The next day after school, we were waiting at the bus station for the arrival of the next bus when Dad drove in with full swag looking like james bond.
I wonder where he and Mrs meyer has been since yesterday, their relationship has been a suspicious one lately... when I called Dad at midnight, his phone was picked up by her and my frist questions was rather too curious
"And why are you picking up his calls???"
"He is currently in the board room and since we happen to share the same office, and it was your call which came in, wouldn't it be nice if I pick up for him to inform you we won't be coming home tonight, we have a lot of work to do and the deadline is tomorrow"
I wasn't convinced and satisfied with her answer but i didn't want to make the conversation any weirder....and Dad spend most of his night at work in his study working anyway, maybe that day was just one of the numerous days.
"Okay ma'am tell him I called"
" Okay darling, will you please make sure the twins attend school tommorow, They might fight all day long and forget to get to school on time"
" Okay ma'am, I would check on them when am ready for school tomorrow"
" Thanks darling, take care of yourself alright"
"Yes ma'am"
She sounds so confident like an innocent soul and not shaky like someone doing something shady so I don't think anything fishy is going on
"I see your Dad has built a strong relationship with Mrs meyer isn't that facinating??? "
Daniel who "meditating " raised his heads up from the ground where he had sat down his his legs between each other and his hands joined together like a praying Monk smiling mischievously.... He is a little bit weird... Atimes he would sit in the class look around and whisper to me who and who has a thing together and most of his hypothesis are true... I wonder how he does that tho... I ignored him cus I knew the talk was going to end on a lecture on how to identify those seeing each other.
We went straight to the meyer's apartment after getting ready for school and just as expected.... They were arguing on who spent the most hour getting dressed up...
"Why on earth must you spend almost an hour applying lotion on your body???"
"will you stop exaggerating and start learning how to hurry up while taking your bath??"
" See who is running her mouth... I spend forty five minutes, twenty seconds in the gents which is only five seconds longer than yours"
They went on and on till we got to the bus station
"Do they ever keep quiet???"
Daniel had asked as he put on his earphones to obstruct his hearing organ from listening to their argument.
"Hey guys!!!.. look who is here to pick you up!!"
He giggled has he came down and gave as all a group hug
"I thought you were never gonna come back home, your job is way too stressful".
Tonia complained as she detached herself from the hug
" You are one of the big boss of the company can't you just give yourself and Mom an exception from the whole office work??? "
Tony quieried as he went into the car pretending to be annoyed,he had wished they don't get home before they do, so he won't be scolded for messing up his room. His acting skills sucks tho.
" How are you mr Williams, I hope your day wasn't stressful".
Daniel asked looking at him like he was looking for a missing rib .
"At least I am here now, I am fine Daniel, and my day was stressful as hell... hop into the car let's go home"
" You don't look stressed out tho, and where is Mrs meyer Dad???"
He looks so bright and energetic, I can't find an expression of stress on him,
"She is home already, she decided to prepare lunch with Mrs Gracia and Tina, we are giving yall a special treat to say sorry for not been able to come home yesterday".
" I just hope she doesn't include her usual burger in the menu... I am tired of taking that junk". Tonia said as we drove off...
.
" It taste like paper already"
Anto added... we went mute and drove silently listening to Asa lucid Album... Dad must be a huge fan of Asa....
Mrs meyer was standing in front of our house as we drove in the garage... she hugged the twins tightly, looking at them all over searching for scratches on them...
"You have nothing to worry about mom, I was a good girl when you left, I didn't play with his skin this time around"
" Neither did I measure the length of her hair"
She smiled brightly and came over to me and Daniel and hugged us tightly which made me choke...
"My babies are grown up already"....
Dad went ahead of us into and house and screamed...
"Who is hungry!!!!????"
We all ran into the house, I was surprised at all that was layed out on the dining table, three full chicken, cassorle, salad, rice, chicken stew, burgers, a cake and three bottles of wine...
"Whose birthday is it today please???!!!!"
Daniel exclaimed as he sits at the edge of the table....
"It's definitely not ours!!! These is too much for a bribe Mom!!!"
" Why did you add burger tho, you can't force me to have them okay... "
I knew this wasn't for a bribe, something huge has happened to Dad or Mrs meyer, this is for a celebration!!!!
"What contract did your Company win this time around???"
I asked as I sit at the end of the table....Mrs meyer looked at me with surprise and then at Dad who was probably proud of my statement...
"Such a bright lad!!! You are just like your dad darling..."
"So.. this wasn't for a bribe???, what are we celebrating then!???"
Tonia asked nonchalantly.....
" Well... Mr Williams here, bagged a contract worth of thrity billion dollars for the company"
We all exclaimed, all eye my Dad as he continued eat acting all cool and calm...
"That's a huge Sum of money sir, Wow!!! You are soo amazing, Gosh!!!! Is that true Mr Williams???!! "
They chroused, I didn't know Who made which statement, I was proud of my Dad at that moment but that's the least contract he had won, he has a degree in sweet talking company into awarding contacts to him... but we've never celebrated any... I wonder what changed...
"I am not done guys... due to this, my pay will increase handsomely, since I was his partner on the work!!! , now I can get you all you want"
" lawd!!! I am getting a ps 5 after all!!! "
" Oh my!!!! I am purchasing the shoes I saw at hudson valley Mom!!! "
Daniel kept smiling at my Dad like he has seen his role model or something....
"Well... here comes the bomb!!! The contract is to be executed at canada... so... we will be gone for a month or thereabout....
The table went silent... I don't have a problem with Dad travelling, this isn't his first and might not be the last either... At least I have Daniel,Troy, Kira and maybe the twins to keep me going.
