After talking to Xiang and friends I returned home; it felt a little strange to be back in China, and although I was tense about facing Laila, I felt calm and relaxed.
I think it was from the peaceful surroundings, I always felt relaxed in China, away from the fast pace world I face back in the states.
Laila must have seen me approach the house as she greeted me at the door. “Hi Tony” Laila said softly. “How are you Laila, you’re looking good”.
I must admit I felt a little odd in my own home, I would imagine it was from the amount of time that I had been away.
Laila smiled “I’m glad you came home Tony, you must be tired after your trip, why don’t you take a shower and relax for a bit; while I prepare dinner”.
“Okay” was all I could muster-up to say as I headed for the shower and relax. Laila must have been right about me being tired as I feel a sleep.
Being nudged I awoken to a smile “Dinner’s ready Tony” “Okay I’ll be right down”..
I made my way to the table “Mmmm Smells good Laila” I said with a smile on my face and a rumble in my stomach. I forgot how good of a cook Laila was; and I must admit it’s been a long time since I had home cooked Chinese food.
Laila began to ask how the business was going and after telling how well the business was growing she asked about my family and friends one by one; Starting with my dad, then Boris.
To my surprise she did not mention Molly. We sat at the table for another minute then I stood and started to clear the table, Laila stood “No, Tony you go and relax, I’ll take care of the dishes”. “I don’t mind Laila” as I continued to help clear the table. After cleaning up after dinner Laila and I sat down to talk about, what were Molly and I going to do when the baby arrives.
Needless to say; I had no answers, I did not know how Molly and I would handle the visitations, where Little-T would grow-up, what school he would attend, but one thing I did know, I was his father, and I would be there for him, and make sure he never wanted for anything.
That same night I called Molly, to see how she was doing if she needed anything. I worried about molly all the time, I wanted to be sure she was resting; I did not want to see her back in the hospital.
Over the next few weeks I was in and out of China; traveling between China, Europe and then States, Laila was very civil with me considering how I had hurt her. Business was going very well, Xiang was now spending more time in the states to be with his family; I think he wanted to move back to China but I don’t think it would be an easy task talking Petronia into the move. Although they would visit from time-to-time.
I have not seen Molly in about two weeks now but Laila knew I was talking to Molly on the phone. Molly had a Dr.’s appointment coming up next week; I promised I would be there, just as I was there for all her doctor visits and appointments.
I knew it was upsetting to Laila when I would travel to Europe; in the beginning it was not so bad, she would not say a word, just “have a safe trip.” Although Laila and I was living in the same home, we still were not really together, and leading our own lives, we slept in separate bedrooms and never saw each nude, we would always be dressed by the time we saw each other.
But as the visits increased to Europe to be with Molly, Laila patients decreased.
On my last return from Europe Laila walked up to me; as I entered the door “So how was your trip? Are you sleeping with Molly again?” “No” I answered sharply..
“Why do you have to be there for every visit? Colin is there with her; why does she need you?” she asked looking me in the eyes with her voice trembling. I understood Laila was hurt, and I’m the one that hurt her; so I answered in a lower tone of voice. “I am the father of Molly’s child, not Colin, Colin is a great man and I can tell he loves Molly very much, to be there for her night and day. I made Molly a promise; that I would make every appointment and I would be there for her and our child and I intend to keep that promise.”
This only angered Laila as she arched her brow and bit down on her lower lip she asked “What about the promise you made to me Tony? The promise to love me and no other until death do we part? What about that promise?” stepping back waiting upon an answer from me.
But I had no answer, she was right; I did make that promise but I did not keep it. I stood there speechless not able to answer, finally a woman had shut me up, I’m sure my dad would have love to see this moment. After no response Laila turned walking away “I thought so.” She shot out for the final nail in the coffin.
For the next few days it was like walking on eggshells, I was trying not to do anything to set her off.
I was having serious communication problems in both China and Europe, when it was possible we would have the meetings in English but this was not always the case; I understood Chinese but not fluently. The company would find language interpreters to translate, the problem was it was not always the same person, I would prepare for a meeting with one translator and the day of the meeting I would have a different translator, which would not go as well at times as they had no ideal what the meeting was about. I had the same problem in Europe at times; I called my dad to see if he could find someone on a permanent basis
I was looking for someone that could also travel at a given notice, I knew the task would not be easy and I did not have the time to look.
Back in Europe for Molly’s appointment; all seem to be going well, we still did not come up for a name for little T. Molly was doing great, Colin was doing a good job keeping and eye on her, don’t seem like he mind much, I can tell he loves Molly a lot.
Molly was still restricted form working and on bed rest, as we were getting ready to leave the hospital Molly turned and smiled at me “Tony, I need to take another ladies-room break before we leave for lunch” “Okay Moll” I replied with a grin.
As Molly walked away I was greeted “Hello Sir. how are you?” As I turned to see who was talking to me I noticed she was Asian, “I’m doing fine thanks” I replied as we were interrupted by another member of the hospital staff. I could not help but notice she and the other staff member were speaking in French. When they were finished talking I asked her did she speak any other languages. “Yes, I can also speak Chinese, four languages in total.” I explained to her of the problem I was having with translators, I wanted to hire her right then and there, but she had no plans to leave Europe anytime soon. However; she did inform me of her younger sister, when she was nineteen she could speak and write in eight different languages, how her sister was in Japan and not working at the time. I gave her my business card and asked her to have her sister call me if she was interested in the job.
Molly returned form the ladies-room and we headed out for lunch, I always took Molly out for lunch after our appointments, after lunch is when little T is most active and I get to feel him kick.
I began to spend more time after work getting to know the people I work with in China.
I spent time meeting their spouse.
I would be constantly invited to dinner or Celebrations ..
When June arrived I went back to the states for a meeting and to spend time with Boris Ruby and my dad.
I did not see Ruby as often as I would have liked but she was busy raising a family and she was deep into her music now, but I did get to hear her sing.. she is going to make it big one day.
Boris well… Boris never change still deep into electronics, I must admit the adventure with Boris is always a welcomed treat.
Things got tense for a while although I knew things would work out
I even got to see the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.
