C2 2

***ANGELA ANOMAN

APPOINTMENT 1

- I have five homes. One in the US, one in Dubai, two here in Paris and the last one in Tokyo. I'm between planes all the time. I can change your life with the snap of a finger. I recently bought myself a private jet worth over five billion euros. If you become my wife, you will be the happiest woman on earth.

- Oh yes, I don't doubt that for a second," I said sarcastically, sipping my drink.

APPOINTMENT 2

- I love my mother. I especially like the little dishes she makes for me. She and I are very close. Look, since the beginning of this dinner, I record everything to make her listen to it when I'm back.

- I beg your pardon?

- Yes, it's better than giving her the report. It will be up to her to give you a mark out of twenty. Only she knows which woman will be the right one. She always knew what was good for me in every way. Every time she buys me underwear, it fits me like a glove.

- And I suppose she washes them? I say jokingly.

- How did you know?

Is he serious?

APPOINTMENT 3

- Meet Choumie, my lizard. She is my best friend. But she's not the only one. I also have an iguana, a hamster, a baby alligator and... oh I almost forgot, a snake.

I almost faint when he brings out, in addition to the lizard, a snake.

- Do you want to kiss it?" asks the weirdo who is supposed to be my gorgeous date tonight according to Elionne.

- AAAAHHH A SNAKE!!! screams a woman in the restaurant.

I take advantage of the general mess to take my legs to my neck. It's decided, I'll never go on a date again, no matter who it is. Even with the Pope, I refuse.

Unleashed on the treadmill for almost an hour now, I press my earpiece which automatically picks up my cell phone.

- Hello baby," I say without stopping to run.

- "So you're telling me about your dates."

- A disaster, I tell you. I'll never go on another one of those lame dates you set me up with.

- But I do it with good intentions. It's a pity that you only meet idiots. So what are you going to do now?"

- What I had planned to do for a long time. That is, focus on my work and figure out how to see my daughter again.

- You know you've been divorced for three years? It's time to start your life over. You're only 33, honey. Plus you look 28 with that sculpted body of yours from all that exercise you do. I'm tired of seeing you alone."

- That's the way life is, honey. We don't get everything we want.

- "But you, do you want to start your life again?"

- Why do I hear your voice behind my back?

I turn around and see her standing in front of my gym. I stop the mat and grab a small towel to dry myself off with. She hangs up her cell phone and hands me my water bottle.

- What's up?

- What?" I ask, sitting down on the floor.

- Do you want to start your life again?" she asks again, sitting down on the bicycle mat.

- I don't know. My divorce broke me up completely.

- We can't call the one you were married in either. You had never been happy.

- I know," I said, wringing my fingers. Jerome was my only man and after all I went through with him I don't think I can trust a man again. Not only have I lost all desire to love again, but I have...

My throat closes.

- I want to see my daughter so badly. (bursting into tears) God, I miss her.

- Oh no... you're not going to start again!? Come here baby.

She takes me in her arms. Once again, as I have done for three years now, I mourn the absence of my daughter. My ex-husband took her away from me and I haven't heard from her since. I have been suffering for three years. I do anything and everything to forget this sorrow but it is stronger than me. I want to see my daughter again.

- It's okay, baby. You're going to make yourself sick again. How many times have you had depressions in the last three years? If you die, you won't have a chance to see your daughter again. You have to be strong. That jerk Jerome can't hide her forever. And

now she is of age. She can decide to come and see you without asking her father's permission. Calm down!

- That man broke me, you have no idea. I've lost control of my life. I don't know what to do except work.

- Maybe you should start by finding yourself a man so you won't feel so lonely. You can't go on like this in loneliness and depression. You have to get moving.

I leave her arms. I clean my face with my hands.

- To have another man to finish Jerome's work? No, thanks. I can't stand another disappointment. There is only a tiny piece of my heart left. I hold it for my daughter.

Once I find her, I can die in peace.

- Stop talking like that. There are plenty of good men out there who will make you happy. You just have to let go and give them a chance. Stop putting up barriers. You don't even have friends.

- I have you.

- Yes you do," she smiled. But I mean having a little bit of people around you.

