Chapter 48: An Oath to leave
Chapter 48: An Oath to leave
I knew I'd seen him somewhere before but where?.
Then the receptionist called his name
"Mr Colbert"
I'd seen him before on mum and Dad's meeting desk. They'd discussed about how the needed his support to help Green Corps grow when they move their corporation to Nothernham.
" Is he here already? " He asked
The receptionist nodded " Yes sir, he arrived earlier than usual "
He laughed richly before saying something under his breath "so eager to see me"
He picked out his phone and made a call, instructing the person on the other end to meet him at the rooftop while heading for the elevator.
It wasn’t so hard for me to play my way out of the lobby while the receptionist attended to another person.
"Can you please take me to the rooftop" I asked the man already in the elevator since I was too short to reach the button myself.
On the rooftop, Daddy and Mr Colbert were already staring out into the city. They talked about how beautiful and rich Greenwood's land was compared to Nothernham.
Then Dad talked about his worries about his family falling apart.
"My wife thinks my Daughter is a reincarnation of her grandfather" He said laughing sarcastically
" I fear that if I leave her with Sallyanne, she might just do something terrible to the child...."
Leave?
"Why worry, you're not leaving anytime soon" He cut into Dad's word
Dad took a step back seeming betrayed "I thought we were going to leave soon to a place where we can love each other openly"
Mr Colbert tried explaining that he needed to stay because of his son but Dad wasn't having it. He accused Dad of being a coward and claiming he just wanted to go where no one would judge them for their choices.
"What about my son?" The words come out in strained whispers, " I can't just leave Greenie "
Dad glared at him with accusing eyes "You just don't love me enough to leave with me"
Mr Colbert tried to comfort Dad but he stepped away from his hold
" You just want to have fun don't you?. That's all this is to you. You'll have fun and then go back to your family at night and pretend you're straight" Dad yelled
Mr Colbert yelled back " You have a family too, you have a Corporation that you're building and I have a son I'm training to take after me" He sighed, "what will happen if we just disappeared. Everything will be a mess and I do not want that for my son."
"Can we at least put everything together first before leaving?" He cupped Dad's cheeks caressing it softly
Dad's eyes finally softened "You're right....but I really want to be with you, I don't want to pretend anymore. I want you."
There was no way, I was letting my Dad runaway, leaving me behind with a mother that hated me.
When we got back home, Mum was in the living room with someone. She tried to wave Daddy over but he brushed her off saying he had a fight with Winnifred and he wasn't in the mood to discuss about anything.
Mum ordered me to go and play with Nathan at the back but I wasn't in the mood to play, I wanted to know why there was a strange man in our house by this time of the night so I went into the kitchen under the guise that I wanted to get a glass of milk.
The man informed mum that Mr Whitehall was doing exceptionally well in Greenwood. He'd even gotten so close to The Colberts. Then Mum explained how she was trying to get a hold of him but to no avail.
Then she mentioned the letters she'd been writing to him; letters that were in a box underneath my bed.
After the man leaves, Mum and Dad have an argument about starting up their Corp in Greenwood.... Mum thinks it's a good idea but Dad argues that if they wanted to be successful they still needed Whitehalls support, the one who had betrayed them after going to Greenwood.
I stepped into the living room acting like I want to get something before stumbling over the table and knocking down the files on it.
" Here goes your favorite child " Mum said, voice laced with venom
I muttered a sorry then picked up a picture of the Colbert family on the floor "look Uncle Green eyes"
"Give me that" Mum said snatching the picture from my hand
"Daddy knows uncle Green eyes" I said
Mum stared at Dad with a questioning look and my Dad froze in place, all the colour drained from his face.
"I...I.. met him a couple of times at the grocery store..."
"Daddy talks to him often" I added before my Dad could complete his sentence
"Is that so?" Mum said glaring at him, "It seems we have a lot to talk about " she stated flatly
A loud argument accompanied me to my room that night. And just like that Dad was forced to invite Mr Colbert over for a casual dinner.
The first time he came to the house, I was sent to play in the yard with Nathan as usual but that victorious grin on Mum's face told me that everything was going as she planned. After that first meeting, he dropped by so often to join us for lunch or dinner.
One day he came while mum was out of town for something. I pretended to be focused on the show in front of me as Dad took him upstairs, then I went up the stairs too and waited at the edge of the stair.
Mr Colbert came out first and he flashed a sweet smile as he crouched to my level
"Thought you were watching a kids show, are you here to see daddy?"
I smirked " No. I'm here for you "
The door creaked open
"I didn't hear anything " I screamed
Then
I threw myself down the stairs, Colbert reaching out to grab me made it seem like he'd pushed me.
"Why would you push her" My Dad yelled at me as he rushed down to get me, " Are you okay? " He asked checking my body for bruises
"I'm fine " I said
Dad glared at Mr Colbert as he ushered me to my room.
" She's just a kid Lee, a kid. She probably does not even understand what we're doing "
Mr Colbert scoffed "You think I pushed her down the stairs?, you think that little of me?"
Dad's voice lowered "I saw you do it. Sally even tried covering for you, the kid does not lie"
They argument went on for a while
"Maybe your wife is right about her. Maybe she's a psychopath in need of help" Mr Colbert said before storming out of the house.
That evening at dinner, Dad was awfully quiet and lost in thought.
"Are you still angry at Uncle Green eyes for pushing me down the stairs Daddy?" I said snapping him out of his thought
His eyes darted to see my mum's face before shaking his head no
I sighed "I know it's a mistake, I already told him I didn't hear anything "
Mum dropped her spoon on the table, all her attention on me now
"Hear what darling " She asked with an impatient smile
I turned to Dad with a pouty look "I don't know mum but Daddy should know"
Then Mum turned to Dad demanding answers
"I...I.. well w...we were discussing about the project"
"Project upstairs?, you must think I'm a fool Bruce "