Roberto Part 8
"Why are we going to a party?" I tried to ask Roberto, but he was busy fixing Naru's tie for the fifth time. "Haru, do you know?"
"Roberto said we're going. His house, his rules." she answered.
"That's stupid! Who told you that!?" I said.
"You and Daddy." she answered bluntly. Thinking about it I did tell them.
Crap.
"We are here!" Kai yelled, looking out the window. We were coming upon the Nobel Michel Castle.
When we got out of the car and entered the castle, Roberto hem Kai's hand as they walked to the ballroom. I was ignored once again and left behind with Naru and Haru.
"Did you two fight?" Naru asked, catching on to our awkwardness.
"N-Nothing to worry about!" I said with a high pitched voice as the memory of the kiss entered my brain. Naru raised an eyebrow, but then brushed it off and entered the ballroom. When I was about the enter the room I noticed Haru standing still behind me. "Haru, what's wrong?"
"I have that feeling again." she said, looking away from me, clutching her hands together. Thinking about the last time she had this feeling, I got sued. Is she psychic?
"Y-You'll be fine, Haru!" I said grabbing her shoulders. "Last time was a figment of your imagination!" What if I get sued again? For what even though? "Don't worry about your feeling! I'm not that big of an idiot to get sued twice!"
"I don't know how I should feel about that, Aunty…"
"What I'm trying to say is that you should just go for it. Feelings or not, unless they are really strong then don't." This is the worst advice I have ever given. "You shouldn't let those feelings block your way of life. In a way, you'll never know unless you go for it!"
"Okay…" Haru nodded as she softly takes my hand.
"Now let's go in and eat all that weird stuff that they call food!" I smiled greying to get her to smile. It worked as she giggled when we were walking towards the door. When we entered the room burster with music and dancing.
I looked around the room and see Kai and Naru stuffing their face with fancy food. In the corner of the room was Roberto surrounding in women again. This time he seemed disheartened and distant from them as they whined and begged for his attention. Then our eyes met, but he looked away instantly with his face bright red. I felt my face heat up as well so turned around and walked to the other side with Haru to get some food.
"YOU!" a familiar, annoying voice rising up from the already loud crowd. Everyone stopped talking and focused their attention on a drunk man coming my way.
"Oh, no, not again." I whispered to myself. Man, Haru is right.
"How did you pay off that lawsuit!?" he yelled at me, spitting on my face.
"Say it not spray it. Didn't your parents tell you that?" I said, wiping the spit off.
"Answer me!"
"I got a better job that has better pay and worked my butt off." Well, it's mostly true.
"Yeah, sleeping around, huh!?"
"Man, your imagination is extremely wild tonight, Mr…."
"Myers! Frederick Myers!" he was turning red from his rage.
"Oh, yeah." I scratched my head, unscathed by his yelling.
"I know you're an escort! You don't need to hide it!" he laughed.
"You are so drunk." I sighed.
"Am not!" he retorted.
"Is that true?" a little voice spoke up. It was Freddy who peeped out out of the crowd.
"Freddy!" Haru gasped.
"So you're a liar!" the boy pointed at me. "Everything is a lie! You're doing bad things just to get to the top!" his tears leaked from both eyes as he glared at me.
"Aunty is not a liar!" Haru backed me up.
"I don't need this anymore!" Freddy cried and took off. Haru followed behind him, leading her outside. I tried to chase after them but Mr. Myers blocked me.
"Where do you think you're going?!" he yelled. I rolled my eyes and twisted his arm. He got in us knees while crying in pain.
"God, you are so annoying." I spat. "I have no idea what your wife sees in you. Maybe she's the goal digger instead of me and you just can't see that. I paid off that lawsuit like I was ordered to. Isn't that enough?" I let go of him and he crawled away from me.
"Marika!" Roberto came up to me. "Are you okay? You didn't have to that to him. He might sue you again."
"Probably because he cares more about his pride than his own son that just ran off into the forest." I said finally going after them.
I looked around for them, but I couldn't see anything whatsoever in the dark. I really wished I had my phone with me. I shouted their names as loud as I can. No one responded. Then I suddenly came upon some deep hole in the middle of the forest. It went down so deep that I couldn't see the bottom. When I moved my eyes across the hole I saw two kids, one of them holding onto a tree root.
"Haruka! Freddy!" I shouted as I went around the hope to get to them. When I reached them Freddy was the one holding onto the root while his other hand held on to Haruka's. "I'm going to get you guys out! Just hold on!" I said, looking around frantically to find something. 'They are too far down for me to reach them. I got to find something for Haruka to grab onto, then Freddy. Freddy is not that strong to keep holding Haruka. Haruka first, then Freddy.' This makes feel like playing favorites but right now I have to keep calm and figure out what is best for both of their survival. I looked down at my dress. 'I can use the dress to pull them up!'
Instantly, I ripped the dress like peeling an apple, like a swirl. Then I ripped and tied the inside parts of the dress to the outside for a stronger, thicker rope. Then I quickly threw one end inside the hole and let it dangle beside the kids.
"Haruka, I need you to grab the rope. I can't pull the both of you together because it isn't strong enough!" I shouted. "One at a time!" Haruka nodded and reached out for the dangling rope. She grabbed on and let go of Freddy's hand. She held on tightly to the rope as she swung back and forth.
