Chapter 38 SILENCE VEER
Dora sighed at him and got up from the bed and said:
“He just did, right?"
Ford looked at her closely and it was as if he was looking at Arlo’s second doppelganger. The difference was their skin tone though. She has a clear caramel skin tone while Arlo was way lighter than her. He has a pecan brown skin tone that was a tad bit lighter than her dark undertone. Also, her unique eyes stood out in comparison to Arlo’s.
Ford’s eyes traveled down to her chest unconsciously and it was flat just like Arlo’s own. She must have used the breast band to keep it hidden, he thought to himself. He cleared his throat and headed out ahead of her. She immediately followed after him and held his hands. The moment they left the room. The camera lights continuously flashed their faces until someone screamed among the crowd.
“How can Arlo be here when he is making a live video online now?” the girl raised her phone to show them. Another guy from the crowd replied saying:
“Now that I am standing before this man here, I can see it’s not Arlo but his doppelganger.” The crowd complained as they dispersed one after the other in disappointment. The reporters there weren’t completely disappointed because they had news to write about.
Ford and Dora were left alone in the passageway after all the fans went away. After a while of confirming from the CCTV security men whether the fans were all gone, they also left there.
Alba dropped off Mahina at Veer Alfonso’s mansion. He was about to reverse his car and go when he changed his mind after a thought ran through his mind. He got out of the car and went to meet Mahina who was still standing by the humongous door of the mansion.
"I thought you were leaving. You told me earlier that you had some work to do, what changed your mind?”
“How can I leave my silky Kitty all alone in a stranger’s home?”
“But he is not a stranger, he is your friend!”
“That’s my point exactly, he is not a stranger to me, but he is definitely a stranger to you.” Mahina was speechless after his response. After all he was right no matter how she looked at it. She wasn’t familiar with the man like Alba was because she just met him once. If the interview was successful, it would be their second encounter.
Veer rushed to the door and opened it. He was wearing a white knee length short and a white singlet inside his Hawaiian shirt.
He raised a browse at the sight of Alba. After inviting Alba severally to his home Alba had never for once honored his invitation. So, seeing him standing next to the woman shocked him. his mind briefly raised back to the news he heard from Amun, and he sighed and smiled simply at the two of them:
“Welcome to my gracious home.” He directed them into his living area and asked them to follow him to kitchen. He was making a nice Chinese tea when they arrived. They watched him as he turned the mixture into the tea pot and called out a maid and instructed her on what to do.
“Please follow me let’s all have a seat at the gazebo in the open fields.”
Alba followed him with his hands wrapped around Mahina’s waist tightly. From time-to-time Mahina was stealing glances at Alba because of his sudden weird behavior. When they got there to the gazebo, they all sat down. Mahina was seated close to Alba. Veer smiled at Alba’s mannerisms and said to him:
“Alba Marcello the man with many faces!” Mahina was glancing at the both of them from time to time as she was sensing different Aura coming from the two of them. She didn’t think otherwise of Veer’s words. In fact, she thought he was precisely correct because she thought the same after her encounters with Alba.
“I could say the same about you Veer! After all, what was it again that Louise Bourgeois said, about an artiste? An artist can show things that other people are terrified of expressing.”
Alba peered into his eyes intensely and Veer just laughed out loud. The maid came with the tea and served it to them in the gazebo and left silently without saying a word after she gestured her head to them:
“I will tell you a short story Mahina about a goddess who reigned in all her glory. She was all so powerful and mighty, and all the gods feared her. The goddess was bestowed a crown of twelve stars by the heavens. Which means she had power and Authority over twelve heavens. she wore her crown of twelve stars proudly. It also means she was a guardian to all twelve heavens and also a goddess to her own heaven. She was bestowed many responsibilities because of her capabilities. She goes by many names; Elara, Luna, Levana, Aysel, Mona, Diana and even Mahina your name…”
“Silence, you fool!” Mahina was now lost in confusion as to what to believe. As far as she was concerned yesterday the two were acting civil with each other and today they were acting like lifelong enemies who have been starved from fighting with each other.
“Alas there was a god who was stronger than the other gods but not as strong as she was. Or so we thought. He was her rival. He was jealous of her power and dominance. So, he staged a coup d’état to dethrone her…”
’Enough Veer! Please!” Mahina was shocked at the word ‘please’ that came out of Alba’s mouth. why is he so stressed about a stupid story? Mahina wondered as she picked up her teacup and sipped her tea.
“Please Veer that’s enough. Alba is starting to get irritant I don’t like seeing him like that.” Mahina unconsciously intertwined her fingers with Alba’s. Alba’s heart steered at the feeling of the warmness of her skin against his. He raised his eyes to look at her and she looked back at him, at that moment everything stopped, and all Alba could see was Mahina and all the grace that emitted from her. Mahina smiled at Alba who was looking at her obsessively.
Somehow, she also had enough of the story Veer was telling and she didn’t want to hear any further. Veer smiled and didn’t say anything further.
Mahina, Alba and Veer were under the gazebo in the open green field with many apple and tangerine trees around. Veer’s mansion was a long distance from the gazebo. His entire Mansion and the scenery were an aristocratic choice of design. The place was elegant in every way. Everything there was glamorous. After a while of Veer and Alba provoking each other, the place was finally silent. They could hear the sound of the trees moving to the rhythm of the air. Mahina found it relaxing and refreshing.
“I will excuse the two of you now. So that you can commence with your interview. My presence here is a big distraction I can see that clearly now. I will go for a walk in your amazing fields to while away time.” Neither of them stopped Alba from leaving. Mahina just kept staring at his back until he vanished into the trees around. Veer smiled at how Mahina was attached to Alba. He picked up his tea and sipped as he set his eyes on her. Mahina gathered some piles of paper she was holding in her hands and smiled at Veer and started her interview:
“Mister Veer out of all your work, there was one that caught my attention. tell me what motivated you to write the novel; THE FALL OF THE SUN DRAGON.” Veer smiled at her and answered:
“When you said you were already by my door and ready to interview me, I never anticipated this question… I have never given audience to the media when they wanted to ask me about this particular book of mine. I will make you an exception since you are Alba’s very good friend.” He smiled wittingly and said:
“My answer will be brief though: The popular saying, some would rather die in their pride, than live in their humility” is true in the case of my main character as you must have read about him already. That I am sure about. But I have also met with a great man. He was so powerful yet never contented. He was insatiable for power. He wanted more power and did the unthinkable for more power. Just to become the one and only ultimate king his nation would ever experience. But you know there is also another saying that goes; pride goes before a fall. At the end his desire for power led to his fall and the fall of his people and his curse.” Veer paused and looked up at the sun without blinking. Mahina got up quickly and stood in front of him to block the sun from his eye. She was worried stricken about the man’s sudden weird mannerisms:
“Stop looking at the sun Mister Veer it will blind you.” He sighed then he looked away and continued talking to Mahina: