"Hey can I ask you something?" Dylan said when he walked into Alex's room the next morning. He frowned when he saw Alex packing clothes in a bag.
"Yeah, what's up?"
"First up why are you packing? I thought you like hanging around the house and town rich and unemployed." Dylan said and grin from ear to ear.
"I have been given extra credit and time so I'm going back to finish my exams." Alex said.
"Mother's prayers have been answered. Her baby is going back to university." Dylan said and clapped his hands.
Alex chuckled softly. "Hey you said you wanted to ask me something."
"Oh yeah, so, Walter said your friend Jason have a whole volume of bronze DC comic books can you tell him to sell it to us. We will pay him good money for it."
Alex laughed softly and said. "You and Walter are smooth operators. Look, Jason, like you and Walt are a comic book fanatic. I don't think his going to sell."
"The magic word here is negotiate. You're their king Alex and they are your subjects. Jason will listen to you and besides I will cut you in on the deal brother."
"I am not their king and they are not my subjects. I don't know Dee, it is going to be hard to convince Jason."
"Jason is a grown ass man I don't see the need for him to keep the comic books. Walt and I need it for our new comic book shop. Its going to be part of our main attraction. We need it to market our business."
"So you were really serious about opening a comic book shop?" Alex asked surprised.
"Hell yeah. Marvel and DC movies and TV shows are dominating the world right now. This town need its own comic book shop and Walt and I will be the first to open our doors. You have no idea how many supporters we have so far and people who are interested."
"Okay, I will have a talk with Jason before I leave. If I can't get him to sell them all I might get him to sell you a few just have your money ready." Alex said.
"I'll take that. Oh man! I can't wait to tell Walter. Dad said he got me the place but before I can get it I need to pay a deposit of 20 000 dollars first so Walt and I are going half, half on the payment. What can I say, Dad is my hero."
Alex closed his eyes for a minute when he heard Dylan's last words. Dad was his hero too but even heroes can disappoint you and that's something Dylan will find out someday but he was happy for his brother and he will do his part to help him.
"You can always help with the deposit. I can make you a silent partner in our business." Dylan said and smiled mischievously.
"First of all I don't trust that smile and secondly no thank you little brother. I like comics but I'm not a true fan like you." Alex said.
"How a man can choose to read and study science books over comic books is beyond me." Dylan said and made a face.
"Hey what is the world without science." Alex said and ruffled his hair playfully.
"Hey man careful with the hairdo. This is perfection." Dylan said.
Alex laughed softly. "Help me pack see it as your payment for me negotiating comic books for you.
...
Damon felt small fingers poking his nose followed by soft giggles. He opened one eye just in time to see Caden's hand going for his nose again.
"Got you!" he said to the little cutie and scoop him up in his arms. Aiden came quickly to his brother's aid and together the two wrestled their dad back on the bed.
"Okay you win. You win daddy gives up." Damon said and peppered their faces with kisses.
Bonnie came out of the shower fully dressed. She looked at him and said. "I have to go. Stella called she's hysterical and I could not make out what she was saying over the phone."
Damon rolled his eyes. "When is Stella not hysterical. You cant go now what about my breakfast in bed sweetheart?"
Bonnie laughed softly. "Get your behind out of bed and make your own damn breakfast."
"I was talking about the other breakfast. The kind of breakfast where my ass is in bed and your spread out wide under me." Damon said and smirked.
"Ass." Aiden repeated the word and giggled shyly.
"Ass, ass." Caden said. The two cuties cried out in laughter.
"Damon see what you started now?" Bonnie said and glared at him.
Damon smiled mischievously. "Oh that's nothing Babe just listen to their next word. Okay boys say fuck, for daddy." The cuties wasted no time repeating the word and laughed with their dad.
"Damon are you out of your mind! You can't teach them words like that what if they say it in front of their teacher or friends." Bonnie said but Damon just laughed harder.
"I'm coming back for you Damon." Bonnie said and hit him with a pillow. "Mommy's got to go. Love you." Bonnie said to the twins and gave them each a kiss on the cheek and on their wet little mouths.
