26 The Search for Louis 1

“All, right. You can go on, I will join you soon.”

She announced, and smiled as she tried to walk back to the kitchen.

“We will wait,” came the incongruous voice of Mr. Bailey. She walked to the kitchen, walked back immediately and against her wish, she took her seat on the only available seat. They had their meal silently on the surface but under the table, Mr. Bailey's legs would not allow her legs to rest. She maintained her cool and ate cheerfully while Mr. Bailey rubbed her legs with his. All the same, he kept his promise and fed Daniel alongside his mother. Before now, Nichole would have been elated with Mr. Bailey's love advances when she was desperately flirting around him. Now, she had lost interest and replaced the love she had for him with detestation.

At Sevenoaks, Bailey International Conglomerates Clinic

Dr. Quain returned to Sevenoaks Clinic after he excused himself from the marriage ceremony. He could not concentrate on anything apart from how to get Mr. Louis, either physically or through phone calls. He reminisced on his message over the phone:

(Hello, Dr. Quain. I feel you should be aware of this. I have found the lady I'm looking for. She got married today to my cousin brother, Denise. See you later.)

After several attempts to reach him, he left the clinic and drove to the Administrative office to get the details of the staff he travelled to Cairo for the International Property Exhibition with. Having gotten their details and contacts, he began to call them one after the other. To his shock, all he got from them was;

(He left for Kent this morning for the marriage ceremony of his brother, Denise.)

He checked his time and muttered, “Even if he decided to return to Cairo, he wouldn't have gotten back by now.”

Thereafter, he drove to his house to see if he was at home and refused to see anyone, but he was not.

“Where could he be?” He asked when he got off Louis's house and closed for the day.

At the Bailey Native Home.

“Julie.”

“Yes, father?”

“What time is your flight tomorrow?”

“8 am.”

“It is all right. Would you like the driver to take you to the airport or your Mom?”

'Mad man. How can I take her to the airport?' Nichole, who was filled with indignation, though. Julie, who was surprised just like the other people, laughed and asked, “Father. That is funny. How can Mom take me to the airport? I would rather go with the driver. Besides, Mom would be at work.”

Apart from Phil, what the rest did not understand was that the proposal was just a prelude to his worked out plans.

“Never mind, I will assist her. We will take you to the airport. I would like to monitor Louis's movement too.”

Now, Nichole, who had wanted to protest, was short of speech when she heard his plan. How can she protest when her son's whereabouts had not been certain?

'I may be accused of being nonchalant because he is not my biological son.' She thought.

“Is that okay with you, Nichole?” Arthur asked for formalities’ sake. Nichole was moody when Louis was mentioned and stopped eating.

“It is seven o'clock. Let's call and find out if he had disembarked,” Phil suggested. Then, Mr. Bailey gave her a sympathetic look and consoled.

“Don't be hard on yourself, Nichole. It would be sorted out.”

Julie and Freya, including Phil also tried Louis's line, but it was still switched off. Soon the dinner was over, and it was time for everyone to disperse.

“Thank you, Mom, for the dinner,” Julie and Freya greeted.

“Thank you, Mom,” Mr. Anderson greeted as he tried to lift Daniel, who had slept off from the chair.

“You deserve a hug, Nichole. Come and have one.”

Now, Mrs. Bailey covered up with the missing Louis and glued herself to the chair, and the children began to console her one after the other.

“Mom, please be calm. Things will be sorted out tomorrow at the airport.”

They filed out of the parlor one after the other. When she was sure that Arthur was out of the door, she got up and joined them at the Veranda. Now, Phil laid Daniel at the back seat and fastened his seatbelt. Freya got into the front seat, and he got into the driver's seat and greeted.

“Take care, Mom.”

“All right Phil. Be careful.”

“I will.”

“Sleep tight, Mom. I love you,” Freya greeted.

“Good night, Freya. I love you too,” Mrs. Bailey responded.

“All right Mom.”

Phil responded. He greeted Arthur and Julie too before he drove off with his family.

Julie greeted Mrs. Bailey too.

“Good night, Mom. Sleep tight.”

“Good night, Julie. See you tomorrow.”

She responded and began to walk back to the house. But Mr. Bailey did not believe that he should leave empty-handed, without a hug. As usual, he would use the children.

“Call your Mom back,” he ordered.

Then, Julie shouted from the passenger's seat of her father's car, “Mom, wait.”

Mrs. Bailey halted abruptly and looked back. Then, Arthur informed Julie, “You can't believe I almost forgot to give her a hug over the dinner.”

“Wow! That is bad, father.”

Mr. Bailey got off his car and walked back to the veranda to meet the startled Nichole, while Julie looked on from the car. He walked to her and gave her a quick but warm hug and released her. He appreciated holding her two hands while looking affectionately into her eyes.

“Thank you for the dinner, Nichole. I hope to invite you over to my house soon.”

“Don't think anything about it,” she responded with a superficial smile, and Mr. Bailey walked back to join Julie in the car.

“All right Mom. See you tomorrow.”

“Okay dear.”

She watched them drive away before she walked back to her house.

On The Road.

Phil bared his observations to his wife after he ensured that Daniel was still sleeping.

“Baby.”

“Yes, hubby.”

“It is like father have a thing for Mom?”

Freya looked at him jokingly and declared, “You know that you must be joking.”

Phil Anderson smiled and concluded, “It is all right. I am joking.”

Then, Freya took a second look at him again before she asked.

“How do you know?”

“I was only joking.”

Phil did not want to continue with the discussion since his wife did not observe anything. So, he concentrated on his driving until his wife spoke.

“That would be nice. I will be the happiest person if they come together as husband and wife.”

Now, Phil pretended not to hear. At least, he was to rest assured that Arthur's love moves to her Mon would not harm the unity of the family. They drove on in silence while he mulled over the activities of the day, which made him to believe that Arthur was having a crush on Nichole, and smiled. His wife noticed it and looked at him instantly and asked.

“What is funny, please?”

By then they were already at the gate of their apartments, and honked, which alerted the security, and he opened the gate for him. He drove in and parked while he looked at his wife and gave an answer to her question.