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If distanced in isolation increase love, I was sure having him in varieties of scenarios in my head.354Please respect copyright.PENANA4I7VpJmri6
He has given me a phone. But who can I contact? I still asked him in case my contacting him leaks his whereabouts.
'Can I call Kai?'
Texting him I slid my phone back in my pocket. Staring at Matteo in the front seat next to the driver. Both equally scary.
This morning a man with shrewd dark eyes, set jaw and army short hairs knocked on my door, "Ms. Marcell. Are you awake? Mr. Trevino has appointed me to take you to the main house." It was nine in the morning and I did heard that but I didn't respond. 354Please respect copyright.PENANAyyFAwssaxB
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What if he's lying? For three consecutive hours he repeated the same sentence politely. Even his knocks were limited to three at a time. 354Please respect copyright.PENANArgqf8zRRgL
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I texted Callen to confirm. 354Please respect copyright.PENANAelaHegyB4y
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He texted back almost immediately to leave with him.354Please respect copyright.PENANANG1c419sQK
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So before he could open his mouth on the fourth hour, I surprised this guy plastering a smile, he is stone faced like others. He greeted with a formal introduction. "Good afternoon Miss. Marcell, I am Matteo Len. Mr. Trevino's orders are to take you to the main house." 354Please respect copyright.PENANAhd3VIgzvks
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"I'm ready." I say as I examine him. His muscularity was visible even through his uniform. 354Please respect copyright.PENANAmMLjmxAVT1
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And here we are now. One car following behind with couple of men for my safety. I wasn't aware until the rear view mirror reflected the exact same car as this. I didn't gave it much thought, but that car kept the same pace at every turn and through traffic, I knew then not one but four to six people are planted on by callen.354Please respect copyright.PENANA4feVnTXLdG
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His reach to the hell scared me.354Please respect copyright.PENANAfQKzHnsYij
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I checked the news. There was no news of the attack at the airport. I scrolled further, yet no signs of yesterday's damage. The flights were all on time. Not even a single pic hundreds of people clicked was up. 354Please respect copyright.PENANAiewNHPCrIl
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A cold shiver ran down my shoulders. It was a terrifying relief. 354Please respect copyright.PENANAPVFLc67kWR
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Should I be relieved or frightened of this man?354Please respect copyright.PENANA7AIHiyewUX
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The vehicle halts in front of an apartment building, silver mirrored walls, not a tinge of dirt around. Matteo helped me out of the car. The gates automatically open as I approached. Two guards inside by a spread round counter greeted me. "Good evening Miss. Marcell. We are happy to have you here. This is Twan." he points to his bald partner at his side. 354Please respect copyright.PENANAZ6F0AhL0Ox
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"Hello. I'm Zenovia Marcell. Nice to meet you all." My beaming face was onn. They were abiding by the rules not really happy to have me. I can tell.354Please respect copyright.PENANANlyUzc38sA
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"I'll show you your room." Twan came forward. 354Please respect copyright.PENANAq8DqZeP2VO
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"No need. Just tell me the floor no. I'll be alright by myself." I offered. I am free of luggage anyways.354Please respect copyright.PENANAY1cz3gSCGX
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The house is burnt down. My files and research work is terminated, clothes come as pass downs to me. It's pretty much I'm living on charity these days.354Please respect copyright.PENANAO98QZftFFT
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"Its fifth floor, Miss Marcell. You can use that elevator." He did look taken aback but didn't let his smile falter. 354Please respect copyright.PENANAmKeQjf6rLP
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"You can call me Zenovia. Miss Marcell sounds very formal." I clarified to make everyone more comfortable around me, Everyone had their eyes fixed to the floor.354Please respect copyright.PENANAEe04vJQk6Q
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Do they know when he'll be back? Should I ask them? 354Please respect copyright.PENANAdAsWzsyESF
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"Yes, Miss Marcell. I'll keep that in mind." He stuttered pulling back. I sighed.354Please respect copyright.PENANAwjWw9HDWvG
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The elevator had buttons for 7 floors and basement plus parking and a red button not far from the row.
