Forbidden Link

13. Searching for Information

The conversation between Leona and Mio went on for quite a while. Leona's anxiety about Farrell and Alex's situation was eased by Mio who tended to deal with the situation more calmly. And just as Leona was about to go further to find Farrell, the person she was looking for was already in front of her. Farrell had just come out of the elevator doors.

"Ah… Farrell is here. Thank you and see you later, honey,” said Leona, immediately hung up the phone as she approached Farrell.

"I'm sorry I turned off my cellphone. Is the meeting over?”

Leona breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Farrell's condition was more relaxed than usual, then replied, “I was calling Mio from half an hour ago. But it seems the meeting is over because I saw half of the employees have left the meeting room and left the managers alone inside. Did you go to the lounge bar earlier?”

A smile from Farrell was already Leona's answer. As if he didn't want to continue the conversation about himself, Farrell looked at his cellphone and made a phone call. A phone call that has been answered many times by a voice mailbox.

“I'm going to Alex's place after checking some work. Are you coming?” Leona immediately nodded quickly to Farrell's question so Farrell continued, "Then wait for me in the lobby at five in the afternoon."

Farrell walked into a large room consisting of dozens of long tables scattered systematically from one end of the room to the other with ten office chairs each. Most of the seats were being filled by employees and some were empty. The seventy-five centimeter height partitions on each of the several tables indicated the area of ​​one of the departments. In addition to long tables, each department had a special table placed next to a glass wall and a seat for each department manager so that they could see the work of their subordinates freely. A special desk that had a wider work area than his subordinates who had to share the work area with each other at a long table.

The finance department headed by Farrell was at the third table near the elevator. And as soon as Farrell sat in a manager's seat - a desk that could see the work of his subordinates freely -, a woman immediately approached Farrell's desk and gave documents.

"I have prepared all the reports you asked for."

"Thank you, Kat. Today I came home on time. I'll review it tomorrow morning," said Farrell, taking the document the woman named Cath had given him and placing it on top of the pile of documents on his desk.

The first thing Farrell saw when no one was paying attention was a photo frame under the computer monitor. In addition to family photos there, Farrell also displayed his photo with his three school friends taking a vacation together at the beach. One of his school friends was his own sister, Leona. Then Alex and Mio.

The four people who were in the photo frame were embracing each other with a view of the sky and ocean in blue gradation. The order from far left to right was Mio, Alex, Farrell and Leona. Mio was wearing a fedora, Alex was wearing a trucker with snapback style, not wearing a hat but Farrell was wearing sunglasses, while Leona was wearing a flower themed boater and glasses with bright yellow lenses. In accordance with their clothes that showed bright colors, the faces of the four people were also bright. Life seemed to be without a burden that could be passed with just a laugh.

Farrell looked at the photo for a few moments before finally sinking into the work he had to finish in an hour. He had missed an office event he was supposed to attend. This time, he didn't want to waste any more time on his work because he had already found the solution that he thought was the best to find his best friend who couldn't be contacted. Farrell had thought to find Alex as soon as possible before his best friend acted on something impulsive.

As promised, Farrell's car was already in front of the side lobby of the office building at around five o'clock in the afternoon. Leona immediately got up from her seat when she saw the familiar face of a shiny black sedan from behind the glass wall of an office building.

"What are we going to tell Alex's mother if Alex isn't home yet?" asked Leona after getting into the car and sitting beside the driver's seat.

“I'll pretend to return Alex's stuff. If he doesn't come home, we have to stay calm and don't make his mother worry. Then we will look for Lakelynn.”

Leona gulped as a sign of discomfort. Meeting Lakelynn was like meeting an enemy. Neither Lakelynn's gaze, tone of voice, nor words made a good impression in Leona's memory. Even though Leona had tried to be nice to Lakelynn, Lakelynn would reply in a sarcastic and unfriendly manner. Several times Leona had tried to suppress her annoyance because Lakelynn was Alex’s friend, but in the end Leona had decided not to consider Lakelynn her friend at all.