When I returned to China; I spent more and more time at the office as things were not so great at home, I know Laila had every right to be upset and I did not want to push her buttons.
She was still civil for the most part, it’s just when I return form Moll’s appointments when she would not speak to me much, I let her have time to cool down a bit before approaching her.
Back at the office in China I had quite a few voice messages; I really need some kind of secretary dare I ask Laila? No I don’t think so.
One voice message interested me the most, it was from Riku Kayio she was the sister of the woman I met at the hospital while in Europe, I returned her call to find she was interested in the job offer and had friends in China, she also have lived to the States as a exchange-student, I asked her to fly in for a interview, all her expenses would be paid even if the interview does not work out.
Two days later Kayio arrived in the China office for an interview it was such a great day I conducted the interview outside, I must admit for a twenty year old she was quite accomplished in languages and has done some work as a translator before.
Kayio had the education background but not a lot of work experience, I was somewhat hesitant mostly because of her age, it was a lot of responsibilities, she would spend a lot of hours working, late nights, early mornings, she would also have to assist my dad and Xiang with meetings although she would report directly to me and travel on short notice; Kayio was sure she could handle the job.
Towards the end of interview I asked “what kind of salary are you looking for” “Approximately $50,000 a year” she replied.
I smiled “here’s what we will do, I’ll start you off with $1,000 a week for ninety days, if after the ninety days, you are still employed we will increase it to $2,000 a week sounds fair?”
I guess it sounded as a fair wage to Kayio...
“I need you to start right away, will tomorrow morning be a problem”.
Kayio excitedly said “I can start now if you want” I smiled “no, tomorrow will be fine; we need to get your paperwork started, be here at eight O’clock tomorrow.”
We all were amazed at Kayio’s learning ability, not only was she a great translator, she also quickly picked up on the business, and understood how the operation was administered.
After meeting with my dad and Xiang we all decided she was a keeper and not only gave her a raise but a promotion; I sent out a memo to all employees in all branches to “Welcome Riku Kayio in her new position as the Executive Administrator of Global Operations.”
Kayio still had a lot to learn, but so did Il, we were a new company still had a lot of growing to do, Kayio soon became my right hand, she was at every meeting so far, and would out work me most nights with other members of the staff.
Even my dad and Xiang wanted to take her from me, I would smile and say, I’m sure there are more out there somewhere, you two just have to find them.
Laila seemed to be okay with the amount of time Kayio spent at our house; Laila would always offer her tea or something to eat seeing she was there so late, sometimes Kayio would take a break form work to spend a little time with Laila. I think Kayio enjoyed some of the adventure stories Laila would tell her about when we first met.
In the states, Although Kayio was not needed as a translator in the States; she attended every meeting, she was very organized and traveled we me just about anywhere. She would take the minutes of the meetings summarize and distribute them via email to everyone that was required to take action or some just to inform them of what was taking place.
One day working from home Kayio stopped by unexpected, unfortunately I had just returned from Europe visiting Molly, Kayio sensing the tension asked if everything was okay, that’s when I told her about Molly and I having a child, I could not go into detail and Kayio knew I could not being at home with Laila, Kayio asked If I wanted to take a drive, there was something she wanted to show me, “Sure why not” was my answer.
I had no I deal where we were, I just followed Kayio’s direction until we arrived at what seemed to be a park, “This is where I come when I want to be alone; it’s where I do most of my thinking” Kayio stated as we walked through the park.
We went again the next day and came to a bench where we sat and talked about Molly and little T, how things were at home, and then we just sat there and said nothing, just thinking things through.
When the time came to leave Kayio smiled and said “now this is your place too Mr. Stark; I hope you will use it”. “Thanks but my dad is Mr. Stark, you can call me Anthony or Tony as most of my friends does.” I said as we departed for the ride back.
One day I dropped Kayio off at her friend’s house where she had been staying since being in China.
While saying good-bye her friend Cheng came out to introduce himself.
I’m not sure if he thought there was something more than work and friendship between Kayioand I, but he was sure to let me know how he felt about her.
I had to leave for the states so I had one final meeting with the staff before leaving to make sure things ran smoothly while Kayio and I were away.
Back in the states everyone was getting ready for the biggest holiday of the summer forth of July, but it was still business for the Stark’s.
We were in one of the biggest meetings so far this year in the States, in one of the biggest states also; Texas, most of the American large oil company representatives were there, more like a convention than a meeting, but my dad loved it, it lasted all week long, all the grilled BB-Q ribs you can eat, but still business, Kayio was loving it as well. Laila came along as well as a lot of the family members from other companies.
I received a phone call; “her water just broke, get on a plane” I recognized Colin’s accent, I turned to my dad “I have to get on a plane, it was Colin on the phone he’s taking Molly to the hospital as we speak” I said in a panic.
My dad did not trust me driving in the state of mind I was in, “She’s early, it’s not time yet, something is wrong, it’s not time yet, I hope she is alight, it’s not time yet” I said over and over as my dad drove to the air port.
When we arrived to my surprise there was no flights out of Huston, Texas until morning, “I need to get on a plane now, Tomorrow is too late” I shouted. You have to find something; I need to fly out now.
My dad knew it was hopeless, I know he would drive me there if he could but even then we would not make it in time.
“There is a flight out of San Antonio, Texas, to New York , then to Europe within an hour but there is no way you would make it from Huston to San Antonio within an hour.” it looked like all hope was lost of me leaving the states today.
“Pardon Stark right” a man standing next to me asked of me. “Yes, Anthony Stark who wants to know” I said with attitude and frustration of not having a flight.
“Sorry, the name is Butler, James T. Butler; I was at your presentation yesterday, nice peace of business you boys have there.” “Thanks, I’m a little busy right now; you can call the office after the holiday.” I responded in somewhat annoyed voice.
“Reckon I could, I’m not talk’n shop till after the holiday myself son, I have some-tin y’all need, here in Texas one hand wash the other, you need a plane to get you to San-An, I have a plane righ’cher” “go on I’m listening” I said as I did need to be in San Antonio and would do anything. “We don’t be having much time fo-yapping now, Lets get you to San-An son, and I’ll be in touch with yall after the Holiday” he said with a hardy Texas laugh. I did not care what he wanted at the time, we boarded plane and arrived in San Antonio just-in-time to catch the flight, I just hope Molly is okay I tried calling continually but could not reach Molly.
