"I don't," came Ocean's straightforward answer
"if you don't trust her, why do you want to help her or is this one of your ways of getting under her sheets?"
"Stone, don't be ridiculous. You of all people should know if that is the case, here I would have gotten what I wanted a long time ago."
"Okay...I think so too."
"The thing is, I have been in love before and was taught a good lesson. It is better to tread carefully."
"I don't know who this lover is, but I can guess she didn't play fair with you,"
"Not one bit." A small smile that didn't reach his eyes appeared on Ocean's face. "let's not go down that lane today. A part of me is telling me that our neighbour didn't do it, but the other part that doesn't trust drunk people is saying otherwise. What do you think?"
"For a reason, I strongly believe that she didn't do it. You made mention of her family members visiting her?"
"Ah, yes! The Rex guy and her cousin Jasmine. A very disagreeable young lady that came all the way from her house to say someone's part of a story does not matter" Ocean's mouth set into a thin line.
"Who knows who is going to come next?"
"That is the problem, we need to keep a close eye on her,"
"But how?"
Ocean rubbed the stubble on his chin as if in deep thought. When he finally opened his mouth, his ears picked up the fast-approaching footsteps.
"They are coming!" Ocean said in a panicked voice as he tried to hide in the small flower bed by the side of his neighbour's apartment, but the flowers did nothing to hide his body making him hiss.
"Who?" Stone asked with a frown
"Bobby and his kids!"
"Oh, good." Ocean glared at Stone who had a wide grin on his face.
"What is good about that? How can he make me the godfather of his children, I have never been a godfather before and those kids, my goodness, have you seen the way they look at me? I don't even know how to act around them. They are here! Tell them I am not here"
"Just relax, you are their godfather and not their father, so be calm, act normal and stop being dramatic,"
"Just tell them I am not here." Stone nodded and watched with a smile, as Bobby and his wife lined up their kids in front of their apartment.
"Bobby!" Stone called out with a smile, "Over here, behind you"
"Stone, what are you doing?" Ocean asked under his breath
"Mr Stone! Mr Ocean!" Bobby's voice called out just as Ocean set out one of his legs to run. Ocean internally groaned before turning around to face Bobby
"Ah, Bobby! Is that you and your wife...and your kids?" Stone, who was standing beside him covered his mouth with his hand as a way of suppressing his laughter.
"Good morning, Mr Ocean and Mr Stone," Bobby's wife, Grace, greeted, and the two men hummed in response.
"Mr Ocean, did you relocate to this apartment?"
"Oh, no. We were just checking out the neighbour's beautiful flower bed." Came Stone's amused reply as he waved his hands towards the flower bed while on the other hand, Ocean nodded his head to support the lie.
"These are really beautiful flowers," Said Grace as she walked towards the flower bed with a smile.
"Oh, they are, just like the owner," Ocean blurted, making Stone clear his throat dramatically. Bobby, who understood the meaning of what he said let out a little laugh.
Ocean, who didn't have anything to say, rolled his eyes, and that was when he noticed the pairs of eyes watching him. He looked down at the identical triplets that had their eyes glued on him, two boys and one girl.
"Why are they staring at me like that?" Ocean asked Bobby
"Oh, they have been talking about you nonstop since yesterday. The kids are in love with you but they will need to spend more time with you to know their godfather better." Bobby answered with a small smile while patting the little girl's head
"That is a very strange love if you ask me, Bobby." Stone, Bobby and his wife let out a hearty laugh.
"It was Mia's idea that we come to see you this morning before they leave for their new school. Don't mind the stare. They are just messing around," As soon as the last word left Bobby's mouth, Ocean internally cringed when the kids burst into a fit of laughter as they started to circle him. Ocean's eyes followed the kids as they continued to run in circles until they felt dizzy and stopped.
