Chapter 41: Thirst Quenching Call
1806 Words
The Klein family dinner was moments away, the table was being set up with different kinds of sweet fresh delicious food. The cooks had really outdone themselves, probably because Maeve was there, wearing an apron like one of them and she didn't act like a supervisor but rather as a team player. The smartest Klein-Mason was the most talented there was more he could do apart from playing soccer- she was already starting to show and practice leadership. One would have thought back at college she was learning how to cook.
"Well done team, let's serve and eat, all of us one table!" She shouted happily getting rid of her apron. The cooks and maids seemed confused, it was not a norm for them to share the table with the rest of the family.
"There she is" Maryse said yawning.
"I thought you going to the kitchen will make us eat on time it's a half past nine for f***s sake, I'm starving!" Complained Mason. It was ironical he was actually doing that while lying in his mother's lap being fed popcorn like a little kid.
"Mum, I blame you"
"Let my son enjoy. Dinner's served sweetheart let's get going"
"We're eating as one big family dad's gonna regret not being here"
"Ha" laughed Mason mockingly, "He is probably closing a business deal seated in a swinging chair on the top most floor of the tallest building in Tokyo Japan"
"Mason"
"Sorry for saying the truth mum. Hmm, you guys did well" mason sank in his chair and took a plate serving himself the aromatic rice pallets with green grams engrained in them, "wow!"
"Prayer, manners mason!"
"I know" he whispered sounding and looking embarrassed.
After everything was served the entire family and the staff held their hands. Missing was the head of the table, Mike Klein but the rest still had to stick together, the butler led them through a word of prayer. He thanked the supreme being for the gift of life, for bringing Maeve home safe and sound after eight months of being away. Finally, he thanked God for the food and for those who prepared it. A solid Amen followed the end of the prayer and the next few minutes would see bowls exchange hands, chatters and light laughter. One big happy family just enjoying a meal. Maeve took photos, as usual, the age of social media. She also had to let her friends know and see how much loved she was back home.
"Would you keep that phone away and eat, look at how thin you are"
"Finally, someone else who sees what am seeing"
"Y'all should stop profiling me"
"Life hasn't been so kind to you. Welcome home siz you'll grown some flesh like I" he showed his biceps, what an annoying little brother? But she was not going to sit there and let him bash her the entire time.
"I'm okay this thin, I don't want to look like that friend of yours" she put friend into imaginary quotes and that was a verbal knock out that left Mason looking confused until he found his tongue and you can guess he wasn’t going to spew melodies.
"Don't bring her into this"
"Hmm, someone special I see"
"Mum"
"Maeve, stop teasing him"
"Oh, you had to cry to mama" she mocked.
"Enough of the fighting can we just eat you'll have enough time to fight later"
Some order was restored at the table. During that moment of silence Mason's mind drifted to Audrey and how angry he got the moment he saw Sean confront her, was it normal to feel like that because of someone he didn't feel anything for? His emotions were starting to play tricks on him and it was not good. Then when Maeve just made a bad joke about her that feeling of anger came back and it had taken him every ounce of self-control not to attack her like a rabid dog.
"Are you okay there? More pain, I can call the doctor"
"I'm fine mum"
"You haven't touched your food for the past couple of minutes. Don't shy away from expressing your emotions it's not weak"
"You need to heal fast and go back to playing your favorite game" Maeve joined in this time more caring and courteous. They were both doing fine really, checking on him and showing love but that wasn't what he needed at that moment.
"Anything you need baby"
"I need to make a phone call" he searched for his phone and realized it wasn't with him.
"Be careful" Maryse said as he quickly limped back to the living room and took his phone, dialed a number and left through the front door.
"Is he okay?"
"He is your son you should know better mum"
"Moron, I mean he looks like it but you spent the day with him that puts you in a better position to answer the question"
"He is fine, probably handling some teenage stuff. Unanswered text, or a fight"
"You might be right. He is not that good with women"
The employees respectfully started leaving the table letting Maryse and Maeve know how grateful they were for that dinner. It had been a success.
"Mason, not good with women?"