Finally at the hospital, my heart racing as I ran to the front desk, “Molly..Molly Gregory please” I asked with shortness of breath; I noticed the looks on their faces, “Someone will be with you shortly” I tried to be understanding of hospital policies; but I grew impatient and on edge with each second that passed seeming like hours. “I really need to get to Molly now, can someone tell me where is she” I asked as my anger and frustration intensified. “We are waiting for Doctor Nan, she should be here any time now” one of the staff members was explaining as another staff member approached, I could see it was Kayio’s sister, they could pass for twins I think.
“Hi Mr. Stark Molly in is room 223, she is being prepped for surgery…” before she could finish I took off running for Molly’s room with her chasing behind calling “Tony wait”.
Running down the hall looking at each room number as I passed them the room 223 I pushed open the door “Molly!!” I shouted. Dr. Nan turned and escorted me out the door as Kayio’s sister caught up to me.
Dr Nan turned to the staff members “why is he not been scrubbed yet?” “I tried to tell him but he’s a fast runner.” I was told about the complication and Molly was going to have a C-section. Doctor Nan told me what I could expect in the operation room, “most of all Tony, I want you to keep Molly calm, can you handle that” Doctor Nan asked.
I don’t know if it was being there seeing Molly under the knife, but I felt a tear roll down my face as I stroked her hair, “every thing is going to be fine Molly, you’re so strong, I love you so much, you will make an awesome mother” I said softly, I kept talking to Molly throughout the operation.
I could not look down; so I focused on Molly’s eyes as I talked to her. Before I knew it Little T was out every thing was happening so fast, I got a quick glance of T as they began to hook him up to all kinds of wires. “what’s going on” I asked, “we will explain everything, we need to take care of mommy and baby right now” Dr. Nan explained as I was being pushed out of the room. “
Looking at Little T so helpless, hooked up to so may wires and tubs and so tiny; for the second time a tear rolled down my face, I bent over to touch his tiny little hand, “Hi son, it’s you dad, you’re going to like this new world you’re in, we are going to have so much time together” I said with a sniffle. Wiping the tears from my eyes “I love you so much little guy, you’re never will want for anything.” I paused for a second and continued...
“your mommy and daddy love you so much, you have so many people to meet; two grandpas, sorry, only one grandma but your other grandma will be watching over you as she has been watching over me all these years, you are going to be fine and healthy, you won’t have all these tubs and you will get out of the hospital right? We will get to play football together; you are going love football and the girls are going to love you. But if they ever hurt you they will have to answer to your mother, I think she is going to spoil you so much.”
I went to check on Molly, she was fast asleep, Doctor Nan assured me she was doing fine, I then went to spend time with Little T again, I don’t know how long I was in there, but it felt as the room started to spin around me. One of the staff members said I should go home and get some sleep; I looked at my watch and realized I had now been up of 29 hours. All I remember was sitting down.
I felt a nudge, I opened my eyes to find one of the staff members standing over me “Molly is awake and doing fine if you want to se her now” it took me a few seconds to remember where I was I had fallen a sleep at the hospital.
I was telling Molly what had taken me so long to arrive; how James T Butler took me to San Antonio Texas. “That’s it” molly shouted. It took a few seconds for me to understand she was saying “Antonio should be the name of our child, I think the lack of sleep has slowed my brain some. “Antonio, I like it” I replied with a smile.
My dad and Xiang as well as Molly’s family and friends started to arrive to the hospital, I was surprised to see Xiang, I thought he was going to be upset but he extended his congratulations to the both of us.
They would not let everyone in the room with little T, but they were able to see him through the glass, my dad seemed really happy; maybe he was happy he had a grandson I don’t know.
I told my dad I would be staying in Europe for a while, I want to be sure Molly and Little T will be fine before I return to the states.
I went to the hotel to shower and right back to the hospital, if it was not for the need to shower I would never have left the hospital.
I went back and forth Molly’s room then to see Little T then back to Molly’s room.
I think Molly and I both were still trying to come to terms that we were parents.
After visiting the hospital day after day; finally the day came to Take Little-T home. Not really sure we were ready as parents to take care of a child, I was glad he was healthy enough to leave the hospital.
I think Molly was just as nervous as I was about taking care of Little-T; I did not know how this will all workout me traveling with work and Molly will return to work at some point I’m sure.
We arrived back to Molly’s place I don’t know if it was being here with Molly and Little-T alone but for the first time it really hit me, Molly and I have a child.
After we fed, cuddled and held Little-T for a while we put him to bed, Molly and I talked about her time at the hospital and how she was afraid but at the same time happy to have our son home.
I could not help but to smile and feel proud every time Molly said “Our son”. It was getting a little late and I could barely keep my eyes open from the lack of sleep over the last few weeks.
“As much as I hated to leave Molly and Little-T I looked at Molly and said “I should be getting back to the Hotel” "You know...you're welcome to stay here..." Molly responded with a pause the continued to say… "So you can be close to Little T and all..."
“Really” I answered excitedly over the offer to stay “Sure let me get a few things from the hotel”.
Maybe it was just me, maybe just the surroundings but during my stay with Molly and Little-T; I felt a connection with Molly that I haven’t felt before, as if we were a family, sure we were sleeping in separate bedrooms, but I think that was becoming the norm for me. At times I felt myself wanting to just hug or kiss Molly, but I did not act on my feelings; I knew it was wrong and I knew we both were thinking about Colin and Laila.
Although it was not all work between Molly and I while I was staying with her.
It was good to see Ruby and Boris again at the baby shower Molly’s friends put together, although I did not see much of them.
Molly seemed a little uneasy, during the shower, I’m not quite sure why, seeing it was mostly her friends in Europe that attended.
I did not really know most of them, a few I have met before.
Later Molly and I sat down and went through the gifts, seeing what Little-T can use now, and what we needed to put away until he was a little bigger.
It was a long day.
Molly and I put Antonio to bed and stayed up late just talking about the new feeling of being parents, it was not long after falling asleep that Little-T decided he was hungry.
