LORD Lucas was for a split second, dumbfounded, and astonished. He was so shocked to the bones as the information was spilled. Who the hell had dared to leak and expose his secrets? Secrets that he had guarded all the fucking years of his life. Secrets that he just doesn’t want to get out to the public.
Slowly and quietly, he dropped the glass of alcohol on the table and slowly got up, then began walking away, walking away from the gathering.
The other two guys kept mute and watched him fade out of their sight, then Boogie turned to the guard.
“What was that all about?” He asked and the guard shrugged his shoulders.
“Just doing my job”, he said and walked away as well.
***
A maid returned to the dining room to clear the last part of the used dishes from the table, the family have just had a sumptuous lunch, and Mrs Petersons was the most excited and happiest woman at the face of the earth at that moment, as she grinned from ear to ear.
Why not? She couldn’t remember the last time the family had sat down to gist and have fun filled chats over sumptuous meal and drinks, nor could she remember when last Jeremy, her precious son had ever honoured their lunch or dinner invitations, it was a fun packed day for her today.
“I seriously can’t remember when last I had such delicious meal”, Jeremy said and they all burst into laughter.
“Your mum did actually make the food, not the maids”, Mr Petersons announced and Jeremy’s mouth fell wide open in astonishment.
“Really?” He turned to his mother who began blushing like a sixteen year old.
“Oh please honey, who asked you to announce it?” She asked, waving her right hand at her husband who made a face.
“Tell me you don’t like the attention you are getting now”, he said and she laughed.
“Hold on, did my mum really cooked?” Jeremy asked looking from his father to his mother.
“I did honey, I did”, she replied.
“Oh my! Mum! No wonder the taste reminds me of when I was still five, it is giving me that vibes”, they all burst into laughter.
“Oh please, don’t tell me you remember when you were five”, Mrs Petersons said.
“Of course I do”, he replied.
The laughing continued and stretched on for a while. Suddenly Mrs Petersons put out her left hand over the table and held onto Jeremy’s right hand, he was sitting adjacent to her.
“Son, thank you for honouring our invitation”, she said.
He smiled and nodded.
“Seriously speaking, I wish we could be doing this more often”, she said and Mr Petersons began laughing, she glanced at him, and smiled.
“Mum”, Jeremy called and chuckled.
“Come on mum you know that is not possible, you know it, so don’t ask me”, he said.
She smiled and kissed the back of his palm.
“Alright fine, I really do respect your decision”, she said and let go of his hand.
“Hmm, but not that of whom I intend to marry right?” He said and she sighed and looked away. Jeremy scoffed.
“Son?” His father called and he turned to him immediately.
“Father there has been a lot going on with me of recent”, he said, “people are after my life”, he concluded.
“May God forbid!” His mother exclaimed.
“That is the sole reason I honoured this lunch date or whatever you intend to call it, to let you guys know of this”, he continued.
“What the hell is going on honey?” Mrs Petersons asked, directing her questions to him.
He sighed.
“I don’t know whom I have offended, I have been getting attacks from all nooks and crannies, I even had to summon my guards to a meeting and tell them about being extra vigilant and careful, about the calls they make and receive. Even when I go out, I am more than careful, because I have no idea where the attack is coming from”, he explained.
Mr Petersons sighed, his wife was agitated as she moved restlessly on her seat.
“Oh my! Son, when did all these madness start?” She asked.
He sighed and ignored her question.
“The other day Dad came over, he saw my car that was battered and destroyed almost beyond repairs”, he continued.
“What!” She turned to her husband, “but you never told me a thing as grievous as that happened”, she said.
“Well, now you know”, he said to her in reply.
A little frown appeared on her face.
“Now I know? Is that it?” She rhetorically asked.
Jeremy snickered.
“Well mum, all that doesn’t matter now. My safety does”.
She turned to him.
“Oh yes dear, your safety matters a lot now. So what are you gonna do? What is the way forward?” She asked.
“Still on it. About two days ago one of my guards was targeted and killed with a sniper”.
“What!” It was Mr Petersons and his wife who had exclaimed this time around.
“Yeah, the one manning the small gate at the back of the mansion”, he finished off.
“What are you doing about this Jeremy? Seriously what?” Mr Petersons asked.
“We need to involve the cops”, his wife suggested.
Jeremy chuckled.
“Oh no! When I have guards?” He rhetorically questioned.
“Guards and yet, things are getting worse, huh?” She replied him.
“I only need to involve them when my team of guards and I must have gotten hold of the culprits”, he explained further.
“There is no need for that honey”, Mr Petersons said, “we will run it ourselves”, he added.
“Hmm, you guys better do, I don’t want to wake up to a devastating news, I am yet to see and feel my grandchildren”, she said and shoved her seat backwards.
Jeremy glanced at his father and laughed lightly.
“I need to feel them before anything, mm, yes”, and with these words she got up and walked out of the dining room.
“You see your mom”, Mr Petersons said, “we are saying something else, she is talking of grandchildren”.
Jeremy couldn’t help but laugh.