"I mean he doesn't know how to treat them" she said sadly and this one captured Maeve's attention, she looked at her closely as though her next words were written on her face.
"Relax that's not taught by mum's, it's a lesson he will learn don't beat yourself up. You're a great mum by the way, not just on TV but even here at home"
"Thank you hunnie"
Mason came back looking a little bit relaxed if that call went through then it surely was a miracle call and they were glad for that soul on the other end of the line.
"Come on finish your food is getting cold"
"That's why we have a microwave" Both ladies glared at him, he cracked a smile and took back his seat, "Relax, what's up with both of you? Looks like dad flew away with all the sense of humor in this house"
"Who did you call"
"Invasion of privacy Maeve"
"She means to say it's great to see you have your...." he attacked his meal with renewed vigor. If he was Lucas at the Miller manor they'd have thought it was another blunt, "Your appetite is back"
"Like it never left" he spoke through a mouthful of food and grabbed his glass of juice raised it high and took a long sip.
"Pathetic, I'll be watching in the Living room..."
"We will be watching. Join us when you're done" Maryse followed her eldest daughter.
***
Audrey walked back in the study room looking all smiley and calm. Lucas was swinging in the chair his feet on the desk chewing on his pen. Donning a singlet and pair of shorts.
"I don't see how a phone call can make you this happy? Where is your friend anyway?"
"One question at a time"
"Who was on call?"
"None of your business, Next?" she said pushing his legs off the table.
"Fair enough not that I was even interested in knowing. It was probably one of your nerdy friends calling to discuss the Solvay process"
"Can we get started"
"Last question, where's Ivy?"
"She has done her usual disappearing act. Hopefully she will join us soon"
"Hopefully she doesn't"
"It's okay to hate me but not your cousin"
"I don't hate you"
You can guess the "b***h please" look on Audrey's face when lied through his teeth, even the birds at the manor knew how much Lucas hated her.
"I just don't like you it's different"
"Okay, let's study now"
She didn't buy it. What’s the difference between hate and dislike anyway? Did he think she was dumb or something? Audrey was a household name at Bridgetown school and that was not solely because of her awkward looks but because of a brain that put her up there with the geniuses. Staying on top of your class in such a school that pulled the best brains from all over the country was not such an easy feat to achieve. She knew how close dislike was to hate, just but the same thing. Even though they were in the same grade it was not surprising to Audrey that Lucas was so green, almost as if he was just attending classes for the purpose of making it to the class register.
"Do you go for any classes really?"
"Yeah, but you guys have the best teachers ours is just there for money. I think it's the pregnancy hormones"
"You're giving excuses"
"It's true though"
"Okay let's try another approach" she exhaled and flipped the book back to the introduction page. Audrey had to treat Lucas like a kid who was just learning how to walk and it seemed to work as his face lit up when he started picking a few things here and there, patterns that made sense. At one point they even exchanged a high five that left Audrey feeling muscle spasms throughout her arm, and then came the surprise, he apologized. "I am sorry" actually came out of his mouth and she wished she had recorded him so that every time he made her angry-almost every time- she could put it on repeat.
watching from the cracks with a proud smile was David. He thought he was invisible but Audrey could see him. It was all he wanted, to see their kids working together and his wife, a second shot at love working together with his daughter, the apple of his eye and his favorite person in the world. For real. I know of three friends of mine, Glynnis Pangle, amonyluvmikey and fluffyDiva869 who would notice a credibility gap here and argue that actions speak louder than words. Parents love is always permanent. The only person who would love you more than your mum and dad are, you and your mum and dad who are proud of you. Confusing? They still love you even if you let them down still except with Audrey it was the exact opposite. Just unlucky.
"Let's go to bed you creep, there are some areas on my body I'd want you to visit" Rose said and bit his ear lobe, dressed in a sexy red lingerie, looking beautiful like the sunset and smelling fresh like roses in the morning it was a hard bargain for any sexually active man to say no to her.
"Hmm, I'm just wondering, where is Ivy?"
"At the moment I don't care" she dragged him away.
Well, since she was her responsibility she should have cared. But could she really do what her own mother couldn't? That's to control Ivy.
- Writer
