Chereads / The last leaf on the tree / Chapter 13 - Getting closer

Chapter 13 - Getting closer

Mr. William POV

Mr. William on the phone,

"Pablo! What did you say about the mission? It didn't go as planned, but no one died during the process, right?" a long silence processed "Pablo! Answer me!"

"I'm sorry, Mr. William. But it wasn't our intention, we got a stranger instead of him" I took a deep breath and exhaled "Was that stranger a woman?" He hesitated before saying "Yes, sir she was, but you don't have to worry. We took her to the hospital and the doctor promised to say, nothing"

"And you think that will do" I shouted out of my lungs. "Pablo, do you realize how much you messed up? I'm sure you know what the consequence is"

"I'm very much, aware of that" I hung up having that said.

It was already hard enough for me to convince my own daughter, now I had to think of a strategy to convince everyone else, till I've settled this case. And I know exactly how.

"Ruby!" I yelled from my office loud enough for her to hear from downstairs. And shortly after I heard loud footsteps, I was still focused on the paperwork I had on my table that I didn't see who walked into my office.

"Can't you learn to knock, before coming in?" I said still not looking at who walked in through the door. "What do you want from her this time?" And there she was, my beautiful wife... Rachel. "Are you still angry at me?"

"You still haven't answered my question, yet. What do you want from my daughter?"

"I thought she is our daughter"

"Well, you don't treat her like she is."

"I'm sorry Rachel, you know I only want the best for us"

"The best for us? The best for us, isn't you doing all kinds of dirty businesses to provide for us. You know I'd rather have our little family, than all this money."

"I'm just doing the best for you and our family"

"Tell me what you want," she confessed tiredly "She's presumably told you about the death of her friend's mom"

"Yes, and I warn you, stay away from that girl and her family!" I chuckled at how mesmerising she looked trying to scare me "No worries, I have no business with them, I just want to give them a visit... maybe tomorrow? And extend my condolences."

"Do you have to get involved in everything?"

"I'm just being generous, we'll be heading there tomorrow at noon, inform Ruby about it" she didn't accept or reject. She exited my office, probably going to Ruby's room.

The next day,

"Are you ready now?" I said waiting for Ruby and her mother to finish whatever they were doing. "Why do you all of a sudden want to be part of this?" My daughter asked. "Part of what?" I asked cluelessly "Well, you don't know the people you're going to visit, I mean you don't just barge into people's homes the way you like"

"This isn't about walking into someone's house without permission, I'm doing a good deed," I said out proudly. "Let's go then," She said heading to the car. "Wait, we can't just go there empty-handed"

"So what is your suggestion?" Rachel asked, "What do you give as a gift to people, who lost someone?" I thought for a long time but found nothing reasonable. "How come you're thinking of that now, dad?"

"Well, it was a very spontaneous idea, I couldn't prepare everything that quick"

"Why not tell them, you will take care of everything for the burial, that's more than any gift" Rachel said and her idea was excellent and I just couldn't refuse. Ruby on the other hand didn't want to accept it. "Dad it isn't a good impression if you go there and just pay for everything. They don't know you and you don't know them." I just proceeded walking to the car. "You're not going to listen, are you?" She shouted running behind me.

After successfully entering the car, I started interrogating Ruby.

"You'll have to direct the way, Ruby. So tell me, Ruby, what is it with your new friend? You seem to be serious about her" She stayed silent "She's the reason why you were out for three days by yourself"

"I'd use every chance I get, to stay out of this house as long as possible" unfortunately her mother would never scold her when she was being rude, so I had to do all the work. "Stop acting like you could survive a week, without us"

"When you say us, you mean your money, food and shelter."

"When I say us, I mean, you could impossibly live without a roof over your head" I said in return.

"Okay, dad whatever you say. Stop at the next turn" Ruby said, and I took the last turn to the house of Kehna.

Once I stopped, Ruby didn't think twice and got out of the car, she didn't think of waiting for us. The only thing we could do was yell her name for her to wait.

"Ruby! Ruby wait!" She finally stopped running. "Do you think we're familiar with this place? Why would you run away like that?"

"I didn't run, you just weren't fast enough to catch up with me," She said pressing a button to ring the bell, the next thing we heard was a female voice

"Yeah?"

"Hey, Kehna it's me"

"Ruby you're here! Okay, just push the door" she did as instructed and we went upstairs, as we were climbing, a door opened revealing the famous 'Kehna'. She looked surprised seeing us. "Oh, hello you brought your parents"

"Yeah. But if you don't want them here, I'll just tell them to go back" I looked at her with a 'Are you serious?' look.

"What!? No why would you do that? Please come in" Kehna said, and before entering I reached out my hand and she shook it right away "Please accept our condolences" she whispered a "Thank you" so we entered the house.

After we greeted each other and got settled down, I and Kehna's dad excused ourselves, we went to the kitchen and started talking.

Normally, I'd hardly talk with people who have no value but he seemed like an interesting person.

"So, we came here thinking of what we should give you. And couldn't decide, so my wife suggested we'd take care of your necessities" he looked like he was confused "Necessities?"

"The burial?"

"Oh... No we can't accept that"

"And we can not accept the fact that we came here empty-handed, so please accept this".