An hour later, a taxi pulled up at the entrance of the Thornston estate gates, demanding to be let in. Unlike all the other private cars that had stread through that evening, this stood out as no comrcial car had approached the gates as of that day. The security personnel stopped the vehicle and then walked up to the passenger side.
His eyes barely widened in surprise, but the occupants of the car did not see that. He bowed and asked,
"May I see your invitation, please?"
This was the routine question he had been asking all evening. However, upon closer look at the person at the back of the car, he could not help but ask himself,
’What is the mistress’ mother doing here?’ His face never gave anything away.
"Comrcial vehicles cannot co in unless they have a special permit, so you’ll have to show you-"
"Are you saying I need an invitation to visit my daughter’s ho?!"
Angela sat beside Clara, her expression unreadable as she ground her teeth in frustration. She had been clearly warned that Clara was never to leave the house but she had failed in her duties and could only follow along.
None of them trusted Clara to behave if she ever ca out. It may sound harsh to the outside ears, but even after the shop’s operation was getting standardized, Clara would always cause one issue or the other.
"I’m sorry, ma’am. I only deal with paperwork and credentials. Anyone can claim a relationship, and even if you were indeed related to the madam, she would have made sure that you had the requisite invitation to enter today. May I trouble you to give her a call. With her verbal authorization, I’ll let you in."
He added. His stance was overly polite, which further irritated Clara. The driver drumd his fingers on the steering wheel and listened in interest. It wasn’t every day that he got to visit the famous Thornston estate, even if he could only glimpse it from afar.
’Is the woman lying?’ The driver wondered, but then, he knew that it was not his place, nor did it concern him what was going on. His task was to get his passengers to their destination, and whatever happened in between was beside the point.
"What do you an?!" Clara shouted because she knew that even without trying, her call would go unanswered, and it was out of the question for her to try to call Ian. Never! The man invoked the fear of the unknown in her.
Clara hesitated. She had waited to no avail for an invitation. For days on end, Clara would hear people talking about the invitation to this event, but neither of her children visited her, and neither did she receive one.
She gritted her teeth as humiliation washed over her. She felt as if she had been put on the spot with how the security personnel gave her no face at all!
Just then, another taxi pulled up. The road was wide enough to accommodate two cars going out simultaneously.
To Clara’s surprise, the security personnel, turned as soon as the car slowed down to a stop by him, bowed and opened the electronic gates without asking anything!
"What do you an by that?!" Clara shouted as she lost her composure! She heaved, opened the door of her car and then placed her hands on her waist.
"What is the aning of this? You let a nobody in, and then you have the audacity to check for my imitation? Y-"
Clara talked and talked till her mouth got dry, but the security personnel just gave a small bow, closed the main door and returned to his post with indifference. This was a man who had gotten his job because another was fired for letting an irrelevant person in.
A person in the form of a ’relative’. Therefore, he knew very well who his masters were. He also knew that the day was an important one for the family. Lastly, his thoughts were clear on his priorities in life,
’If I get fired from this job, where else would I get sothing else with as great benefits as this one?’
Therefore, he turned a blind eye and deaf ear to all the harsh words coming out of the woman. Most importantly, he was trying hard not to stare at the woman.
Despite the exquisite make-up she had on, he had been very surprised and had used al his self-will to mask the shock.
The face did not match the body! He had to say that she had done a good job in maintaining her youthful body, but he had no idea that one’s face could age so much as the body seemingly remained younger-looking.
’Is it the way she is dressed? Naaa.... That can’t be!’ Whatever the case, there was sothing really uncomfortable in looking at Clara face-on.
’Whatever! It’s not my place!’
Clara stomped her feet at what she thought was a blatant disrespect ted out to her. Angela opened her mouth a few tis and then closed it again. The slap from earlier had stung and she did not want to be at the receiving end of such again.
Just then, a taxi that had sped past stopped and soone stepped out just inside the closed gates.
***
A while earlier, Rocky and Ava finished their al and took a leisurely bath together. Ava’s bath was small... too small for two adults to be in it together but Rocky was one to co up with ways to make that possible.
After this, the two dressed up and then headed for the Dinner.