"Bye mommy! Bye mommy! Love you." The twins called out.
Bonnie kissed Damon on the cheek before grabbing her phone from her night stand. "See later." She said and walked to the door.
"Be careful Babe and keep your phone on." Damon called out after her.
ML Wedding Dress Boutique
Stella was in a state when Bonnie got there. Yelling and cursing and in tears. The staff were hurdled up on one side of the room too afraid to make a sound. Caroline and Kate were trying their best to calm Stella down.
"Hey, what the hell is wrong? Stella are you okay?" Bonnie asked with a concerned look on her face.
"This is bad Bon, somebody painted Stella's wedding dress with black paint." Caroline said with a pale face.
"What!?"
"One of the sale ladies called Stella early this morning to tell her. When the lady opened the shop this morning she found Stella's dress hanging here in the middle of the room covered in black paint. The police just left they suspect it must have happened last night. They took the camera recordings to check the video footage on it maybe it can show who was responsible for this vile hideous act." Kate said softly.
Bonnie walked over to Stella who was now sitting in a corner sobbing softly. "Stel listen to me we are going to find out who did this and they will pay for it." Bonnie said with a determined look.
Stella just nodded her head unable to speak. She clutched Bonnie's hand tightly.
Bonnie took a seat next to Stella her eyes now on the ruined dress ... And there Stella's dress hanged in the middle of the room. What was once a beautiful elegant dress was now a black dry ugly mess. The whole dress was covered in black paint. The beautiful garment with its rare expensive material was ruined for good. There was no way to remove the paint from the dress without ruining it.
"Where's your manager?" Bonnie asked one of the sale ladies.
"She fainted after seeing the dress this morning. Her husband took her home Mrs Salvatore." The poor girl said in a frightened little voice.
"Are the police done here dusting for finger prints and so?" Bonnie asked the same lady.
"Yes they are done Mrs Salvatore." The lady said softly.
Bonnie then turned to Stella and said. "Stel you need fresh air there is nothing we can do here. Its in the hands of the police." Bonnie said and helped a weak Stella up to her feet. Stella hanged onto Bonnie as they're walking out.
The Salvatore Home
Kenzie and Zoe were sitting at the breakfast table when Kenzie suddenly gasped out loud.
"What? What is it?" Zoe asked wide eyed.
"Oh M Gee!" Kenzie said excited. "Stella's wedding dress is trending all over the social page of Mystique Lake and not for a good reason. Bloody hell someone dipped it in black paint! Look!" Kenzie said with wide eyes.
Kenzie showed a shock Zoe the pic of Stella's ruined dress. Zoe gasped out loud when she saw it. "How can someone do such a thing." Zoe said in shock.
Dylan came in and walked to the fridge. "Why do you have a phone Kenz? Didn't dad took your phone from you. You are not allowed to have a phone when you are on lockdown." Dylan said to her.
"A person like me who is always in high demand can never go without a phone. Period." Kenzie said and smiled sweetly at him.
"You do know dad is only going to add more weeks to your sentence when he finds out about that phone." Dylan said.
"I feel so sorry for aunt Stella. She searched hard for her perfect dress. I hope they find the one responsible for doing this." Zoe said.
"Stella will find another dress I mean its not like she's getting married for the first time." Kenzie said nonchalantly.
Dylan chuckled. "Walter and I came up with a perfect idea. We want to put aunt Stella's dress on display in our comic book shop. I know it will attract a lot of people."
Zoe gasped out loud. "You can't do something like that Dylan. That's just wrong."
"I think Dylan and Walter got something I mean look at the thousand views and hundreds of comments streaming in over Stella's dress. People will want to see it." Kenzie said excited.
"See? Kenzie gets it." Dylan said to Zoe.
"We are talking about a person's feelings here who happens to be one of mom's best friends. She feels humiliated and hurt enough. There is no need to display her pain in public. How will you feel when someone does that to you? That was once a beautiful dress that aunt Stella looked forward to wear on her big day so think about that." Zoe said to them.