I was tempted to click that danger one instead "Please don't touch that particular one, Miss Marcell." A warning played in rusty voice behind me. I jumped in shock as I slowly turn to look back.
"Matteo!" I gasped out of breath. "Why are you here?" I exclaimed. "Sorry Ma'am. Mr. Trevino's orders are not to leave you alone until you reach back unharmed in your room." He says plainly, not even bothered he nearly have me a heart attack.
I controlled my urge to kick him out that instant yet apologetically I smiled. "Alright. Sorry for the trouble."354Please respect copyright.PENANAEygiiXNdS0
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My phone beeped a text, must be callen. The doors slid open opened to a hallway, only double doors few steps away. High end table showing off valuable statues of lion and dragon, clearly portraying power, untouchable as it appeared I maintained my distance. He turned the knob before I could and I walk past the threshold to a surprisingly well furnished house. 354Please respect copyright.PENANALBRx62t2mf
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"Ma'am. Please." He says from the door and I stop in my tracks to the kitchen. A line of armed men appeared from behind Matteo and rushed in various doors I was yet to open.
One by one they yell from their spot. "Clear!"
"All clear!"
"Clear!"
"Clear!"
Two more guys repeat the same from other rooms and came out lined up as they meet and walked out quietly. "If there's anything you need please call me. I'll be right outside." Matteo says, I nod and lock the door. Finally alone.
I fish out my phone quickly sitting on the couch.
'Sure.'
Came his answer. Short yet bubbling me up. Sliding the message box I dialled my baby.
Three full rings before his honey like voice reach from my ear to my heart.
"Hy honey." I hear a sharp breath. My heart thumps.
"Mommy?" His weak voice cracks. Oh god! He's so far. All I can do is hug myself.
"How are you baby?" I throat's clogged.
"Where are you momma? I miss you..I miss you so much." He cries. I block my own cry with a fist blocking mouth.
"I'm fine. I want to hold you too. I will come to meet you soon, take care of yourself for me. Okay? Why you cry like that...Isn't aunt good to you?" I squint my eye shut. How tragic I can't keep him with me. Sometimes I want to say 'I'm coming to take you back. Keep your luggage ready. Never we'll have to separate. Ever!'
How I can't..these words.
He wants to hear, but I can't give him..hope.
He's suffering.
"When momma? When are you coming?" His voice rose he was hiccuping. How bad I wanted to pat him back and feel his warmth. "Soon." Only thing I can say.
"Today? Right now?" He says with some energy.
I bite my tongue. "No baby. Oh, kai. Maybe Next month."
He went quiet. Even I don't have any idea when I will get the chance. I just spewed whatever popped in my head to calm him down...to crash his hopes.
"Maa, do you love me?" After a silent moment he asks quietly. It pricked me somehow.
What had I done? He must be blaming himself now!
"Yes. I love you more than anyone in this world." Patiently I let every word sink in him.
"Your grandfather will keep you safe. Right now I am unable to. Your mom don't have enough strength. I need you to be strong so that I can borrow yours. You'll help momma right kai?"
He sniffles and understands what a five year old can. "Yes!"
"Kai? Who's on the phone?" I hear Gavin shaking voice in the background. "Grandpa, it's momma!" He doesn't really know, remove the reciever side when shouting to someone else, I'm happy there's still things left I can teach him.
"Zeno? Is that you?" Gavin must've taken it from him. "Grampy! Put me down! I'm a grown kid!" Kai grumbles in the background.
"Where The Hell Are You!?" He sounded angry. Really. "Do you know how much has gone down here?"
"Hey! I was talking to her!" Kai protests.354Please respect copyright.PENANAo2I3IdDfMb
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"Ama! Take him out!" Gavin calls out for the caretaker and after some shuffling it was quiet again. Kai was taken away "I'm coming over with kai! That poor kid is Dying to see you. Tell me where you are." He insists, worked up. He was worried for sure.
"I'm fine, gavin. Really. I can't tell you where I am. Infant I don't know myself." I say but he was continuing his own rant.
"We're trying to contact you ever since your house blown up, Kai's loosing himself, A lot has happened since you've gone missing. Wait..What? You don't know? What do mean?" He finally heard me. He was opening and closing the drawers but stopped.
