Alaric's POV
In my entire twenty seven years of existence, never had I been humiliated and embarrassed by anyone the way Mia North did that day at the hospital. Not being a hypocrite about it, but I was positive if it were me, I'd do the same or maybe even worse. I wasn't surprised at her lash, I already perceived her to be a spitfire. I simply let her have her way with me not because I was powerless, I understood the pain she was going through and let's face it, I was responsible for it.
Her hatred for me was pretty evident which didn't bother me the least for now we were in the same boat, paddling on the same wave of emotions. But forbidding me from seeing her little brother for a misfortune I caused was like preventing a toddler from taking a free candy. It wasn't possible.
The day at the hospital when I was speaking to her father, I knew without doubt her eyes were fixed on us. After all, that was what I wanted. She was in a state of pique at her dad for not pressing charges at me. I was shocked by that gesture from her father. It was something I never expected to happen, for a person to be so forgiving.
That drove my instincts to unfathomable places and determination marked on me as I decided to make things right with Jay. He was such a sweet little boy. I understood Mia's tantrum. I had intended on making him forget the struggle the accident had brought upon him whether Mia Spitfire agreed or not.
I had made it a plan to see him at least twice every week. That was every Tuesday and Fridays. Regardless of my business schedule. I'd have them postponed or cancelled.
A chuckle escaped my mouth when she tripped and fell in an attempt to storm at me yesterday. I'd personally not enjoyed this week due to its occurrences but that was one particular scene I would have replay in my head for all eternity.
I paused at the foot of their apartment, contemplating on whether I should go inside or just skid away. I'd never been good with kids and regardless of Jay's friendly personality, I could never predict his actual feelings for me. Mr North had been nice to me. He, I believed lived in the bubble of modesty and goodwill. I took in a deep breath and came out of my car. The part of me that wanted to drive away was so pressing in my veins. Other than the showcase of feeling contrite, and wanting to keep Jay on the happy side, I found no pleasure in befriending this family. I guess this was me practicing the concept of doing what was right. I'd been here twice, this would be the third time of me visiting. After a few minutes of courteous pleasantries, the atmosphere would be awkward and I would start to regret showing my face here.
This time around I prayed spitfire would be around. That would create a more hippy scene to the boring ones that was always exhibited. I pressed on the doorbell. The door bulged open and there she was, the caretaker of the house. Leigh Anne. Not exactly the female I was anticipating to see though.
"Mr Starvnos. What a pleasant surprise." She greeted, and stood out of the way.
"Leigh Anne. Good day." I responded and allowed my steps into the living room.
"Alaric!" Jay's eyes flashed at the sight of me. I was a little taken aback by the reaction. "I'm so glad you are here." He limped to me and I went forth to aid him.
"Mr North." I said bowed slightly and gave him a decent smile.
"Alaric, welcome. Jay is really happy to see you. You have no idea." He dilated his pupils at me.
"Yes, I didn't think you'd come again." Jay said.
"Of course I would. You're my pal now. I shuffled through his hair. "What do you say we go out to the park. We could get some ice cream. That's if you're up to it." That wasn't what I intended but I guess I softened up at his jolly reaction when he saw me.
"Yes! I'm in for it." He flashed his teeth widely at me.
"Jay, are you sure about this?" Mr North asked, giving a disapproving look.
"Yes Papa. I can go. I've been in the house for so long." He said in a bored undertone.
The hesitation in Mr North's eyes didn't fade away and I perfectly understood. It was normal for him to have that attitude. You can't trust the man who ran into your son to drive him around.
"Sure, but please return him home in an hour." He averted his gaze at me.
"Yes papa. We'll be back at six." He rolled his eyes at him then turned to me. I nodded at Mr North. Steadily, I helped into the car. Six huh? By then spitfire would have arrived, hopefully, that would be a delightful scene for the two of us. She was starting to get into my head but damn and double damn, it was for reason I liked.
We got to the park within thirty minutes. It wasn't really crowded as it would be. Not that I'd ever come here but the place is pretty conspicuous for a man who used this direction often. This would be the first time I'd ever come here. It wouldn't hurt to get to know Jay a little more. I spotted an ice cream truck and we went forth to it. He chose his favourite flavour then proceeded to an empty rock bench.
"Jay, I hope you know how sorry I am for...." I gestured to his broken leg. I was sincere about that. It was hard walking in crouches but harder knowing you were missing out on your everyday life activities. School, leisure time with friends and all that.