- I have you, your daughter, your son and your husband. That's a lot of people.

- You're an idiot. Well, that's enough, go take a shower while I make you dinner.

- You're a sweetheart.

- I know I am.

After my best friend, Elionne, left, I nibbled on the dinner she made me and now I'm in bed. I hold in my hand my daughter's photo album from her birth until three years ago before her father took her away from me. She was only 15 years old. She and I had always been close to each other. We were best friends, sisters, confidants, everything. But a year before my divorce from her father, a rift began to develop between us. She was slowly moving away from me and getting much closer to her father. I had

I didn't understand that he was the one putting things in her head until she refused to stay with me after the divorce. She preferred him to me. She preferred this man who had disowned her before she was born until she was 10 years old, to me who had sacrificed my studies and my life for her. I was bruised to my soul. He took the opportunity to leave the country with her and cut all contact. Three years I don't know where she is, I haven't heard her voice, I don't have any pictures of her. She has completely disappeared from my life. It's like she's dead. I had used Elionne's Facebook account to look for her, but to no avail. Either she doesn't have a Facebook account, which would surprise me, because she used to have one, or she put one of those weird pseudonyms, to avoid being easily found. All my prayer is to see her again before I leave this earth. I refuse to die without having hugged her again.

I am suddenly awakened by music coming from the living room. My God, Anaïs is going to piss me off again with the songs of her favorite star. And besides, what is she doing here? If she is at my place, it means that her mother is too.

- Bonjouuuurrrr!!!

I let myself fall onto the bed.

- Arrgg Elionne, keep it down and ask your daughter to turn it down. I am not alone in this building.

- Anais is not here. I put the music on. I like this artist's music too. You know very well that I like love songs.

- Anyway, what are you doing here so early in the morning?

- I came to pick you up. We have two hours to get to the airport.

- Airport? To?

- Well, to catch a plane. Our flight is in three hours.

- What? Wait, are you kidding me?

- No, I'm not. I got us two plane tickets to the Ivory Coast. We have a month's vacation.

- WHAT??? Elionne, you can't make such a serious decision for me. Shit, I have a job.

- Yes and I remind you that your boss is my husband so it's with his permission that I did it. I think he'll call you in...

My cell phone is ringing.

- Here, I think it's him.

I am on my ass. I answer anyway and her husband, my boss, confirms that he'll give me a month's vacation. My God, what kind of best friend do I have?

- Well, it's done. Go get ready.

- But...

- I couldn't stand watching you live non-stop in depression. You need a vacation, a change of scenery. In short, you need to get your mind off things. And who knows, (she dances her eyebrows) maybe there you'll meet a real Ivorian male who will make your heart turn.

- You are sick.

- Yes, but go on, get ready.

She pulls me out of bed by force. Well, I have no reason to refuse this vacation. She starts to sing and dance to the rhythm of the music that continues to play.

- (Singing) You are my Queen, you are my baby, you are my wiféééé. When you're near me nothing else matters. There's only you, there's only me in our world.

- Mtchrrr.

- I love this song.

I'm tired of listening to these love songs. Especially from this French star. First because love destroyed me, but also because my daughter Priscille loved this artist. She listened to his sounds all day long so hearing them again makes me nostalgic.

I finish getting ready and we take the road to the airport. Finally, I think it's a good idea to go on this trip. I really need to visit other skies. And what better than my home country.

IVORY COAST***ABIDJAN

Finally, we arrived at the Hotel Ivoire. Damn, how exhausting this flight was for me. It was really a long time since I had taken a plane.

I am happy to be back in the warm air of my country. It's a bit different from France.

Elionne takes us a room for two. This woman does not want to leave me alone for a moment. I feel that she will stick to me like the plague. Our room is on the second to last floor. It is super big. Perfect for relaxing.

- So our only concern here is to have as much fun as possible, Elionne informs me. No depression, no sadness. Nothing but joy. We'll do whatever you want. Starting with revisiting our beautiful country that we have abandoned for a long time.

- It works.

ONE WEEK LATER

Oh my gosh! I am close to fainting. Elionne took me all over the capital. Between shopping and eating, I think I had enough for the day. Now I just want to sleep. This woman will end up killing me with her madness.

