Chapter 10
1343 Words
On the way to the airport, Jasmine is laughing at Charlbi dressed in Gareth's clothes and asks if she will change before boarding the plane.
"No. I'm comfortable. It makes me feel like he's with me. " Her phone beeps. She grins when she sees it's from Gareth. He tells her he loves her. Thanks for last night. He'll see her soon. She replies," I love you more. Be good." She looks out the window and wipes tears from her cheeks.
“Are you sure you want to leave? Leave him?” Jasmine is parking at the airport.
She steps out of the car. “Leave here, yes, but not leave Gareth. I don’t ever want to leave him. I look at it as he’s leaving for work. Keep an eye on Nuala for me. I'm worried about her."
"I will. I'm worried about her, too." Jasmine opened the trunk to take a suitcase out. She hears Charlbi gasp. When she turns around, she sees Gareth wrapped around Charbli. "Well, it seems someone was missing you. Damn, he must have broken every traffic law to get here."
Charbli turns around and looks at him. "What are you doing here?"
"I couldn't let you leave without a proper goodbye. I wanted to see your beautiful face before you left and to make sure I didn't hurt you last night and this morning." Gareth kissed her forehead.
She lay her head against his chest. " I'm fine, and you didn't hurt me. Gareth Cartier, you were the perfect gentleman, as always. Why are you in your pajamas?"
Gareth looks at his pajama bottoms and tank top. "These were the first things I got to. After last night, I sure can't call you Kido anymore." He winks at her. "Nope, not anymore. No more Kido," Gareth rolls two of the suitcases into the airport.
Charlbi laughs and rolls the other suitcase.
Jasmine hands Charlbi's backpack. "Call me tonight. I'm leaving you in good hands," she says, looking at Gareth while she hugs Charlbi.
"I will. Always," Charlbi giggles.
Gareth and Charlbi reach the terminal. He pulls her into him. "Wait for me. I know I'm being selfish. There isn't a day that goes by that I haven't thought about you since the first day I saw you in your yard."
"I'll wait for you as long as it takes. After all, last night, I took my snow globe as a promise from you." She taps her backpack.
He chuckles. "I was hoping you knew what it meant. I couldn't give you an engagement ring. Your father might have killed me. He still might if he knew the things I did to his little girl all night."
"I'll always protect you. That's my flight. I love you." She looks up at him.
Gareth kisses and licks her bottom lip when he releases her lips. "I love you too." My flight leaves in three hours. Don't talk to strangers, and be careful."
"Stop worrying," she gives him a peck on his lips. "If I didn't talk to strangers, then you and I wouldn't have met."
"Exactly. Don't talk to strangers." He kisses her forehead.
Charlbi shakes her head and walks away. "Okay, I won't talk to strangers. I'll say it again. Stop worrying."
"I'm always going to worry about you." Gareth watches her until she is out of sight.
*****
Nuala is in her bedroom texting her boyfriend. Francesa had sneaked her cell phone into school. He wants her to meet him tonight at ten at the corner of her house. She tells him she’ll see what she can do. Her parents are still watching her like a hawk.
She hears someone in the hall and hides the phone under her pillow. Her mother walks into her room to let her know breakfast is ready, and they will be leaving for Simi Valley to visit friends, for her to be ready. As Jee is walking out of the room, she hears a beeping sound. She turns to look at her daughter.
Nuala is putting on a robe and humming. “I’ll be down as soon as I get dressed.” She looks at her mother staring at her bed, and thinks, "I'll never get out of this house again."
"What is that sound coming from? “Jee walks toward the bed but stops when she hears her husband calling her. Jee looks at her daughter for a few seconds, then walks downstairs.
“Woo, that was close.” She jumps on the bed and texts that she can't meet him tonight because she has to travel with her family out of town. Nuala waited for a reply, but it never came.
Downstairs, Bae is drinking a cup of herbal tea, looking out the window at Gareth’s house. He chuckles, thinking about how Gareth sped out of the driveway. He’s wondering if the young man is going to bring his daughter back. Bae would love for Charlbi to be here. But he wants her to live her life as she wants, not as he, her mother, or anyone else wants her to.
Jee walks into the room looking puzzled and tells him she thought she heard a cell phone in their daughter's room.
He nods. "Yes, she has one. I heard her talking to someone last night. If I took it from her, then she would sneak out for sure. That is the reason we’re leaving this morning. I believe it was that wicked Francesa. Nuala said that she wanted to see someone named Basilio. I guess he’s the one she was in the car with. If so, he isn’t a boy. We have lost that one. I knew the day she was born that she would be rebellious. We’ll send her away to college, regardless of what she wants to do. “ Bae sees Gareth's car slowly driving up the driveway. A few minutes later, he watches Gareth walk into the house alone. "Our daughter's flight has taken off."
"What are we going to do about Nuala in the meantime? “ Jee sits down, looking at the stairwell.
“Let her believe she has pulled the wool over our eyes for now.” He leans back in the chair and sips his tea.
*****
Hamza has blown all the money he received from Gareth. He’s working again with Hannah and Emilia. Leni has gone into hiding. One of the men she and Elke blackmailed snatched. When they found Elke, she had been beaten and cut into pieces. The only way she could be identified was through her dentures because her fingers had been burned.
Hannah never expected Andrea to refuse to pay her and Hannah. Emilia thought he would pay them quickly, not only because of his hockey career but also because of his father's political career. The two women tried calling Andre several times today. But their calls go to voicemail. They're looking at him. I'm hoping he has some ideas on how they can get some money because they're scared of what happened to Elke.
He’s walking around drinking a Paulaner Salvator beer. “Don’t look at me. Hell, I’m in the same boat as you two. I’m broke as hell. All the clubs have banned me from entering after that last job. The assholes Leni and Elke tricked is a big businessman around here. He has a lot of weight around here. I do know you two can’t stay here.”
“Where can we go?” Emilia yells, looking around the room.” Hamza shook his head. “This is my home, not yours. But mainly because I don’t want you here,” he points to the door. The two women storm out of the house, cussing.
Hamza turns the TV on to watch the news. The reporter is talking about the hockey season and the top player, Gareth Cartier, returning for another season. "Maybe I won’t be broke for long.” He raises his beer to the TV that has Gareth’s picture on
- Writer
