Chapter 13
Thomas considered everything he had seen and heard tonight as he waved goodbye to Skylar from inside his car. He insisted she settle indoors before driving off…much to Skylar’s annoyance. She hadn’t been in need of male protectiveness for the past decade, in fact, she’d learned to do without it especially since she was able to protect herself. However, they had reached a stalemate. Thomas refused to drive off until she went inside. If it wasn’t for the growing psychic link between her body and bed, she would have insisted he left before she locked up. But Skylar was too exhausted to hold her ground. A sentiment she never thought she’d find as a personal affliction.
Just ten minutes prior, she’d risen from her seat on the stairs, firmly letting Thomas know it was time to end their meeting. The conversation had taken a turn that prevented either of them from being honest. Skilful ambiguity was a pathway to a dead end and Skylar had no need to run in circles tonight.
Without another word or question, Thomas complied. The topic of fathers and Colin had visibly put Skylar in a mood. Heartbroken and desolate? Not so much. Not at all expected though. He couldn’t uncover the emotions she projected, partly because they were not the typical emotions of a woman scorned. Was there more to this pregnancy than both he and Austin was aware of? Thomas was certainly beginning to think so.
As he drove off into the night. A soft tune playing on the radio, Thomas wondered after the relationship between Skylar and Colin. Skylar didn’t love Colin, the more he thought on it, the more convinced he became. Colin boasted about his connection to Skylar in Austin’s face right before Austin rightfully broke his nose. And yet, Skylar only excluded indifference.
The line in his mind’s eye that represented the events of the situation was straight and untainted, but gaps in that line were forming in real time. Thomas pulled up in front of their operating quarters in this district. He had a room for himself there.
As he shed his clothes and hopped into the shower in hopes that his mind would achieve some level of clarity, there was a nagging pulse that drove him out of the shower, butt naked, faucets running, to call up a few contacts. The very last thing he wanted to do was get involved with Austin’s and Skylar’s decisions, but his mind kept flashing hues of multiple shades. His intention to uncover the incidents surrounding the connection between the Meyers and Taavon family had reached its height of curiosity. Skylar's reaction tonight had made it crystal clear that there was definitely something hidden. And he tended to find out what it was.
He’d put out the information to someone he’d trusted to keep this hushed. All he had to do was wait. Thomas sank down onto the large canopy bed and smiled at the lonely walls. It was only now as the pulsing in his brain settled that Thomas realised something. It’s been a while since he had gotten through a single day without thinking about *her.*
Avril Stock…
He supposed he had to thank Skylar for that. Her re-emergence in his life had been the most electrifying event to occur since he’d seen Avril last. Nothing much excited, scared or bothered him.
Her name filled every crevice and black hole in his head. His smile faltered. He had since long decided to stop keeping tabs on the woman that haunted his dreams, yet there was a surveillance photo that was taken of her two years ago. That photo had been his constant companion and as he pulled open the top draw on his side table it seemed tonight was such a night.
He had never been filled with so much regret, never thought it would have been possible. All the lives he took; all the people he’d hurt; nothing had caused him a fraction of the regret he felt whenever he thought about Avril. The adrenaline that once pumped through his veins had lulled and he suddenly felt tired. He always tried not to think about what she was doing, or who she was with, he felt that it would test his sanity. And it did.
What little he had left.
***
Men and women were different. That Austin saw as a law of the universe. Both sexes differed so greatly that he often advocated that they should be seen as separate species. Habits, interpretations and even reactions contradict. Take the conversation Thomas and Austin was having for instance. Thomas received a call from his father explaining that Trish was furious.
Austin noted that men were not generally gossips unlike their female counterpart. Men had no pleasure in being the recipients of idle chatter. What XX did with XY had no consequence to them and as such they needn't hear about it.
That being said, men may consider a situation involving XX and XY purely for the purpose of analysing the differences in thought process. According to biology, the genetics aspect that is, the female is determined by XX and the latter XY refers to males. In the current situation, Trish and Tobias ran into an old flame of his while they were having lunch earlier today. The unfortunate man had apparently commented on the approving way this old flame appeared. If Austin remembered correctly and he always did, Tobias' admiration involved the voluptuous curves the woman had acquired since he last saw her. Trish, in response to this act of admiration stood up from the table and knocked the glass Tobias held to his lips causing it to kiss the floor with such a shattering intensity. She then walked out and left him with questioning stares.
Honestly, as men, situations are never truly surprising. Nor is it humorous, women on the other hand would laugh at such a matter, this was evidenced by the fact that Abigail tried to cover her amusement when she overheard that titbit as she was leaving Austin's study. She’d brought in dinner for them; another long night of Organisation business.
Men, on the other hand, saw nothing wrong with female admiration, whether or not they're in a relationship. It didn't mean anything, it's just the truth. Men are hardwired to admire. Did they not have eyes? It’s not meant to be disrespectful but women blew things out of proportion, Austin blamed those nonsensical romantic novels they live in.
Tending them to harbour unrealistic expectations regarding love and relationships. Austin knew from experience, his sisters often spoke of perfect men with love and eyes for only one woman. Men who were never tempted by promises of the flesh. But Austin saw those notions as the facade it was and those who dared believe it were in for disappointment.
The kicker in all this though? Women admired third parties just as much as their partners, they were just more secretive on the matter. Women always perpetuated this notion of double standards.
“You’d think the old fool would know by now what offends a woman.” Thomas chuckled, completely unmoved by his father’s current plight. The man had been lucky in love. Not finding one soulmate, but two and yet he did dumb shit.
“Women aren't particularly difficult to offend." Austin replied lazily. His mind running to Skylar as the comment came out of his own mouth. There was a woman that placed her own meaning on everything.
“While we are on the topic of women,” Thomas leaned back into his chair and regarded Austin with a sly smile. “How attached are you to the idea of marrying Skylar?”
“Idea?” Austin chuckled, “You insult me,” he picked at his food. At some point Austin did have to try again to persuade her that marriage was the best option and he preferred that was done before she started showing. Early enough to trick the outside world that they were in love. That was the best option for the child in the long haul. As parents, he and Skylar would have to protect the child from unsavoury comments and provide he or she with a true family experience.
“Skylar is not the usual gullible females you track.” Thomas countered dryly. Why was there this odd attraction between Austin and Skylar? Surely, Thomas couldn’t be the only one to see it.
“Gullible? Isn’t that harsh judgement to pass on women you’ve never met?” Austin teased, unaffected by Thomas’ insinuation.
“Gullible as in falling for your roguish looks, Skylar doesn’t give a damn about your face she despises your personality.” This was to serve as a reminder to Austin of the nature of his relationship with Skylar.
“I am not so crazy about her either you know.” Austin reminded Thomas. But Thomas’ wasn’t so sure.
He’d never seen Austin so adamant about solving a family problem. Usually when things were the slightest bit complicated, more than it was worth, he’d let go and step away knowing he did the bare minimum. Here, Austin was driven. He didn’t seem to accept the existence of the word ‘no’.