- Shall we go to the bar and have a drink before going up?

- I am exhausted. And I have to go up and check my email.

- I said no work here.

- That's to see if Priscilla left me a message.

- And you start again.

- But I can't do otherwise. This is my only daughter.

- I brought you here to de-stress, but you don't seem to be making any effort, Angela. Look around you, people are having fun and laughing. Do the same. Meet people and even find a suitor.

- I already told you: no relationship. I'm not going to get my head around it until I get my daughter back.

- I'm not telling you to necessarily fall in love. Just meet people. And if you want, a one-night stand. It's been two years since your garage was cleaned.

- Horr... you're terrible! I'm going upstairs to take a bath and I'm warning you, I'm not coming down anymore.

- Well, I'll drink for two. Besides, I'm still hungry.

- I'm still hungry. See you then.

I walk to the elevators. I get on one and as the doors close, a man comes along and pushes them away. I step to the side to give him room.

- Good evening, he greets me with his head down on his laptop that he is manipulating.

- Good evening.

He puts his cap away so that we can't see anything of his face. Anyway, we both go to the same floor. I try to check my mailbox on my cell phone but my battery is running out. All because of this Elionne. Tomorrow, there's no way I'm leaving this hotel. I can't feel my feet. I need a good day of sleep...

The elevator is jostled suddenly.

- Oh my God, what's going on?" I ask, frightened.

- I think the elevator is stuck," the man replied, pushing the buttons on the elevator. A breakdown, I think.

- Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!

I start to panic. My whole body is shaking. It's a total blackout in my head. The panic becomes master of me. I move in all directions.

- No, not that. I can't stay here. I need the elevator to open. Oh my God! I don't want to die. No. No.

- Ma'am, are you okay?

- No, I'm not okay. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. I can't... I can't breathe. I've got to get out of here.

- You need to calm down. It's nothing serious.

I start to cry.

- I don't want to die. Not now. Not without seeing my daughter one last time. My God, don't let me go without finding her. I must tell her that I love her. That she is my whole life.

- Calm down, ma'am," he said, grabbing my hands. No one is going to die.

- I want to see my daughter. I... I... I miss her so much. I can't die like this, without seeing her.

- You're not going to die. You're not going to die. Sit down.

He helps me sit down and crouches in front of me, my hands still in his.

- Look at me!

I obeyed even though my eyesight was obscured by my tears.

- Breathe! There is still air in the elevator. Breathe with me.

I do as he says while letting my tears escape. He doesn't take his eyes off me.

- You're not going to die. It's all right. Now tell me about your daughter. What is she like?

- Like an angel," I said, smiling. She has beautiful little eyes. She loves purple. It's her favorite color. She has long hair like mine and when she was a child she loved it when I braided her hair. Singing and dancing are her favorite pastimes.

I continue to talk about her with a big smile on my lips and my eyes still releasing my tears. I suddenly remember that we are stuck in the elevator. The panic returns.

- I have to see her again. We have to get out of here.

I try to get up but he holds me back. I struggle.

- I start to suffocate.

He lifts me up himself and puts me against the wall.

- Look at me! he orders me this time.

I look up into his eyes. I catch myself clinging to him as if my life depended on him.

- I am here and nothing will happen to you. Okay?

I nod my head.

- Breathe very slowly. Do what I do.

I imitate him. Our eyes stay together and our bodies are very close. My heart rate gradually returns to normal. I am no longer afraid, but this time it is palpitations that compress my chest. I realize that he is holding me tightly against him. The warmth of his body envelops me. I feel safe right away. I feel... alive again, for a moment. The elevator starts up again.

- You see, everything is fine, he smiles at me.

- Yes, it is.

The doors open on our floor. He makes sure I'm okay and picks up my purse.

- Come on, I'll walk you to your room.

Without answering, I start walking. He keeps his hand on my back until we arrive in front of my room.

- Is it okay?

- Yes. Thank you! I say a little ashamed.

- You're welcome.

He hands me my bag and turns on his heels. I follow him with my eyes until he opens a door and enters. What the hell just happened there?