DYLAN'S POV
Valentina came to meet us at the airport. We already had a chauffeur-driven car which Pete and I hired for our use while staying in Hallowcave.
Anisha and Valentina hugged each other and cried in joy. Valentina immediately took Liam into her arms, and kissed him multiple times before holding him at arm's length, examining his little body with a wide grin. She later hugged the child close to her chest and kissed his hair. She was obviously very loud, as she stated at the top of her voice, "Anisha guess what! I didn't tell you because I wanted to tell you in person. I'm starting on a new job tomorrow!"
"What! Congratulations." Before Anisha could say anything more, Valentina went on,
"I'll be working in a hardware shop. And I will continue with my studies as well," she announced proudly.
"Wow nice," Anisha began to speak, and without listening to her, Valentina went on,
"Are you proceeding with your studies yet? I asked you and you did not respond?"
"I was offered a place at the country university, and I'll be starting in slightly over four months' time."
"And why didn't you tell me?" she complained.
"I too wanted to tell you in person! The offer letter only came in two days back, so knowing that I would be seeing you and Ms Meyerton, I thought to tell you in person!" Anisha smiled.
Valentina hugged her friend tightly, then turned around, saying, "Should we get a cab?"
Her jaws dropped and she stared at Pete and I for a long time. She bent in to whisper into Anisha's ear, but her whisper was too loud; we all heard it,
"Girl, he's into you! He even takes time to fly with you all the way! He brought along his friend too!!",
"Val!" Anisha tried to stop her.
"What! Look at you! You now look more beautiful! You have changed a lot, girl! Look how you're dressed!" Valentina whispered rather loudly.
"Val please, enough! Don't say anything more!" Anisha cried out desperately. Valentina lifted her hand and made a sign of zipping up her mouth, and then she started walking off towards the car park.
Anisha's meeting with Ms Meyerton was very emotional, obviously. The older lady cried and went on and on about how she feared that Anisha was going to rot in jail for a crime that she had not committed. Ms Meyerton' speech was still not perfect, but she could talk anything and everything. Ms Meyerton was overjoyed to see Liam, and rather shocked to see me.
She continued to steal glances at me while we ate at the dining table.
"I'm sorry I know I should have prepared a more decent meal," she said in a low voice.
"This meal is excellent," Pete was the one to say quickly, before anyone else could talk.
Ms Meyerton just chuckled to herself and continued to eat her food slowly. "Well, when Anisha told me that you were coming along, I never thought you would actually come," she confessed.
"Why?" Anisha asked curiously.
"He's a busy man, isn't he? Who would have ever believed that the young de Milo would one day sit in my home to eat at the same table with us?" she raised her eyes to stare at me, and smiled brightly. "And you too, young Rockridge. I am humbled to have you both under my roof."
We spoke for a while before Pete and I announced that we were leaving for the hotel. Before we left, Ms Meyerton asked to talk to me in private. I cannot say I was shocked. A part of me had known all along that she was going to want to talk to me, and I guessed it had to do with Anisha.
"I see you took time to accompany my daughter here," she smiled.
"Yes," I smiled back.
"Anisha…Anisha is a daughter to me. I might not have given birth to her, but I raised her. I met her on the day that she was born, and I made her my own her. She is my world." She coughed a bit and cleared her throat.
"I understand, Ms Meyerton," I said in a calm voice.
She looked at me for a long time. Her face, although looking worn out, was full of love and care. One could tell, from looking at her, that her life had not been easy. Whatever her age was, I was certain that she looked older than that. I looked into her eyes and remembered the days when she was the matron at Olga Children's Home. She was younger during those days, and always loving and had kindness written on her face always.
"Listen, doctor de Milo…."
"You can call me Dylan," I corrected her.
"Ok ok…listen, my son. I don't know what your intention is. I cannot know why you took time to come with Anisha. She has told me a lot of things about you two, and I am yet to talk to her."
I just nodded my head and waited for her to go on.
"Anisha is a beautiful girl, and the biggest worry that I have had for all these years is that, will a man ever be interested in her as a person, or they will simply be infatuated by her beauty." She scanned me from head to toe before continuing,
"You come from a very wealthy family. Have you asked yourself what your parents will think when they see you spending so much time with my daughter?"
"I have, Ms Meyerton. My parents will have to respect me in my choices of friends." I assured her.
"Really?" she raised her eyebrows in doubt.
"Really," I stated firmly.
She was silent for a long time, then she took my hand in hers. Her hands were very cold, and she squeezed my hands. She smiled at me and told me,
"Anisha is a grown up, but she is still my child. I cannot stand in her way when it comes to the people she chooses to be her friends. But please, son, do not hurt her. She and Val are all I have." Her voice was beginning to break. It was as if she was going to cry, but she did not.
"I would never hurt her, Ms Meyerton," I said in all sincerity.
"I know I raised many children from the home, and they all meant a lot to me. But Anisha and Valentina got a special place in my heart. As for Anisha; I took her in from day one, and she became my world. Son, do not hurt her in any way, please."
"I can assure you, Ms Meyerton."
"I love her a lot." She smiled at me, letting go of my hand.
"I love her too," I told her.
She widened her eyes and her smile slowly faded off. "Do you love her? I mean, are you in love with her?"
"I am in love with her, Ms Meyerton, and I can assure you that I love her more than any other person on this earth could ever love her," I found myself confessing.
Ms Meyerton was silent, then she smiled again, "does she know?"
"I am yet to tell her that." I said.
It had never been my intention to confess my love for Anisha to her mother before I told her. As if she was reading my thoughts, the lady was quick to assure me that she was never going to tell Anisha about what I said.
"I will leave that honour to you. You will tell her yourself," she smiled at me.
Her eyes remained fixed on me. I wondered what was going through her mind. Was she worried about Anisha? I felt the need to reassure her…
"You don't need to worry about her. I will never hurt her. Anisha has always meant a lot to me, since I was twelve. I saw the kindness and love that she was showing to the other children at Olga, and to me she became the greatest person ever. She was always gentle and happy, always going out of her way to make others happy."
"I did see the way you looked at her back then," she laughed, making me feel slightly embarrassed.
We had a great time talking with Ms Meyerton. I never thought I was going to be with her for more than an hour, but it was slightly more than one hour later when I bid her farewell. Pete and I were thoroughly exhausted when we headed for the hotel.
Ms Meyerton still had the effects of the stroke from many years back, but she told us that she was much better. I arranged for her to be seen at the white Silva Rays Medical Centre, a hospital under the de Milo Group of Hospitals, and paid for physiotherapist to attend to her. This I did not tell Anisha, for I knew she was going to say no to that offer.