A week had past by which is like five minutes in writer world, and it was Julia birthday, Jack asked the apparent enemy Charlotte Bonate to bake cupcakes for her and he also asked Waldo if he could go home early, to deliver them, it is also a big day for him because today is the day when shall be considered a man amongst his fellow colleagues and society, today for those who were cannot connect to my hotspot, he is going to a date with the very person he despise and looks to exact revenge on.
An hour into his work day, Waldo appeared.
'Jack, I think you have done enough for today, you may leave.'
'But I still have a few hours left?'
'Boy, stop being such a stubborn work horse and go get changed, once you done come to my office and get your pay.'
Jack nodded in agreement and went to his own personal changing room (the store room).
After he got changed, he went to Waldo's office or cabin, when he entered he saw that nearly all of the male staff were present.
'Here he is!' Arnold said laying his heavy hand on his shoulder.
'Our boy is finally becoming a man.' Mario said, standing against the wall, nodding in agreement with himself.
'Good Afternoon to you too gentlemen, is something the matter?'
'Of course something is the matter, you are going on your first date and your dear big work colleagues and elder brothers, because we are like a family here after all, have come to offer you some of our expert and experienced advice.'
'Arnold, I think that is the most sensible thing you have said in the entire time we have been in England.'
'Thank you James.'
'Please excuse them Jack, you see they have not been out on a date in a while, one could say they have been experiencing a dry spell in their dating affairs, so they are trying to experience it through yours.', Waldo looked at everyone then smiled, cleared his throat and continued, 'Here is your pay check.'
'Thank you Sir, sorry, I mean Waldo.'
'My pleasure.'
Jack took the check, turned around gave all the man a nod and made his way to the door.
'Wait.', James said, 'We have something for you.'
Jack turned around, saw Arnold taking something out a little box.
'What is it?'
'Something that will give you an extra edge on your date.'
'No, you guys should not have.'
'What do you mean we should not have, we are all family here after all, just take it.'
Jack took the little box from Arnold.
'Well, don't just look at it, open it.' James said, with excitement in his voice and clearly on his face.
Jack loosen the ribbon around the box, opened the box and took out a little glass bottle, which contained a liquid, that looked like pee.
'You do know what it is right?'
'I would like to say, I do James but I do not.'
'It is Colon, Jack, the newest and hottest smell on the market now.'
'Now, I really cannot take it, it must have been expensive.'
'It is rude to refuse a gift after all the effort they put in.'
'I know Waldo but…'
'But nothing, did you not hear what Arnold said, we all are a family here, now go and deliver your cupcakes quickly so you can go home, then you enough time to get ready properly for your date.'
'Yes, Waldo!' Jack shook everyone's hand, then left the room, taking his order of cupcakes along with him as he was head out to the Gibson house.
When he arrived at the Gibson house, Susan was sitting outside on the stairs.
'Hey!, Mr Jack Peterson, you finally came.'
'Would not miss it for the world.'
'Woow, I never thought that I will live to see Jack Peterson show some concern for Julia. Gibson.'
'Susan please don't get funny ideas.'
'What kind of funny ideas?'
'Why were you sitting outside in this heat anyway?'
'I was waiting for you silly.'
'Now, that silly me is here I think that it is time we go inside, if I stand outside any longer my hair might catch fire, I also cannot stay long, I have to go home.'
'With you anything is possible, come on, I promise that we will not keep you for a long time, right this way.'
'No, after you madam.'
Susan giggled, 'Okay, Mr Perfect Gentleman, follow me than.'
Jack nodded than followed Susan to the dining room, which was slightly more decorated, with pick and white balloons and a three layer cake placed in the center of the table.
'Hello, there Mr Jack Peterson!'
'Good afternoon, Elaina, you looking as beautiful as always are you sure it is not your eighteenth birthday taking place today.'
'What the hell Jack, that is my mother.'
'I do not mind, he is a gentleman after all.'
'Where is the birthday girl anyway?'
'Oh, she is properly reading a book in the study, which is a good thing, it gives us time to decorate everything properly, what do you have there?'
'This, this is just a few cupcakes.'
'Really!, Julia loves cupcakes…'
'I think you mean all of us, Susan.'
'Yes, mother, especially chocolate ones.'
'Well you are in luck today, because they are.'
Susan, took the box from Jacks hands, open the box and licked her lips.
'Uhmmm, Susan, there are other people present here too, how about you put the box on the table and wait for Julia to get here too, so we can all eat them together.'
'Yes, mother.'
Susan, put the box of cupcakes on the table in a lazy manner.
'Now, please be a dear and go get your sister.'
'Okay.'
Susan left the room, still looking a little disgruntled, Elaina picked up the box and started and placing the cupcakes around the cake, 'Mhmmm, these look delicious, I might have two myself.', She said licking her fingers after she put the last one down.
