She smiled broadly and announced, “It is all right. You can go on. I will join you soon,” and tried to walk back to the kitchen.
“We will wait for you,” came the incongruous voice of Arthur.
She walked to the kitchen all the same while they waited for her. She did nothing and walked back immediately. Against her wish, she sat on the only available seat.
They had their meal silently on the surface but under the table, Arthur’s legs would not allow hers to rest. She maintained her cool and ate cheerfully while Arthur rubbed her legs with his. All the same, he kept his promise and fed Daniel alongside his mother. Before now, Nichole would have been elated with Arthur’s love advances when she was desperately flirting around him. Now, she had lost interest and replaced the love she had for him with detestation.
At Seven Oaks – Bailey International Conglomerates’ Clinic
Dr. Quain returned to Seven Oaks Clinic after he excused himself from the marriage ceremony. He could not concentrate on anything apart from how to get Louis, either physically or through phone calls. He reminisced on his message over the phone:
(Hello, Dr. Quain. I feel you should be aware of this. I have found the lady I’m looking for. She got married today to my cousin brother, Denise. See you later.)
After several attempts to reach him, he left the clinic and drove to the Administrative Block to get the details of the staff he traveled with. Having gotten their details and contacts, he began to call them one after the other. To his shock, all he got from them was: (He left for Kent this morning for the marriage ceremony of his brother, Denise.)
He checked his time and muttered, “Even if he decided to return to Cairo, he wouldn’t have gotten back by now.”
Thereafter, he drove to his house to see if he was at home and refused to see anyone, but he was not.
“Where could he be?” He asked himself when he got out of Louis’ house and closed for the day.
At the Bailey Native Home.
“Julie.”
“Yes, Father?”
“What time is your flight tomorrow?”
“8 AM, Father,” she answered.
“It is all right. Would you like the driver to take you to the airport or your Mom?”
‘Mad man. How can I take her to the airport?’ Nichole, who was filled with indignation, thought.
Nevertheless, Julie was surprised, just like the other people.
She laughed and asked him, “Father. That is funny. How can Mom take me to the airport? I would rather go with the driver. Besides, Mom would be at work.”
Apart from Phil, what the rest did not understand was that the proposal was just a prelude to his worked-out plans.
“Never mind, I will assist her. We will take you to the airport. I would like to monitor Louis’ movement as well,” he made clear.
Now, Nichole, who had wanted to protest, was short of speech when she heard his plan. How can she protest when her son’s whereabouts had not been certain?
‘I may be accused of being nonchalant because he is not my biological son.’ She thought.
To rub it in, Arthur asked for formalities’ sake, “Is that okay with you, Nichole?”
Nichole was moody when Louis was mentioned and stopped eating.
“It is 7 O’clock, Father. Let’s call and find out if he had disembarked,” Phil suggested.
Then, Arthur gave Nichole a sympathetic look and consoled, “Don’t be hard on yourself, Nichole. It would be sorted out.”
Julie and Freya, including Phil, also tried Louis’ line, but it was still switched off. Soon the dinner was over, and it was time for everyone to disperse.
“Thank you, Mom, for the dinner,” Julie and Freya appreciated her.
“Thank you, Mom,” Phil appreciated her as well and tried to lift Daniel, who had slept off from the chair.
“You deserve a hug, Nichole,” Arthur stated and Nichole looked up.
“Come and have one,” he offered and spread his hands.
Now, Nichole covered up with the missing Louis and glued herself to the chair. The children began to console her one after the other.
“Mom, please be calm. Things will be sorted out tomorrow at the airport.”
She cheered them up at least to give them hope. They filed out of the parlor one after the other. When she was sure that Arthur was out of the door, she got up and joined them at the Veranda. Now, Phil laid Daniel in the back seat and fastened his seatbelt. Freya got into the front seat, and he got into the wheels as well.
“Take care, Mom,” he greeted her cheerfully.
“It is all right, Phil. Be careful.”
“I will, Mom.”
“Sleep tight, Mom. I love you,” Freya greeted her.
“Good night, Freya. I love you too,” Nichole responded.
“It is all right Mom. I love you too,” Phil responded.
He greeted Arthur and Julie, too, before he drove off.
“Good night, Mom. Sleep tight,” Julie greeted Nichole, too, and got into the car.
“Good night, Julie. See you in the morning,” she responded happily and began to walk back to the house as if Arthur was not there.
Arthur did not believe that he should leave without a hug. As usual, he would use the children.
“Call your Mom back,” he ordered.
Then, Julie shouted from the passenger’s seat, “Mom, wait.”
Nichole halted abruptly and looked back. Then, Arthur informed Julie, “You can’t believe I almost forgot to give her a hug over the dinner.”
“Wow! That is bad, Father.”
Arthur got out of his car and walked back to the veranda while Julie looked on from the car. He walked to the startled Nichole and gave her a quick but warm hug. He released her and held her two hands while looking affectionately into her eyes.
“Thank you for the dinner, Nichole. I hope to invite you over to my house soon.”
“Don’t think anything about it,” she responded with a superficial smile, and Arthur walked back to join Julie in the car.
“It is all right, Mom. See you in the morning.”
“Okay, dear.”
She watched them drive away before she walked back to her house.
On The Road.
Phil bared his observations to his wife after he ensured that Daniel was still sleeping.
“Baby,” he called out.
“Yes, Hubby.”
“It is like father has a thing for Mom?”
Freya looked at him and declared, “You know that you must be joking.”
Phil smiled and concluded, “It is all right. I am joking.”
Then, Freya took a second look at him before she asked him, “How do you know?”
Phil did not want to continue with the discussion since his wife did not observe anything.
“No. I was only joking,” he said and concentrated on his driving until his wife spoke.
“That would be nice. I will be the happiest person if they come together as husband and wife.”
Now, Phil pretended not to hear her. At least, he was to rest assured that Arthur’s love moves to her Mon would not harm the unity of the family. They drove on in silence while he mulled over the activities of the day, which made him believe that Arthur was having a crush on Nichole, and smiled.
His wife noticed it, looked at him, and asked instantly, “What is funny, please?”
By then, they were already at the gate of their apartments and honked, which alerted the security, and he opened the gate for him. He drove in and parked Likewise, he looked at his wife and asked, “Did you remember those days when I was courting you?”