RED INK
EP 24: A place to start
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~~Peter's Point Of View~~
When he was told by his uncle that she had stood him up, he laughed over the phone at him. "Must be the one I am looking for, don't you think uncle?"
His uncle hissed on the receiver's end. "I have never met anyone so rude to elders!" He hissed again. "Anyway, when are you coming to see me? You are acting like you are busy these days."
Peter relaxed in his chair, crossing his legs on the table and scratched his head. "I don't act like I am busy. I AM busy."
"Find time out to come see me."
"I don't know uncle, I don't think it will be anytime soon."
"Yah!" His uncle yelled. "Yoi don't have time to come see me but you have time to go on a blind date with a woman?!"
"Well..."
"You are full of excuses these days! If you don't come to see me, I will come to see you. Infact, don't worry. You may see me in your house next week. Jerk!"
Peter laughed. "I know."
"Anyway, her father told her to go to the opera house as punishment. So you two should talk."
"Why are you acting like you are the one looking for a wife for me? I am the one searching, not you uncle."
"Yah! You brat! I am trying my best to look for a better wife for you. If you are going to be ungrateful like this, don't ask me for favors next time. I won't pick your call!"
Peter withdrew the phone from his ear. The noise was so loud. "Sorry uncle."
There was silence, but he knew he was still there.
"Uncle...?"
"—aish! Just tell her to apologise to me or I won't approve your marriage if it's bound to happen. Understand?!"
The phone ended on Peter. He looked at it and smiled. This was the war between him and his uncle twice a week. Not to talk of when they do meet in person, it was thugging.
His uncle, Mr Dumber was like his father. He was the elder brother of his mother who had died of cancer when he was eight years old. Prior to that, his father died three months after he was given birth to. So much tragedy for a boy his age. But back then, he didn't really understand what was going on.
After the funeral of his mom, his uncle Dumber took him in as his own. His children were abroad so he stayed in the big house with him. He had always been interested in music and started learning to play the piano when he turned ten. And seeing his passion for music, his uncle hired a home school music teacher for him. He started learning to read notes and played different instruments, developing an all time love for all of them. But his favorites were the Violin, guitar and piano. He started composing songs, writing songs for musicians of which some of them got rejected while four others turned to hit.
When he turned sixteen and was about to be done with high school, that was the period his cousins came back home. They didn't get along well, especially West, the second son of uncle. He considered him a threat to succession of his father's company. But that wasn't Peter's fault, it was due to West's low self-esteem in his own talents.
When his uncle saw the drama grooming in the house, he decided to buy a small condo for him in the state. Because his parents didn't have a house. They were living on rentage.
Peter moved to his new condo where he lived with a cat and a house keeper that his uncle hired for him. His uncle Dumber visted him twice a month in the condo, while some other time, they met outside to chat. He couldn't deny that they were close, even his uncle was more compassionate to him than his own sons that he felt he did it out of pity because of his late mother.
When he turned seventeen, he started going for gigs and singing in clubs where he began making his own money. The money was not much but it kept driving him to do more. He had told his uncle to stop giving him money and that he wanted to make his, which all fell on deaf ears. He was offered a scholarship in one of the best Art college schools where he had applied. He knew his uncle was the one who paid his school fees for the years semester, but he had deny it and he couldn't reject the sponsorship from the anonymous sponsor (his uncle), so he used it to further his education.
Three years after he was to be done with schooling with one more year to go, he had taken interest in opera presentations and was still writing songs for musicians. He made a hobby of going for performances in his free time, starting to earn a name for himself. He sang some of his songs with bands and got paid. He got invited to perform in weddings, being his first high paid job.
When he graduated from musical school, he had a dream to own a talent house, grooming talented people to shine. Which was what he did. And eight years later, he was known to be starstruck, housing two famous singers now, and owning his medium sized talent house, becoming a chief executive of his talent house called Talent House. He was given a name, "Young Achiever".
And in his early twenties performing at the opera house, his uncle was always in the crowd cheering him on. Sometimes, secretly, other times, not so quiet. Though he thought he didn't need it, he was deeply happy to have someone to call family cheering for him in the crowd. His uncle was his number one fan.
When his uncle told him Linda would be at the opera house, through his performance, he used his eyes to search the crowd, he couldn't find her. It was darker from that angle. When he was done with his presentation and he bowed, reveling in his world and preparing for the next act, he had curiosity to go look outside, but still didn't find her. He thought, oh well! She would meet me by the end of it all.
When his whole performance was finished, he was quite disappointed to find that she had left without any heads-up, so he sucked it in and occupied his mind with his next performance.
Like the nosy man his uncle was, he was heating up his phone early in the morning. He sleepily picked up the phone from the bedside lamp and put it on his ear, refusing to get up from the bed. His eyes were too tired to open. "Hello." He said.
"Still sleeping by this time?"
Even when he was sleepy, he recognized his uncle's voice. "Hm."
"Did I disturb you?"
Peter didn't answer. He was beginning to doze off.
"Peter? Peter?!" His uncle called. "Yah!!"
