Curiosity's Sake

FABIAN

We were supposed to have proceeded with the signing but Winter wouldn't stop calling. It was impossible to leave it up to Fivio.

The remaining barrels were being transported today, and I couldn't risk anything going wrong. If I was winning at securing my girlfriend's future, why not a major business deal transaction?

Speaking of my girlfriend, I'm not sure how that sounded now that I'm to be legally wedded to a lady I met by accident, 2 months ago. As I hoped that everything runs smoothly, turning around to go finalize the marriage contract, my phone vibrated.

It was mom and dad again, I sighed. Those two who wouldn't miss an opportunity to go on a vacation. I sighed again. As I answered the video call, I predicted that they were on a private beach or an island of some sort.

"Good afternoon mom, dad." I greeted.

"Hi my baby."

"Young man!" They waved, looking cheerful as always. I predicted right, from my observation.

My mom was wearing a hat that would've covered my dad's face if he wasn't taller. The sun was setting over there already, while it was a scorching afternoon here.

"Where are you?" My mother asked, squinting.

"At a friend's place." I said, as if waving her curiosity off. "How have you been?" I asked.

"Your dad and I have been good honey. I really love it here. Guésal is such a beautiful small country with the best weather!" She remarked, maintaining a beautiful smile. "Don't you think so?" She leaned toward my dad to ask.

"Of course honey. Whatever you say." He nodded. It appeared he wasn't really paying attention. This was when I noticed he was biting on a chicken wing.

"That's good. I didn't know you left for Guésal already."

"Ah yes. We forgot to inform you two days ago." She grinned.

"It's all good." I chuckled, shaking my head in amusement.

"Listen son," she leaned away from my dad. "We didn't call just to greet you. I know you don't like talking about it but…"

The phone tilted. It allowed me to see my dad gulping the content of whatever was in the cup. He then sat up, helping my mom to adjust the phone. They looked serious now. And I knew why.

"It's just that, we want you to reconsider things again. For Atalia's sake, son. We know you care about her a lot, but…" she sighed in distress "you know how your grandfather can be. We both know how angrily he spoke the last time we talked about it."

"That's right son." My father nodded."You have to do what's best for the both of you. You wouldn't have her dead or disfigured than alive, would you?"

"Disfigured?" My face tensed. I was going to repeat the same lie that I told my grandfather. I guess he hadn't told them I said I had a change of mind about Atalia.

'He wasn't convinced, was he?" I wondered.

"Yes. Your__"

"Nothing son." I saw my mom stomp his foot lightly.

My heartbeat raced. When did disfigurement become a part of the topic? My grandfather Gordon, had never mentioned or even hinted at something like that. And I knew my father would never mention it baselessly.

"I gotta go." I clenched my fist.

"But__"

"I'm sorry. It's an emergency at the office." I lied, impatiently. "Bye."

I ended the call, abruptly.

My grandfather is known as 'a ruthless man, with a heart.' But since the day he held my girlfriend Atalia captive, I wasn't so sure about the heart part. What man would kidnap the woman his grandson loved, because he didn't want them to have a life together?

I guess the kind of man who could kidnap the daughter of a prominent family, leaving no trace. No search party the Rollins family raised, that didn't mysteriously dissipate. The police weren't even a topic.

But until I got married to another lady, he wouldn't let her go. Now I even have an ultimatum of a year's time. If I didn't 'get a life' in his terms, I would never set my eyes on her again. I didn't want to think too much into what that implied, or why he was doing all of this in the first place!

So I thought getting married to Faye was a solution, but now it seemed that it was on the verge of being defeated. Unfortunately, I couldn't call to quench my worry.

It's been a month since I stopped calling to check on Atalia. It killed me to do so, but I had no choice. Anything to convince the wise old man that I had truly moved on.

However, I could call now. But for a different reason.

"Grandfather."

"Who is this?" He asked. I simply sighed.

"Sir, I'm not calling to plead for anything." I said

The old man always labelled me a stranger in perception with that question, pointing that I did not resemble the grandson he knew because I'd always call to plead for Atalia's release and nothing else.

"I'm listening."

I shut my eyes and sucked in a deep breath. "I have a wife already."

The other end of the call was silent.

"We're not wedded in the church yet but…"

"When did you meet her?" He suddenly interjected.

"7 months ago sir. I only realized I was falling in love with her, since…Atalia left." I gritted my teeth.

"Good for you."

"I'm being honest sir. I'll bring her to meet tomorrow."

"I'm not in the country now. I'll let you know when I'm back." He hung up.

'Dang it!' I punched the wall.

'I've got to do this.' I exhaled. Turning around, I approached the register office room.

As I walked in, meeting the door slightly opened, my eyes immediately fell on Faye, the lady I was getting…married to. She seemed to be in deep laughter, or whatever I would say caused her bright eyes to take an umbrella shape.

I wonder why the wind got into her waist long hair at this time where it happened that her plush pink lips had already given way for her perfect set of white teeth.

Why did she laugh like that? Is her laughter always contagious? Because I'd previously never seen her laugh before. Now she made me feel bipolar. My blood was boiling in rage and frustration only a few seconds ago…

But again, her eyes. They were looking at someone, so I had to trail even if I didn't wish to.

Right.

It was the registrar. It was the registrar her eyes shone at, and he was also from ear to ear with her!

Shouldn't he be courteous and professional? It's the least regard he could have for the both of us. My fists clenched, even when they finally noticed my presence. Faye just had to roll her eyes to tighten my jaw even more.

So I went ahead, snubbing off the thought of an apology. They didn't seem like they needed one.

***Hours Later***

Faye texted, thanking me for the drive. Pretty unnecessary if you ask me. However, my concern was that she was at her house, safely. She's my responsibility now after all.

But her text in response to my question of how her family meeting fared, has had me chuckling.

An investment date night party? For a company like her family's? VinCo has been plunged into debt for years now. Investors and stockholders has liquidated.

The cocoa company is barely sustainable. A party like that made no sense. What were they offering prospective investors? After consecutive bad market weeks? They weren't even in a financial position to do so!

There's definitely more to it.

"Warner, the Vincents are throwing a grand party this weekend, in the name of VinCo. I need all eyes and ears on it."

'Yes sir.' the call ended.

'For curiosity's sake Fabian. Curiosity's sake.' I leaned backwards, shutting my eyes.