Martin looked at his son and smiled, what did he ever do to deserve him? Henry was everything to him, he didn't know what he would ever do without him. He believed he was an angel sent by God to change his miserable life.
"What Dad? What are you thinking about??" Henry asked Martin.
"What do you mean what? Can't an old man have some peace and quiet?" he asked him with a smile.
"Hahaa very funny!! You do know what I mean, you have that face again. Th-"
"Yeah, the face that's too handsome for an old man. I know," he answered with the biggest grin like a little boy who saw his favorite candy. Henry couldn't help but smile.
"...And what do you mean old!? You're doing injustice to the word old if you keep using it to young people," Henry commented with a serious face. Martin couldn't help but laugh really loud.
"I'm serious!" Henry insisted. Martin looked at him with the biggest grin, that grin that he can't seem to get off his face since Henry came in his life. Indeed Henry was the Angel sent by God.
"Today was your appointment, right? Did you go to see him?" he nervously asked Henry after the laugher died.
"What appointment?" Henry asked as he pretended to write down something on his desk. He knew that was what Martin came to ask. Martin never goes to his office to just chat, although him and Martin are very close but they always separate business with their private life. But he still pretended to not know, he knew what Martin was fearing.
"Um...with the doctor, wasn't it today?"
Henry sighed and put the pen down "It was. And I know that you already spoke to him," he answered as he woke up from the chair on his desk and moved to sit on the couch across Martin. He unbuttoned his suit button to make himself more comfortable before gazing at Martin who was quietly watching him.
"Should I just stop seeing him?" Henry politely asked him.
"W-what!? Why would you do that?" Martin's eyes widened.
"I'm fine living like this, I'm fine without knowing...I-" Henry tried to reason but Martin interrupted him.
"No, I know you want to do that for me but don't. I sometimes get nervous and think of the worst but deep down in my heart I still want what's best for you and I know this is what's best for you. You will never be fine without knowing so don't you ever say that you will stop," Martin told him with a sad smile, looking at his son who had similar expression as his.
Henry put his hand on Martin's and patted him to reassure him everything was going to be okay. Martin smiled lovingly, the gesture was enough for him.
"Ok then, let's get back to work. We have a company to run," Martin said as he abruptly stood. Henry smiled, that was the Martin he knows.
"See you at lunch," he yelled as Martin exits his office.
* * * *
Winnie angrily paced back and forth on her heels, she abruptly stood and glared at the door of her room. She reminisced the event that took place a while ago. She knew her mom was crazy but she didn't know she would seriously lock her in her room and place two bodyguards outside her room. She is beyond crazy!! She thought.
"This is violation of human rights, this is dictatorship!! You can't do this!!!" she angrily yelled as she loudly banged on the closed door.
After few minutes she stopped as she realized what she was doing, she was losing her cool and that was exactly what her mom wanted from her. She wanted her to surrender to her and that was never gonna happen. She had her head held high all that time and there was no way that was going to change that. She walked back to her bed and took a big breath before sitting calmly on the corner of her bed, 'stay calm,' she chanted with her eyes closed. She needed to think straight.
After what felt like years but was just few minutes she heard a knock on her door, she opened her eyes and looked at the door. She smirked. Finally!
She crossed her legs, straightened her back and held her head even higher expecting her mom to enter any second. She rolled her eyes after the door opened and realized it wasn't her mom. She turned her head back to face the window, still holding her head high.
"What do you want??" she asked without looking at him.
"How are you?" Calvin inquired.
"I would have been better if you weren't here!"
"Don't be like that!" Calvin said with a smile trying to get in an angle where he could be face to face with her which Winnie was making it impossible for him, "I promised I would be back today, I wanted to ask you for a date later. What do you say? I was going to ask you yesterday but you didn't seem to be in a good mood."
Winnie scoffed and turned to glare at him, "Do I look like I am in a good mood now? What language should I speak for you to understand? What don-" and then an idea came to her. Right! Why didn't I think of that? She suddenly changed the scoff she had on her face to a smile and her glaring eyes turned to the most loving eyes.
"Katherine will be there. You like Katherine, don't you? She is the one who insisted I bring you. Can't you even come for her?" he pleaded with her, trying to put on a puppy face.
"I would love to...but I'm in some kind of house arrest incase you haven't noticed," she sadly answered as she played with her fingers.
His eyes lit up and he had to put a hand on his lips to prevent himself from squealing like a little girl. 'My puppy eyes must have worked', he smiled.
"I can do something about the house arrest, it won't be a problem, I promise," he answered after he managed to compose himself.
"Really!! Will you do that for me?" she asked with the sweetest voice, pretending to be touched, battling her eyelashes on the process and smiling widely that she could feel the corner of her mouth starting to hurt.
"Of course, anything for you!!" Calvin answered with a smile, happiness clearly all over his face. "So, should I come pick you at 6 p.m? is that good for you?"