"Oh yeah. it's okay. Bad things happen to everyone at some point. And this isn't something I can't recover from. It's only Mia. She's the one making a big fuss about it. She just doesn't like you." He took a frosty bite of the ice cream cone.
"Oh yeah, she doesn't." A nonchalant laughter appeared from my throat.
"Don't pay attention to her. If it were Alan, she would have let it go. I know her."
"No doubt about it that, Junior." I had to admit this, the atmosphere was quite serene and I enjoyed that.I appreciated spending time with Jay but talking about Mia wasn't what I expected our day together to encompass.
"She hates you because you fired her, you know."
A sharp pang of disturbance pierced through me for one reason. The fact that Jay knew about that. "She told you huh?"
"Yes. I didn't see that to be a big deal. I told her if you've fired you, just call Alan. You know they're dating, right? But she didn't and now she's working with Clayton's." A disgusted look settled on in his face at the last word. it made me wonder what Clayton's was.
"So why do you think she failed to inform Alan?" My interest bubbled up. I'd always wanted to know why Mia didn't inform Alan when I fired her.
"I don't know. Mia always liked to believe she's the queen of independence and strength. Ever since our mother died and our father got diagnosed of his disease, she worked different jobs. She even quit college so that I could go to school. She's my hero you know. She's a role model too. Even though I help her a lot of times."
"Oh really how?" I laughed at his self imposed glory.
"Oh, like when she got the job at Starvnos. I saw the vacancy in some newspaper and told her about it. I thought she wouldn't go because your company is in the big leagues. But she did. It was a dream come true for her. She's always wanted to work for your company. Then miraculously when she got hired by Alan, our lives changed. We moved out of our old place, through the__"
"Where were you living at first?" I cut him off.
"In some basement of some hotel. It was a miracle when we moved out. I used to get laughed at and bullied about where I lived in school. Some agency found us and made that possible." His hands brushed the surface of the crouches.
"What agency?"
"Umm..Charity and Love agency. A man named Mr Berns told me they changed lives and they were going to change ours too. Mia knows the full story. I don't even know how they found we were poor." He giggled as his head levelled to the ground. "She is the best person to tell you the full story but she hates you."
I snickered. "I see. So you guys had no idea about the agency and who they were."
"No I don't think so. Mia did say she met Mr Berns at the hospital when my father was admitted. I don't know what ensued between them but she looked shocked when Mr Berns said we were moving into a new apartment. You should have seen her face. She was like, Jayden pinch me."
I sat in silence as the whole thing one way or the other started making sense. I knew Alan was the one who was spending on her but I never thought he used the Charity and Love agency as decoy. And who the hell is Mr Berns?
All this time, I saw her to be a thirsty gold digger. A slut who was with my brother just for his money. The maltreatment and every knife I threw her way was because I thought she was a leech. A larger blanket of regret hovered over me and I slammed my hands across my face. Dammit.
For the rest of the ride home, I was strangled with heart-renting thoughts. My perception on her was one I didn't think twice about. We got back to their house, as soon as we got to her door, her voice waa the first sound I heard.
"Papa, how could you let Jay...?"
"Mia.... Mr North's voice followed.
"Oh oh, trouble in paradise." Jay whispered to me as he pressed the doorbell.
"Jay, Thank God." She pulled him into a hug like he'd just been found after years of been held in captivity. "Why were you with him? Have you forgotten you almost died because of him?" She asked non-stop, not giving a damn that I was stranding three inches away from her. Her face was laced with bitterness at Jay.
"Stop it! I said I'm fine. I'm home, aren't I." Jay slipped past her and turned to me. "Alaric thank you. I had a great time. We should definitely do this again." He said but I caught onto his act. He was just trying to piss off his sister.
"You got that right, champ." I winked at him.
"Alaric, do you have wax blocking your eardrum. Are you too deaf or is it that you're too stupid to understand simple English words. I said I don't want you around Jay. How hard is that?" She attacked when the door was slammed shut, hiding the rest of the view on her family.
I stared at her like I'd been glitched for a minute. At the start of the day, I had already thought of what to say to her if she came off so strong headed and rude but after what Jay had told me, I was tongue tied. This family was starting to make me feel soft, feeble emotions that I forbid to never let slip through me.
"Mia."
"The next time I see you anywhere near him. I don't care what my father said about about letting go and forgiveness, I will personally press charges against you."
With that been said, she disappeared into the insides of the room, leaving me in my suit of penitence.
Chapter's done. Don't forget to like, share to your friends and comment. Thank you my loves.