CHAPTER 13: MR SIMMONS SURPRISE

What a hectic day I had! I thought you myself as I threw myself on Kate's bed. I was exhausted from all the drama I had to deal with back at the hotel. For the first time, I got home when it wasn't completely dark. I decided to take a nap when I heard Kate's mum scream.

I hurriedly went downstairs to check up on her. "What happened?!" I asked. Kate's mum was helping Adelaide with her homework earlier after I came in. "What happened, mom?" I asked again. Her face looked numb. Adelaide couldn't understand what was going on. She looked at her grandmother's face perplexed. I slowly walked closer to Kate's mum.

I put my hands over my mouth immediately after I saw Kate's mum raising a bullet in the air. She had brought it out from Adelaide's workbook. "Adelaide, go inside." I hesitated.

"But mum, I'm not done with my homework," Adelaide said, but I insisted that she left. She left to her room while I and Kate's mum discussed.

"I'm withdrawing her out of that school," I said with pure sadness as I bit my nails, while Kate's mum shook her head in disbelief. She was still in shock. Shortly the telephone rang, it apprehended us for a little while till we got ourselves back together.

Kate's mum went over to answer it, she was furious that she laid curses in Spanish through the phone, assuming it was Antonio calling. By the time Kate's mum was done ranting, a male voice said through the phone,

"My queen, I'm sure you've seen the little message I left for you." Now I was sure it was Antonio. Just before I could say anything, the bastard hung up the phone.

I was so nervous, that I did not know what to do at that point. "She's not safe," I said to Kate's mum. Kate's mum retorted saying, "No one's safe."

The next morning, I decided to take Adelaide to school. I wanted to report the case to the school's principal. We took a cab as usual and when we got there, we bumped into Miranda and her son, Nunez.

"Jordan, right?" She looked really pretty, Miranda. Adelaide gave me suspicious eyes when Miranda called me Jordan. Luckily for me, Nunez distracted her. I told Miranda that she was correct. She wondered why I always carried Adelaide around. "Sorry if I may seem nosey but, who is Adelaide to you?"

"My sister's daughter," Damn it! I lied again. I did not want to tell her Kate's name because I figured she must have heard Kate's name from Antonio's mouth. So she asked me, "Who's your sister? She's not in town?" She was beginning to get a little nosey. So I spotted bruises on her back because she was dressed in see-through clothing. Then I said to her, "Sunburns, am I right?"

I clearly knew it was Antonio's doing. Immediately I said it she tried to cover it but she couldn't. She said in a melancholic manner, "Yeah, the little fucker called the sun." I tried to laugh so that the situation wouldn't seem more awkward than it already was. Then I saw a strange black SUV parking in a rather odd spot. I watched for some minutes to see who'd step out of the car. But no one did.

"Jordan, Jordan what are you looking at?" Miranda asked me out of curiosity. I couldn't hear her question quite clearly, because I was keen on knowing who would step out of the car. I squinted my eyes as I watched the black SUV. I was agape when I saw Antonio through the windscreen smiling dubiously, mutely saying, "watch your back." I had to man up! This was Kate's daughter and her safety we are talking about.

I told Miranda to take the kids inside the school while I answer an incoming call- which was a lie- Miranda agreed and she took them inside the school. I went over to meet Antonio in his car. He came down and he quickly grabbed me aggressively by the chin. "Que mierda te pasa!" I yelled in Spanish in a subdued tone. He wiggled by chin even more as he said, "What the fuck am I doing? Huh, Mami? That bullet was just the tip of the fucking iceberg." He let go of me and he spat.

"That's our child you bastard!" I yelled at him then he hit me hard on my face. With my hands on my face, I said to him, "How dare you." He couldn't care less if I were hurt. He told me his conditions before he sped off. He wanted us to get back together as one big family again. Kate wouldn't want that, but that was his condition before stops tormenting us with his little threats.

I was still standing while he left, I had lost my composure. I regained it back when Sadie called me telling me to come to the hotel. I paused for a while, trying to relieve myself of what just happened. After that, I took a cab to the hotel. I was dressed in my usual formal attire when I got there. I resumed my position welcoming people into the hotel. Until I received a call fr, Mr Rogers,

"Day off!" I said in a whisper-shout tone. I was shocked, why? I thought to myself before asking Mr Rogers. As he told me, I saw Towel guy from a distance outside the door of the hotel. He waved at me and smiled as he bit his lips. Then he used his hands to signal me to come outside. "You deserve this day off Kate. Good luck." Mr Rogers said as I hung up the phone.

Sadie tapped me on the shoulder's asking me what happened. I told her that I was given a sudden day off from Mr Rogers. She was as surprised as I was. I quickly told her that I had somewhere to be so I left to meet Towel guy discreetly. He was on a tight black t-shirt, I could see his ripped body through his shirt. He accompanied them in beige trousers and a white canvas. It was sunny outside so he wore sunglasses.

"What did you tell Mr Rogers?" I queried him. "Thank you very much, Kate, work was fine." He jeered. Then I said to him, "You and I both know you didn't go to work today. For god's sake Mr...." I couldn't call him Towel guy, if I did, he would know I still have that image of meeting him for the first time in my head.

He cleared his throat after he said his name, Mr Simmons. I liked Towel guy better. "You know I find it absurd that I knew your name way before you were admitted to the hospital and you never knew mine up till now." Mr Simmons said. Then I joked about saying, "What can I say? I'm famous."

Mr Simmons told me he wanted to take me out. He said it was an act of apology for leaving me behind with no trousers. "Did I ever tell you that even in your uniform you look sexy?" He said as he turned on his car. His car was a luxurious one, a Tesla. "Did I ever tell you your mouth looked sexier when shut?" I retorted as I jammed the door closed. "They'd look even sexier with your lips on them." He smirked, and then he started driving.

What a corny guy! We finally got to his destination after several hours of driving. He put his hands over my eyes as he walked me to our spot. "What is going on Mr Simmons?" I said as I blindly followed his lead. "You lack patience Kate." He chuckled. He was right about that!

We finally reached our spot. He slowly opened my eyes and I marvelled. It was a romantic spot Mr Simmons reserved for us. It was beautiful, filled with roses and amazing fragrances. It was almost dark so it became even more beautiful, as the lights illuminated. The table was filled with assorted chocolates, meals, drinks and exquisitely written words wrapped up in an envelope. He told me to open the envelope and I did.

"This dress is for you, Kate." I read aloud. Then I turned around to see him holding a beautiful- I'm very sure expensive- red gown. "Oh my goodness, Mr Simmons, you didn't have to," I said to him, I couldn't believe my eyes. "Don't talk, just put it on." He whispered to me. He turned around while I undressed, I believed it was him that got the dress when I saw how exposed they were.

When I was done, he turned around. "You are beautiful, Kate." He said to me. "Let's eat shall we?" He added as we took our seats.