That sound jerked him awake from sleep. His eyes opened. He picked the phone from his ear and looked at the dialer, Uncle. He placed it back on his ear. "Isn't it too early to call me?"
"Were you sleeping?"
"Yes!" He yelled. "I was sleeping! I had a long night and I have another performance today!"
His uncle was silent. "You don't need to shout!"
"Who shouted? You started it first. How is that my fault? Why did you call? It better be important." He shook his head."I know it's not important. If it was, you would have pulled up at my house by now."
His uncle hissed.
"What is it?" He asked.
"Did you perform late last night?"
"I just told you I did."
"Hm. Did you meet her?"
Peter sat up in his bed. He couldn't believe his uncle called him by 6:10AM to ask him that. He was tired. "Are you for real?"
"Just answer and you can go back to sleep."
He rubbed his face and his forehead. He thought if he argued with his uncle, the longer the conversation would go on, but if he told him what he wanted to know, the faster the call would end. So he chose the last option. "I didn't."
"You didn't? What do you mean you didn't?"
"I didn't meet her. She left without notification."
His uncle swore on the other end.
"Can I go back to bed?" He asked but didn't wait for a reply. He ended the call on him. He thought about switching the phone off but went against it. Important calls could come in. So he dropped it by the lamp instead, raised his duvet up and slid under the blanket, covering himself with it and going back to sleep. He still had three hours to prepare before stopping by his office.
Later in the day, his uncle had called him to tell him that he had a meeting, this time, no stand ups. It was the same girl he was to meet the previous night. He wanted to reject it because of schedule clash but he accepted again, readjusting his schedule and booking a reservation. Which he told his uncle.
After he was done with his performance, he was held by important people who wanted to have a chat with him, he stood with them for a while, watching his watch, looking at the time. As soon as he could get away, he got a taxi and got in. He parked his car too far away and it would have been a waste of time to walk down there.
When he arrived at the Pearl Palace and stood at the entrance of the restaurant, looking around, he was certain the girl at the far end having a chat with the waiter was the one he was meeting with.
When he walked towards her, he hoped she was beautiful because he had rejected to get any picture of her from his uncle. When he saw her, his heart warmed up. Could she be the one?
When she confirmed her name, he smiled. What a blessing.
After their previous chit chat, he was curious to know more about her, but he didn't want to be too forward.
So they sat, opposite from each other, their tray of foods in front of them, eating. It was said that it was a bad habit to talk while eating but he saw it the other way round; he saw it as a way to bond. They only had limited time in their reservation spot and he would want to use it well.
So when they were close to finishing their meals, he decided to spark up a conversation.
"Did you come here alone?" He asked her.
She picked up the glass of water and drank from it, cleaning her mouth with the napkin. When she was ready to talk, she replied him. "No."
He nodded. "I thought so too."
"Why do you ask?"
"I saw some men standing behind us. They've been there for an hour noe, not ordering anything."
She smiled. "They are with me. They are my bodyguards."
He nodded again. "I figured." He picked up a meat with his fork and put in his mouth, chewing.
"I must give you commendation for your observation skills."
He smiled. It's a dreadful world we live in, the best thing someone can do now is to be observant and watch his surrounding. Could save you a lot."
"But did you think I will be here alone?"
He shook his head. "Even if you wanted to be, I am pretty sure your father wouldn't allow it."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "How would you know that? Have you met my father before?"
He looked at her. "A lot."
"A lot?" She was surprised.
He swallowed the meat in his mouth and drank some water. "Your father and my uncle are mirror to each other. They are both nosy and involve themselves in anyone's business. They are also strict if you look at it. They also show their affection in really and I mean, really weird ways. If you decided to come here alone, your father would have bodyguards watch you from a distance secretly. They will be on the get go to. Do you think on thr days you leave the house alone that you really left the house alone?"
Linda had thoughts in her mind that it could be possible. But she had never left the house alone. Her father wouldn't allow it and the guards were all daring and bullheaded they wouldn't even leave her to go alone. They would tell her they work for her father and not her. She should not interfer with their jobs. She should just do hers while they do theirs. It was always an endearing war.
"And you?" She asked him. "Do you walk around with bodyguards?"
"I don't need to. I am not an heir to a big company and neither am I a thug. I live a very simple life as it is."
"But you are famous."
"Not as popular as celebrities. People in the art world know me but not enough to make me want to hire body guards. I could walk on the street with a cap on my head and people wouldn't even recognize me."
"Sounds...good. What about when you go to red carpet shows? Do you hire part-timers?"
He shook his head. "I don't have to." He laughed. "You do ask a lot of questions."
They were done eating. Lucas came to the table and cleared out the plates.
"How was the meal?" He asked her.
"It was spectacular. Thank you."
He smiled and checked his watch, it was 7:48. They had twelve minutes before expiry time. "Do we rest a little?"
"Always the best option after a meal."
After resting for while, he asked for the bill and paid off, tipping Lucas for wonderful service. Then they got up, ready to leave. "Should we take a stroll in the hotel's yard?" He asked.
She thought about it for some seconds. "Why not?"