6 A shoulder to lean on

Eira walked out of the car and ran to the driver. Some officers tried to hold her back but she just shook them off.

She ran to the corpse. Gazed fixed on it. While coming nearer her tears started to flow.

This just can´t happen.

...

She slowly knelt down before the dead man and sobbed.

"-Dad"

She coudn´t hold it in anymore and screamed. She screamed out her sorrow and her anger at the man who destroyed her life today.

"Dad no. You can´t die. Please wake up. Dad... Daddy..." She hugged the cold body of her father tight and cried. She didn´t care that the blood stained her whole body and she didn´t care that the police officers tried to get her away from the corpse. She just shook them off and kept on holding her fathers body.

She cried until she fell unconscious still holding her father close to her. The police officers had no choice but to pry her away from the dead body and drive her to the hospital.

When Eira woke up again she laid in the hospital bed. Someone had changed her clothes and gave her a hospital gown. An IV drip was hanging from her arm and when she looked around she could see nothing but white. Beside her bed laid her phone and bag.

The door to her room opened and John entered. He saw that she was awake and quickly went to her side.

"Eira, you´re awake. How are you feeling?" He asked her worriedly.

"I- " Her voice refused to come out of her mouth. It hurt and she could only give a hoarse sound.

"Don´t talk. Drink some water." John gave her a cup of water and she slowly drank it.

"What happened? Can you remember anything?" He asked her.

Eira felt like something was stabbing her from inside. She crouched down and started to shiver.

"Eira what happened? Tell me. I am here for you." John soothingly stroke her back and hugged her tight. She felt his warmth and just let her tears stream freely.

She didn´t know how long she cried but soon she dozed off caused by exhaustion.

Several days past

Eira let Helen bring her her work to the hospital while she recovered. She wasn´t injured but John insisted for her to stay a couple more days just to be sure. So she had to work in the hospital. She also had to prepare for her fathers funeral but that was mainly Helen´s task to do because every time she had to think about it, she would recall the picture of her father lying on the ground bleeding.

Then at the weekend the funeral was held.

A lot of old Morgan´s friends and colleagues came to give him the last honor. Also some other business men from other companies attended the funeral.

Eira stood at the coffin and greeted every single one who came to bid her father farewell.

She let her gaze wander around the crowed and saw a woman stand at a distance watching. The woman met her gaze and abruptly turned around and walked away.

Eira decided not to give that a lot of thought and concentrated on greeting everyone.

After the funeral ended she had to go to the company again. Now she was more motivated then ever to finish the cooking school project that her father dreamed of.

Several months past and the night of the charity gala which Eira promised John to attend to arrived.

She hated to dress herself up and make small talk with all these rich people who just give you a fake smile and overly sweet and sickening compliments. Such events are just for show and for people to stab their so called friends in their backs. Eira never liked to go to such events. But she had promised John to go and more over he had helped her so much in the past months that she should repay his favor.

John picked her up and they both drove to the venue. A lot of people already arrived and she could see a few celebrities coming too. John and Eira walked past all the people quickly and went inside the venue. A string quartet was playing a slow song and men and woman were dressed in their best dresses holding a glass of champagne. John also picked two glasses and gave her one.

"Cheers." He held his glass up.

She returned the gesture and took a sip.

They both decided to walk around the room to find a good place to stand and talk. The didn´t even came far when someone approached them.

George Henning in all his glory wore a stylish suit and had his hair styled slicked back. A lot of woman around him followed his every step with their gaze and started to giggle and whispering every time he smiled lightly and greeted them. He slowly approached Eira and John.

The woman looked at them and widened their eyes astonishingly when they noticed John. John didn´t stand out that much like George but if you look closely he also had very handsome features and knew how to dress himself properly. Those two standing together was a feast for the eyes and the woman couldn´t help themselves but swoon over them. A couple men who noticed the excitement of the woman looked at the three people standing together and noticed a petit lady standing beside the two men. She had fine features. Beautiful big eyes, a small nose and wonderful red lips. Her gaze was cold as ice like her overall expression.

Eira furrowed her brows when she saw George Henning and stared at him coldly.

"Good evening Miss Morgan. It´s a pleasure to meet you again." George Henning bowed lightly before her and greeted her.

"The pleasure is not mine Mr. Henning. You have turned this wonderful evening sour." Eira greeted him back.

"My my still so feisty. Just because we had a little argument doesn´t mean you have to be so mean to me. Can I ask who this gentleman is?" George Henning replied grinning. He truly enjoyed pushing Eira´s buttons.

"This is John Johnsons. John this is George Henning. The rude jerk I told you about." Eira introduced both of the men to each other.

George Henning pulled his brows up hearing her introduction.

John gave George Henning a handshake and looked at him with a dark expression.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Henning. Didn´t know you had such bad manners. You were so gentlemanly the last time I saw you." John said sarcastically.

"Oh I always have good manners. There is just a little misunderstanding between Miss Morgan and I."

"Oh is there?"

John and George started a staring contest and both tried to look their opponent down until Eira stepped between.

"John this room is suffocating me. Let´s go outside." She pulled at his hand but he didn´t budge a bit.

"Yeah yeah you should be obedient and follow her." George Henning grinned.

Without a warning John took a swing and punched him in the face. George stumbled back for a couple seconds and held his jaw.

He stood up again and started to laugh.

"Wow I never knew the timid John Johnson could give me such a hard punch." George´s laughter attracted the crowd.

John was furious and again launched a punch at George but he swiftly avoided it and caught his wrist in midair. Then turned his opponent around and held him down.

The crowed started to murmur wondering why the both men were fighting.

The commotion attracted a man and a woman and the corner of the room who just talked to the prime minister. When Mr. Henning saw his son holding another man down and attracting a crowd he angrily walked to his irresponsible son.

His wive feared that her husband would make a ruckus and followed him.

Mr. Henning walked through the crowd and reached his son.

"George Henning!!! What are you doing?" He roared. His wife took his hand and tried to calm him down.

George looked at his father and released John.

"I am just defending myself." He answered.

"Does this look like you are defending yourself. You were holding him down." Mr. Henning couldn´t hold himself and pointed accusingly at his son.

"You can´t do anything right. First the failed sponsor deal now you are attacking other people. Come home and I´ll teach you a lesson." Mr. Henning´s face grew redder and redder the more he screamed at his son. His wife took his hand and tried to sooth him.

"Dear don´t be so angry. He is still young and has a lot to learn. This is probably a misunderstanding. Let´s calm down." She then looked at George.

"You should apologize to him."

George Henning sighed and then apologetically bowed before John and apologized. He then walked out of the room. His mother looked after him and also sighed. She looked at her husband and saw that he had calmed down a little bit.

"Should I get you something to drink?" He nodded and then walked back to talk with the prime minister.

Mrs. Henning turned around and walked in the direction of the bar when she looked back at John to see if he was okay.

"Young man, are you alright? Did my son hurt you?" She asked.

"No Ma´am. It was my fault. I provoke him first." John answered her.

Satisfied Mrs. Henning wanted to continue going to the bar but her gaze met the shocked eyes of someone else and she stood still to see who that is.

She looked at the young woman before her and furrowed her brows.

This woman... looks familiar.