"For a whole month!!!! You're gonna leave me with this witch over here, There is no way that's gonna happen!!!! ".
" Tell me you are joking right!!! How do you expect me to cope with her, she is going to kill me!!! ".
" You know what??? just take me along... I don't mind missing school"
Tony kept wallowing over her statements like he is doomed while Tonia kept eating slowly and suddenly stuffed his mouth with a spoon filled with rice...
"Will you keep quiet, you wanna purchase a ps 5 and you aren't ready to make some sacrifice,... this isn't are frist time of travelling, she has been going around before Dad left, it's her nature of job,.. get used to it donkey!!! "
That was quite impressive... I had thought she was going to chew her mom alive at that statement... she is understanding after all...
"That's why we've decided to enroll you in private lessons since we aren't going to be around for a while, Daniel(My Dad's middle name) might trust Anto but I don't trust you two"
" What's wrong with trusting us mom???!! must you always paint us as the black sheep??? "
" I do trust you Tonia a little tiny bit tho , but someone who would go around looking for game centers an end up missing is who I don't trust"
Tonia burst into laughter while tony poutted his mouth...
Dad cleared up his throat and faced me with a wide smile...
"Our Visa's are ready and will be leaving tommorow, Anto, the twins would stay here since there is no elderly around them, I trust you to keep things under control"
And there they go again placing all responsibility on me, I need to be taken care of also but they just don't get it...but I nodded anyway
"Isn't tommorow too early???, Do we have a choice anyway???."
Tonia said nonchalantly and dropped her spoon on her plate... she was done eating...
"The earlier the better darling"
"What's the whole point of informing us then???, when you could have just packed your bags and leave tomorrow??? "
Tony replied looking straight at the frame of albert einstein, one of my dad's role models...
No one replied him and when we were all done eating we left the table silently for Tina to come clear up....
"Tony don't you have something to show mom???"
Tonia said with a silly smile as brought out her history test results from her bag... The teacher had given it to us during class, and she and Daniel got an A and I an A+, Tony has been hiding his result away from us...I have a feeling he failed woefully...
"This is good darling, what a bright start for a transfer student".....Mrs meyer praised her, the exact words of the mr Roger....
"If that is what you call excellent, then why is this???".... Tony brought out his script and an A+ was written bodly on it....
We were all surprised, why was he hiding his script then...
"This is marvelous I must say... And what did the Top student got" My dad asked as he take the result from him....
"Why were you hiding your result asshole??"
Tonia hit him on his shoulder...
" So ... you can make a fool of your self by bragging about an A to mom!!!"
That was a childish reason tho... I brought out my results and gave it to my Dad
"Seems you rivals already son... isn't there a grade higher than an A???"
" If there was trust me, Tony would have aimed for that man!!!". Mrs meyer bragged while admiring his script....
"Let's wait patiently for the finals then"
I really don't know why everyone is so obsessed with the final exams, it kinda putting so much load on me...
"And where is your result Daniel???"
He brought it out and showed it to Dad...
" Y'all are bright students... a good association for every kid....
They bade their good bye and went home...
****************************************************
I was asleep when I heard knock on my door, I knew it was my Dad... what does he want tho...I stood up quietly from my bed not to disturb Daniel and tiptoed to the opening it widely, and there he was half naked... putting on only a pair of boxer..... I wasn't sure what to do, ran away or close my eyes and get him some clothing.....
"What are you doing Dad???... I thought you have a trip ahead you tomorrow fo to sleep and put on some clothes cus you would catch a cold"...
I have a way of getting the perfect words to say in weird situations... yh.. I am smart like that.
"I was just thinking if you are alright with me travelling, leaving you all alone... I mean I don't want to be depressed any more"
He said with a curious tone... That sounded like pity... we don't have a strong relationship so I see no reason he should think I would have a problem with him leaving tho.
"No Dad... I mean Daniel, Tina and the twins are here, we've built a very reliable relationship together so... I have no reason to be depressed"
His face brightens a bit and he pushed the door wider coming in like an uninvited guest..
Looking around he turned back at me with a smile on his face
"Don't you think your room is rather too neat for a young guy, I mean, guys are said to be very clumsy"....
I wasn't going to give an answer to that cus it would bring up a topic about mom , who was the last person I would wanna talk about right now... She taught me to be neat by making sure I packed and arrange my clothes after school within the one week she was available...
He looked around and settled his eyes in my guitar, which I haven't played for days now, maybe because I've lost interest...
"How is your song writing going, I would love to listen to you sing for me one of this days son"
That rose my spirit, I love talking about things which interests me alot and music is one of them... I moved closer to him
"It's going well Dad, but it's been a long while since I wrote, I think I am beginning to lose interest"
I confessed and to be sincere I pay no attention to music anymore, it makes me think about that night and memories of her pretending to be the audience while I play the guitar singing my song....He moves closer to me and placed a finger in my chest hitting it slowly as he talks
" You've got that burning desire darling, I listen to you play and sing every night and that sweet and solemn songs of yours keep me working all night long...You lost interest cus you wanted to, and you will regain that interest if you are determined to!!!"
That few words gave me morale, he has never talked about my singing, I felt proud of myself... I decided at once to get back to writing...I felt encouraged by someone I thought would never inspire me...
"Thanks Dad"
I hugged me and we stood the there for minutes..
"I need to get some rest now, would be leaving very early tomorrow, I came to say goodbye as you might not be awake before I take off..."
He had turned his back on me immediately but I knew he had tears in his eye... Why tho??..
"Good night Dad..."
I went back to bed and there was Daniel snoring heavily... Gosh.. there was no way I could sleep... I closed my ears with my pillow and then I dozed off completely...