Once outside Kiki's room, they met his father who was already setting off to work in his suit.
" Good evening Sir....Jnr. Grandé greeted again. The man look up at up at him and smiled.
" Hello son... you're still around. You must be Jnr. Alexander Grandé. ?. I'm now remembering."
Ummm...yes yes Sir.... I am." They shook hands.
" Kiki..." The man called out to her. " Im off to meet one of my clients for a contract okay. Umm...take care and see you... don't do..."
" Yes paps nothing will happen" Kiki cut in and hurried to bring his dad's suitcase. Just when she brought the case, they both walked out leaving Jnr. Grandé alone in the house. He looked around and sighed. His partner came in. She stood by him and smiled sheepishly. Harry shook his head and walked on.
" Should we begin? Harry nodded. " Follow me please ". They walked into a dark room. It felt fresh in there. Seems like its not a dusty and abandoned room. Harry stood still in the dark. No idea of where Kiki was. The place was quiet and the door was shut. He tried opening severally but the door has been bolted. Just when he turned to try and open the door again did Kiki turn the light on. He looked startled and confused by her actions. Was she trying to scare him or test his patience?. He walked to a seat without a word so she would recognize her mistake. After all who does that to a friend who has visited for the first time?. Kiki set the items for the project. They were about making esters of different smells as well as a new virus free test on a bed ridden dog. They were to monitor the puppy and care for it till recovery. They set to the making of the esters. Who would even imagine that these two would work together one day as partners for Ms. Sarah's medical projects. They fought in between their ester making projects but still carried on with it for it need to be ready for test and for use at the laboratory. They made eight different types with different smell. They were so sweet scented as they began to cool down that, Kiki nearly tasted it whiles it has not been approved for use.
" You don't try tasting this when I'm away. I want no arrest. You get it?" Harry warned and she pouted her lips. They left the esters to cool down the more as they walked out of the laboratory. Kiki made popcorn but he refused to take some for fear of being butter sick. Kiki was a crazy popcorn eater and normally fell sick from too much butter used. Her father would warn her but she refused to adhere to it. She had reduced it but still sneaked and added more when no one was watching. After bringing the big bowl of popcorn, she started to feast.
" Won't you be sick..." Harry questioned her. " Don't add more butter to it. Are you okay? Who does this?. Harry asked and took the butter from her before eating the popcorn with her whiles they tackled some assignments together. They enjoyed each other's company and finished the assignments in a recorded time.
" It's really nice working with you Harry. Thank you for choosing me." Kiki said smiling.
" Choosing you as what, my wife as your dad said or what?" Harry replied.
"Come on Harry stop teasing me. My dad was only joking." Kiki prodded him on the head and he laughed.
" Only your dad does that." He said and looked at his time.
" Hey i ...urhhm...have to go now". Harry added.
" Oh so soon? But its not yet time for you to go?.. Please stay for a while. Im gonna be lonely in here.. My dad will be here soon. Let him come first. Please Harry". Kiki pleaded with him and he nodded.
They sat in the chair and watch the launching of "Won't let you go". After sometime, it was already 6pm.
"Its 6pm, my mom is gonna be home soon." Harry informed.
Wait..are you a mummy's boy? Kiki asked suspiciously as if she heard the most surprising thing.
" Why that expression on your face? Did you just notice i have grown five more heads?. I'm a Mama's boy yes.. but im daddy's boy too. I've got to leave." Harry stood up and walked out.
" You ain't even saying goodbye to me?" Kiki asked, stood up and turned but he wasn't there.
" Harry...she called his name. " Harry....are you there? Harry stop this kinda game". There was no response to her calls. Then she realized he was gone without making a proper goodbye at least. The idea made her mad at him. That was so unofficial of him. The next day was the submission of the project...Kiki refused to bring the projects for her dad wasn't home to take her by car and pretended to have forgotten.
" Where are your project Harry Jnr and Kiki?" The tutor asked demandingly.
" Where are the projects? You know we are to submit them today...." Harry said with a tone.
" As you can see I left them. What will you do to me." Kiki retorted back.
" Why are you doing this? Go home and bring them now". Harry ordered.
" Wait you are ordering me? You think I'm some kind of trash you can order around? I'm going nowhere." Kiki said back. They looked at each other eye-to-eye ball mad at each other.
