Chapter 1 Aviva Pov

• Mum has to send me to Jack’s office on my first day at home. Though I grew up around him and I treated him like my brother half of my life but I started feeling so uncomfortable around him as I became a teenager. As much as he made feel uncomfortable I always looked forward to seeing him when I go home during school break.
• My mother sent me to Bulawayo to do my Secondary level and she made sure every holiday I’m home to help her with the farm work. Not that I’m complaining I love my mother and I loved the farm, if there was High school near the farm I would have never left.
• Jack does not belong to Matopos Village he only came here because of work. His family is from Malawi based in Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwean side. He arrived in Matopos when i was 8 and he was only 21 then. He has been part of this community for a long time we even treat him like one of our own. People are friendly and they love him and he loves almost everyone in the Village, he is so kind to everyone. He loves my mum and treat her like his own. He made it a point to take care of her whenever he can.
• “Hie Viva” the man can feel himself and he knows I don’t like being called that.
• “Aviva, please Mr Taylor” I snapped, Jack always make me loose my cool whenever I’m around him since I turned 14, before then I was very comfortable around him and he enjoys it when I’m all worked up.
• “ You know I will not stop calling you that, and you always make me feel old with this Mr Taylor, now how was school and you couldn’t spend another day without seeing me, I’m pretty sure you arrived today. “
• “ You make your self old Mr Taylor by the way you talk to me like you are my father, my mother sent me because I was at home and others went to the farm and I was still resting from my journey and school was fine thank you “ I always bubble when I talk to him. My cousin always say I have a crush on Jack. But who wouldn’t the man was handsome.
• “ Viva Viva come give me a hug “ Oooh not a hug and my skin will be tingling for The whole week just from thinking about his hug. He talks while he is walking around the table to give me a tight hug and my face turns red.
• “ Welcome home Viva Viva “ He moves away before I punch him on his shoulder, I always liked punching him since when I was a child.
• “ Now tell me all about school, what were you upto this term and did you get yourself a boyfriend yet” this question makes me blush these days but he always asked me the same question whenever I come home
• “ You know I don’t have time for anything else except my studies“
• “ Tell me about the studies then” the man was persistent and I wanted to leave and Jack will keep me in his office with his small talk.
• “ I will tell you all about it when you come home Mr Taylor now I should go because my mum is waiting for the parcel that I must collect” I said when I was standing up.
• “ Aaah my Cinderella is running away” he knows when I’m running away these days. I used to spend the whole day in his office but for the past 4 holidays I can’t seem to manage to sit around him for long. I collected the Parcel and walked fast out of his office and calling to him as I go.
• “ Bye Mr Taylor”
• He laughed and I didn’t turn around, I could feel his eyes on me as I walked away. I was not pretty like my sisters but I had a beautiful body. I liked sports and I trained all the time. I knew men will see my sisters first before me because all of them they took after my mother, and I took after the old man. I was born into a polygamous family. My father had 3 wives and 9 kids altogether. I am the last born of the family. I have 5 brothers and 3 sisters, I love them so much though my sisters love competing especially with me in everything but I never minded because they didn’t mean any harm.
• I was questioning myself as I walked home, Jack was not married my other 2 sisters were still single and both of them adored Jack. They are always trying to catch his attention whenever he is around. Would he see me as a woman or he will always see me like his little sister. He has never treated me different since he came to this place. He had always treated me well and protected me like a sister. He has fended off some of his colleagues when they were flirting with me.
• “ If you walk like that, the next thing you will collide with a tree, what’s in your mind anyway” my brother was going the opposite direction from where I was coming from. I smiled I loved my brothers I wouldn’t ask for anything, they supported me and treated me like a queen even my sisters were jealousy of me because of the love I received from my brothers.
• “ Alex my brother I’m thinking about the project that I’m suppose to finish before I go back to school you know it’s my last year right, I have to submit my project as early as possible for corrections” I lied too quickly. My brother smiled and gave me a knowing look. Well my brothers they always take my cousin’s side when he teases me about having a crush with Jack.
• “ Sweetheart you can’t be possibly be thinking of school on your first day at home, anyway I thought you had said Jack will help you with the project, I was really going to help you sweetheart but I have plenty in my hands and Cole is occupied this holiday he is not coming home and the other guys are busy with their projects” Alex pointed out what I already know.
• “ Come on brother I know you have some time to spare for your little Sis please please” Just the thought of spending time with Jack now was making me shiver with excitement and fear.
• “ You know Jack will do the good Job as I would have done except if you are now suddenly afraid of him” my brother was teasing me again.
• “ Oooh brother why on earth would I be scared of Jack I have known him since I was a baby” I lied because I was scared of what he makes me feel.
• “ Then you are good to go, I will take on some of your chores this holiday so that you are free to do your project” my brother never cease to surprise me with his generosity, I wouldn’t be surprised if he is taking almost everyone it’s chores on different days he always brings tears to my eyes.
• “ Oooh brother thank you so much, you are wonderful I wouldn’t trade you for anything in the world “ I gave him a hug as I wiped my tears.
• “ Stop this stupidity, your heart is too soft Sweetheart, why are you now crying. Men will break you if you are this soft now go home I’m sure mum is waiting for that parcel “ he pushed me on my way I waved at him and continued going home. How I loved this soul. And I really need Jack’s help because I didn’t even have a computer to use. I will have to use one of his desktops at work.