, the piece of paper wielding the mobile phone number still in his hands.
   He wanted so much to find a phone and dial the number but he knew he would be wasting his time. What would a girl like Lana want in a man like him? What if he realised how poor he was? Even so worse, he could not begin to comprehend what would happen to him if Raymond Ross learnt of him and his daughter.
   What is the wrong with me? He had thought. We barely know each other.
   Until then he had never thought about indulging himself in a relationship but he felt that this was different.
   Finally after five days he mustered enough courage to find a phone and dial the number.
   “Hello,” she said when she picked up.
    Jack hesitated for a moment and she repeated, “hello?”
   “Hey Lana,” he said nervously. “It’s Jack.”
   “Jack!,” she said, the excitement in her voice evident. “Oh I’m so glad to…”
   Jackson remembered how they had scheduled to meet at a local restaurant. They met there for several times and they talked much. No one seemed to have enough of the other.
    Lana did all this in revered secrecy so that her father wouldn’t know.
    One day Lana popped   the question that he was silently praying she would never ask.
   “Jack,” she said.
   “Yeah”
   “We’re not gonna meet in this restaurant forever are we? Besides someone might notice and inform my father.”
  ” I’d been thinking of that too and today i wanted to take you to my place. ” He lied.
  ” Wow! ” Lana said when they had reached his house which was a room at the back of the garage.
   “I know it wasn’t what you we’re expecting. It’s not much but-”
   “It’s not much?” Lana asked bewildered. “I wish I was you, away from the walls of my father’s house.”
   After they had entered inside and sat at the bed in awkward silence. Lana looked into Jack’s eyes.
   “Make love to me Jack.”

Chapter Two: Star Gazers and Moon Chasers

    The living room was abuzz with laughter and joy, galvanized by the visitors from Saudi. Everyone had a glass of wine and were happily conversing. They were all astonished by the enormous house.
    Abdulrahim was seated at the couch, a smile plastered on his face at the prospect of what could have been his wait for his bride to be, in a short while.
    Raymond Ross observed all this seated at the single person velvet chair in silence. He still couldn’t believe that Lana had finally agreed to get married tonight.
    Though he understood that Lana  was only young he couldn’t risk her daughter getting into the claws of the diseases of today’s world.
    As he stood up so as to walk around the room he saw a maid dressed in the usual white shawl staring at him. She was just a few steps away.
    “Please refill the glasses for the guests,” he said.
    “Certainly Sir,” she said then hastily went to perform the errand.
    Raymond was still in thought when a deep smooth voice spoke behind him.
    “What is taking her so long,” said the voice. It was Abdulrahim.
    “She must be nearly done by now,” replied Raymond. “They should be doing the final touches.”
    “Wonderful,” chimed Abdulrahim.
                         * * *

    Lana ran down hastily down the front steps of the house towards the parking lot.
    The last five minutes had been a blur. She had told Suraya of her plan and she had agreed to it. Then Suraya gave Lana her white veil and Lana went out. On the living room’s hallway on her way out, she took one last look at her father and the man she would never marry. She had almost dropped dead in shock when her father ordered her drinks without recognising he was sending his own daughter. Then as she pretended to go to the kitchen she went$ out scotch free.
    Now as she reached the parking area she realised that she didn’t have the key to any car.
    Her heart pounded wildly at the prospect of being caugh while trying to flee. What would she say?
    There were six cars and she tried all of them.
    Locked.
    Then a thought ran in her head.
    “It can’t be!” she thought .
    She ran to the new silver Porsche. She anticipated that the key would be in the car since it was new. Untouched.
    The Porsche’s Convertible roof had been laid in and Lana entered through jumping up the door in the front seat. She checked the ignition. No key.
    Then she opened the dashboard.
     Bingo!
    The key was there.
    She inserted it and turned on the ignition. Lana felt a thrill of joy when the engine roared to life. Without wasting time she made a u-turn and took one last look at their house and drove away.
    It was the last she was seeing of it.