I decided to get up so Molly could sleep; she needed her rest, I went into the kitchen to heat up a bottle for Little-T only to find Molly already in the kitchen “I thought I would let you sleep Tony seeing you been getting up just about every night with Antonio” Molly said with a smile on her face and sleep in her eyes.
After spending almost two months in Europe I received a call from Kayio I needed to be in China for a meeting.
It was hard for me to leave Molly and Antonio in Europe although we both knew we would have to return to work sooner or later.
As I was packing when Molly entered the room holding Antonio, I stopped packing turned to Molly and said “I’m going to miss you both so much”
“We will be okay Tony; we both will miss you too you want to hold your son”.
“Sure”
Molly approached me slowly standing closely face-to-face I felt a strong urge to Kiss Molly as she handed Antonio over to me.
“Here’s your daddy” Molly said as I took T into my arms.
I did not want to ever put him down.
Molly promised to call if she needed anything; I promised I would return to Europe within a few weeks.
I returned to China.
This one did not make the update but did make the out take..
Tony trying to deliver Little T…
Chapter 5, Part 5 – Boris
We made the move back to Riverview shortly after the reception. It was quite an ordeal with two toddlers and a pregnant wife. The movers were very efficient; and patient, thank goodness; with Jing barking orders to place this here, place that there. Mao remained behind in Crescent Bay to get that house in order; after all he would be living there and maintaining it for us.
We managed to get settled in before the baby decided to announce itself.
“It’s time,” was all the notice I received of the impending arrival. There was no excitement; no emotion; in that announcement.
I, on the other hand, began to get flustered. After all, I’d never gone through this before. As planned, I called Beau to come watch the boys. When we arrived at the hospital, Jing seemed in no rush to enter. She had a faraway look; the look of someone who was contemplating something.
We finally entered the building, got her admitted and then she was whisked away. The nursing staff got her settled in a room. The hospital had state of the art birthing rooms, equipped with HD TV (which didn’t interest me in the least) and free (yeah, right) internet connections (which did interest me.) I sat next to the bed, holding her hand as the doctors and nurses paraded in and out, checking this and that, connecting this and that, and leaving again.
Not too long after, she had so many tubes and wires connected to her arms, chest, and belly; she looked like some kind of experiment specimen. As the contractions increased in frequency and level of pain, her grip on my wrist also tightened. I would be sporting a nice set of nail marks for days to come.
We had only been there for an hour and a half before heading for delivery, but it seemed more like several hours. The delivery was quick; soon little Lian-Shi joined the world and added her voice on the 8th of June. The doctor handed her to me and I was led to a table where I was handed a towel to clean her up. The nurse handed me a pair of scissors and instructed me on how to cut the umbilical cord. The table was actually a scale where they weighed and measured our precious gift; 7 pounds, 6 ounces and 22 and one half inches long. I wonder if my smile was actually as wide as it felt.
I wrapped her in a blanket and carried her back over and handed her to Jing. This was the first time I had seen a smile on Jing’s face in days. I imagine the move was especially hard on her, but she not once complained or mentioned it.
Lian was given a clean bill of health, and allowed to go home as soon as Jing was ready.
Jing packed up hers and the baby’s things in silence, not uttering one word the whole while. If fact, she was silent all the way home. Staring out the window; fixated on … something!
Little Lian sure required a lot of attention. I really didn’t realize how much until Jing went back to work a week later. Although she wasn’t up to the physical rigors of training Sim Fu, she was able to instruct from the sidelines.
Having some outside activity seemed to have a positive effect. She appeared to be in better spirits, although she still wasn’t talking to me. I stopped by the academy once or twice unbeknownst to her, just to see if she had forgotten how to talk altogether. Her students were treated with more discipline than in the past, as if she were taking her aggressions out on them.
Lian was special; for both of us. She was the first of my children that wasn’t handed to me completely dressed and the first that Jing was able to hold before…well…you know.
Not having been present for Ning or Jacques’ births, I felt like something was missing; like I was kind of cheated out of the whole experience. It surely doesn’t mean I love either of them less. Perhaps Jing was feeling the same way.
I got a lot of exercise, running up and down the stairs. Jing insisted the boys and their toys be kept downstairs so as not to disturb Lian. Although I thought it odd, I was just as new as Jing to the newborn stage of child-rearing.
My parents had overseen the construction of an expansion to my house in Riverview, which resulted in the addition of one more bedroom, a nursery, an expansion of the master suite upstairs and a large art studio and music rooms downstairs. They even furnished the rooms, a grand piano taking up much of the music room and a large sculpting wheel in the studio. I began refreshing my piano skills, having had lessons in high school! I was bad then and boy was I bad now! I also put the sculpting wheel to use, and began dabbling in clay.
The boys spent much of their time in the studio, where their toys had been relocated.
Jing had changed her schedule so that she was only at the academy in the evenings and home during the day. She spent all of her time catering to Lian and began neglecting even Ning. I’m glad I was there for them, but I needed time away from the house, if not the family.
I tried to talk to Jing about looking for a job and working, but she would stare blankly and walk away. I don’t know what I was doing wrong, if anything, to deserve this kind of treatment. I’m not sure if it was time for me to get a job just yet. I wish she would talk to me.
It did not seem that her behavior was going to change any time soon. She would not even acknowledge my presence most of the time. I’m surprised we still slept in the same bed; the same COLD bed.
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I’d had enough of the silent treatment and needed to get out for a little while. I told Jing I was leaving, and received no response. You know, I have not heard her as much as coo at Lian, either. I wish she would open up to me and let me know what’s going on.
Having no particular destination in mind, I made my way downtown and just walked from shop to shop. As I walked in to the Consignment Shop, I saw Beau sitting at a drafting table, looking intently at the drawing surface.
He noticed me approaching and took the paper from the surface and folded it and placed it in his pocket. I didn’t think twice about it, although I look back with curiosity now.
“Hey, Boris!” He said as he waved.
“Hi Beau!” I waved back.
We hadn’t seen each other since moving back to Riverview. We chatted for a bit; caught up on some of the news. Beau was on duty and suggested we get together this coming weekend. We agreed to meet at the new kid’s park on the island.