" Is this some kind of joke?. We are going to loose full marks for bringing it late. Something we did and finished before time. You were just to bring it here. Is that something too hard for you to do? You could have told me to come for it rather than leaving it at home. Than come empty-handed and give flimsy excuses. This is really annoying if you haven't noticed. You are just annoying as what you did today. I thought...huh .....Im done with this. Miss Karissa I'm not partnering with her anymore." Harry said plainly without any emotion.
" Miss Karissa i would bring them tomorrow please". Kiki pleaded and Miss Karissa nodded.
" But remember you will loose marks for it. Im sorry" Miss Karissa said.
Harry went to his seat still annoyed with Kiki's behavior. He wish he never spoke so harshly to her but he did.
"Harry you won't even listen to my reason for not bringing it". Kiki stood by him trying to explain.
" Look Kiki I don't even want to know. Probably its some kind of flimsy excuse you wanna tell me here". He said. Kiki was quiet.
" You are right. I'm annoying and i give flimsy excuses. Im sorry." Kiki simply blabbered and went to her seat. Her emotions were hurt and she didn't speak much to anyone. Throughout the day, she was dull and unhappy. Now she began to think of her excuse for not bringing the project, just because Harry didn't say a proper goodbye and her dad wasn't around to pick her. That was so unthoughtful of her. She too will loose marks just as Harry will.
Now she has loosed her chance of being Harry's partner. The idea made her feel stupid and mixed up. How could she think not bringing the project will be the best option to punish Harry for not bidding her goodbye.? Who will even accept this and tell her she's right.? Anyone who comes to know her reason will definitely baptize her with insults. She gave low focus throughout all the class sessions till the siren sounded for closing at 6pm that day. Her dad was away from the country and that meant she must join the bus to get home and to school. Being so tensed, she got to the bus and it sped off because she delayed. She gave a heavy sigh.
" Why is today so bad for me? Just a great mistake and everything is just going worse. Now I've got to get a taxi.". She spoke to herself in disappointment. Then, took off her bag to take her purse and card. The purse wasn't inside her bag. What the....
She left her purse too? She remembered keeping it on the table in her room and had forgotten to pick it back. Kiki felt hopeless. Now all she had left were her feet. She is definitely going to walk home. She looked up and when she saw petit sign of rainy clouds, she sped off the road. Not long after she was moving, the sun darkened revealing signs of rain. After 10 mins, it began to rain. She had an hour and half more to walk home. Already she had rheumatism which was actually on the verge of being healed. The cold weather began to make her weak in her joints. She was shivering as her uniform was dripping and she was soaked too. Not being able to take it longer, she found a place to stay out of the rain's reach. As if someone was moving the world's time, it was getting late. She decided to walk home forcefully before someone attacks her. She managed to walk some few distance and about crossing the road, she slipped and there the driver of the oncoming vehicle forcefully applied the brakes to prevent the car from hitting her. She was weak to move and fainted.
" Why aren't you moving?" The young master in the car asked.
" Sir..theres a lady infront of the car. She just fainted. I will go and check." The driver said and hurriedly got out of the car into the rain. The master also did same ,careless of the other cars blowing their horns behind his.
" Is she breathing?." He asked and moved more closer.
" Yes sir she is breathing but its not so strong". The driver answered in fear.
" Hurry bring her in and get me a blanket." The master ordered. The driver did as told and they set off again leaving the angry drivers to also move. " This uniform looks familiar. Where have i seen this? The master tried to recall.
" Sir, i think Harry's uniform has similar color in his suit." The driver said, drawing the master's attention to the girl's face. But he hasn't seen her before. Maybe Harry can tell if he knows her or not. When she's awake, she will be taken home safely. Right at home, Mrs. Yates was waiting for her darling husband. He also entered carrying the girl like some kind of light weighed object and place her down in the sofa. Ann looked quietly at the girl in the sofa and touched her.
"Oh shit!" She exclaimed and ran upstairs to get some first aid for the girl's treatment.
" Hun please get me more blankets". She pleaded and Harry brought in more. She tried her best to revive her.