Then Susan entered the room with Julia who had a blind fold on.
'Here she is, the birthday girl has arrived!' Susan lifted the blind fold off.
Julia gasped, smiled and hugged her sister, this was the first time that Jack ever saw Julia display real emotion but her smiled quickly vanished once she saw him sitting at the table.
'You are here to?'
'Unfortunately, I am, is there a problem?'
'No, there is not, I am glad that you came, thank you for making the effort to be here.'
Jack was astonished he could not even process what was happening at the moment.
'No…no problem.'
Julia smiled and went over and gave him a hug, at that moment Jack pinched himself under the table just to check if he was dreaming.
'Now, that you two have resolved your issues, I hope, lets sing, then we can have those cupcakes because they just calling me and I do not know how long I can resist.'
Jack was still so perplex that he immediately started to sing, giving the others no choice but just to join in, even the birthday girl was singing along with them.
After the singing was done everyone sat down but Jacks stoop up instead.
'Uhmmm….I am sorry but you will have to excuse me now, I have to go.'
'Jack you cannot possibly leave right now, we are just about to have cake.'
'I am sorry, Elaina but I really have to go.'
'Mr Jack Peterson please stay.' Susan said putting her hand on top of his, 'I am sure that a few minutes will not change anything.'
'Please Jack, just five more minutes, after that we will not stop you.'
'You cannot refuse the birthday girl's request that would be ungentlemen like.'
'Okay, you all convinced me otherwise, I will stay, just for five minutes and nothing more.'
'Yes, sir!', the girls said together.
Elaina winked at him and smiled, 'Julia would you like a slice of cake first or one of the cupcakes Jack especially brought for you.
'Cupcakes!, really, did you bring them for me, did you make them yourself?, Julia asked him with an intense excitement and curiosity, as if she had never seen or received a cupcake in her life.
'No, I did not bake them but I did make the icing and put it on myself, I am no five star pastry chef but I hope you like it.'
Julia, sparing no second, took a huge bite of the cupcake, a face lighting up as she was chewing it, then swallowed.
'I love it!'
'Thank you.'
'Nope, something is definitely wrong here, this cannot be happening, it is all in my mind, first she hugs me then say please and now she loves my food!, this is a dream.'
Looking to confirm his hypothesis, Jack reached under the table and did the unthinkable, he pinched himself on the bag of bolts, causing him to hop up slightly and his eyes to tear up a little.
'Jack are you alright?', Elaina asked him and both the girls looked at him.
'Yes, I am fine, I think, it was just a hiccup, can I have some water please?'
'Sure.'
Susan poured him a glass and gave it to him.
'Thank you, this is definitely not a dream.'
'What?'
'No, I just said, I hope it is not too cold.'
'Okay.'
'Jack would you like a cupcake?'
'No, thank you but I would like a piece of cake.'
'Okay, Alright one piece of cake coming up.'
Elaina cut what seemed like an unnecessary big slice, which was obviously a ploy to keep him there longer.
'Thank you.'
As soon as that thing landed in front of him, Jack grabbed the fork and eviscerated the piece of cake, some pieces flying all over the place, After he had mutilate his cake, Jack politely waited for the girls to finish, before making the announcement about his departure.
'I thank you all for having me here today but unfortunately, I have to go.'
'Yes, Mr Jack Peterson, we understand and like we said, we will not try to stop you but before you go, you must take some of the cake home with you.'
'Geez, this lady, what am I now a charity case, why does she always act as if we do not have food at home.'
'I am sure, that they would be over the moon to receive their first meal of the day.'
'Excuse me…'
Jack did not respond, just gave a forced smile.
'Wait here, I will be right back, I promise, I will not take long.'
Elaina threw the knife down on the table and quickly rushed out of the room.
'So, Mr Jack Peterson, why are you in a rush to get home, do you have someone special waiting for you?'
'Or Susan, maybe he has to go and get ready for a date tonight, it is the night of the festival after all.'
'No, it is nothing like that but also something like that but it is connected to work, so I have to go home and clean up, then go back again, you know it is just work stuff.'
'Work stuff, how many times have we heard that one before, right Julia?'
'The entire male species are exactly the same, liars.' Julia, looked at him then took another bite of her cupcake.
'Slow down there sister, how many have you had, you have to leave some for father too.'
'Where is he right now, Oh!, I know, busy with work stuff.'
Elaina entered the room just in time, saving him from the tense atmosphere and simply because he could not stand the sight of Julia gulping down another cupcake.
'Here you are, Jack, I put some extra things in too.'
'This lady really thinks, we are dirt poor and starving at home.'
'Thank you very much, we are truly grateful.'
'Oh, it is nothing.'
'I will go now.'
'Let us at least walk you out.'
