Chapter 1
1367 Words
The skies were clear. No clouds to be seen. Everywhere was blue. Empty...
Gav rode the elevator upwards. His thoughts were chaotic. He did not notice anything. He was within himself.
"Sir? Where are we going, sir?" asked Lot nervously. His personal assistant was a thin man. He was thirty years old and always dressed in a black suit.
"Home," Gav replied absently. "Why?"
"Um, it's the weekend... Should I go with you?" Lot was hesitant.
"No. You go your way," Gav answered in a low tone.
"Er, you must sign these papers, sir," Lot said while offering the thick sheaf of papers. "They are needed during the shareholders' conference."
"I'll take them with me." Gav took the folders and stuffed them in his brief case distractedly. They reached the rooftop. "Bye, Lot! See you Monday!"
They went their separate ways.
He was sitting on the pilot's chair when he heard Lot's shout.
"Wait, Sir Gav!"
"What?" Gav removed the headpiece.
"I changed my mind, sir! I'll come with you!"
"Up to you," Gav muttered indifferently.
Lot sat on the co-pilot's chair clumsily. He wore the headpiece gingerly. He heard Gav's deep voice stating their destination to the tower.
'Mr. Ackers seemed confused...' Lot noticed his employer's unfocused attention. He had a strong suspicion that it was the reaction of Gav's telephone conversation with the Senior.
Grandpa Ackers had this kind of effect to Lot. He used words aimed to shock the wits out of Lot's sensible head!
Lot guessed the true reason that befuddled Gav's mind. It was the telephone conversation with his grandfather!
'I've found the girl of your dreams, Gav! She is right under your nose!' The garrulous voice of Gavreel Senior literally flooded his ear. He would not be surprised if it bled!
'I'm not interested, Grandpa!' Gav replied sharply. 'Anyway, if I wanted to marry, I have Beatrice. We've been together for years!'
'I don't care about that Amaryllis girl! She is like her family! Money-grabbing and materialistic!' Gavreel Senior did not mince his words.
Gav could not defend his girlfriend. She liked big money. Not long ago, he had caught her investigating the different properties owned by Gavreel Ackers Senior.
'It is wise to know that you will inherit a large estate someday, dear Gav!' Beatrice expressed shamelessly.
'I don't want to know, Beatrice! And you should forget about it! Grandpa Ackers isn't going to die!' Gav could not imagine his grandfather dying. They were a strong and healthy lot!
His father, Gavreel Junior, died young because of a car accident. He had no disease nor ailment. He just had the misfortune of being in the wrong place and at the wrong time. The driver of the truck fell asleep while driving.
'But he will die someday!' Beatrice's shrill voice reverberated around the bedroom. 'It always pays to know your possessions, dear Gav!'
Gav stared hard at Beatrice. His expression was blank yet underneath he was seething with anger. Although unrealistic, death was a taboo topic to him.
Gav's parents were both dead. His mother died at child birth. His father waded through marriage after marriage until he died while still married on his fifth wife.
'You have to marry this girl, Gavreel! I made my latest last will! You will lose everything on my seven-zero birthday! You will be kicked out of the company. All of my possessions shall go to different charities!' Gavreel Senior threatened warningly.
Gav was not paying attention to the threat. He noticed that his grandfather was breathing erratically. He glued the cellphone to his ear to listen in. He did not see the old man often. He would look hard when he came home today.
'You have one week to decide, Gavreel!' The line went dead abruptly.
"I can never get enough of the Ackers Isle, Sir Gav! You must be proud of your home!" Lot exclaimed as he looked down.
Gav was snapped out of his reverie. He glanced at the small island below.
'I and your Grandma Cecil built our dream house here. I hope to see your children growing and playing at the beach!' Gavreel Senior often talked about his late wife these days.
'Why am I afraid to get married?' Gav asked himself. 'Why am I afraid to be a father?' At last, he admitted his deepest fears.
Gav was normal physically. He visited the doctors every year and he always got a clean bill of health. He had his own gym instructor. Lean and muscular, he was almost perfect.
But emotionally, he got several scars.
Gavreel Junior was a lousy father for Gav. He was a drunkard. He was a womanizer. He was an absentee parent.
The only person who offered him solid support to every aspect of his life was Grandpa Gavreel. Gav grew up under the firm guidance of his grandfather.
'Give him happiness for once, Gav!' he chided himself.
'Okay!' answered his other self after a few moments.
When the helicopter had gone down to the helipad of the Ackers Isle, Gav's thoughts were clear. He would submit to his grandfather's wishes!
"You, okay, Sir Gav?" Lot asked him anxiously.
"Yes! Why?" Gav replied lightly.
"Well, I thought not a while ago," Lot answered transparently.
"I'm okay now. Thank you for your concern, Lot. I appreciate it. You can go now and enjoy the weekend!" Gav said expansively.
"Um, no, sir. I decided to have my weekend here, if I may?"
"Oh, yes, you may! But not as my assistant!" Gav could smile a little. "You may stay at the cottage, if you like."
"Yes, I'd like that, sir!" Lot could not believe his good fortune. A stay in the Ackers Isle for the weekend was paradise for him! He would go fishing by the lagoon.
"Bye! See you when I see you!" Gav got off the helicopter with long strides. He left behind the thin assistant.
"Goodbye, sir! See you on Monday!" Lot had short legs but he did not mind being left behind. He went to a different direction.
The grand house had closed doors. Gav had felt foreboding chills when he pushed open the wide entrance.
"Grandpa? Grandpa?"
"Your grandfather is not here!" The trilling voice of Octavia echoed from the stairs. She was getting down one step at a time. She showed off her figure in slow motion as though cameras were click-clicking away.
Octavia's white skin was shown off by a red fitting halter-neck blouse and a maroon mini-skirt. An attire that was inappropriate for her advanced age of forty-five.
"Hello, Gav!" a female husky voice greeted Gav softly.
Gav's eyes shifted downwards. He saw Octavia's eighteen-year-old daughter, Vina. She was wearing the same attire but unlike her mother, her supple figure suited the clothes.
"Hi, Vina!" Gav answered curtly. "Where's Grandpa?"
Upon hearing her daughter's name, Octavia stepped down hurriedly. "Vina, go to your room!" she scolded sharply. "And what are you wearing? And who told you to put on that paint on your face?" she screamed loudly.
Vina's lovely face crumpled into an ugly scowl. "Why? I'm eighteen! I can do what I want!" She stomped her foot. "I want to greet Gav!"
Gav went on about-face silently while the mother and daughter were having an argument. He strode back to where he left the helicopter. He speed-dialed the number of his grandfather on the cellphone.
'The number you dialed is out of coverage area!'
'Where are you, Grandpa?' Gav started to get agitated when he received the same message after several attempts. His cellphone was connected to a satellite so a lack of signal was not the issue.
It was getting dark but he started the helicopter just the same. He did not perceive the shape that scuttled away from the tail rotor of the helicopter.
Gav was able to fly the aircraft for a number of miles before it began its fast descent.
"Damn!" he cursed under his breath. He had seen black smoke coming from the tail. He had no choice but to push the 'eject' button. Something hard slammed on his head. He had lost consciousness instantly.
"Grandpa..." was the last word uttered by his lips.
- Writer
