Chapter Fifty Three

"How did it go? You weren't home last night." Ria said the next morning. I was at the kitchen table, brooding on coffee.

"I decided to spend the night and get some other stuff done,"I said. She smiled. 

"How was the interview?"

"I got your interview. It's over there."I pointed toward a cabinet in a corner of the living room.

"Thank you sis."She blew me a kiss.

"So, how was your date?"

She grabbed a chair and sat with me.

"Splendid. I think he's different. From other guys. He's wise."

"And I don't know his name yet."She never mentioned it.

"Samuel."She blushed. "I can't believe I never mentioned his name. He's Sam. I'm getting older, Paige."

"You're twenty-two now, yes you are old." I snapped.

"So it wouldn't be weird if I said, I'd love to get married to this guy?"

"Too Weird!"I exclaimed. "You only had one date yesterday!"

"Doesn't matter..."She pouted her lips. "I want to be with Sam forever. Lord, he's the best!"

"Well, good luck with that."I stood up. "I need to be somewhere today."

*

Your six-month grace term is expired. Oh boy, you dare defy me. Your little kitty will be in my nest anytime soon, then yourself and your family.

You will learn in your death.

Mother F*cker!

When Henry received this email, he was having his usual guitar practice routine. That was true, his godfather had granted him the grace of six months that he asked for, yet he hadn't done any bit of the deal.

"Lord, help. I'm so stuck right now." He thought of going to Paige's house. That would be a long ride. He called her. She wasn't picking up. It was about the tenth time she picked up and she only screamed loudly on the phone: "Hello, I'm driving. I'll call you back!" Before hanging up.

She wouldn't even be home. What the hell?! Henry thought.

He placed a call on Brainne. Whatever deal they had, they had to renegotiate. He can't go ahead and waste lives because of a single mistake of his.

"Brianne Hooke!"

"Oh now, you call me by my name, huh?"The older man groaned on the other end.

"Give me some more time."

"It's too late bro. My boys are out there already."

"Please, don't kill her. I'll do everything you asked. Just a little time Brianne!"He yelled on the phone, beads of sweat dripping from his head.

"I don't trust you anymore boy, you are sick of love. You made your choice."

"You will get nothing without us. It's meaningless to let your emotions get the better part of you now, Brianne. Think more rationally, you can't get what you want if we're gone."

Brainne laughed. "Who told you that?"

"I know that. Now you listen to me."

"Shut up boy, you can't escape death this time."He hung up.

Henry screamed, slammed his guitar on the floor in a rage. It shattered into pieces on the tiled floor. This was the end, all he had ever lived for.

"Master Henry, your blood pressure counts..." His robot announced

"Shut up!"He shrieked.

"Master, there's someone at the door. A lady, no harmful object, a metal found in her purse. Should I let her in?!"

A lady?! Damien rushed to his living room to get the door. He was shocked by who he saw. Paige!

*

I thought about what Ria and Kim said to me about going to thank him for making my birthday special. That morning I had enough courage to go see him. I was shocked when he slammed the door back on my face on seeing me. Maybe he didn't expect to see me or maybe he didn't want to see me.

Paige, you're going to do this. Remember Ria said, he's really weird. My subconscious consoled me.

 And when he opened the door, he looked a bit different. I could tell immediately why he slammed the door in the first place. He thought he wasn't looking too good. I blushed at the thought of that.

"Hi" he said.

"Hi. May I?" I smiled.

"Sure."

His house, oh my, is so beautiful. Not as flashy as mine was decorated. It had cool colors, just the types that Damien liked. It was bigger, too big for just one man. 

"You are welcome, God bless you." A voice said. Henry gestured to an huge AI system built on the wall of the house.

"It's Amy, a robot."

Wow!

"Have a seat."He smiled. 

I hesitated. "I do not plan to stay too long. I just wanted to..."

"Wait a sec."He left me at this grand hall and came back later with a bottle of wine and two wine glasses.

"Thanks for coming, Paige."

He handed me a glass. "Thanks,"I muttered.

He was smiling and staring too much. I felt intoxicated.

"Master Henry, your routine break is over, please get back to your studio."

Amy announced again.

Henry hissed. She's so annoying. Why now?

He took a remote and pressed a command.

"Did I interrupt something?"

"No. Not at all. She's just a bot."

"Okay."I smiled. "I came to ehm..."

Not easy. 

"Thank you for being at my birthday. I wasn't myself that day. I'm sorry for being rude."

"You weren't rude. And you don't need to thank me. It's okay."He laughed. 

Holy Mary mother of... Help me not to see Damien in this guy anymore.

"Thank you anyway."

"Tell me about your band."

Is he trying to bring up small talk?! I'm not in for that, not now.

"I really would like to stay a little longer but I have a lot to do today. I'll come again some other time."I stood up to leave. He didn't stop me. He was on his phone. When I got to the door, it didn't budge. I noticed a finger print scanner on it and it failed to open with my hand.

I sighed and turned around to ask him to help me but he was no longer there.

"Henry, come help me with the door!"

No answer.

Oh now, where could he be?!