The two intertwined their fingers, and each remained with their thoughts.
For Ava, it was the dilemma of how to tell her friend this,
’What will Shelby think of this? Will she be angry? What is she tells to break up with Rocky because he is younger? No... Shelby would never do that. But, will she be angry at ? Should I have told her before we started this relationship?
But Rocky is an adult! I – I don’t know what else to do and even how to break this news to her. Should I send a text? Or get her sowhere private? Arrrggggg!!!!!’
Unknowingly, most of the thoughts were painted on Ava’s face. Rocky’s thoughts were quite simple: ’I can’t believe that Ava is in a relationship with now!’
Rocky studied the flickering emotions across Ava’s face and leaned over to peck her on the lips,
"It’s going to be okay. I can tell sissy if you’d like?"
Ava smiled and tenderly brushed her redundant fingers across his face. "It’s sothing I have to do myself..."
"Don’t fret too much about it, and let know how I can help. Rember that this is about the two of us, so it saddens that you worry so."
Ava’s smile brightened, and she pecked him back.
"Ah! Rember not to drink at the party!"
Rocky was surprised at Ava’s quick turnaround and especially the instruction that she had just given him. However, he was at the beck and call of her, and to him, Ava’s words were the law.
"Yes, ma’am!"
"You’re not going to ask why?" Ava raised an eyebrow in askance.
"Why would I when my wife asked this of ?"
Ava shook her head and gave up.
"Hey, isn’t that Clara at the gates?" Ava asked and that was when Rocky noticed that they were almost at their destination. If Ava had not ntioned it, he would have indeed missed her.
Frowning, Rocky raised his head and looked back, wondering why Clara was there and not at ho,
"Stop the car!"
The car ca to a screeching halt, and he stepped out, "I’ll be right back, Ava."
Indeed, Ava did not want to see Clara at all, so she stayed back.
Rocky walked back to the security post and asked, "What’s going on here."
He nodded after getting the explanation from the security personnel.
"I’ll handle it,"
"Thank you, young master Rockwell."
All the servants knew Rocky and had t him at one point or another. He was a frequent visitor to the estate, and there was never a need to ask for identification docunts or a pass, but they had been given explicit instructions not to let Clara into the place. Clara did not know this and even if she did, she would not have cared. In her mind, she was Shelby’s mother and deserved many things but it turns out that she really had a short mory.
Rocky continued walking toward his mother, and his happy face condensed into an indifferent but grim one. The last person that he wanted to see at that mont was her. Rocky had tried his best to be the best son possible, but he also thought that in doing so, he had led Clara on too much and was determined to keep her at a clear distance.
"What are you doing here?"
"Rocky? So, it was you, my son. Tell that guy back there to let in! I want to see my daughter!"
Rocky laughed. A laugh so out of place that it was ironic.
"You finally rembered that you have a daughter?"
"What? What do you an by that, Rockwell Wendover!"
"Exactly as it ans! Rember what brother-in-law had told you after you left sissy for dead? Or is your mory so short nowadays?"
"Y-ou!"
"Angela!"
"Yes, Sir!" Angela replied and finally got out of the taxi. Even though the exchange had been short, the taxi driver was marvelled. Yes, he had thought that the woman’s daughter was heartless but these few exchanges with the son just changed the whole narrative. He still kept to himself, though.
"Why is she here? Did I not tell you to inform of any developnts? And are you not aware that brother-in-law does not want her in the estate?"
"I’m sorry, master Rocky..."
"If you cannot handle the job, let know, and soone will take over!"
"I’m so sorry! This will not happen again!" Angel bowed feverently.
What sounded harsh to the ears of others was like music to Angela’s ears, especially when Rocky added,
"Make sure to place a cold compress on your cheeks when you get back. I’ll address this later."
Angela’s eyes shone with gratitude.
"What is wrong with you, Rockwell!"
"If you know what is best for you, Clara, then return to the ho you cherish so much and do not cause problems here!"
Without another word, Rocky turned and left his stupefied mother behind. The fact that he had stopped calling her ’Mum’ was like a thorn in Clara’s flesh, but the harm had been done, and Rocky had been pushed to that point!
*********
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