'No…no.., that is really not necessary, I know where the door is, all of you sit down and enjoy the time together, you never know when it might be your last, I am off, thank you very much again for having me over, I really had a surprisingly lovely time, until we meet again, take care.'
'Why are you sound like you are saying good bye forever?', Julia asked now eating here third slice of cake.
'No, it is nothing like that, bye.'
'Bye!', all the girl said altogether.
Jack nodded smiled and left, before he left the house he looked at the clock on the way out and saw that he still has an hour or two to spare, so he could go see Sir C.J for a quick mission briefing and a possible update, God know Sir C.J is the most indecisive man on this earth, Jack walked out the gate, stood still put down the package next to him, stretched out, picked it up again and began power walking, whispering to himself.
'I belong in the Olympics.'
Jack arrived at the spot, but it was dead quite.
'Seems like he is very busy today.'
'I am busy with what?'
Jack hopped forward in fright and turned around to find Sir C.J sitting in the tree.
'What are you doing up there?'
'Good afternoon to you too.'
Sir C.J jumped down from the tree, landing as lightly as a feather.
'How can you land so soft?'
'You know about my time in China, with the monks, you cannot go to China and not learn some sick skills.'
'Okay, but what were you doing up there.'
'I had to, you will not believe the visitors this place gets.'
'So?'
'So what?'
'Are you not going to tell me what you are planning for tonight.'
'Nope.'
'But we are partners.'
'Indeed we are, hence I am not going to tell you a thing.'
'That makes no sense at all.'
'Jackie boy, I am only doing this for you, trust me, it is for the best right now.'
'Is something wrong, you seem calmer then usual.'
'I do, maybe it is the calm before the storm that you will hit this village slash town very soon, I would prepare myself if I was you.'
'Sir C.J', Jack took a few steps closer 'What are you planning to do, I hope I am not going to be framed in the process.'
'No!...Never!...relax… trust me, go home, your little arms must be burning from holding that tin.'
'Sir…'
'Jack, go home, make yourself look nice for your date.'
'Are…'
'Go home!'
Sir C.J took him by the shoulders turned him around pushed him forward, Jack turned looked at him once and continued, just as Jack was about to descend he could swear he heard him say.
'Bad things always happen to good people.'
Not being sure if that is what he said, Jack did not take it to mind and continued his journey home.
When he arrived home, the girls were busy running around too, not even noticing him or the tin, he slammed it on the table, not getting the attention he desired Jack went to his room and checked in his cupboard what he had to wear, he was thinking of his Sunday best but Waldo told him not to.
'Argh, it is just so difficult to decide, what to wear, I know I will just wear, my Sunday best without the tie and blazer, it is hot out there anyway.'
Jack put on his clothes and left his room, to be welcomed into the lounge by applause and whistling, that from his mother.
'My….my, who is this handsome devil?'
It was obviously her son, I mean she can see it.
'I wonder who the UNLUCKY girl is, who is putting herself through unnecessary torture.'
'Jill!, be nice and support your brother for once.'
'I am mother, it is called tough love.'
'My dear mother and sister, today, I will be going out with a special friend on what is called a date, so please do not wait up for me, because one never know when these things end just…''
'We were not going to wait for you.'
'What do you mean Jill?'
'Mother please tell him.'
'Well, my son we have plans too, we are going to the festival too.'
'Mother, do not be ridiculous you know very well, that it is not safe for young beautiful women like yourselves to be wondering around late at night.'
'We will not be alone, we have a super strong body guard, who will be with us the whole time we are there.'
'Who is this man, mother, I would like to see him, first, do I know him?'
'Actually, you know him very well Jack, isn't right mother?'
'What is going on here why is Jill acting like a villain, she is sounding stupid and is making no sense.'
'Okay, that is enough you two, is every day of my life going to be like this, until you eventually leave?'
'Probably.' Both of them said.
'Jinx!'
'I got you.'
'No, I got you Jill, anyway mother, you were saying?'
'God give me strength.' Jane took a big gulp of her tea and set the cup hard down on the table. 'Yes, the man which will be watching over us at the festival will be none other than your boss Waldo, he was kind enough to invite us out.'
'Oh, well since it is Waldo, I guess I have nothing to worry about, I suppose, I am sure that he will take good care of you, without a doubt, I guess I have nothing to say on this subject, I am going to leave now, I hope you all enjoy your evening, bye.'
Jack opened the door.
'Just like that?'
'What more do you want me to say Jill?'
'Nothing.'
'I hope you have a wonderful time my son.'
'I will mother.'
He walked over to his mother and kissed her on the cheek and left.
'Huh.'
'And now mother.'
'I am just thinking, one day he will walk out that door and never come back again.'
'Jack will never leave you.'
'Young birds must leave the nest at some point that is just how it is?'