" I feel she hit her head against something and she might be suffering from possible rheumatism. She looks stiff. There's blood oozing from the cut on her occiput." Ann diagnosed.
"What happened to her hun?" She enquired.
" She fainted while trying to cross the road. Larry was the one who saw her so he had to forcefully apply the brakes so he doesn't hit her. But i think she hit her head when she fell , possibly." Harry explained.
" Poor babe. She's so beautiful. What could have possibly happen to her if you hadn't found her". Ann remorsefully said.
" Where's my rival?". Harry asked looking around.
"Hun, he's not your rival. He's your son...my boy, your boy. Haha he's just like you". Ann answered with a laugh.
" That's what makes him my rival. Anyway, i think he will know this beauty. She's in a similar uniform as that of his suit". Harry told her.
" Oh..is that so?...he told me he was going to pentonville to see this partner whom he had a misunderstanding with.". Ann replied looking back at her watch.
" Is it some lover he has found?. At last, i can have you all for myself". Harry joked and his wife laughed. She checked the girl's uniform and asked one of the strong guards to carry the girl into one of the guest rooms, so she will change her uniform. She was really wet and has gone unconscious again. Right in the room, she changed her uniform and wore her some easy pyjamas of hers for the night, nursed her and put her comfortably into bed.
" Make some food available incase she wakes up and she's hungry okay". She told Mr. D. Just about entering her room, she heard the door close and looked at the direction. Seeing it was her son, she halted and keenly waited ,for his facial expression looked pale.
" Hi mama... " He said and kissing her cheek, he went into his room. Ann stood quietly for a while and about to go into his room, paused and went back into hers. She didn't want to bother him.
" Is he back?" Harry asked.
" Oh yeah....his demeanor is really talking." Mrs. Yates sighed.
" And why are you here?. Shouldn't you be with him so you help him out with what's bothering him?". Harry sarcastically said smiling.
" He can solve this with my little help. At the right time, i will. Stop pushing me to him. I'm already exhausted from today's work. The weather too is bad. Cover yourself so you don't catch a cold. You went into the rain too". Ann said yawning and tucked herself to bed covering her whole body. Harry pulled all the sheet to cover himself leaving his wife nothing to cover herself. She smiled but said nothing. Realizing she made no say, he drew closer to her, squeeze her body into his as if consuming her body into his, wrapped her in his hands and fully covered themselves with the bedsheet and soundly slept. Ann pinched him and he laughed kissing her goodnight.
****
The morning sunshine found them in a scattered bed. Ann quickly had her hygiene and went to see the girl. Upon entering the room, she found her still in bed but she had changed position meaning, she was conscious but weak. She made Mr. Davis bring her some breakfast and left to dress up so she can later come back and check up on her before leaving for work. Closing the door, she left to his son's room. He was awake but still seem worried. She wondered if it was yesterday's problem or there's something else up which was also troubling him within. She walked closer to him and touched his shoulder. He quickly turned and embraced her.
" Good morning mama. Did you sleep well?". He asked in a tone that sounded like that of his father.
" Yes baby i did. Did you also sleep well?". She threw him back his question after answering him.
" Maybe I did, maybe I didn't". Harry simply answered.
" And what kept you awake?". Ann suspiciously enquired from him and he looked into his mother's eyes. As if about saying something,he smiled.
" Mama, don't worry yourself okay. Im good. Just tired you know..." He lied and smiled when he saw his mother raise one of her eyebrow. Still with the smile, he kissed her cheek.
" Alright, when you are ready to tell me, come anytime. My arms are always opened okay. See ya... I'm off to work.". Mrs. Yates said and kissed her son goodbye for the day. She greeted the maids and guards who joined the others and asked of their well-being. Hearing their positive response, she headed into her room. Harry Snr was seriously working on his laptop and didn't even realize her entering.
She began dressing up and he called her name.
" Can you stay home today?". His words made her turn to look at him.
" Why? Whats wrong?." She also asked. Harry Snr was quiet for a while.
" There's danger around". He simply answered.
" Come on, I will be good okay. Don't worry about me at all....". A gunshot interrupted her words. Harry Snr quickly stood up and covered his wife. He called Larry and the house guards to keep guard. More troupes were sent from outside within 10mins. The spies were captured within 5mins. Harry ordered no one to come out even the maids and servants were told same except the guards. He only moved out to face his guards and the five spies who have been captured. They were unarmed by Harry's guards.