“It must be nice to have something to keep you busy,” I suggested.
“Well, it does keep your mind off…things…” he trailed off.
I knew exactly to whom he was referring.
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I informed Jing of my plans and she nodded in understanding. She actually acknowledged my presence this time. Sunday morning I packed up the boys and headed out to the park. Beau was already waiting for us when we arrived.
We set the boys down to play in the sandbox and took a nearby bench to keep an eye on them.
Beau and I caught each other up on what was happening in our lives. He’d received two promotions since the last time we chatted. I jokingly asked what a promotion was.
Laughing, he said, “You know, the local office of National Data Collection Agency is looking for a computer specialist. It might be just the thing for you.”
“I don’t know! It sounds tempting enough, but I was kind of hoping for something a little more on the local level.”
“You should interview. Can’t hurt. If nothing else, it will serve as practice if you plan to start looking.”
“You have a point.”
“Good! I’ve sent you the contact information already.”
The boys were pointing to the spring riders, so we took them over an put them on to ride. I think Beau was having as much fun as Ning, if not more.
Well, until it was time to get the boys off, anyway. Ning was giving Beau a little SoL treatment, not wanting to get off. Ning stuck out that lip, letting Beau know who was in charge!
Beau didn’t know how to handle the situation! He was taken by surprise by the toddler’s tenacity.
I don’t know which of the two was more stubborn. It was a definite war of wills. Beau seemed genuinely shocked. The jury is still out on which one will win the Simmy. I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. Jacques proved less of a challenge than Ning.
Having collected them from their rides, we headed out to get some lunch.
It was a good day. It was good to get away for a while. The boys enjoyed their outing. They were out before I got the car in gear. I dropped Beau at his house and got the boys home.
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I called the number Beau had provided in the email and let Director Rick Jacobson know of my interest in the position. He asked me to send in a resume as soon as possible. I got the resume and cover letter out the next day.
I have no formal education credentials. My only work experience was with my father. I couldn’t very well mention my association with the criminal element on an application for a government position. But then again, I was never formally employed by the Organization. All of my work was done as a freelance hacker.
Two days later, I was surprised to receive a call from the Director’s assistant, asking how soon I could come in for an interview. Seriously? I set up a date and time. At least I can get some interviewing experience out of this.
I stepped off the elevator into a professionally decorated reception area. I had arrived ten minutes prior to the appointed time. I stepped up to the desk and introduced myself.
With a smile, the woman behind the desk took my hand and introduced herself as the Director’s assistant. She offered refreshments and I graciously accepted a cup of coffee. She directed me to the waiting area and said she would let the Director know I had arrived.
Director Jacobson rounded the corner with a quick step and reached his hand out before he was within my reach. This was not the type of person I suspected worked for the government. He was cordial; refined. I’d always pictured government office workers as gruff old men. Jacobson reminded me of Walter Matthau in Hopscotch.
He led me in to his office and offered me a seat. He paused momentarily as he moved around behind his desk as if he were orchestrating the interview in his head. He quickly sat in the opposing chair behind the desk and took a deep breath.
“Mr. Michaels, let me begin by saying that I know of you; of the kinds of work you’ve done; and who you’ve had dealings with.”
I could see this was going to be the shortest interview in history. I began to rise from my chair, “I’m sorry to have wasted your time, Director Jacobson.”
“Please have a seat Mr. Michaels.”
“Excuse me? Am I missing something here?” I asked in amazement.
“All of the seasoned agents in this division have heard of some, if not all, of your exploits.”
“We can arrange for coffee somewhere if you want to trade war stories.” I was getting annoyed with this man. Had I misread him in the lobby? “I’ll not waste any more of your time.”
“Thank you, I think! Exactly what are you getting at? You know of my past; my lack of education. Clearly I don’t meet the criteria for this position.”
“Your reputation precedes you.”
“I fail to see where reputation can be traded for credentials.”
“On the contrary, your reputation and experience far exceed any credentials.” He shifted in his seat and leaned forward on his desk. “Let me be frank. I want you on our team.”
“You want me on your team, but…” I trailed off.
“It’s true; we have criteria and requirements. But it’s also true that we can waive said criteria as well. We have been falling behind on many cases because we lacked someone with your experience and ingenuity. I’ve personally talked with each of your references. Each one has sung your praises. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Beau Dean on several occasions. He’s had nothing but praise for your work ethic. I’ve had the opportunity to interview or interact with many people who have had dealings with you; on both sides of the law. I have seen a report from the Crescent Bay Division, whereby you were able to hack into their security to free your detained father.
“Woah! I didn’t realize I was so…superficial.”
“Don’t sell yourself short. It wasn’t until long after the case were closed that you were found out. At that point, it was decided we would watch and learn. Unknowingly, you have taught us a lot, my friend. Well, I hope I can count you among my friends; if not today, someday.”
He rose from his chair, turned and looked out the window for a moment. He turned and walked towards me, sitting on the edge of his desk.
“The bottom line, Mr. Michaels…I want you working on our side; specifically, for THIS division. I still have to convince the district office, but I don’t think I will have to fight too hard.”
“Please…call me Boris… Anyone willing to go to such lengths to hire me can count me among their friends.”
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Tony and I had been talking about another adventure a la Otis. I finally found some free time and hoped he could break away also. Luck would have it, that he was able to make it. We arranged a day in mid June. Otis was always amiable to “bumping” someone else to make time for me, but we were fortunate his simulator, holodeck, or whatever, was free on the day we chose.
We weren’t interested in any particular scenario, so Otis just threw us into one; a Victorian era adventure – Nemo-esque, if you will.
The sun shone high in the sky as we boarded the small submersible. Tony and I, along with the other passengers, were shown to our assigned cabins so we could stow our gear.
We pulled away from the moorings and were well out to sea. I stepped out in to the corridor and found tony looking out at the water.
“I can’t wait to see those babies from beneath the surface,” he observed, gazing out upon a shiver* of sharks. “They’re so graceful on the surface…” he trailed off.
“I’ll bet your right!” I replied. Whoever named this boat must have had a death wish; Siren’s Call? Seriously? I only hope this is not an omen of things to come.
