Tangled

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

"I must say it's nice to see you again my friend" Richard Tanner said giving his childhood friend Fredrick Cordell a hearty hug as he spoke with a wide smile.

"It's really good to see you too" Fredrick confirmed as he returned Richard's hug after which he made himself comfortable on one of the sofas in the enormous living room of the Tanners.

The house itself was a mansion, so to say the least the sitting room was spacious enough to hold a gala, if one was to be held in it. On  each side of the room  was a stair case that leads to the other part of the mansion. The room was adorned with flowers carefully structured at each angle of the room.

The room was painted white with a touch of blue. On its walls were frame of family pictures, artistic paintings of high value. In the middle of the room was a centre glass table right below the chandelier above it .Sofas and cushions of beautiful diverse colours were arranged orderly as if it was a palace. The room was perfect for a man of great standards he was. Beautiful would rather be an understatement.

"So, tell me my friend how does it feel to be finally retired as a business man for so many years" Fredrick asked looking nat his friend.

Richard holds up one of his hand to disagree with his friend. "Am not retired yet, just on vacation due to my health condition"

"You keep telling yourself that" Fredrick couldn't help but laugh at his friend's objection.

"I must say it definitely feels different, no more early morning, late nights and of course I miss the ladies" Richard admitted with  his last four words in a whisper for his wife not to hear him rant about how unfaithful he had been over the years of their long marriage.

To his confession, his friend raised a brow

"I see your wife now has a close look on you more than before" Fredrick smirked.

"Speak of the devil" Richard announced quietly low enough for his friend to hear but definitely not loud enough for his wife to make out as she descended from the stairs to join them in the living room.

"What a pleasant surprise to see you Fredrick" Rebekah Tanner smiled looking at her husband's friend as she joined them in the living room.

"Yeah, it's good to see you too Rebekah" Fredrick puts in returning a smile as well as he stood up to give her a hug and a peck on the cheek before he sat right back next to Richard.

"But you didn't say you were coming, we would have loved to have you over for dinner" Rebekah mentioned

"Yeah, I didn't see the need to, I wanted to surprise both of you seeing am a busy man I rarely have time to visit. What more to visit an old friend"

"Am sure you really achieved your objective then" Rebekah replied laughing which got the two men laughing as well.

"Would you stay for dinner, am sure your friend would love that, besides you and I have alot of catching up to do" Rebekah requested persuading him, looking at her husband for help in the quest.

"I think I should be able to, seeing it's a Friday night. Why not?" Fredrick retorted looking at both parties one after the other

"I see it's decided then" Rebekah concluded bringing her hand together as a form of a deal sign.

"I guess it is" Richard finally spoke up. Which was Rebekah's cue to leave the two friends to catch up, which she did after excusing herself to take her leave as she had some matters to attend to.

"I see your son finally met my daughter Natasha" Fredrick  said few minutes Rebekah took her leave.

"I made sure of it, they were even in the news" Richard said with. a cryptic smile on his face which only meant he had planned it.

"Yeah, I saw it. I meant I saw them kissing in the newspaper" Fredrick pointed out objectively.

"I told you they would hit it off, didn't I"

"Yeah, you did...but Natasha is not really happy about the turns of event, she said the kiss was a mistake. It was not supposed to happen." Fredrick said looking at his friend for some form of approval or something to say that he was surprised as well but none of that came instead he looked relaxed and not bothered at all. As if he was happy that it happened the way it did.

"How the did press even get that part? Fredrick pressed on further talking about the picture that was taken.

" I did that, I had someone tip them about it. But I sure didn't have any part to play with the kiss my son and your daughter shared" Richard admitted grinning feeling good about it.

"You know that wasn't part of the plan" Fredrick objected " the plan was to make them met and probably met after that because they liked each other not to make their private life public to the world " Fredrick went on.

"We are business men here my Friend. Popular and well respected one at that,  there is no how our lives won't be made public most  especially since we are treated like celebrities much less our children." Richard said in defence.

"You shouldn't have done that, you know how Natasha hates publicity and all" Fredrick said in defence of his daughter.

"There is nothing to worry about, besides the paparazzi only gave them a little push... Now ladies would know that he is committed to someone"

"Let's hope they think that" Fredrick replied defiantly.

"My son will get married to your daughter, you will see" Richard assured his friend with a pat on his back.

What a weak assurance to give his friend when he knew his son's heart belonged to another.

But who says he had to love Natasha before he marries her.

He needed to get them married and he was hell bent on making it happen. His son won't cost him all he has worked so hard for.

He won't.

He needed another strategy to get him to meet Natasha again.

He smiled as another idea popped into his head.

What a brilliant idea it was.

"Why are you grinning like that" Fredrick asked clearly confused to what was so amusing that got his friend smiling.

"Nothing, just thought of something funny that happened sometimes ago" Richard lied as he wasn't planning on involving his friend with his new made idea.

"So tell me,  what have been going on with you lately my friend?" He said instead before his friend could press him on about what it was. Richard asked bruising through his thoughts to get back to them some other time.

Fredrick shook his head "Now, we were talking about you missing the ladies " Fredrick interjected with a knowing look.

Yes they were. Richard agreed subconsciously.

Thanks for reading, don't forget to vote and leave a comment.

What do you guys think Alex father was talking about? About not allowing his son to cost him all that he had worked hard for. What do you think he means by that?

Leave a comment to let me know what you think.