" Take off their masks." He ordered and they did as told.
" Who sent you?". He questioned them softly but sternly.
" Who are you, answer me!" He hammered that the spies shook with fright by his cold, demonic and emotionless tone. His guards even looked perturbed.
"Take them into the underground dungeon. We will continue from there" . He ordered and walked inside to see his family. Everybody was awake inside and they were gathered in the enormous living room. Just when he entered, his wife stood up to meet him..
" Honey what's going on outside?". She questioned impatiently.
" Relax, it has been solved. Is anyone hurt?. Hope everyone is saved. Is the girl awake?". He added up the questions. Everyone answered except Jnr. Harry who didn't know of the girl they were talking about. He looked at his mom and to his dad, then even the maids, guards and servants. Everyone was aware of this girl ,meaning he was the missing carrot amongst the vegetables. Harry Snr, saw the look on his face and touched him in the shoulder.
" She's not gain consciousness yet. You will find her when she's up." He told him and his expression relaxed. Ann's phone rang and she picked up. It was from her hospital...the patient was ready for the surgery. She sighed.
" Go with Larry and the guards". Harry said and Ann stood up to get ready. Later, Harry telephoned his office and Larry picked up.
" Whats the news?. Any adverse problem?..." He asked with a soft tone. Larry was shocked and wondered why Harry was speaking so soft to him.
" Harry..umm..sir are you talking to me?". Larry asked kind of confused.
" No, I'm talking to the girl in the office with you". He replied joking along. Larry looked around the office only to realize his boss was joking.
" Haha sir... everything is fine
I think they didn't temper with this side, everything is under control. How about the spies sir". Larry reported ending with a question.
" Alright. I have the five of them in my custody. I'm entrusting my honey in your care. I need you to take her to her workplace. Just monitor around for me. She needs protection. You must protect her even if it costs your life and don't dare loose your life too. You got it?" Harry ended.
" Haha yes master. I'm on my way." Larry's voice came through from the other end. He was about hanging up when he heard..
" Hey... don't you dare loose your life to any brat. Protect your self too". Harry's voice sounded again.
" No worries." Larry assured his boss and they both hanged up.
" Larry will be here soon to take you out. Son, you ain't going anywhere today right?.... Snr. Harry asked his son and he shook his head, stood up and walked up the stairs into his room.
They waited for Larry's arrival and once he came in, Ann kissed his husband and left for work with Larry who has been stunned by the kissing scene between his master and wife. While in the car driving, he continued his thoughts about how Harry Snr was actually 'consuming' his wife's lips and didn't want to go. Did Harry Snr even realize he, Larry was even around?. Harry Snr of all people enjoying a semi public kissing scene. How on earth did this happen gradually?. Well he's married. So he has all the right to own that anyway. He smiled looking at Ann in the mirror and shrugged. Ann caught him smile and suspiciously looked at him back through the mirror.
" Young master, what's the handsome smile on your face?" She questioned. Realizing she had seen him, the smile disappeared.
"Umm..me.. nothing." Larry lied.
" Is it about Harry? What did he say to you?." Ann asked.
" Oh he said nothing to me seriously. Im just doing my own thinking. Its got nothing to do with young master seriously". Larry argued on slightly.
" So why would you just look at me and be smiling. Do I look so ugly?". Ann pushed it to him again.
" Oh no ma'am. Its just that I'm thinking of the ki..kissing scene i just saw before entering the car with you now.
" And what has it done?" Ann continued.
" Oh nothing serious. Just that young master kissed s in my presence without feeling shy or sending me out with a wink". Larry let the truth out.
" Hahaha... he's married so you can just cope with him when he does that. He isn't suppose to be so shy. Yeah i understand it was public but that's his house you know". Ann told him.
" He didn't even want to let go....wow". Larry sighed with a smile on his face as Ann prodded his head from behind.
" Naughty boy". Ann joked and they both laughed as the car sped off into her working hospital.
" Good luck ma'am". Larry said when Ann stepped down from the car. She smiled sweetly and nodded. Then walked quickly inside. Larry drove to the parking lots and went into her office.
****.