It was already the next morning in Doris' house. They are just having their breakfast. Arthur had left the night before to go stay with Linda in the hospital though he didn't tell Doris his reason.
"Mom, I hope you haven't forget we'll be leaving today" Fred asked on the dinning table
"Where? Your house?" She asked
"Yeah" Lucy replied
"You know I told you that you guys can kill right? I mean living in Paris without telling me"
"Mom, we can't continue disturbing you" Lucy protested
"Who told you you're disturbing me?"
"We're not disturbing you Mom, we just wanna live alone" Fred cut in
"It's okay then but hope you're not leaving the country again"
Lucy chuckled and replied "oh Mom, of course we will, but not yet"
"And you'll leave me again?"
"Mooom"
"Okay okay, fine" she snapped and continued eating furiously
"Mom, slow down the food"
"Why?" She asked suddenly and shrugged
"My children are too mature now, they've grow so much to make decisions by themselves especially risking their life and making some kinds of unnecessary plans"
"Mom, you're still mad about this?" Lucy thundered
"Yes I am!" She snapped angrily
"Cause who knows if things turn other way round what do you think I'd be doing by now. Both of you are the only one I have, the only one remaining for me, do you think I'd risk you to let you loose your lives as your father?"
"Mom" Fred called holding her hand.
"We're fine, we're not loosing our life okay?"
"Yeah, you're fine, you're fine. You're not loosing your life, that's what you'll say. Especially you, why can't I just persuade my children successfully"
"Mom!" He shouted
"I'm scared" she screamed and stood up from the table
"What?"
Carl and Iris had also dropped their spoon by this time
"I'm just so scared, I told you, you shouldn't show your face in this issue"
"Mom, there's nothing wrong okay? You're just being paranoid. We're okay and we've done what we're supposed to" Lucy stood and left to meet her Mom.
"Mom, we can't continue living like a prison in our country. We're also a citizen and we need to fight for our right so we didn't do anything wrong unless you want us to continue grieving on the matter, we need to fight it out" she said and pulled her together into her embrace
"But we're sorry for keeping you in the dark all the while"
"It's okay" Doris said and wiped her tears
"I'll accept I'm being paranoid. But that's because I don't want to loose you too" she said sweeping her gaze from Lucy to Fred who was also before her, then to Lucy again and she pulled them together.
"You're not loosing us Mom" Fred assured her with a smile and flicked away her tears with his thumb.
Iris had become so passionate watching them and Carl could be bet he felt the pain of the family with the way he watched them.
"Lucy have you call Arthur?" Doris asked when they were in the living room
"Yeah" she said and took one of the pillow on the couch
"But why didn't you invite him over for breakfast?"
"You know he's the busy type Mom, he'll want to go to work the morning and what about Joyce?" She quickly asked to change the topic
"She's fine, she's managing everything in the shop" she replied
"Okay. " she said and turned to Iris
"Iris, why don't we play video game again at least before we leave" she asked and Iris nodded
"Mom, will you join us?" She smiled
"No no no, it's not for my age"
"You're not too old yet" Lucy furrowed her brow
"But at least, still older than you" she said
"Or just tell us you're afraid you'd loose to us" she winked
"Hey!" She threw a pillow at her but she evaded it
************
Carl walked out to the balcony upstairs to receive a call
"Hello Cynthia"
"Carl!!!!" The shrieked voice came from the other side of the phone and Carl almost dropped his phone to cover his ear
"Hey Cynthia, what happened?" He asked surprised
"Oh my God, are you alright?" She asked restlessly from the phone
"Of course I am, why do you ask?"
"So you left the country to Paris without telling me right? I saw the news"
"Oh God, listen Cynthia"
"Don't tell me anything okay? Don't try to explain anything to me" her voice is now changing from the worried and restless tone to a sad and teary one
"Cynthia listen"
"Now I know you'll never change Carl, I regretted not listening to my friend's advice that you didn't love me. So you went their to have fun and girls to yourselves when I had tried to stop you here right? Grandma also saw the news don't worry I'll tell her you are alright but henceforth I'll go my way and stop trying fooling myself around okay? So I'm breaking up with you."
"Hey Cynthia, Cynthia. Hello Cynthia please listen"
she hung up
"Fuck!" He threw his phone angrily and held his head with his palm.
"Hey what's wrong man?" Fred came out to him
"What happened?" He paced up to him, looking surprised at his state
"It's Cynthia" he sighed heavily
"Cynthia? What happened to her?"
"She's breaking up with me"
"Wait" Fred cut in
"Cynthia finally said she's breaking up with you?" He asked looking a bit surprised and Carl nodded
"And why are you sad man, I thought you never love her"
Carl winced and replied "Maybe I do, maybe I'm just afraid around her I mean she's too rich for my level, she's too classy and she's almost everyman dream but she worth someone that's more better than me."
"But you asked her out remember?"
Carl shut his eyes in pain and regret "that was because I wanted to roll out with an important person. I never knew she would accept and when she did I was just playing along thinking over the time she'll loose interest in me as someone who's not rich then she'll get married to one of her rich suitors but she doesn't."
"And you know that mean she truly love you"
"I'm so foolish man, I'm just so foolish. She was there for me every time but I used to think she was exaggerating things. She's mostly, always with my grandma to spend time with her as the only person I have left, but I couldn't see her value. I just don't think I'm better for her. I tried to tell her that in every way but she wouldn't listen and now that she finally says she's leaving. I felt an emptiness in myself"
"It's okay Carl. I'll help talk to her" he said and patted his back, knowing he's been serious as he'd never talk the way.
Almost immediately, the gate was opened and a car sped into the compound. They were surprised at who the person might be and they turned their attention to it.
The car door was opened and Bryan came down in his tuxedo suit and black shoe.
"Who's that?" Carl asked Fred
"Mr Benjamin, the owner of the house" Fred answered and shook his head with a frown
"But didn't Mom say he's ouy for an important conference and wouldn't be back till a month? And it's barely two weeks he'd gone so why is he here suddenly?"
TBC....
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