The claxon began to sound, ringing throughout the belly of this metallic wonder, signaling the impending dive below the waves.
The behemoth slipped beneath the surface effortlessly. If it weren’t for the water rising over the portholes and viewports, we wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. The wonders waiting below were seen by many, but only heard of by few; many who have never returned to see the light of day.
We witnessed creatures and sites unimaginable to those too weak of constitution to brave the venture into the unknown.
We sailed along smoothly for several days, occasionally surfacing, just to get some fresh air and stretch our legs. We could look in any direction and see nothing but water.
On one occasion, we thought we were goners. Water began leaking in just after we began our dive. I don’t know about anyone else, but my heart began to race. There was talk of cracks in the hull. We surfaced as quickly as we could to find that someone had not completely sealed the hatch to the conning tower. You’d think there’d be some sort of alarm, wouldn’t you?
We all went careening into bulkheads as the submarine rocked beneath the waves. Word from the bridge was that we had run into an eddy, causing turbulence. Not soon after, a message from the engine room revealed that there was an explosion in one of the engines.
“We ‘ave an explosion in the engine room. Tryin’ to get there…the flames are beatin’ us back! Gregory is down!” reported the voice through the tube.
The boat began to sink; slowly at first, then faster as its angle of trajectory changed with each successive explosion. All attempts to suppress the fire failed. The crew was being forced from the engine room. As they were trying to seal the hatch, another explosion shook the hull; this one more massive than the first.
As we ran to aid the engine crew, our progress was impeded by a sealed hatch.
Tony was the first to reach the sealed bulkhead, “Damn, we can’t get to them this way. Is there another way in there?”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” Billy chimed in, “the only other route is through engineering.”
The hatches, at least, are set to automatically seal in the event of a hull breach. We couldn’t get to the engine crew; they were trapped in the outer corridor. Water began to trickle from the ports; the trickles became sprays; the sprays became gushing. There was nothing we could do for them; no way to save them.
The only hatch from the upper deck leads into the engine room. The hull ruptures soon opened on the upper deck and flooded the cabins. We were trapped, albeit safely for the time being, in the forward sections of the sinking craft.
All attempts to navigate or communicate from the bridge failed. All we could do was watch as we sank to the bottom. All controls were unresponsive. Another explosion ripped the hull in two, the aft section falling straight down as the forward section was propelled through the water like a bullet. We watched the control panel as system after system shut down.
We peered out the forward viewport and watched as we slowly made our descent. The sharks and other fish seemed unaffected by our presence, despite the disturbance the ship must be making in the seas around them.
There wasn’t much point of remaining on the bridge. I must admit, though; the view was fantastic. We seemed to have plenty of time to look out the ports and take in the sights as we slipped onto the silt at the bottom with a soft thud.
It was impossible to know how much of the submarine actually made it to rest with the forward section. With no power, we could do nothing. We had no way to communicate with the outside world. The communications room had succumbed to the flooding and been sealed off from us; no attempts at Morse Code were possible.
We still had the lounge with its well stocked bar; no communication; no navigation; and no life support. We were running out of air. Suffocation was not the way I wanted to go.
“If only we could retrieve the robotfish,” Billy posed, pointing at the mechanical “eyes” of the ship. The robotfish was a device constructed to look like a fish, equipped with electronic devices (including sonar) that enabled the crew to maneuver the submarine more easily.
As the minutes slowly passed, the oxygen in the cabin was depleting. Each of us crumpled to the floor and leaned against the bulkhead, barely moving; afraid to breath. As time dragged on, we began to notice the deathfish moving about in front of the viewport. Was this a sign of our demise?
It seemed as hours had passed. Billy slowly rose from the floor and made his way to the main viewport, pressing into the glass.
“Is that what I think it is?” he asked with eyes as big as half-simoleans.
The rest of us made our way over to the viewport and looked in the direction he pointed. One by one, we fell against the massive window; wonderment filling our eyes.
“Holy …! She’s hot! Swim over here, baby!” Axel spat out, nearly drooling.
“Breathtakingly beautiful, to the last,” Colin said, just barely above a whisper.
“The loveliest creature I have ever seen! I always knew it was her…” Tony added longingly.
“I’m in heaven. I have to get out there,” Billy swooned.
“If this is the last woman I am to see.” In a whisper, I avowed, “I’m glad it was her!”
One by one, we each collapsed against the glass, sliding to the floor against the bulkhead, overtaken by darkness...Siren’s Call was my last thought before slipping into the abyss.
I opened my eyes to find myself on a cot in a brightly lit room.
“Sorry about that, guys!” Otis stated, sounding less than apologetic. “I had to … uh … step away from the console for a few minutes!”
“OTIS!” I tried to sound stern and angry, but failed miserably, “I don’t know about Tony and Axel, but that was one great trip you sent us on. I think that’s just what I needed.”
“Boris, you’re nuts!” Axel sneered.
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I hadn’t been back home a day when I received a call from Director Jacobson. Personally, I did not expect to hear back from him at all.
“Hi Boris. I just wanted to check in with you. Let you know I had not forgotten about you, you know?” I heard a faint chuckle on the other end.
“Thank you. Is there anything I can do for you?”
“Well, now that you mention it, I do have a question.”
“Shoot!”
“Do you want a job? I happen to have something available that you might be able to help with.”
“Really? That’s great news. Of course I want the job, but…” I spewed out without checking with Jing.
“Great! When can you start?”
“How soon do you need an answer? I have to go to France next month to take care of some personal business.”
“I’m sure we can work around that.”
“I don’t know how long it will take; how long I’ll be there,” I said, wanting to make sure he knew I had no idea how long I would be gone.
“Boris! Don’t you get it? I want YOU! I have never met anyone with your ‘skill’ for gathering information.” Uncle Sam wants you, not your father; nor your brother; but, you!”
“I think I get it now,” I averred with an uncertain laugh. “How soon would you want me to start?”
“Would Monday work for you?”
“This coming Monday?” I asked in disbelief. “I think that would be fine. Yes, that would be fine. I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Great! See you then,” he said as he hung up the phone.
