“I beg your pardon, Arthur, are you talking to me?” One of the guests asked him.
Nevertheless, Arthur gave him a fleeting response
“No. I am not talking to you,” he said while replying to her message.
Now, the guest noticed that he had overstayed his welcome and excused himself, “I will be on my way, Arthur.”
“It’s okay,” he responded without looking up from his phone.
The guest left while he concluded the message.
(It is okay, Nichole. Can you come over to my apartment for dinner since you don’t have food?)
He smiled smugly afterward and assured himself, ‘She won’t have any excuse this time.’
Notwithstanding, he was disappointed when her message came immediately.
(Arthur, I will not be hungry at dinner.)
Now, Arthur was gobsmacked. He grimaced and said, “Naughty girl.”
Three days later. At Nichole’s Apartment.
She had tried Louis’ line all these days occasionally, but it was the same story. She got back to work that day, laid on her bed, and thought over his disappearance.
“What is the meaning of this?” She asked herself in anguish and wiped her tears.
Then, she made up her mind to visit Cairo. She inquired, got all the details she needed, and did her booking. Subsequently, she called her daughter. Freya picked up her call excitedly hoping to get good news about Louis.
Instantly, she greeted her, “Hello, Mom.”
At that time, Freya was with her husband in the parlor. Then, her husband looked at her with curiosity.
“Hello, Freya. I wish to inform you that I will visit Louis tomorrow. I can’t stand these complications anymore.”
Freya looked at her husband, who could hear their discussions and asked her, “It is okay, Mom. Have you booked your flight?”
“Yes. 8 AM flight.”
“It is all right. Will father take you to the airport or your driver?”
“My driver, dear. See you later.”
“Okay, Mom. Safe trip.”
“Thank you, dear. My regards to your family.”
Thank you, Mom. We will keep in touch.”
When the call ended, Phil laughed softly and asked, “Are you certain that Father is aware of this trip?”
“I don’t think so. Otherwise, how can her driver take her to the airport?”
Now, Phil looked at his wife critically and added, “It is quite unusual. How can Father stay back and Mom will go through the stress of looking for Louis alone?”
Freya, who was speechless presently, merely looked at her husband.
The Next Day at the Exhibition Area in Cairo.
Louis and his team members were busy as usual. They were happy with their accomplishments so far. Along the line, he appreciated the team members as a way of encouraging them.
“Good job. Keep it up.”
“Thank you, Boss.”
“Good job to you, Boss. Your appreciation is inspiring,” the team members said one after the other, and Louis was elated.
At 2 PM, after the team had returned from the lunch break, they got back to work, oblivious to what was coming their way.
‘Louis,” Nichole called out.
Louis looked up in bewilderment when he heard the familiar voice. He was emotionally elated, considering the stress she must have gone through to come over to Cairo just because of him. The other team members were surprised too. Nevertheless, he reciprocated the kind gesture and walked briskly to her.
He hugged her instantly and said, “I’m delighted to see you, Mom.”
After a few seconds, he released her and Nichole gave him a searching look. Since they were in public, she controlled her emotions by fighting back the tears that were about to drop. Louis did the same thing.
Then, Nichole responded, “Good to see you too, Son. How are you?”
“I’m fine, Mom. How was your trip?”
“My trip was fine,” she responded and looked at the staff members who fixed their gazes on her.
Then she asked them, “How is the work going?”
“Good day, Mrs. Bailey. Work is going on fine.”
“Welcome to Cairo, Mrs. Bailey. We are glad to have you.”
“Thank you all for having me. I am delighted to see you too,” she responded cheerfully, and Louis spoke at that point.
“You must be exhausted, Mom. Come and have some rest,” he proposed and turned to the team members and excused himself “I will be back.”
“It is all right, Boss.”
“See you later, Mrs. Bailey.”
“See you later, my dear.”
Now, Louis moved with her while the staff members looked on. Most of them did not know the differences between the children, especially those who were employed a few years ago. They had respect for Nichole as the mother of their boss.
Nevertheless, Louis and his Mom were heading to his suite, which can be traversed by trekking from the Exhibition Area. She was carrying a small briefcase and a purse. The briefcase contained a set of clothes that she would use until she returned to Dover the next day as she planned.
“May I help you with the briefcase, Mom?” Louis volunteered.
Nichole looked at his cheerful face, which concealed all his misery, and accepted, “Oh! Yes, you can. Thank you, dear,” she said and handed over the briefcase to him.
They got to his suite afterward and he indicated, “Welcome once more, Mom. Please, put yourself at ease.”
“It’s all right, Son.”
She took her seat on one of the couches while the excited Louis called the restaurant to order lunch.
“Mom, what would you like to have for lunch? I know you are famished?”
The excitement he exhibited put his mother on the spot, and she could not make any meaning from his disappearance. Nevertheless, she put everything aside and allowed him to relish the moment by answering his question.
Then, he took Nichole’s order and passed it on to the restaurant. He served her water while they sat back to watch the television. Soon, the restaurant served the lunch and she settled down to eat.
“Aren’t you eating with me, Louis?”
“No Mom. I just had my lunch.”
“It is okay,” she accepted and began to eat silently.
Then Louis announced, “Mom, I have to return to the Exhibition Area because I’m expecting a client whom I would like to attend to by myself.”
“That is good to hear. Please…”
(Grrr)
Nichole was trying to respond when a sound came from the doorbell, and they looked at the door in amazement.
“Excuse me, Mom,” Louis said and walked to the door. Then, he opened it and screamed aloud, “Father!”
“Son,” Arthur called out in wonderment.
He was surprised at the warm reception he got from him. Likewise, he looked at him with many questions in mind but ignored them and concentrated on the present.
Then, he dropped his briefcase, spread his arm, and walked into them.
They hugged tightly, and afterward, he said, “I am delighted to see you, Father.”
“It is good to see you, Son.”
“Come in, Father. Eric, thank you for bringing him. You can return to the Exhibition Area.”
“Thank you, Boss,” Eric said before he left.
Thereafter, Louis ushered his father into the suite. When Louis calls out ‘Father,’ Nichole finds herself at a dead end over Arthur’s sudden appearance, and she must conceal her disappointment because of Louis.
All the same, Bailey followed the exhilarated Louis.
“Mom, you did not tell me that you came with father,” Louis informed excitedly.
Now, Arthur’s legs wobbled slowly as he walked from the door to the parlor.
‘What! Nichole?’ he mumbled..