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The puppies had been named. They were Chase, Rubble and Skye, named after Kiara, Lucas and River's favourite PAW Patrol characters respectively. Mateo had a good laugh about it until George and Davis also piped in on the PAW patrol discussion.
Mateo had walked out of the room saying, "I can't believe I leave my kids to you!"
Chase was the first born of the litter of seven, Skye was the foodie and Rubble was the shy one, just like how Kiara was around strangers.
One month had passed, and nothing much had changed, except the kids went back to school, two more bodyguards – Steve and Robin – added for extra protection and River went back to the hospital though she blasted Mateo off when he suggested extra security for her.
Mateo knew that she didn't need anyone to protect her but he was a paranoid boyfriend and father, because he had seen too much of the Mafia world and did not want his family to get even a glimpse of it. He knew it was inevitable but he wanted them away and safe from it as long as possible.
River was busy going through YouTube shorts when the app stopped on its own. She didn't think much of it at first but then random things started popping up on the screen. She looked up from her phone, her eyes narrowed.
"Lia..."
"Hmmm??" The answer was right there in that extra sugary hmm...
"What do you think you are doing?" River asked, shaking her phone.
Michelia put her laptop down with the widest smile on her face. "Didn't you just see what I did? I hacked into your device without any prior info on it, just by being close to it."
"I can see that." River was impressed. "It takes me a bug to get into other devices."
"Not anymore." Michelia smiled widely. "Come here, I will teach you." She patted the spot next to her.
River shook her head laughing as she got up from her seat and walked over to her.
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"What is that supposed to mean?" Jacqueline was running out of patience as she talked to her best friend's bodyguard. "Listen Mr. Bodyguard, I am Mrs. Adesso's best friend and she gave me your number telling me that I just have to contact you whenever I feel like meeting her, so all you gotta do is come pick me up."
"I don't think that's that easy, ma'am." Victor was simply following orders but he was not particularly liking this woman either.
"Okay, make a call to River then." She said. "She will tell you what to do."
Victor rolled his eyes, realizing that there was no use talking to her – she wouldn't back off until the doctor herself told her that they could not meet up.
"Alright." He said and hung up immediately, not waiting for her reply.
Jacqueline looked at her phone disbelievingly. "I think I just talked to the rudest person on the planet! How the hell does River tolerate him?"
Victor dialled River's number as he thought how such a disciplined person like Dr. River Johnson ended up with a woman who talked less and screamed way more.
"Hey Victor, sup?" River picked up the phone on the second ring.
"Hello Mrs. Adesso, I am calling you about your friend. She said she wants to meet you." He said, his voice shifting to his usual professional as soon as he heard his boss wife's voice.
"Who? Jacqueline?" River was excited at once. They had only seen each other once in the last two weeks because they had shifts at completely different times. Michelia and River both were bored out of their wits at home, and River thought it would be great to have Jacqueline over, so that she could introduce her to Michelia as well. "Is she coming over?"
"Um... She said she wanted to, Mrs. Adesso."
"Dr. Johnson." River corrected him and then continued. "So what's the problem? Bring her over."
Victor paused for a moment before clearing his throat.
"Do you think it's a good idea ma'am?"
It was River's turn to pause. "What do you mean? Why isn't it a good idea to have my best friend over?"
"I am just asking for security sake that-"
"Okay, I get that Victor." River spoke after taking a deep breath. "I get that you are just worried about the overall security and are just following whatever protocol your stup-... Capo has come up with," Michelia let out a snort as River bit her tongue and winked at her. "- but this is my best friend and legal guardian and I am very much sure that she would not be the cause of any kind of danger on any of us."
"Alright ma'am." With that, he hung up and let out a deep breath. How the hell was he supposed to call that woman back and tell her that he was wrong and she would be taken to her best friend as she had wanted?
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