I told Jing as soon as I could, expecting no acknowledgement or affirmation, but she needed to know.
“I’m glad for you, Boris,” She said with the slightest of smiles.
I was dumbfounded! She spoke; she actually spoke! I almost fainted right there. I thought about pushing her for more, but she had already turned and started to walk away. I’ll this for now!
Monday rolled around and I was up bright and early. Mainly because I couldn’t sleep, I was so excited. I raced through the morning rigors of getting ready and had plenty of time to spare. I peaked in to check on Lian and kissed Jing’s cheek as she slept. I small smile crept onto her face. I smiled and left for my first day at a REAL job; one where I had to punch a clock, so to speak.
I exited the elevator and found myself alone in the reception area. I took a seat in the waiting area and blindly picked up a magazine from the table. They seriously have a magazine for agents? I chuckled softly to myself as I began thumbing through the pages. Shortly, Jacobson’s Assistant, Julie Dean, came onto the floor. Seeing me, she immediately set her things down on the counter and made her way over to me.
“Good morning Mr. Michaels. Since you’re here so early, we’ll get your paperwork started,” she said as she motioned over to the counter.
As I was filling out the necessary personnel and payroll forms, the other staff members filed in, stopping to welcome me as they passed. Three of them hung around the opposite end of the counter, chatting amongst them.
Director Jacobson exited the elevator, saw me, and started grinning like the cat that ate the canary. He seemed to be very proud of himself. He invited me into his office. We were followed by the three individuals who had been chatting at the other end of the counter.
“Welcome aboard, Boris. It went easier than I thought. These are the other members of your team; Jon Edan,” he motioned to a man with unkempt hair and an unshaven face, torn jeans and a loose fitting t-shirt; “ Mel Moore,” motioning towards a very stylishly dressed woman; “and Darrell Bowles,” indicating a man whom I could only describe as a fashionable geek. “They will take you down to the office where you will be working. I know they have a ton of work already lined up for you, so I’ll leave you to them. If you have any questions or concerns, please let Julie or myself know right away; email would be best to catch any of us.”
They didn’t waste any time tossing me into the fire. They all too eagerly offered up piles of files for my perusal and action. I hope this job is as fun as it seems it will be. I found out Jon was dressed in the tattered outfit because he was working an undercover sting operation.
“You’ll get your chance at field work soon enough, Boris,” Jon offered with a wink. “Rick mentioned you would be going to France for a time. There are several files that require some research, if you think you might have time. “
“I’ll take them along and see what I can get done.”
And so it began.
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As the last weekend of June descended upon us, I was preparing for my trip to France. I was not really looking forward to it. I was going to complete the final custody of Jacques. I’ve been told to expect many meetings, interviews and court hearings.
I was surprised when my dads came strolling in the front door on Friday afternoon. I wasn’t sure when to expect them back.
We spent the rest of the day getting caught up on our summers. I told them I was leaving for France in the next week, so they suggested a backyard barbecue to celebrate the Fourth of July Holiday before I left, since I would be in France by that date.
Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day; plenty of warm sunshine and light breezes. The boys enjoyed being outside to play. They were reluctant to stop playing to eat. As luck would have it, Jacques finally began walking without assistance. This would make the trip somewhat easier, I hope.
Dad went off shopping in the morning and returned with a water slide “for the boys.” After I suggested they were too small for such a thing, I was met with a wink in response. I don’t think these two will ever grow up. Ning and Jacques are less trouble.
Well, I couldn’t see letting the opportunity to try it go by, since dad went to all the trouble to inflate it.
As the sun slipped below the horizon, we moved to the fire pit and chatted some more. Jing had retreated to the house with Lian. The boys did not want to give in to exhaustion, instead wanting to stay outside and play.
I told my dads about the job interview and subsequent hiring.
“I’m impressed,” Achilles began, “Jacobson and I have had the…pleasure…to, shall we say, butt heads, on occasion. I have come to respect him.”
“He doesn’t impress me,” Damon offered.
“Well, that’s not saying much, since hardly anyone impresses you,” Achilles taunted. “Perhaps if you weren’t such a jackass, you’d find some respect for people.”
Damon huffed and stormed off to the bar. The boys finally gave in to the Sandman. Dad and I carried them off to bed.
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As July rolled around, I was off to France once again. I was headed to Paris this time. Jing walked us to the door, and I thought I detected a slight curl in her lip. This filled me with sadness, but I was preoccupied at the moment.
The flight was on time and quite uneventful. Jacques handled it like a trooper. I had packed some medicine for motion sickness, just in case. We landed in Paris and made it through customs with little delay. I hailed a cab and we made for our hotel.
The Concierge showed us up to our suite. On the way up the elevator, he confirmed that a crib and other amenities had been placed in the upper level of the suite, along with a complimentary toy for Jacques.
He showed us around the suite, pointing out the various things in the suite; the wet bar; the hot tub on the balcony, and the second level bedroom and bathroom areas.
It had been an extremely long day for both of us. After getting settled in a bit, I went to the kitchenette to find something for us to eat. I was pleasantly surprised to see how well it was stocked. Both sated, I cleaned up the dishes and read a book to Jacques. I’ve read books to the boys on several occasions, but this time was different. Ning wasn’t here, making it feel incomplete.
I put Jacques in bed and then got myself ready. I stepped out onto the upper level balcony. The air was so peaceful this high up. I propped the door open so I could hear Jacques, and move out onto the balcony to meditate; trying to clear my thoughts.
I woke early the next morning, as I usually do when in an unfamiliar place. I checked on Jacques, then made my way down to the kitchenette and made some coffee. Standing out on the lower balcony, I sipped my coffee, taking in the many sites of Paris. I had an especially great view of the Eiffel Tower.
I was to meet with some solicitors and appear before a magistrate in the coming days. Hopefully I will have some time to see some of Paris, as well.
I got Jacques and myself ready for our first day of interviews. A representative from one of the solicitor’s offices arrived at the hotel to escort us. I was asked many questions, almost grilled, even though Elissa had provided a written release, witnessed by an official.
After a couple days of back to back appointments, interviews and meetings, I had some free time. I was pretty tired, but this was Paris; and it was the fourth of July. I decided to call Molly and see what she was up to for the day.
