Chapter 13: Chapter 13

- Old man

Deila's pov

The kitchen was the last place I wanted to be when my thoughts were all over. Physically, I was with there, sitting on the kitchen counter, but mentally I was miles away and caught between dwelling on the heated kiss I shared with James, and of dad's offer.

"Did you think about it yet?" Sia's voice jolted me out of my mental *

From the corner of my eyes, I saw her taking the last plate from the dishwasher, wiping it with a towel.

"About what?" I asked distractedly, my eyes now fixed outside the window, enjoying the natural view and for the umpteenth time grateful for the carpet grass field. A yearn to brush my hands on the grassy field came.

"Seating in for dad."

My attention was immediately snapped to her, only to see her keeping her eyes on the plate she was drying like she hadn't just hit me.

''What? You knew about it too?" I already knew what the answer would be. "And you didn't think to warn me before I went to the study that day." I hissed.

"Everybody knew about it already, so it wasn't in my place to tell you," she said flatly.

Hearing her, I was starting to get irritated. I didn't like the feeling and how fast it was consuming me because it always led to anger, and I hated getting angry no matter what. Still, I couldn't help the irritation at the way they'd all ganged up against me.

They all knew and I was almost certain they'd say down to discuss it while knowing I had my degree in Creative Writing which was always my dream field, beside that, I loved working as a creative writer and editor for Ink and quill— the magazine company I worked for in LA. I should be allowed to do what I loved after spending four years specializing in it, and two years putting it into practice. I never understood why my parents always insisted I did something related to business, according to them, it would make it easier for me to follow in my dad's footsteps.

More times than I could count, I'd reminded them this was the 21st century, not the Stone Age where parents told their children what to do or picked careers for them.

Mari was allowed and supported to be a nurse. Dawn despite studying to be an architect —even though he acted as though he never took anything serious— had taken the family business to great heights as he had more interest in it than any of us. Sia was still in law school, pursuing her dreams.... but I, for reasons I couldn't comprehend, has always been dragged for wanting to be a writer, which according to my dad wasn't a benefiting job.

If I was to go down memory lane on how they acted when I told them I was moving to LA, I'd be a complete downer. Although all my siblings were currently in the Barbson's mansion —because my mum had insisted we be together during the wedding preparations— Dawn and Mari had apartments of their own, but when I moved out, they made it such a big deal.

And even before I'd shared my ambitions on wanting to be a renowned writer, my dad had always in his ways tried to cajole me to the business side. I loved my parents. I wanted to be as successful as my dad. I wanted to be as successful and strong, reaching heights like my mum, but just not in the same route they took.

I needed to breathe for a minute. "I'm going to the field," I murmured, going outside the house.

It was overly windy outside. As soon as I came out I was starting to freeze. I thought, "maybe coming outside was a bad idea," but still I sat on the field anyway.

Brazing myself for the cold, I thought more calmly about the discussion I'd had with my parents. This was the only time they'd asked for my help, though the help was bigger than me. If my dad, a workaholic wanted to go on a break, I couldn't be selfish enough to hold him back.

"You are the only girl I know that could punish herself this way." I was a bit startled by the interruption, relaxing when I realized who it was. Dawn had been having too many successes in startling me these days, I didn't let this one show.

"I was planning on going inside now stalker." I looked past him.

"Are you avoiding me also?" I almost missed his snicker. " I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't know you were eh," he paused clearing his throat, "busy."

"You're sorry for what Dawn?" I laugh was as dry as my throat.

"Can we not talk about this? You didn't do anything other than walk in your parents house as you have the right to. I didn't know I'd get busy either. So please, drop it.''

"Snappy much? Don't give me an attitude here. I'm your brother, not your lover." He emphasized the last part, no doubt in mockery.

"Ain't no lovers," I retorted, pushing my body off the ground but falling back down, forgetting at some point during our bickering he had weighed me down by resting his muscular hand on my shoulders.

I let out a loud huff, removing his hand from my shoulders as I pushed myself up successfully standing this time.

I had already started walking towards the direction of the house when Dawn spoke up. "James thinks otherwise, with all the sweet-talking and laughs on the phone yesterday."

James thinks otherwise? Sweet talks and laugh? I raked my head to comprehend what he was on about, it clicked. I recalled endearing Eva on the phone yesterday. They had to be standing there, eavesdropping.

"Boys do eavesdrop huh?" Of course, nobody was passed eavesdropping, that was why the notion of women been gossips didn't sound well to me. Gossiping wasn't assigned to any gender and if it was to be, it would be to the male gender and Dawn would be a perfect example.

I hastened my steps, lying to myself that the cold was my reason for going inside when I knew it wasn't. It was the topic. I wanted to avoid it.

Catching up to me, Dawn continued probing. "So there's someone." He was breathing on my neck, both literally and figuratively.

"So he sent you to extract information from me?"

He held my shoulders, twirling me around to face him. "It's not like that."

"You know what? I don't care how it is, and maybe there's a lover." I preferred letting people go with their assumptions about me to explaining myself. Explanations just had to be the most stressful for me. So why not just let them go with their assumptions? Not that it would affect anyone if I did allow them.

Dawn didn't try to hide the surprise that was now written all over Dawn's face. "What?" His voice as he asked this could pass as a whisper.