"Okay! I got it!" Haruka shouted back. I pulled the rope as hard as I can. With one last, hard pull Haruka flew and landed on the ground on her side. I wanted to hug so bad but I needed to save Freddy. I did the same thing again, telling him to grab the rope.
"Why are you saving me?!" he shouted. "You don't even like me! You're just using me, I know it! Father is right about you!"
"Maybe I don't like you!" I snapped. Having an argument when someone could fall any moment is not a good combination, but I just couldn't help it. "I don't like you because you harassed my niece! My baby girl! But if Haruka thinks of you as a friend then I have to respect that!" I shouted at him. "You're father doesn't understand true hardship that I have went through in order to give my kids the life they need! He can think whatever he wants, but he will never understand nor willing to know! Right now, I'm going to do the right thing and bring you up so my child won't be sad!" I screamed at him. Freddy seemed to stare at me, captured by my words. Then he grabs on to the rope tightly like Haruka. I smiled and pulled him up as well.
"Thank you…" he whispered.
"Idiot kids! What the he'll were you thinking running away and falling into a hole like that!" I shouted, saying what I wanted to say to them after getting them out. "You could have been seriously injured!" I was angry again while still feeling that adrenaline within me from all that fear. "What about you Haruka? You scared me to death." I said glaring at her, making her shiver in her shoes.
"I'm sorry, Aunty!" she bowed her head. "I wanted to explain to Freddy when a hole opened beneath us. He actually saved me! He grabbed my hand and then he fell to but he got hold of a root." she explained. "It's my fault that we got into a situation like that. I'm really sorry!"
"It's no one's fault." I said bending down to her level. "You did out of good intentions right?" I asked, getting a nod. "You two did cause a scene at the party and your parents are worried about, you know Freddy? Nobody will be in trouble, but you will have to apologize to everyone." I said, both of them nodding. I smiled and then I hugged both of them. "I'm happy that you both are safe." I said wiping my tears on Haruka's shoulder. I felt their little hands on my back and felt something wet on both shoulders. I held on to them as they wailed their apologies.
….
When we got back, everyone from the party was outside waiting for us. Freddy's parents ran towards us and hugged their son. Then Roberto, Naruki, and Kai ran towards and also hugged me and Haruka.
"Are you two alright?" Roberto asked in a whisper.
"We are all fine." I answered.
"What happened to your dress? It's all torn up!"
"I'll tell you later." I said and then looked at Freddy. "Freddy, What do you say to your parents?" I said. He looked up and and gave me a strong nod.
"I'm sorry, Father, Mother. I didn't mean to cause a scene. I'm really sorry." he said to his parents.
"It's alright, Freddy!" his mom said, caressing his cheek. "It's that woman's fault." she said and his dad agreed.
"No!" Freddy shouted. "She saved me! I ran into a trap with her niece and I held on to her and a tree root. Then she came and ripped up her dress to make a rope for us to climb. She rescued me!"
"You saved our boy?" Mr. Myers asked me with his voice going hoarse.
"Yeah, I did." I said, crossing my arms. "And no I don't want your money, I don't want anything from you. Just watch your kid."
"You are just like your grandmother." an old voice said amongst the crowd. An old man came out with his butler with genuine smiles on both their faces. "You are so much like her." Everyone bowed to him except the kids and I.
"You're that old man from the street!" I gasped.
"Yes, my child. I am. My name is Nobel Michel." he gave a wrinkly smile.
"Oh, my God! I was so disrespectful that day! I am so sorry!" I joy bowed. He chuckled and patted my shoulder.
"Oh, it quite all right." he smiled. "Your grandmother was just like that."
"My grandmother?" I tilted my head in confusion.
"If you didn't mind, I looked you up and traced your lineage. That necklace you wear was something I gave a wonderful woman, many, many, many years ago so I wanted to know how you got it. Then I found you are her granddaughter." he explained.
"I'm sorry but how do you know her?" I asked.
"When my country was just starting, there were many assassins after my life. Then a war broke out between my country and another. Your grandmother was visiting my country as an exchange student and helped my to safety. I gave her a necklace as a thank you when she left. I never forgotten her. Now, fate has brought you to me! I never been so happy! Tell me, how is she?" he gripped my hands.
"I'm sorry to tell you but I have never met her. She kicked my mom out after getting pregnant with me. The only time I've seen her was at her funeral." I scratched my head awkwardly. He looked downcasted for a little but quickly gave me a smile.
"It is quite all right. I know she is in a better place." he said gripping hands tighter. "You are welcome here anytime. Bring you nephews and nieces here whenever you want." he said, giving me his card.
"My Lord, it is time for bed." his butler said to him. Nobel Michel nodded and said goodbye and thank everyone for coming.
"I guess I was wrong about you." Mr. Myers said to me and bowed. "I'm sorry for my insolence."
"It's fine." I said. 'I don't completely forgive him but this is good for now. We can repair and fix our relationship.'
"Haruka," Freddy called out. "Can we...play together sometime?" he looked away with blushes on both cheeks.
"Well of course!" Haru smiled. She ran up and hugged him. Then Naru pulled them apart.
"If you hurt my sister, I will-" Naru started to say until I hit him on the back of the head.
"Now, now, we just patched things together." I said, glaring at him. He looks away and huffs. "Now let's go home. It's been a long night." I said. The kids nodded and we all went to the limo. Suddenly Roberto puts an arm around me and forces my head on his shoulder.
"You had a long night. I'll wake you when we arrive." he whispers gently in my ear. I nodded and slowly closed my eyes.
