Monochrome

Harley woke up extra early the next day for his and Renee's 'secret' rendezvous at the Cahill playroom at the first floor of the mansion. The playroom didn't contain many toys now as no one used it anymore. Though it was well-maintained as the bright blue paint on the walls wasn't worn out yet and seemed as it was recently retouched with a new coat and the plywood floorboards seemed as it was just recently waxed, there were no toys there anymore. Only empty shelves where the stuffed toys presumably resided at one point in time and old drawing books at the far end of the room remained.

"Good morning, Harley," Renee greeted in a crisp tone the next day. She was dressed in an elegant white Chanel suit and pearls adorned as the lapels of the jacket as substitute for buttons. She was holding a small white calling card.

"Good morning Renee," Harley greeted in a nonchalant manner. "What have you got?"

"A calling card," she replied, twirling the card around her fingers, "from someone very important."

He released a snort and rolled his eyes. "Cut to the chase Renee."

"You sound like we don't know each other and are just acquaintances."

Ian Kabra's son shook his head and extended his arm for the calling card. Renee willfully handed it to him but tightened her grip when he was just about to retrieve it from her hand.

"I'll give you this. On one condition," the woman before him said casually. Harley raised a perfectly-shaped brow at her comment and gave her a wave that signaled her to go on.

"You will grant me whatever favor I ask of you in the future, any favor."

He smiled. "Depends on what the favor is honey."

Ian Kabra's son took a look at the calling card.

"The girl works for the same law firm as my father does?" he asked in astonishment.

"Why do you think it was so easy of me to get that calling card?" Renee said with a smug smile.

-x-

"Hello?" Penelope Covent answered her desk phone. She looked at her nails for the umpteenth time this morning. Her 'boss' didn't really leave anything for her to do because after all, he really didn't want her as his secretary. All he wanted to do right now was to get rid of her. She had been given the desk Ian's former secretary used to reside in. Apparently, the guy had a fondness for cotton buds because the drawers were full of it. Her predecessor most likely forgot to clear those out or decided to leave them there.

Well, she wasn't having any of it. She was going to make his life miserable as much as possible. And anyway, it wouldn't cost her as much as it would cost him. Plus, it was also a way of her getting back at one Jake Rosenbloom.

"This is Harley Kabra," the person on the line introduced himself.

Another Kabra. This day just keeps getting better and better.

"And may I know what your—

"I am his son," the masculine voice on the other end sounded impatient. "But I'm not here to cause you any inconvenience. Quite the contrary actually."

"Pardon me, a woman by the name of Renee—

"Yes, of course, that's my cousin," the man replied. "And I am aware that she had told you that a person would come and talk to you?"

"Right, so you're that guy."

"Yep, I would like you to come to this specific address at this specific time and—

She smiled as the man continued on. She liked what Harley was getting to. When he had finished speaking, he asked, "Are you up for it? I was told that we had a common interest."

"Of course," she said with a wide smile.

-x-

"I didn't know you liked gardens," said Amy as she strode towards Ian in the Cahill mansion's perfectly manicured backyard. Tulips and roses grew all around the green, lush garden. The grass was still wet of the morning's dew and the sun wasn't so hot yet. Apple trees thrived in the southwest end of the garden and butterflies fluttered from plant to plant.

"Well, I don't like like them as some people do but you know, it's nice to enjoy them once in a while," he replied while he cut the leaves off some of the bushes to help them retain their shape. He couldn't really sleep and he had decided, after a few more hours of tossing and turning about, that he wouldn't get any sleep and voted upon himself that he find something productive to do.

Amy was still in her sleepwear when she appeared in the garden.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" she had asked with a smile.

"No, actually, not yet," he put down the gardening shears and subconsciously felt at his stomach. His Oxford pants were a bit stained from the soil.

"Well then, put down those shears and let the gardeners do their job," the woman before him said with a cheerful smile. She grabbed his hand, a move that she certainly wasn't expecting for her to strike, and dragged him towards the mansion.

"Wow, you're awfully chipper today," he commented on her mood. He didn't bother comment on her holding his hand though. He liked it and why ruin something you like, especially if you're not sure if you're going to experience it again.

They traversed through several hallways before reaching the room in which they'll be holding the breakfast buffet.

As they neared the doors, she had abruptly let go of his hand. It disappointed him but it was expected. She was still married to him after all.

The room they were in was high-ceilinged and spacious. It looked like a dance studio that was converted into a dining hall. Several large bay windows in the room allowed large amounts of the morning light to filter in. Kitchen staff came and went, serving plates full of various delectable breakfast dishes and the Cahills' chatter bounced off the dome-like ceiling.

