CHAPTER 27
“There must be something. Anything. “ Nate shouts on the phone.
Andrew repeats for the five hundredth time in a row now.
“There’s nothing boss. The data base holds no information about Rose Walsh. It’s almost as if disappeared from the face of the earth. It’s been a month now, I’ve looked everywhere possible. I think she did not survive the night boss.”
“You think I don't know that already? Had she survived, she would’ve been here. With me. All I want is to know what did that man do to her.”
“I think I know the people who can probably help us. Just give me some time boss.”
“Do whatever you can Andrew, just make sure the next time you call me you have done information on hand.”
“Yes boss.”
Nate slams the phone on the table. What in the world could have possibly happened to his mother. What did that fucking man do to her? Was she kidnapped? Murdered? Why did his father never mentioned her or checked upon her or visited her? No matter how much Nate tries, he lands back on to square one.
Even though the events hinted towards murder, Nate still had the hope in his heart that his mother could be very much alive. And he wanted to do whatever he could to find her.
The very first thought that came to Nate’s mind was to find the man first and trace him. He would definitely know about the whereabouts of Rose. But the only way to do that was by talking to the people in the house. And the one who could be trusted to have remembered her as good as yesterday was Cassy. And once they figured that Nate has been looking for her, they would go crazy. Hence, he dropped the idea and instead tried looking for Rose directly. But the current situation was worse than what he could have imagined. There was no finding her this way.
Hence, he decided. After New year, he will definitely talk to Cassy about it. He is sure she will be thrilled. And if not, well he is willing to take the risk.
For now he is hiding all this from Michaela as well. From what he likes to think, Michaela won’t be here for too long. A year at most. And for her to have such in-depth knowledge about his family can be the strings that his enemies or competitors can pull on.
The frustration of not knowing what happened to his mother is giving Nate a headache.
But that’s not all. Beside his bed, right on the side table, lies Audrey’s camera. And last night while he was deleting his pictures from it, he ended up one of the best kept secrets in the family.
The picture where he is about to stand up and make his annoyance known, looking like a pig, and right in the background are Steven and Xavier kissing each other. He didn’t even need to look at it twice. Steven’s hand was of Xavier’s ass and Xavier’s on Steven’s neck. The intimacy was unmistakable.
The only thought that rises in Nate’s heart is how the fuck will Gilberto react? He knows Gilberto to be a loving father, an unrighteous man and a brilliant human being. But Nate has no idea how will he react to his son’s sexuality. Though his sexuality is hardly any of anyone else’s business, but for Gilberto it will be. His son, how business.
Nate stacks the paper’s neatly on his table. Rose’s identity proof, driving license, birth certificate. He stares a bit longer at her photograph, remembering the lines on her forehead as she smiles.
“I'll find you. I'll find you in no time.”
Nate then sets off to look for Michaela. Where is she? What is helping her so busy?
She stands on the porch with Steven. They are laughing at something. Something that is not funny to Nate. And now, will never will be.
They quieten as Nate approaches them.
“What are you both laughing about?”
“nothing.” Michaela says.
“oh! Please don't let me bother you. Continue with your hysteria.”
Michaela squints her eyes.
“The joke's over. That is why we stopped laughing. Stop giving yourself so much importance. Not everything revolves around you my love.”
And just like that Nate is poised off. This is growing into a pattern. Itt is very obvious for him to not like his wife keeping company with men. But somehow, everytime that he makes his annoyance known, it is him who had to suffer with her attitude in return. Why can't she try and stay with him or Nana or Cassy or when Audrey, now that they are on talking terms. Why everyone that he comes looking for her, he had to find his wife stuck to Steven's side like a magnet.
“ We were just discussing about the fair tonight.” Steven tries to mend the ends.
But Nate had had enough. He ignores them both and makes his way to Nana. The only one who deserves his love.
Michaela stares at Nate's back as he leaves. What and arrogant man he is. Always pissed at stupid things. She and Steven were in fact discussing about what type of clothes would be suitable for the fare. Given to the fact that she has never been to one, she does not want to make a fool out of herself. But good knows what Nate thinks she talks to Steven about, he is what's liked. Just the sight of them standing together is enough to make him look and act like a madman.
However, now that he has ignored them and time away, Michela feels bad. He was just asking.. She follows him into the house.
“I didn't mean to be rude.”
“ I don't care. Go talk to Steven about it. Maybe he'll be interested.” Nate scoffs.
“Well what can I say? It’s good to see you are thinking of the future.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“I mean , it’s good to see that you’re finally ready to let go off me and jump onto another man, now that it's time.”
