Laurel sat down on her bed looking lost and tired. She was tired from all the emotions welling up in her heart. She couldn't believe that David was trying to spiral himself slowly into their lives. She understood he had money and all but that's not good enough to make him throw it around and get into their lives uninvited.
On one hand, she didn't want it to look like she couldn't take care of her daughter or sort out her issues on her own without help from David. On the other hand, she also was thinking of the well being of her daughter which was paramount to all her other feelings.
She knew from the first day that the school she enrolled her daughter in was not good enough for her because of the numerous bullying complaints she got everyday, but she was doing everything she could to console Nicole and encourage her to do her best. So she knew David's idea, after what had happened, would be the next best thing to do.
But a part of her didn't want to look weak or like a damsel in distress when they could still manage.
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts and she looked sharply at the door. "It's me mummy," she heard her daughter's tiny voice and smiled inwardly.
"Come on in sweetie." she called out. Nicole slowly opened the door and walked right in wearing her pyjamas and her hair carefully pack in a ponytail behind her. "What are you doing here? I thought you were already asleep."
"No," Nicole replied as she sat on the bend with her legs folded in front facing her mother. "I couldn't sleep." she said with an uncertain voice, before continuing as if she has clarity now. "I'm sorry mummy, I know I put you through a lot today and I messed up in a lot of ways today, but I'm sorry."
She paused to look at her mother, expecting her to say something but had to continue when she didn't, "I know you had your reasons for telling me my daddy was dead and I don't hate you for that. But... he's here now. And now that he is, I think it'd be really nice if I could just get to know him a little."
"And I want to go to the school he suggested because it's almost time for promotional exams, and I need to learn well so I don't fail, because if I fail I won't be promoted. Please mummy, I know you don't like him, but can you just overlook somethings for my sake?"
Laurel stared at her daughter for some time and wondered how she'd turned out to be so brave and intelligent. "Come here," she told her and Nicole pushed closer until she was well secured in her mother's bosom. "How did I get so lucky with a daughter like you. So brave and smart." she added as she patted Nicole's head, "Sometimes, I wonder who's the mother, I or you."
They sat hurdled up together for while before Laurel was able to bring herself to decide. "This is what we're going to do, you're going to school tomorrow first then maybe later, we can discuss about getting to know him better." she told Nicole as she tried to make her look at her. "Agreed?"
"Yes mummy. I agree." Nicole replied.
"That's good." she said and continued their hug.
***
As David walked into his penthouse that evening he was in deep thoughts as to how to get through to Laurel to let him get closer to his daughter. He wasn't expecting to meet anyone in his house since he personally chose to stay alone until he saw Cheryl walking up to him, broad smile on her face and arm stretched in an attempted hug.
"Welcome back home, baby," she was saying as she walked in close to get her hug. David simply dodged the hug and walked past her and she almost hugged Charles who stood right behind his boss.
"Good evening, Cheryl." Charles offered as he tried holding her so she doesn't fall from the effect of how David moved from her.
"Oh, hi Charles," she fidgeted and tried to cover up her disappointment. "Baby, how was your day?" she still asked, moving closer to David who was now by the bar pouring himself a drink."
"Hi, Cheryl." he finally responded, "What are you doing here?" he asked with disdain. "I can remember I specifically warned you never to come her with invitation or prior notice again." he shot at her.
"Oh, come on baby. I was bored at home and I decided to come stay with my fiance for a bit." Cheryl replied, "I even made you dinner and I'll serve it if you'll just go upstairs, freshen up and come down to the dinning table."
"Did you by chance stop my cook from doing his duties?" David shot at her and also tried to hold on to his anger which was simmering up.
Charles who still stood by the door quickly excused himself and took his boss's laptop and files to his study.
"David, I only asked him to excuse me while I cooked you a meal myself. You're my fiance and I should have the right to cook for you whenever I want to." Cheryl said, "I mean, you never really had a problem with me cooking for you before, so why do u all of a sudden?"
"Now listen to me and listen good, we're not married yet, just engaged and even if we do get married there are things I'll never want you to get involved with and one of them is to never relieve any of my staff off their duty without my consent. Don't ever, in your life, try this again. You can try it when you find yourself in my mother's kitchen, but as long as you're in my house, never again. Are we clear?" he asked the question looking directly at her.
Cheryl hesitated for a bit but looking at David's face and seeing he was dead serious she had no other choice than to succumb. "Okay, I've heard and I'm sorry for not letting you know first." she apologized.
"Much better." David agreed. "Now tell Duke to get into the kitchen and make my dinner." he ordered.
"Uhmm... but I told you I've already made dinner." Cheryl protested.
"Package it and take it to your family." David advised, "I'm sure they'd appreciate the gesture." he noted.
"But, I made it specially for you."
"And I reject it specially from you." David said as he stood up and walked towards his bedroom to go freshen up. "Go home Cheryl and try telling me next time before coming to my house unannounced."
Thirty minutes later, her was sitting down to a set dinner table when Cheryl walked in and took the seat directly opposite his for her own dinner too.
"Duke," he called and the cook came running into the dinning room.
"Yes boss." he answered.
"Who made the food I'm eating?" David asked putting down his fork before he took a bite of the sumptuous looking dinner.
"You should've asked me and I'd have saved you the energy of calling him out." Cheryl interrupted the man that wanted to reply. "Duke had to quickly put this together, since you rejected my food." she added.
"Yes, I made the food sir." Duke tried confirming. He was scared because everyone knew that the boss can easily get angry with anyone at anytime. Little things pisses him off, especially when you didn't do things according to how he ordered and now he was scared that maybe the boss didn't like his cooking.
"You can go." David ordered and the man rushed out of the room.