I dialed her number, and it only rang twice before it was answered by a familiar voice. Colin answered and confirmed I had indeed called Molly’s phone. We chatted for a minute before I asked if Molly was available. I told him I was in Paris and thought I would give Molly a call to see if she was busy. He said he was at the hospital and that she and Tony were in the delivery room; the baby was being delivered. He sounded tired.
I almost offered Colin my congratulations, but instead said it was great news. He couldn’t tell me when they would be out. I asked if he thought it too imposing for me to just stop by later. He didn’t think so. He gave me the name and location of the hospital and thanked me for calling.
I contacted the Concierge and inquired about directions and distance to the hospital. It wasn’t in the near vicinity, so he called a cab when I was ready to go and I rode over. I asked directions to Molly’s room at reception and made my way up. I ran into Colin in the waiting area. He said he would watch Jacques if I wanted to go visit Molly. I knocked on the door, peeked in and found Molly and Tony. I placed the flowers on a table after showing them to Molly. Tony showed me how to get to the NICU to see Little T. He was a cute little guy, but if he has any of Tony’s physical traits, he won’t remain little for long.
I only stayed a few minutes. I didn’t want to put Colin out, watching Jacques. I’m sure he had better things to do. I stopped back at Molly’s room, congratulated them again and then I collected Jacques and made my way to the elevator. Colin looked so defeated; I kind of felt sorry for him.
A couple days later, I received a call from Marisa, one of the models with the magazine Molly worked for, inviting me to a “Welcome Baby” party for Little T. I indicated it would depend on making arrangements for Jacques, but tentatively accepted. With the concierge’s assistance I was able to arrange a sitter for Jacques; it was he, in fact.
The lack of anything worthwhile on television left time in the evenings to research some of the information from the work files that had been loaded onto my laptop. Jacques was very good about keeping himself occupied, but I sensed he may miss playing with Ning. Hopefully we won’t be here too much longer.
I arrived at Molly’s and was ushered in. I moved through the people and found the table with the gifts, depositing the one I had brought for Antonio. I found some refreshments and found an empty wall to lean against, not recognizing any of the guests. It wasn’t long before the male model from Molly’s magazine article passed by. I immediately introduced myself and we chatted for a bit. Caleb and I made plans to meet at a local café, where we could talk without interruption. I searched out Marisa and asked her to make my apologies to Molly and Tony.
As planned, I met with Caleb at a local café. We got to know each other a little better, and I learned he was originally from Riverview. His birth name was not Caleb, although he didn’t reveal it to me. He never knew his mother. She had died in childbirth. He had stumbled into the modeling profession while visiting France, and has been here since.
“My father is a geneticist at the Research Center in Riverview. His name is Friedrich Schlossberg. Perhaps you’ve heard of him.”
“I’m embarrassed to say I have not.”
“No need to be. He’s not very well known.”
“I’ve been involved I guess you could say, in holographic science lately. I really haven’t looked into genetics, too much.”
“My father is quite an eccentric and not very well received in scientific circles. Most of his research is funded through private donations. I just thought that since you live in Riverview, you might have heard of him.”
“I’ve only lived there of the last couple months. I would spend some time there in the summers, but I didn’t get to know too many of the people.”
“I see. Well, perhaps you can meet him the next time I go home for a visit.” He proffered.
“I would like that,” I genuinely replied.
The rest of our talk was about Caleb’s modeling career and modeling general and my work and computers; really quite boring. He played with Jacques a little bit, we talked some more and became quick friends.
The next day, I received word that we were to appear before a magistrate that afternoon. Thanks for the short notice; but I had been warned. We appeared, presented the case, showed our evidence, and it was approved just as quickly.
I was offered to have his name legally changed to Micheals at the same time. Perhaps it would be easier for Jing to accept if he were a Michaels. However, I wanted Jacques to maintain his mother’s name. I wanted him to know his heritage. I don’t know why. The rest of the afternoon was spent getting all of the necessary documents in order and processed. I was surprised at how efficiently that was done. We were finally able to go home. I booked the next flight out and we left for home as soon as we could.
We had returned to Riverview and me to work. My dads had stayed at our house while I was gone and began a search for their own place. I think Jing enjoyed having them around. I’m glad they were there for her.
I received many verbal accolades for my progress on the files I had taken along to France. The team and I work on many of the cases and were even able to close a few of them.
I was even more interested in Caleb now, than ever. I looked up his father in the local phone book. Unsurprisingly, he wasn’t listed. From what Caleb told me, I would keep myself away from scrutiny, also.
I turned to the internet, hoping to find something. I found a few random references to failed research, but nothing of significance. I made a note to ask Beau what he knew, if anything.
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“Hi Ruby, how are you?”
“Hi Boris, I’m doing fine!”
“…and the kids?”
“They’re Lotharios! How do think they’re doing?” she chuckled in response.
“That’s great, Ruby! I always knew Byron would turn out like his father, and the girls – well; let’s just say those two angels don’t take after your side of the family! Oh, wait, maybe they could!” I laughed.
“OK, Boris! What’s up? It isn’t like you to call out of the blue and engage in idle chitchat! Something’s brewing!”
“You know me too well, Ruby! I need to talk.”
“Sure; what about?”
“Not over the phone! How about lunch? Can you get away?”
“I think so! What time?”
“I will be in Crescent Bay in about an hour! I stopped just outside of Twinbrook to fill my tank on my way. The prices are much lower here.”
“I think I can swing that! Where do you want to meet?”
“I’ll leave that up to you, Ruby. Just text me when you’ve decided on a place.”
“Okay, I’ll text you soon. Oh, and like you need to worry about the price of gas,” she laughed, as she hung up.
End Chapter 5, Part 5
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Credits to cmomoney for Pose Player and all the pose creators.
Custom Content by Sandy (ATS3), Demonic (D&M Creations), Luna (Luna Sims Lulamai) and others.
Lots by Estyle36 and Speechless
*A group of sharks is called a gam, grind, school, herd, pod, collage, or shiver.
I don’t normally post outtakes, but here are a few screenshots I decided not to use…
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