"Come on," Amy gestured for him to follow her to the buffet table. They each grabbed a plate and after fifteen minutes, their plate was already covered with pancakes, muffins, bagels, and bacon.

They had taken a seat next to Amy's husband, Jake, who looked like he also didn't get much sleep last night.

"Good morning," they greeted each other curtly. Jake's wife put a hand on his back and had asked him what was wrong but he waved her away with a practiced smile and assured her that nothing was.

-x-

"Harley," greeted Renee as she took a seat beside him in one of the secluded corners of the area.

"Renee," he greeted back, feeling peeved that his cousin had decided to sit with him.

"Did you call her?"

"Yes."

"Did she agree?"

"Yes."

She smiled as she took the first bite out of her pancake.

-x-

"Where's Renee?" asked Dan as he searched the room for his daughter.

"Oh, come on, Dan, it's not like she got lost or something," groaned Natalie matter-of-factly. "And besides, it's not uncommon that she decides to not sit with us. You know how she is."

"Sure, she could be mad at us all the time but this is getting to a point where I'm feeling offended," the former ninja-loving man gritted out.

"Honey, leave it as it is," whined his wife. "She'll get over it."

When they finally succeeded in pushing past several people, the couple saw their daughter sitting with the son of Ian Kabra.

"I can't believe she still has that infatuation over my brother's son," said Natalie in astonishment. "Aren't they cousins or something?"

"Yeah well, cutesy time is over." Dan strode over to where his daughter sat beside Harley.

"Good morning, Harley, were you and my daughter doing something important?" he asked in a paternal tone.

"Not really," said the younger man calmly as he sliced a piece of pancake.

"Okay then might I snatch her away?"

"As you wish."

His daughter looked at him in mild irritation.

"Dad, what are you doing?" his daughter half-screamed.

"You, I know you are going through a prolonged rebellious state but please, just please, sit with us during meals?" Dan nearly begged.

"Fine," his daughter harrumphed. She had more interesting matters at hand anyway. And this was a small price to pay.

-x-

Ian had immediately gone back to gardening right after he had finished his breakfast. He didn't like the uncomfortable air that had settled between the three of them when he had sat down on that table.

Unbeknownst to most people, he had always liked gardening. He recalled his mother catching him with a pair of shears one time when he still lived in the Kabra mansion. He cut leaves until he felt the sun turning orange and shining directly at his back. When the sun had set, he went inside the mansion and had returned the shears into the toolbox he had borrowed from the gardeners and promptly returned the box to them.

He then went to his room to get dressed for the dinner ball that was going to be held in the premises tonight. He had taken the liberty to have a light shower first so as to not smell like sweat when he gets there before getting in his white tuxedo.

He sprayed on a bit of cologne and slicked his hair back. He fully intended to have more than one dance with Amy tonight. And he won't go back to his quarters until she gave him his dance.

-x-

The ballroom was abuzz with Cahills in nice dresses and suits. Each of them had a champagne glass in hand. They were either laughing or discussing matters in a whisper. The ballroom itself, aside from its inhabitants, was also exquisitely decorated. Crystal chandeliers hung on the ceilings and waiters dressed in standard waiter uniform went around handing hors d'oeuvres and champagne. Moonlight filtered in from the large bay windows in the room.

The women all looked radiant and the men all looked dashing in their best. But there was one woman who stood out.

Dressed in a green single-strapped dress that reached down to her feet with pearls adorning the midsection, Amy Cahill smiled and waved at him to come closer.

"My, you look quite beautiful tonight," Ian Kabra said in a sultry tone.

"Oh please, stop being a charmer. All the world knows how many women you've hooked with that same line" the woman retorted.

The Brit put his hands up in mock capitulation.

They heard someone cough behind them and saw Jake Rosenbloom, dressed in a black tuxedo with his hair gelled up into a shark-like look. He looked sharp in his get-up and that irked Ian. That meant that he had a competitor for Amy's attention. Why didn't he expect that already? He always had to compete with her husband anyway.

He was busy taking a swig of his champagne when a tall woman who seemed like a non-Cahill tapped the microphone two times.

"Hey everyone, I know that most of you probably haven't seen me before," the woman started, drawing the room's entire attention to the podium where she was about to make a speech. Ian's and Jake's eyes widened simultaneously. There on the podium stood a tall woman with flowing black hair and piercing eyes.

Jake's throat suddenly felt dry.

Ian suppressed a surprised cough.

It was Penelope Covent.

Disclaimer: I don't own the 39 Clues or anything associated with it.