We reached the kitchen door, entered in and the next thing he was tugging me aside to a corner in the kitchen as Aunt Mona approach.

"I'm twenty-two! A grown-ass woman. So stop been a stalker of a brother and let me pass." I tried maneuvering my way past him, he was just too big for me.

He looked at me thoughtfully, before rolling his eyes and muttering a 'whatever', then he turned and went upstairs.

When I saw Mari coming from my peripheral vision, I looked up from my phone to give her a smile of acknowledgment, chortling when she slumped down on the other end of the couch I was on.

"Hey." I continued working on a piece of poetry in my blog.

"Hey back at ya," she replied.

When I didn't say anything because I didn't have anything to say, she continued. "What's up with you? You aren't the one getting off the market. I should be the one sulking. Like could I live for the rest of my life with one di-" I held my hand up, motioning for her not to complete the sentence.

She shrugged like it was no big deal. Mari wasn't as chatty as Sia, but when she opened her mouth she was as blunt as the word 'blunt'.

Sia came out from nowhere, pouncing on the couch. "What are you girls gossiping about?" she inquired, grinning.

Phew! Here goes nothing.

"You little gossip," Mari said, chuckling. "Some stuff you can't hear. +18 stuff." She winked at me suggestively and I shrugged like I didn't know what she was talking about.

"She's 20, and we weren't discussing anything a thirteen-year-old can't hear, right?" Arching a brow up to create a look that wasn't to be argued with, I directed the question to Mari.

She rolled her eyes. "Right," she answered pursing her lips.

"If mum was here she'd take a picture of us. The trio." Sia said, poking our sides and eliciting giggles from us and then a chirp from whom I guessed was Aunt Mona.

We turned to see Aunt Monic. She stared at us awestruck like there was something with us I for one wasn't seeing, then she turned towards the stairs saying she was going to get the camera.

"It'll be of no use. I'm off to my room," I called after her and earned a pout from Sia. "Need to sleep."

"Trust you to ruin the mood, " I heard Sia mumble, I ignored. In a mission to be on my comfy bed, I proceeded upstairs.

The next day, I was awoken by a call from Eva— with Lari in the background— where I got that they were on their way to catch their flight. They were happier than I was that they were coming to Atlanta, and that was saying a lot as I was really happy.

As the day proceeded, I continued pondering on my dad's request. And in the afternoon I found myself in his study waiting for him with my mind made up.

Sitting up straight as I saw him arrive to take his seat across the table, I greeted, "Good day dad."

He smiled sweetly at me, and I couldn't help thanking God as I always did, that the man across the table begat me, and not Uncle Jamison. I had no doubt Uncle Jamison would have made a fuss about me not adding more addresses to the greeting.

The man made a fuss about everything. He always found a way to remind us we weren't whites —which I knew and was proud of my skin— and we couldn't be cool like it wasn't meant for blacks. His internalized racism oozed everywhere he went. I didn't know where he got the impression from that white kids didn't greet their parents because they did.

Eva and Lari were whites. Eva from LA, and Lari from Ireland. There wasn't a time I heard them not greet their parents or anybody when they spoke on the phone, or when I visited Eva's. Also, the Martins were white and they always greeted their parents as they do everyone... not that Uncle Jamison would ever see that. But enough of toxic air.

"Good day, baby," he said, smiling. "I guess the reason you called for me is what I think it is. Or would you rather talk about something else?"

"No, dad. That's what I want to talk about." And I'm nervous.

"Okay," he dragged, unsure. "I take there's an answer for this old man then?" I could tell he was trying to put some light into the discussion to make it easier.

"Dad," I chided. "You're not old. You'll still knock the breaths out of women." I smiled cheekily at him.

"Thank you, but your mum knocked me off my breath 28 years ago." His voice was dreamy, a proud smile beaming on his face. Love like their's was what anyone would wish for. Undying.

I took in large gulps of breath, preparing myself. "So old man," I let the sarcasm drip, using what he referred to himself as then I giggled nervously before continuing. "An answer."

I scratched the side of my cheek where there was no itch, God was I nervous about the decision I was going to make. "May I ask how long I'll be seating in for?"

"Is that a yes?" His face lit up.

I shrugged. "It depends. I got an awesome job in LA, at Ink and Quill, and I do love it there. I only took a three weeks break and I'll need an excuse as big as saying the sky had fallen for the break to be extended." I sighed in anticipating the exhaustion of having to call my boss again for an extension of the break. "And even if they allowed it, it wouldn't be for more than a week. So I can only seat for one month or so."

'Two months," he stated flatly like he said nothing.

"What? Two months?"

"Yes, be CEO for two months. I'll contact Ink and Quill, you need not worry."

"You can't just buy and talk to everyone."

"He'll give you a year off if I want him to," he said looking out the study window. What did he mean by that?

His attention was brought back to me. He picked up his phone from the table and typed something in a hurry.

"So it's a yes?"

It took me a while to realize I was the one he was referring to. "Bu-"

"Come on now. This old man needs his rest." He gave me his charming grin, I couldn't resist.

"Okay."

"Perfect!" He sighed in what seemed to be a relief and then pressed his phone to his ears.

I had just agreed to be an acting CEO of a business I knew practically nothing about.

My life was fucked up.