CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Nicolas had dropped Alejandra and Judy off at the hospital and was driving to David's house. He picked up his phone which he had kept in the cup holder. He tried his best to scroll up his call history and tapped on David's caller ID with one hand while the other on the steering wheel. He had his eyes partially on his phone. He held it close to his ear and waited for David to answer.

David didn't answer and the call ended. Nicolas tapped the caller's ID again.

"C'mon, David! Answer!" Nicolas said as he took a left turn.

"Mr Nicolas!" David said as soon as the call connected.

"David, where are you? Are you at home?" Nicolas asked flatly.

"Home?" David said curiously,

"Yes, I am! Is anything wrong? Am I safe?"

"Yes, you are! I need your help with something. It's urgent." Nicolas said and placed his foot on the brake slowly,

"Are you free?"

"Um...yes, I am..." David muttered.

"Baby, who are you talking to?" A female voice asked in the background.

Nicolas heard the voice and wasn't surprised. He knew the kind of person David was.

"I'm talking to my boss." David whispered, covering the mouth piece with his palm.

"Hurry up! I'm missing you already." She said and hugged David from behind. 

The lady he was with placed her head on his back. They were both on his bed.

"In a minute, Kathy!" David replied softly.

David removed his palm from the mouthpiece and gave her a sign to keep quiet and resumed the call.

"Sorry about that Mr Nicolas. You were saying?" David said.

"It seems like you have got company. I'm on my way to your house and wanted to know if you are free. I've work for you." Nicolas said flatly.

"Is there a new target?" David asked.

"No, it's something different. I'll explain better when we see each other in person." Nicolas said.

"Okay!" David replied.

"See you when I get there." Nicolas said flatly and hung up.

Nicolas sighed and placed his foot on the accelerator pedal.

Meanwhile, David looked at Kathy who had left his back and was seated on the bed. She leaned against the pillow and used the blanket to cover her nakedness. She had only her underwear on.

"What's wrong? What's with the look on your face?" Kathy asked.

"Kathy,..." David said and sighed,

"...I need you to leave."

"Why?" Kathy asked sharply.

"I'm expecting an important guest." David said, picking up his shirt which was lying on the floor. He put it on.

"Your other girlfriend, I guess." Kathy scoffed.

"Kathy, why are you acting like this? You overheard me talking to my boss over the phone." David replied and stood on his feet.

"I don't know. It could have been anyone pretending to be your boss." She said, picking up her clothes.

"Come on, Kathy! We've been over this. We've clearly gone through this stage. We shouldn't be arguing like this." David said,

"Yes, I agree! I maybe a little wild sometimes,"

"A little?" Kathy said doubtfully, cutting him off,

"You're the biggest..."

The doorbell interrupted her.

"Your girlfriend is here."

"We aren't done with this conversation." David said as he opened the bedroom door.

"I think we are." Kathy replied flatly, putting on her dress.

David closed the door behind him. He went to answer the person at the door. He peeped through the spy hole and saw Nicolas. He quickly unlocked the door and opened it.

"Mr Nicolas!" David said.

"David!" Nicolas replied airily as he walked into the flat.

He walked to the living room and David closed the door.

"Please have a seat." David offered and pointed at the sofa,

"Make yourself comfortable."

Nicolas replied in a nod and sat down. David left the living room. He removed the cushion from the spot he wanted to sit and kept it on the arm of the chair. He surveyed the living room. It was nice. The walls were painted yellow, the blinds were drawn up and the furniture well arranged. It also had an open kitchen concept. It was suitable for a bachelor like David.

David returned with a bottle of water and glass for Nicolas.

"Here!" David said and handed him the plastic bottle.

"Thank you but the glass won't be necessary. I'll drink from the bottle." Nicolas replied coolly.

David nodded and went back to the kitchen. He kept the glass on the breakfast bar. Kathy came out of the bedroom and saw Nicolas seated in the living room. She was a bit upset that she misunderstood his visitor as a she. She didn't want to apologize and maintained her anger. David spotted her from the kitchen and walked to where she stood.

"Kathy," David said softly.

"I'm leaving. You can do whatever you want." Kathy replied flatly, unremorseful and walked to the door.

Nicolas watched her leave and looked at David, who still had his eyes on the door after she left.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Nicolas asked, less concerned about the couple's feud.

"Nah! She's just a friend!" David said confidently,

"So, what's so urgent that you wanted to talk to me?" 

David sat opposite Nicolas.

"I need you to draft a contract for me." Nicolas said while unscrewing the top of the bottle.

"Contract? What for exactly? Is it business related or...?" David asked.

"Personal and business related." Nicolas said and drank the water.

"Okay! Does it have anything to do with Alejandra? The lady you had me investigate?" David asked curiously.

"Maybe. I'll talk while you type." Nicolas said and screwed back the top.

"I'll go and grab my laptop." David said and stood up from the chair he sat on.

He returned with his laptop and turned it on.

"So, what's the contract for? What kind of business deal do you have with her? Does it have anything to do with the company? Are you selling shares or..." David asked eagerly.

"This isn't the police station and I didn't commit a crime to be interrogated." Nicolas said sternly and kept the plastic bottle on the side stool next to him,

"It's a pre-nuptial contract."

"Wait? Do you want to marry her?" David asked with a little excitement in his voice.

"No! I don't plan to but I want everyone to think I am." Nicolas replied icily.

"Hm! Why so?" David asked as he clicked on the writing pad icon.

"I want to get my mother and everyone off my tail. They think I'm crazy and need help." Nicolas said bluntly,

"Do I look crazy? I need you to be frank with me."

