Jacob stood watching as the cab sped along the highway towards Tudor. Satisfied that Gloria had gone, he went back to his Renault.
Inside the car, he started thinking over what had been a wonderful and romantic evening. It was one of his best nights and experiences.
But who was that gorgeous lady? A woman who maintained such a figure, he reasoned, must always be visiting the gym for exercises.
He was now thinking seriously. Or was she one of those girls or ladies who knew him at Mubende and Mbale? But that could not be the case since she would have mentioned something about Mbale.
He was confused. But one thing was clear. She had mistaken him for someone else. Jacob shook his head while smiling and engaged the car into gear.
Then he sped along the highway to his house. He was in no mood to go back to the party at the Whispering Palms. What was there to enjoy when the beautiful woman was gone?
Ten minutes later, his Renault came to a standstill outside his house. He came out and parked it safely. When he was through that, he entered his room and switched on the lights.
He began to undress and then jumped on his bed. Touching the bedside switch, he put the lights off. Then he lay in the darkness and tried to sleep. But he could not.
Many thoughts about Gloria and the wonderful party came back to him.
Who was Gloria, and what did she do? He began to reflect. He had feared asking her for the simple reason it would have given him away.
She had obviously mistaken him for someone else. As he thought of her moans as they made love that night, Jacob knew his heart would not rest until he saw her again.
She had been wonderful in bed, he recalled happily, and she had shown him all the love she had for him. Or was it for the other guy? That guy who failed to turn up.
Yes, she loved that guy who failed to turn up, and Jacob now began to view him as his rival. But what was the man's name? His mind began to think rapidly.
Then he remembered it. Esau! Who was this man called Esau? The name sounded familiar.
He had heard of that name somewhere before. Where had he heard that name? Swiftly, he began to wrestle with his thoughts.
Then everything started falling in place when he recalled the words of his dying mother: Esau is still... Could this be the same Esau his mother was trying to speak of on her death bed?
Most unlikely, Jacob thought. There were hundreds and thousands of Esaus.
Then he pushed him out of his mind and focused once more on Gloria. Her lips had been quite lovely, and that smile was unforgettable. It was a smile of a woman in love.
Why not see her again? As his mind went over her departure that night, he recalled she lived at Tudor.
Suppose he later embarked on a search for her? He was determined to have her for himself.
The end justified the means, he thought, and he would have Gloria. It was just a matter of time.
Perhaps he could go to Tudor and start asking by giving her description. That way, he kept reassuring himself as he thought about her that he would be able to trace her.
His mind also went back to the cocktail at the Whispering Palms. It was the Kenya Ports Authority that had played host to the party.
Was it possible that Gloria was one of the managers at the port? Indeed, she had appeared to be one of the hosts when she instructed the waiters to serve the guests with drinks.
He would ring her, he decided, and try to arrange how he would meet her again. But she knew him as Esau. Well, better put up the same act and let her believe he was the one.
One day, however, the truth would emerge, and she would have to accept the fact that she had loved him too. He was thinking seriously.
But why keep on thinking about Gloria? He wondered as sleep began to embrace him. Then, one of his worst fears came to him as he realized the truth.
When sleep finally overcame him, he knew he was now madly in love with her. He was sure he had welcomed her into his world and also surrendered his soul to her.