"Okay, kids, let's go to your new school now, shall we?" Mrs Bobby chimed as she lined the kids up in a straight line. She turned and perked her husband on the lips in front of everybody making Ocean and Stone a little bit uncomfortable as they looked everywhere but at the couple in front of them. The kids waved at everyone before they left the premises with their mother.
"Bobby, everything went as suspected. George tried to run away last night, and now the space is vacant. Just tell me when you are ready," Bobby stared at Ocean as it seemed he had, for a moment, forgotten what the man was.
"Mr Ocean, I think I am ready to be your new Managing director,"
"Bobby, I don't need you to think, I need you to be sure it is what you want to do, and I don't want you to feel like if you say no, I would take back everything or not help you the way you deserve. You are a good man, Bobby. That's why I need you to work for me and reduce my stress,"
"Thank you very much, Mr Ocean. It is not everyday people compliment a poor man like me—"
"You are no longer that poor man people knew," Stone corrected him, causing him to smile,
"Yes. For this short time. It feels like everything is too good to be true."
"This is reality," Ocean said in a calm voice.
"I know, and that is all thanks to you. I really owe you a lot, and now this is one of the chances I have to repay you."
"Bobby, you don't owe me anything,"
"Mr Ocean, I am ready to work for you. I promise that my loyalty will forever remain with you from this day onward," Stone and Ocean shook hands with the man
"Thank you very much,"
"When do you want to start?"
"I can start today if you don't mind,"
"I don't mind at all. I was also planning to visit them today."
"Them or her?" Stone asked with a big smile, but Ocean ignored him.
"Will you people be coming around? I don't want to be left with total strangers."
Stone is fast to answer for them, "Of course, we will,"
"Yes, Bobby, we would be coming from time to time to check on you and make sure you are getting the needed knowledge for the job." Ocean tried to explain to him.
"Oh, that would be great," Bobby smiled, relieved that he won't be left with strangers.
"Let me just take a shower and change," Ocean said as they started walking across to their apartment.
"Change to what? I am hundred per cent sure you are going to wear the same thing after bathing." Stone teased Ocean, which made Bobby laugh, but it seized the moment something clicked in his head
"I think I have a problem," he announced as they entered and closed the apartment's door. Ocean smiled as he already knew what the man wanted to complain about.
"Don't worry, Bobby, my brother here has a collection of those skin-itching suits and ties and pants and the rest of them. You can take some of his and get yours when you have the chance to do so." When Stone understood what his brother was talking about he smiled widely at Bobby
"You don't know how long I have waited to do this..." Stone sized Bobby from head to toe. A little stout, that shouldn't be a problem, he thought to himself and then continued,
"Don't worry, I am sure I have your perfect size in my collections. What colour would you like? I have a collection of black suits, white suits, grey suits, blue suits, purple suits, yellow suits, orange suits, green suits as well shirts, ties and shoes in different sizes and shapes. Finding yours shouldn't be a problem, right brother?" The two men turned to where Ocean was just standing a few seconds ago and found nobody. Ocean had disappeared the moment Stone started mentioning the colours of his suits.
"He was just standing here," Bobby pointed towards the place where Ocean was just standing with them.
"He always does that," Stone stated to help the man relax. He continued, "As I was saying, Bobby, which colour do you want me to beautify you with?"
"Do you have everything you mentioned earlier in this house?"
"Of course, I like going cloth shopping."
"And then buy things that are not your size?"
"Well, yes. I shop for people I haven't seen before." Bobby looked at Stone, and one word rang in his head 'Strange'
"Okay, Mr Stone-"
"Call me Stone."
"Okay, Stone, can I see this wonderful collection of yours?"
"Of course...I will lead the way," Stone happily led Bobby into a dark room and closed the door. With a grin, he turned on the light and watched with so much delight as the other man's eyes widened in awe.
"Oh my goodness, how are we going to find my size in this jungle of clothes?"
"It should take about one hour thirty minutes or... More." Bobby's eyes scanned the room full of clothes as he regretted mentioning anything about clothes.
"Let's get to work now, shall we?"