"Crazy? No, you're not crazy!" David said sheepishly.

Nicolas heaved calmly.

"You are a nutter who had just escaped from the asylum and is on the run using a new identity and fake passport. Blaming yourself for what happened won't help you, sir. Don't be offended by words. I'm only being frank like you said I should." David said with his eyes on the screen.

Nicolas rolled his eyes while David was talking.

"I forgot I was talking to a drongo himself." Nicolas scoffed.

"Shouldn't the other party be present at the drafting?" David asked.

"She is busy and won't be able to come." Nicolas said airliy.

"Okay! Just making sure everything is in order." David said.

Nicolas stated his terms and conditions while David typed. His typing skills during his training into the Cyber Crime Unit of the police force paid off. His fingers hurt a little but he didn't mind.

"Under Article III, Number 20; Party B must..." Nicolas said but was interrupted by the vibration of his phone coming from the pocket of his trousers.

He brought it out and saw it was a text message from Camilo.

"Out with the future Mrs, aren't you?" Nicolas read inwardly from the notification bar.

Camilo had added a smiling emoji to his message. Nicolas ignored it and activated the screen's time-out. He kept it next to him on the sofa.

"Where were we?" Nicolas asked.

"Article III, Number 20; Party B must," David said while reading from the screen.

"What was I about to say?" Nicolas said, trying to recall what he thought before reading the message.

"Never mind. The rest of the terms and conditions are okay. Erased the last one."

David nodded and did as he said.

"I'll have my friend, who is a lawyer, review and the hardcopy ready. I'll personally bring it to your office." David said and transferred the written document to the flash in the USB slot.

"Okay! Good! Not a word about this to anyone. Not even to my best friend, Camilo. Got it?" Nicolas said firmly.

"Yes, sir! I'll act like I didn't hear anything, see anything or say anything. Pretend we never saw each other today." David said.

Nicolas nodded and checked the time on his wristwatch. He picked up his phone and stood up from the chair.

"I need to start going home. Thanks for your help!" Nicolas said flatly.

"It's a pleasure working with you, Mr Gonzalez." David said and shook hands with him.

Nicolas walked to the door and twisted the door knob. He walked through and closed the door behind him. He left the building. He unlocked his car and got in. He turned on the ignition and drove to his house.

<>

Ivan was at his desk, drawing a picture using crayons. He drew a house and three people next to it. He was colouring in the house when Patricia came in. She had a glass of milk and some biscuits on a wooden tray. 

"Hey, what are you doing?" Patricia asked jovially and kept the tray on the desk.

"I'm drawing a picture of our house." Ivan said happily, still colouring in the house he drew.

"Wow! Can I see?" She asked with a smile on her face.

Ivan nodded and stopped colouring. He gave the paper to his grandma. He kept the crayon he was holding in his pencil holder. He took a biscuit from the plate and ate. Patricia smiled seeing his drawing.

"Wow! This is beautiful!" Patricia said gladly,

"I never knew my grandson was a good artist. See how beautiful your drawing is. You know what? I'm going to have this framed and hung on the wall in my bedroom."

"After we show it to Daddy. I want him to see my drawing as well." Ivan said and continued eating the biscuit he was holding.

"Okay! I'll show him when he comes back." Patricia said.

"Do you promise?" Ivan asked excitedly.

"I promise! Now, eat your biscuits and drink your milk. I had them specially made for you." Patricia said with a smile and ruffed his hair affectionately.

Ivan nodded and took another biscuit. Patricia studied his drawing carefully. She had recognized their house from the drawing; the man standing with glasses was Nicolas; the little boy with a ball was Ivan but she couldn't tell who the woman beside him was.

"Ivan, who is this woman you drew? Is that me?" Patricia asked eagerly in a calm manner.

"Nope!" Ivan said and drank his milk in the glass.

"Then who is she? Do I know her?" She asked curiously, eager to know who the lady in the drawing was.

"That's Mummy! My teacher from nursery school told us that a family is made up of a father, mother and children." Ivan said and took a bite out of his biscuit.

"What else did she tell you?" She asked eagerly.

"She told us, children are gifts from God and blessings to our parents. That's why we should take care of our parents. Especially our mothers because they do a lot for us." He said.

"Huh? She said all that?" Patricia asked.

"Uh-huh!" Ivan said.

"And you?" Patricia asked doubtfully, knowing the answer to her question,

"Do you miss your mum?" 

"I do!" He replied ruefully, with a wry smile on his face,

"Nanny Sofia once told me that Mummy is up in the sky and is watching over me. She comes out at night with the stars and smiles at me whenever I look at the sky. I wished she didn't have to go and stay with the stars."

He missed Agnes and was sincere about it.

"I wished too. But life doesn't always give us what we want. That's why it's good to make memories with those we love and still with us." Patricia said calmly.

She smiled at him. She was happy that Ivan was open about his feelings and which Nicolas did the same too. She wished Agnes never died. Maybe then, Nicolas would stop distancing himself from her. 

"Eat up and enjoy your meal! I'll have Amanda come and get the tray once you're done." Patricia said.

"Okay, Grandma!" Ivan replied cheerfully and continued eating his biscuit.

Nicolas was at the door and eavesdropped on their conversation. He didn't want to bother them and went to his room. Patricia heard the bang of the door of one of the rooms. By the time she opened the door, Nicolas had retired to his room. She gazed at his door for a few minutes and heaved sadly. She climbed down the stairs and went straight to her room.