"I will fix everything. Even If I can't, I'll try." I assure him.
"No. No..that's not what I mean. Are you okay? Im'ma track you down. I'll find you my daughter." I remain silent. "..if that's what you want." His enthusiasm died. How he can just call me his precious, I never even gave him credit.
I sigh. "I'm really Fine. Don't focus on me. Just take care of yourself and keep kai safe." The more far I am, the better it will be for my people.
"You again got yourself into some mess. Didn't you?" How can he tell, I have no idea. A thud followed, he sighed. He must've sat getting tired.
"I now you're a career oriented person, But you're a mother too. Learn to Balance things lady." He really doesn't know what's going on wih me and I don't know about that side either.
"Yes. I understand, Gavin." Apologetically I wait for more to come. I'm am not at all an example of a normal parent.
"Alright. About Hubert-"
"Not now, sir. Not on call." I cut him off.
"Okay. So when can we arrange a meeting? Kai will be happy to see you too."
"No. Don't bring him. When I can, I'll come. To him. Let's keep it classified. I'll let you know later where we can talk without any disruptions."
"Um.. okay." He agrees, though he sounds dubious.
"You can always tell me if you're going through something. Learn to depend on us more. We're family, family solves everything." There he goes Again. He's right. So right, it hurts. I am not even letting my dad help. How can I risk one delicate string left. I can't bring my family into this.
He always considers me as his daughter and here I am, addressing him as uncle or sir, sometimes I go harsh saying, ex-father-in-law. It's so crazy. I'm so Crazy! He's like more than twice in age to me. What form of respect did I ever spare him? Shown Gratitude? No, Thankfulness perhaps.
"I know. I keep that in mind. How's kai doing these days?" I am more curious about my boy.
"Oh! He's exactly how your grandpa wasin young days. He's killing it on field, surpassing all in academics, full of energy. I'm proud of ma' boi" he roars into laughter. I smell behind the scenes incidents they have in store for me to chuckle about. He's just seven and already reaching stars in his eyes. His love for his grandchild is above the moon. It makes me happy too. He's doing good. Even if he's lagging, he'd say the same. Ignoring his faults. Sounds like They are getting along well.
"Is he eating alright?" Is he mentally fine? I wanted to ask but that might hurt him because I doubt he's not being fed like a bear.
"How can he not! We feed each other on occasions. He takes care of me more than I do." He roared into a belly laugh. I smell a lot of stories they'd share on a dinner night with me.
"Can I bid farewell to him?" I ask because he just sent him out. I guess he has important things to aware me about. "yeah. Sure. Why not." Hastily he walks out, I can hear the birds chirping mixed with Kai's laughter.
I am missing.
"Kai! Your mom wants to have a word with you!" He calls out.
"Finally!" I hear his howl and his boots as he runs to his grandpa. "Hello! momma?" Everytime he says that, his honey like voice melts me. I can forget all the worries just his presence is enough... just like Callen's. 354Please respect copyright.PENANAPyAHftKx4N
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His reply came slow and sad. "Yes. Momma. Byee. Take care. Come soon. We will go to the park together, it's near, not far, you will like it! we will play together an..and.." he wants to say a lot of things. I hmmed to everything he said. "And what else?"
"And to pool and school meetings and..home? We will make cake together.. Nancy taught me the other. She also taught me how to make Omelette and eggs and Chinese, um..she helps but rest is all me. And.." he is trying to find new topics, saying all the things he comes up with and keep the conversation going. He doesn't want to cut the call, so do I but how he deliberately trying. It breaks my heart how I'm disappointing everyone in the end. "And we can sleep together. I had a dream last night, your face came blurry mom."
I remember how his small hands On my cheek felt, Barely measuring more than my thumb's length.
I heard a faint shout from the background. "The dinner's ready!"
"I think Nancy has something ready for you." I say. "But I want to keep talking to you." He whined. "Sweety. Momma will call you later too." I say.
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And he deliberately agrees with my selfish request and hung up. I remain still, Recalling the past, in silence, my brain buzzed..
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