"Well Toffee one man's misfortune are the other man's fortune think about that. Its all about the business baby." Dylan said and ruffled her curls.
"Amen to that." Kenzie said. She quickly hid her phone under the table when her dad walked in with the twins. "Hey dad sleep well?" Kenzie said with a cheery smile.
"Slept like a new-born baby Kiddo can you watch your brothers for me I need to speak with Dylan and Zoe in my study."
"Yeah sure. I'm going to take them up to my room." Kenz said and quickly hid the phone in the back pocket of her jean.
"Who is in trouble me or Zoe? It can't be Zoe right because she just won a gold medal so it has to be me. Its always me. Did mom find my porn mags again? Geez when will your woman stop snooping around in my room. You need to talk to her." Dylan said to his dad and smiled nervously.
"I'm going to ignore what you just said Buddy. I have a boring fishing trip with your uncle and friends so I do not have all day." Damon said.
"I'm just saying so that I can figure out my options what to say, how to say it, when to cry and when its time to make a run for it. I have saved up enough money to take the road dad and not to mention the Salvatore diamonds can I get my cut now before I hit the road." Dylan said as his following his dad and Zoe to the study.
...
Damon closed the study door behind them and walked to his desk. He picked up two files from his desk and handed it to Dylan.
"Files with a lot of papers in them and a lot of words on the papers." Dylan said and chuckled nervously. "What is this dad?"
"That my son is for you and Walter. Its a Commercial Lease Agreement. Its a contract between the landlord and business for the rental of property. In your case you choose to rent property instead of buying it because it requires less capital."
"Dad I know what a Commercial Lease Agreement is."
"Good, so then you know before signing a commercial lease agreement that it is very important to understand the lease terms that define the rights and responsibilities of each party."
"Yeah, where's your pen I'll sign it right here and now!" Dylan said exited.
"Dylan you should read it first." Zoe said.
"Your sister is right Dylan. You and Walter should read it carefully before signing it. That's the number one major rule in life don't sign anything if you haven't read it. Setting up business for the first time is hard work and a lot of paper work take it from me."
Dylan nodded his head. "Okay dad I will read it and then come back to you. Geez I'm so excited my dream is finally coming true! Where is the place that Walt and I are going to lease for our comic book shop?"
Damon smirked and said. "Its in the main road next to Aunt May's flower shop."
"Are you for real dad?" Dylan called out excited.
"That is great Dylan I am so happy for you brother." Zoe said and gave her brother a tight hug.
"Thanks Toffee and I'm sorry but your little flower shop its going down." Dylan said and hugged her again.
Zoe laughed happily and said. "Competition are always good for business and I wouldn't want it any other way."
"You can go Buddy we are done here." Damon said and smiled when he watched his son walk out.
Zoe turned to her dad and said playfully. "Is there a contract for me to sign?"
Damon smiled sadly at her and shook his head no. "This is about Aslan, Princess."
Zoe swallowed hard. "What about Aslan daddy?"
"I made the arrangements for him to leave in two days." Damon said softly. "We can't keep him with us forever. He needs to be with his own kind Princess."
Zoe's eyes started to tear up. "Where are you sending him?"
"Timbavati is a private game reserve in South Africa. He will be safe there Zoe and well protected. Its a safe haven for lions like him."
"So Aslan will be on display again." Zoe said with a sad face and tears in her eyes.
Damon walked to her and put his arms around her. "Princess the people of Timbavati see Aslan and his kind as holy creatures. The Timbavati tribe have been protecting these animals for many years. I know you love him and you want to keep him but he is a predator. He needs to hunt and defend himself and if we keep him here we will take that from him what he was born to do. I mean don't you want Aslan to have little cubs of his own one day." Damon said and kissed her softly on her head.
"Can I please go now daddy?" Zoe whispered in a broken little voice.
Damon sigh softly and let go of her. "I'm sorry Princess. We both knew this day was coming."
"I know daddy." Zoe said softly. Aslan was waiting for her outside the door when she came out. She dropped down on her knees and put her arms around him. She sobbed softly in his soft furry neck.
...