"Yap, 6 p.m is good," Winnie smiled.
"Umm if you don't mind, can you also wear the dress I brought you yesterday?" he asked knowing that it's a long shot and there was no way-
"Of couse I should wear that! You went through so much to get that for me, how can I not? I mean there's only ten of those dresses, and five of them are owned by the presidents' daughters. Even the top stars actresses couldn't get their hands on those dress," she answered with a smile. Being a fashion designer she knew her industry, just a glimpse on a dress as she was throwing it yesterday and she knew exactly what it was but her pride couldn't let her even take a proper look at it.
Calvin was taken aback, he thought his heart would burst from beating too fast. He was too happy. Is this really happening? Is Winnie finally opening up to me? He thought as he stared at the girl who was widely smiling in front of him, that smile that he missed for 5 years he was finally seeing it again. At the moment he had no doubt He was the happiest man on earth!!
*******************************************
~9 years ago~
"Hey triplets!" Molly said jokingly as she waved at them.
"Hey Molly," they all said simultaneously.
Molly smiled at them before walking away to her table.
"Aren't you going to sit with your girlfriend?" Calvin asked Michael.
"She is not my girlfriend!" Michael scowled.
"You do know she has a huge crush on you, don't you?" Haroon asked him.
"So?"
"What do you mean so? Molly is like the perfect girlfriend. Every guy in the school is dying to be her boyfriend." Calvin said.
"Well clearly not every guy, cause I'm not." Michael shrugged.
"Playing hard to get now, huh?" Calvin nudged him on the shoulder playfully.
"No, I'm not. It's just...just...I don't feel the same way! She is just not my type"
"Oh no you didn't! Molly is everyone's type! I bet she is even innocent Haroon's type, aren't I right Haroon?"
Haroon's cheeks turned pink, he turned to his pasta to occupy himself.
"See!" Calvin smirked.
"Aww," Michael cooed teasingly, making Haroon blush even more.
"So what's your type?" Calvin asked.
"I don't know, okay. But Molly ain't the one," Michael shrugged.
"Oh you silly Mike!! You'll grow old waiting for the one. You're wasting that pretty face of yours you know," Calvin laughed.
"Or are you...??" Calvin trailed off.
"What??"
"You know..." Calvin winked before his eyes widened dramatically "Wait! Do you like me? Is that why..?"
"Oh gross!!!"
Haroon laughed loudly, they all laughed with him.
"So you don't mind if I ask her out?" Calvin asked Michael.
"Of course, I don't mind at all!" Michael said before he added with a smirk "I just hope this time it will last a month."
"I am betting in two weeks!" Haroon added. They looked at each other and grinned before fist bumping.
Calvin shook his head at both of them. "They get clingy after a week, it's not my fault they don't last," he shrugged.
He added, "Plus I wasn't really thinking of asking her out. I just wanted to see if you'll get jealous."
"We all know that's not true. You were thinking of doing it. And don't worry I'll never get jealous. Maybe Haroon here," Michael said before winking at Haroon.
Haroon's eyes widened, "Why would I get jealous?"
"You do like her, don't you?" Michael asked him.
"N-no," Haroon stuttered.
"Oh come on Haroon, you're literally blushing every time we say her name," Michael said.
"If you like her do tell me and we'll make her yours. It's about time you have your first girlfriend, don't you think?" Calvin told him.
"I did have a girlfriend!" Haroon said defensively.
"Oh please! That nerd in grade three doesn't count. You guys just kissed on the cheek once and that was it." Calvin rolled his eyes.
"We had a date too! She invited me to her house, remember?" Haroon argued.
"Yes, I do remember. To study. You guys studied." Calvin said.
"And talked. We didn't study only. She actually said she liked me." Haroon pouted.
"I would have said I like you too if you helped me with all my homework." Calvin told him.
Michael smiled. "Okay that's enough. Leave Haroon alone!" He told Calvin.
"Anyway, where were we? Oh right Molly. How about we help you to write a letter of confession?" Calvin suggested.
"That's actually a good idea," Michael said.
Haroon's eyes widened in horror, "We are not doing that!"
"Then you want to tell her face to face?" Calvin narrowed his eyes at him.
"NO!!" Haroon shouted, "We are not doing anything. I'm not doing anything. It's just a stupid crush! She'll reject me anyway."
"Hey why would you say that?" Michael scolded him.
"Have some confidence man," Calvin told him.
"Let's face it, why would a girl like Molly wants to be with a guy like me? She'll definitely rejects me. She likes Mike anyway."
"What's wrong with you? You're the nicest guy I know. It'll be her loss if she rejects you. Plus we are not even sure she likes me."
"Speak for yourself. Everyone else in the school is sure," Calvin said.
"You're not helping!" Michael face palmed himself.
Haroon laughed, "It's okay Mike. I don't even like her that much. Now let's forget her and finish our lunch."