Nate is so frustrated with her that he barely cares to stop and spare her a glance while talking. Which makes Michaela madder. Not the angst but the detachment that came with it.
She grabs his hand and pulls him towards herself.
“Is that what you think? That I’m looking for a replacement?”
Nate glares at her with narrow eyes. Michaela sighs before launching herself on Nate.
“What....” Nate begins but fails to continue.
She kisses him. It’s not a lips moving on lips kind of kiss. She has his lips jammed between his. It’s as he she is daring him to continue. And when he tries and parts them, she bites him.
He yelps in pain.
“Don’t make me do you right now.”
“Only if you had the guts.”
Michaela storms out of the room before Nate can catch what she said, and act on it.
Outside the whether is relatively colder now. Steven and Xavier are standing near the parked cars , indulged in a heavy discussion. Xavier looks as if he is going to be sick, but Michaela knows better than to interrupt the discussion.
She sits on the porch and lazily drowns in her thoughts. Tonight she gets to know what has all the fuss been about. Earlier this morning she went to Gilberto’s store to get some stuff. Cigarettes, even though she has almost given up smoking, sanitary napkins, though she does not even remember the last time she bled, and lots of chocolates, because it’s been ages since she had one.
Michaela also made a call to her father, asking him to come and visit her tonight. She misses him way more than she had anticipated. He is probably the only one who accepts her with all her flaws and nuisances. Now that she is not under his shadow, she always has to think twice before saying or doing anything. She has had to adjust and adapt to things she never thought was or could be possible before. Even though Nate’s abhorrence has grown mild, she still cannot find the solace that she enjoyed with her father. She just hopes he does not come overdressed or he would definitely make a fool out of himself.
“ Stop it.” A voice interrupts her overthinking.
She turns around to find Audrey hovering over her.
“ Stop what?”
“Overthinking and killing yourself.”
“ It’s nothing I was just....”
“Overthinking.”
Audrey completes her sentence.
“ Where have you been all the while?”
“Well, don’t bother asking me. I just got the shock of my life this morning.”
“ What kind of shock?”
“ Don’t even mind asking. So? You got into trouble again didn’t you?”
“No. I didn’t.”
“ Yeah right. I saw the romantic fight you and Nate had. Why does he even bother being possessive? You literally look at nobody but him.”
“Huh. Try telling him that.”
“What are they arguing about?” Audrey asks , pointing at Steven and Xavier.
“No idea. I didn’t know they were even capable of arguing. “
“Some friends.” Audrey says, shaking her head.
“ I’ll miss you all.”
Audrey is caught in a dilemma as Michaela says the words.
“Where are you going?” She questions her. Michaela already feels dumb.
“ I mean if I were to leave someday, you know. By chance if it does not work out between me and Nate. I’ll miss you guys.”
“Don’t be dumb. That is never happening. He loves you and you love him. It’s too obvious to be overlooked.”
“What if he does not love me? What happens then?”
At this point of her existence, there this one thing that Michaela has learnt. You can never know a person truly. The uncertainty that a person carries behind them is a part and parcel of loving any individual.
“I think he does Mickey. He told me himself. When you were hurt and bedridden, in that cold stable, for the first time in so long, he told me he loved you and that I should be happy for him. As should be everyone present in the house.”
Michaela stares at Audrey blankly. She does not know how to react to what she has just told him. Did he tell her this so that she could stop troubling Michaela or did he mean it? What is he doing ? What is she doing? Cheating these people. Becoming a part of their lives? Prophesying the pain that she is going to leave them with, she feels detestable.
She shrugs her shoulders and says,
“What if he stops loving me?”
“What? Is that even possible?”
“Why not? If falling in love is possible, so is falling out of it. Isn’t it?”
Audrey scoffs at Michaela’s stupidity.
“Haven’t you read Shakespeare Mickey?”
“What about Shakespeare?”
“ He talks of lovers in his sonnet. He writes, Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments.
Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove.”
Michaela smiles sadly at Audrey’s recitation.
“ I don’t know how much of what he writes is true. But I surely love his confidence.”
Audrey laughs at Michaela’s words.
The sun is setting, Michaela notices. Xavier and Steven are long gone. Cassy is walking her way towards them from the stable. She looks beautiful. Beautifully tired. Her hair shines like wine from where the sun hits it. She looks like a goddess.
As Cassy lifts her head to look at Audrey and Michaela, a wide smile unfolds on her lips. Michaela wonders if she has ever in her life dated a man, other than Nate. Why did she reject him? Has she ever been in love? Has she ever received the love that she deserved? It causes Michaela great distress. The fact that she'll never get to know.