NERVOUS.
Dan and Raphael were having a staring contest with their drinks in opposite hands. One was having a pessimistic look, the other was having an optimistic look.
“So, let me get this straight, I am an uncle now,” Dan asked to be sure again.
“Whose uncle? Are we related?” Raphael glared.
“You’d better take it easy. We still don’t know what to do in this situation. But are you sure? What if the child belongs to someone else? Or maybe she met another person and they both had sex? Something like that?” Dan tried creating the possible reasons.
“No. She told me that she was single, and the child looks like me as well. I was just not expecting to be a father so soon though I am glad about it.”
“But are you planning to keep this a secret from her forever?” Dan asked and crossed his legs.
“No, I am not planning to but I have studied her well enough that she doesn’t like mixing with others and she tries to keep herself out of public issues or problems. I don’t know if she likes me or hates me. What if she hates me already and then I go back to confess to her that I am the father of her child? What then? Won’t she try to run away? She will try to so that’s why I am trying to hide this for now and make her fall for me.”
“Do you perhaps love her?” Dan questioned, his eyes full of doubt.
“I don’t know if I will be able to love any other woman, Dan. It’s complicated and you understand but I am attracted to her. I like her.”
“If you don’t love her then why are you trying to make her fall for you.”
“I don’t want my son to have different parents.”
“What about your parents?” Dan mentioned the real deal. Raphael was silent for quite some time before replying.
“They don’t deserve to know.”
” Look here, buddy. I understand your point though and I wish you all the luck in the world to fulfill this. I will also try my best in helping but I hope you know that your responsibility has increased. You don’t have only yourself to protect and look after, you have two more people to take care of.” Dan explained and Raphael looked at his friend with gratitude.
“Thank you.” He appreciated it.
“It’s no problem, Zeke will be around tomorrow to visit you.”
“Sure. He is welcome. Let’s have more drinks.” Raphael spoke and they clicked their glasses against each other before taking a sip.
Raphael’s thoughts ran deep, his friend was right. He had a lot to do and he was yet to even get started. He hoped that his plans would come into manifestation.
________________
“Good morning, Evelyn.” The colleagues greeted each other as they walked past each other.
“Good morning.” Evelyn returned their greetings with a charming smile as well. She met Rita and Rob on her way, they seemed to be arguing a lot about something that she believed at the start was meaningful but later concluded that it was one of their childish fights.
“Rita…Rob, what’s going on? It’s morning already.” Evelyn reminded them as she looked around the office.
Rite immediately grabbed Evelyn’s arms and started acting all cute.
“Good morning, sis. There is this question that is almost causing a fight…”
“Almost?” Evelyn raised her eyebrows.
“Okay, fine, it’s a fight about Asian boys.”
Evelyn walked right past her to her sitting space, she greeted those there and put her bag on the table before settling down. The two blabbermouths rushed to meet her.
“So what is the topic all about?”
“Rob believes that Asian boys’ beauty is a result of plastic surgery but I disagree. Not all of them went under the needle.” Rita replied.
“They can go above the needle.” Rob joked and Rita punched him. Evelyn rolled her eyes and faced her table, she took off her black jacket and then brought out a cup, already made of milk, sugar, cornflakes, and a spoon so she could have breakfast.
While the two were arguing, she was mixing her breakfast and watching a fight. She did not want to get involved in it. Whatever they both agreed on, so shall it be for their dull mind.
While eating, Jeremy came out of Raphael’s office, looking all worn out. She quickly excused herself to speak with him.
“Good morning, Jeremy.”
Jeremy, in return, adjusted his glasses and looked at her. For some reason, he wasn’t pleased that his boss had to employ another assistant when he was perfectly doing his work as required but then, this woman arrived…boom! Everything changed.
“Good morning. You weren’t around yesterday, were you?”
“No, I wasn’t. Some things that I needed to take care of came up. ”
“Ha, I see.”
“Before I forget, there is a new ongoing project for our company. The chairman has sent the details to our boss so you can help with that, the file is with him. Check-in, okay?” Jeremy instructed.
“Of course.” Evelyn nodded and he left hurriedly.
Evelyn went back to her breakfast and ate all, she redressed herself and entered Raphael’s office. As usual, the atmosphere was quite different from the normal public office outside. The cool air, the scent, everything was spectacular about the room and even its owner. Goodness, she hit her forehead when she realized what she was thinking but then Raphael wasn’t in the office.
“That is strange.” She murmured.
“But Jeremy just came out of there…right? Or…” She was confused as she looked around the office but then, her eyes darted towards the picture that was placed in between the books on the shelf. Because of the distance, she could hardly see the picture so she moved closer to the shelf and paved the way for it. The picture came into clear view.
It was a picture of a young boy with a woman beside him, she was smiling brightly as the sun and even with her absence, the smile could make one react to it unconsciously with a smile. The other part of the picture had the woman’s lips on the boy’s head and the reaction of the boy was laughing hysterically. What could have happened during that funny moment?
Taking a closer look at the picture, the boy somehow had the same look as Tom, it was just that he seemed to be older than him.
“This must be his picture but why do they look alike?” She mumbled to herself. She was getting all confused just within a month of her arrival. She had promised herself not to think much about it so as not to burden her brain but then the question kept coming to her memory: did she not want to see how or what Tom’s father looked like? Yes, she wanted to see that man that she was confused about if she really hated him or not.
“That’s my mother.” Someone spoke gently behind her and she jolted, before the picture could fall from her hands, Raphael stabled her with his hand.
It was like he was holding her waist but it could be seen as another aspect of him holding the picture so it wouldn’t fall. The two of them looked at each other sideways.
“What happened?” Evelyn asked.
Raphael looked at the picture and smiled.
“It was my birthday that year. She wasn’t around and little me was patiently waiting no matter what, she would be around for my birthday but unfortunately she couldn’t make it and my father wasn’t willing to celebrate my birthday so when my mom came back, she celebrated it for me in such a small yet special way. Unfortunately, that was the last birthday I am privileged to have celebrated with her.” His tone lowered when he said that.
“What happened to her?” Evelyn asked.
“She was involved in a car accident,” Raphael answered.
“That’s tragic. I am sorry for your loss.”
Raphael chuckled when he heard this, the breath from him fanned against her neck as she spoke.
“Why are you sorry when you are not the reason for her death?” Raphael asked, a little bit closer to her face. Evelyn’s heart skipped a bit and she looked away in embarrassment.
“I was…I was confused about what else to say.”
“Silly you, I like that.” Raphael collected the picture and placed it back on the shelf before going back to sit.
Evelyn then came back to her senses and looked around once more. Where did he come out from?
“Mr. Raphael.” She called. Raphael looked at her with raised eyebrows.
“Yes?”
“Where were you earlier when I came in?” She asked.
Raphael stared at her questioningly and it made Evelyn feel like she had probably done something wrong by asking.
“I apologize.”
“Are you here to see me for something?” Raphael asked.
“Jeremy informed me that there is a file…”
“You don’t have to worry about that for now. I will let you know when you are needed for it. What’s my schedule?” Raphael ignored it as he turned on his computer. Evelyn took a quick look at the file in her hands.
“There will be a general meeting this morning and then you are expected to have a visit with the Mayor.”
“Get everything settled down for me in the next five minutes.” He ordered.
“Right away, Mr. Raphael.” She rushed out of the room. When she was gone, Raphael smirked…not in an evil way but in a way that could explain the term ‘ victory overloaded.’
Just that standing that close to her was a test of something and she failed the test which had somehow opened the easiest portal for him. She was somehow an interesting character that he had taken a fancy to.
TBC…