All the way to Alex's place, Leona kept hoping that Alex had gone home so she didn't have to meet Lakelyn. Leona's wish comes true when Alex's mother says that Alex has been home. But it seemed Leona still has to deal with Lakelynn because Alex's mother said that her son would be out for a while.

"Would you like me to make you a drink? Coffee? Tea?" asked Alex's mother while inviting Farrell and Leona to sit in the living room of her residence. The seat was only reserved for two people, so Alex’s mother chose to go straight to the kitchen even though the two guests had not answered her offer.

"No need, madam. We won't be here long.”

"It does not matter. I'll make my own tea too."

"Then just one tea, madam."

Leona glanced at Farrell as soon as Farrell seemed to want to spend more time with Alex's mother. Farrell moved his palm towards Leona as a sign to wait patiently.

Panda eyes from lack of sleep, a look that seems hopeless, and a sad smile. At first Alex's mother did not show a smile at all when she opened the door to her place. However, after knowing that Alex's two best friends were her guests, Alex's mother seemed to be trying to show a friendly attitude. However, Alex’s mother's depression could not be hidden. Farrell knows that Leona is a person who is too sensitive so that negative aura can affect her if she spends too long with people who produce a negative aura as well. And Alex's mother not only produced a negative aura, but her appearance also looked bleak.

"Thank you, madam," said Farrell as a hot cup of tea was placed on the small round table.

"Oh.. where is your sister?"

"Leona has to take a call outside first."

“About work, huh? I've told Alex many times to apply at your company… huh.. That kid is really hard to tell.”

Farrell smiled faintly at Alex’s mother grumbling. Farrell tried to suppress all the questions that crossed his mind at that time. Forget about the question of seating that only covers two people. Crucial questions like: “Where is Alex now? Do you know what your child is going to do?” could not be just asked directly.

“So Alexandre came home a while ago. Then he immediately left with his bag."

"Then what did he say, madam?"

"He said he would be out of town in a few weeks. That's fine. He seems to have a better job."

Farrell was silent for a moment while holding the cup in his right hand. Despite trying to calm down, Farrell couldn't act casually anymore. He immediately looked at Alex's mother with a questioning look. But like most other depressed people, Alex's mother didn't notice the difference in Farrell's expression at that time.

Not only did he want to ask, Farrell wanted to scream right then and there but could be restrained with his sanity. Alex had said he was going away for a few weeks to his mother and Alex’s mother just said it casually as if Alex was just going on a study trip with his school friends.

"Did he say what city he was going to?"

"Do not know. He just said…. Hmm…. he said he would give me money and his condition every day. Luckily I'm used to going to the convenience store. Otherwise how do I eat? Ah and of course to buy liquor.”

Farrell didn't want to ask any more questions because at this time Alex's mother was telling Farrell about her life that sucks. Alex's mother repeatedly blamed her son for not being able to have a steady job, not having a life partner and looking for trouble with the neighbors. Farrell wanted to get out of the small room and find out about Alex as soon as possible. But he hasn't found a stopping point from saying Alex’s mother without making Alex’s mother become sensitive.

"But he likes to carry me to my room when I'm drunk. Maybe he still loves me. Ha ha ha…"

"Of course, madam. He must love you. Then I'll take my leave first so you can rest, madam,” said Farrell directly when he found the conversation got quite better than before.

"Oh, yes. I want to watch television after this.”

Farrell smiled half relieved and half forced. With half bowed, Farrell got up from his seat and walked towards the open door of the house. Leona, who had been using her cellphone in the corridor of the apartment, immediately looked at her twin who was in the doorway.

"We're going home first, madam."

Farrell's words were followed by a smile and bow from Leona. Then the two guests left Alex's mother alone in her place and went down the stairs to the parking lot.