Chapter One: Once Upon A Dream

   Lana Raymond paced up and down in her room,  unable to fathom how this unfortunate ordeal I befallen on her.
    “Why does fate have to be this cruel on others?,” she pondered.
    She slumped on her neat bed spread with silk white sheets and started caressing it absent mindedly.
    She had everything she desired but she still felt that there  something that she lacked. Her vast room had three wardrobes filled to the brim, a velvet divan couch, a large television, three beautiful chandeliers and a door that led to a balcony where she watched the beautiful sunset every evening.
    Until this everything has been alright. It had been an especially good day for her since it was her nineteenth birthday. Her father had surprised her with a silver Porsche convertible.
    She had jumped on her  and showered him with a lot of kisses.
    After some time  her father, Raymond Rahim had gently pulled her down and looked into her eyes, his eyes twinkling.
    “What is it daddy?,” she inquired.
    “Darling I have another suprise for you,” he said holding her chin. 
    “You do?,” she asked with anticipation.
    “Yes.”
    “Well. What could it be.”
    “Follow me.” Her dad said heading inside the house.
     When they had reached inside the house they were welcomed by a big round if applause, cheers and a handsome man smiling on her. At his back there was a procession of men dressed as him in an Arabian Fashion.
    Lana’s smile shifted from a grimace and finally into a scowl.
    She felt her dad’s hand brush her on the shoulder.
    “Well?” he said.
    She knew she was cornered. She hesitated for a moment before she spoke up.
    “I can’t believe it!,” she said. “This is what I’ve always wanted.”
    After that she excused herself and asked her father to go and think it over in her room.
    Now as she sat in her room she congratulated herself for playing her cards right.
    Tonight her dad had presented her with a thirteenth suitor. This was due to the fact that Raymond Rahim was a Saudi Arabian. He believed that he was the one to find a man for her daughter.
    Finding true love wasn’t a priority.
    Lana herself was a result of a union between American and Saudi Arabian blood. Her mother had died three years ago and she had left her a big void in her life.
    Her mom, Claire Stuart, had raised her in the American lifestyle though her dad was constantly against this. Often they would make trips to the US and she loved the lifestyle there compared to Saudi.
    Unfortunately after her mother’s death her father started cultivating in her the Saudi way of living. She had tried to oblige but she mostly hated the hectic dressing code.
    She preferred jeans and sneakers compered to the long shawls worn by women.
    Voices from the living room sifted inside her bedroom and she could hear her father conversing with the Saudi Arabian man, Abdulrahim Hafidh.
    She had no intention whatsoever of getting married to him, her heart lay somewhere else.
    There was a knock on the door and she nervously stood up to answer it.
    “Come in,” she said.
    A woman who she recognised as Suraya their maid entered. She was dressed in the usual long white shawl worn by all maids in the house.
    “Lana, ” she said, “your father has requested that you dress up so that you may appear before Abdulrahim.”
    Lana had known that this moment would come. She also knew Suraya very well because she had taken care of her since she was a child. Lana knew Suraya had liked her mother very well and she wouldn’t say no if she asked her for assistance for what she wanted to do tonight.
    “Suraya,” Lana said taking her hand. “I need you to help me.”
    “What is it my child?”

    That is indeed the end of chapter one and chapter two comes out on 5/12/14. I hoped u enjoyed reading it as much as i enjoyed writting it!.

National Anthem Novel: Foreword

  

On september I embarked on a life changing journey in my life.  It was the most challenging challenge i have ever taken and it was an eye opener as much as it was traumatising at times.
   I embarked in writing a Novel and in every way the idea pleased me. 
   In deciding the name of the book I decided on National Anthem.  National Anthem speaks for it self.  Primarily the book speaks about love, intrigue, lust, revenge and being the ultimate rebel. Things that are widespread and which every one encounters daily.
   In the book you will meet Jack a well groomed man feeling deceit and betrayal while it turns out to be  indeed a vision of love. 
    Then there is Lana Raymond a rebellious daughter looking for something that she wields but she cannot have.
   Also there is Raymond Ross a man hanging on to dear life for the one thing that he cares about on earth but that is not reciprocated back to him but instead it is thrust back. 
    With this and the other unmentioned powerful cast of the Nine chapter novel which i will post every three days I hope it will be a source of joy entertainment and an array of revelations to you. 
    Follow me to read the book in 15 minutes as i will have posted it. For all romantic thriller readers this is definitely the book you should go for.