On seeing the high class man who was at the gate, the security officer quickly saluted and made way for him to pass. He dared not obstruct him. His experience with Easton Landers was still very fresh in his memory. Easton had warned them never to obstruct him else they would regret it. Ivan and Easton were both Landers and probably had the same rules and the same mission in the house. He waited to hear the question, ‘where’s Stratford?’ as Easton always asked when he showed up at the gate. But Ivan had a different question altogether.
“Tell Nelly to come here this instant!”
“Huh? Sir?” the man asked with a puzzled expression. Ivan gave him a look that spoke volumes. He didn’t have to say a word for the security officer to realize his mistake.
“I apologize sir. But…”
“I will not repeat myself.”
“Sir…she…she hasn’t returned. She left this house some years ago and we haven’t seen her since then,” the man explained.
“She isn’t here? And hasn’t been seen in four years? Ivan needed to make sure he heard correctly.
“Yes sir. She…” But Ivan didn’t wait to hear more. He jumped into his car and zoomed off. He had missed two chances to meet the girl he loved and the girl who saved his life. This was the third chance and he wasn’t going to flop. He thought of where she could be. The only place she could possibly be was at Ash’s house or a hotel, but the former seemed to be the answer. Ivan reasoned that Ash would not be in town and let Nelly spend the night in a hotel. He turned his car in the direction of Ash’s house.
“Is that all I can get? It’s not fair!” Nelly wailed.
“You owe me eight hundred!” Emma declared triumphantly.
“Who?” Ash and Nelly asked in unison. They were playing monopoly game and the game was very interesting. They had so much fun that day. Firstly, they cleaned the house in the morning, cooked and baked in the afternoon. Later, they ate pizza and watched a movie and now, they were playing monopoly. They looked like a perfect family, a man, his wife and daughter. Emma was enjoying herself. There was indeed no dull moment with uncle Ash as her mother had said.
In the midst of the laughter, the door bell rang. Immediately, there was pin drop silence. Nelly looked at Ash and he looked at her too.
“Are you expecting someone?” she asked. Ash shook his head in negative. The door bell rang again.
“I’ll go and check who’s at the door. Meanwhile, both of you should go into the room and hide.”
“Okay, careful please,” Nelly said with pleading eyes. She held Emma and both entered into the guest room and shut the door. She placed her hands on her lips, indicating Emma to be quiet. The little girl didn’t quite understand why the happy air should be interrupted by just an ordinary knock on the door. Common, it was just a knock. Door bells ring every other day, why did this one have to be different? Nevertheless, she kept her thoughts to herself and stayed quiet as she was instructed. Ash looked around the room and hid Emma’s slipper under the chair but he left Nelly’s. He adjusted his shirt and went to the door. One would wonder why he asked Nelly and her daughter to hide. He didn’t want anyone to know that she was back in town. He wanted her to have her privacy, do what she came to do in the country and go back peacefully. He didn’t want any danger to befall either her or her daughter.
He opened the door and was extremely surprised to see Ivan.
“Good day..” he greeted politely.
“Where is Nelly?” Ivan asked without preamble.
Ash wanted to reply curtly or ask him to get out but he swallowed his words even before they came out. He didn’t dare voice out such a rude comment. Ivan had grown stronger, colder and more brutal over the years and Ash didn’t want a taste of this new man. In the past, he had spoken to Ivan in a bit disrespectful manner but Ivan had let it slide because he was desperate to get Nelly back. Now, any slight mistake could earn Ash a miserable life for the rest of his days.
“I don’t understand…” he began.
“Is something wrong with your brain? Where’s she and you tell me you don’t understand. Did I speak Spanish?”
“I’m sorry. But the question was quite surprising and…”
Ivan gave him a look that could kill.
“She hasn’t returned since she left,” Ash lied.
“I’ll go search your house. She’s back in the country. If she isn’t in her father’s house, she’s definitely here. Make way!”
Ash thought very quickly. He wouldn’t let Ivan find Nelly, not under his roof. Seeing Ash’s hesitation, Ivan shoved him aside and made to go in.
“Hey! My girlfriend is inside and she’s naked. I’m sure you don’t want to go in there and see what you shouldn’t see.”
Ivan stopped in his tracks and looked at him.
“We were in the middle of a make out session before you interrupted. Don’t spoil the fun, president Landers.”
A look of disgust appeared on Ivan’s face. He turned around and left the house immediately.
“Phew! That worked like magic. Thanks goodness I thought of a brilliant lie to tell.”
Ash shut his door and went inside.
“Hey guys, you can come out now. The coast is clear!”
Nelly opened the door and came out with Emma.
“Who was that? Your friend?”
“No Nelly. It was Ivan.”
“Ivan? I thought you said he stopped coming here after he got nothing from you?”
“Yes. He stopped coming. I was surprised as well. Somehow, he might have heard you are in the country and came to check here. He claimed he checked your father’s house and since you weren’t there, you would be here.”
“How did he know that I returned?” Nelly asked. But before Ash could answer, the door bell rang again!