Trip

Outside by the passageway, she fought hard not to run into her room and when she got in, she slammed the door behind her and collapsed on the bed.

"My God. What's the meaning of all this?" she asked breathing hard. Here she was falling for this girl and even though she tried to act tough she still couldn't suppress that feeling. Cain was right after all. She was sure a very smart kid who read her like an open book even though she was closed.

For a large part of her life, she built a wall around her emotions, with only her first love knowing where the entrance was. Now this kid here after just a few minutes of interaction was able to tell she was a sad woman. This is not minding the fact she bossed the girl around during their chat.

The girl said she now lives where she dumped her daughter several years ago. Is it possible they are even friends? While she had maintained contact with John and her mum, she had refused to go back home until her dad died 5 years ago and she showed up for his funeral. She had initially refused to attend his funeral because she never forgave him, but had a change of heart after her immediate younger brother told her to forget about him if she didn't attend. Having missed his wedding, it was an opportunity to appease him.

It was during that period she had gone to Satellite Town out of curiosity only to discover the place had been transformed. Though she located the street, all the houses there were now story buildings which all seemed recently occupied. Upon her inquiry, she was told the government demolished the old residence and built the estate which now stood there.

She had lied to Cain the baby had died without Cain crying when she told him what happened to her and the child.

It was already dark when both of them drove out of the estate on their way to the restaurant she had planned to take the girl to. She had slept off thinking on the bed. Besides, after a great welcome back sex and her subsequently tidying up some deals online after Cain left, she was damn exhausted.

Dinner was just fried rice and chicken with some fruit juice. During the drive to the restaurant, dinner and drive back home, she did most of the talking, putting the young through the dangers of her business, why and how she got into it, and a few of her sexual exploits in the course of her work.

Otis was surprised the lady could be this open. But still, she knew the lady didn't answer her initial question.

It was by 8:30 pm when they got back to the house.

After changing into their nightwear, both mother and daughter sat in the living room. While Otis had the remote control and was busy flipping channels, Max's attention was fixated on her laptop screen. Every once in a while she would look up at the screen, chat with Otis, and then return to her work.

She was going through certain business deals she had coming up and her trip. Also, she contacted some of their clients and vendors. While Cain was busy at his place of work (as a senior military officer), and at home with his family, he gave her the free hand to run the business as she deemed fit. He was more of a figurehead as she ran the business. He provided all the cover and protection she needed.

She had been engrossed for some minutes now that she failed to notice the channels had no longer been changed. Looking up from the screen, she saw the young girl sleeping with the remote control in her hand. She just smiled at the saliva drooling from her mouth. Looking at the clock, it was a few minutes to 10 pm. "Otis!!!.. Wake up and go to your room" she said calling out to the girl.

She watched with keen interest as the girl woke up, licked up the saliva, and stood up. Rubbing her eyes with the back of her hands, she yawned then said "Goodnight ma" and turned to leave for the guest room with the remote control still in her hand.

Chuckling, Max called out to her "Ehmm, Miss Otis, my remote control please!!"

"Sorry," she said yawning again as she turned and placed the remote control on the glass table.

Max kept watching as the girl walked away until she heard the door being closed. Just one day and she had enjoyed the girl's company this much. By tomorrow it would be back to her normal lonely nights and routine in this big house. She admitted that her years of being alone had made her a little harsh towards the girl, but the girl was sure an easygoing person who was mostly joyful.

But for Cain, she had no close friends or confidants. Most of her contacts were strictly on business terms, including other men she had slept with and was still sleeping with. Her life revolved around Cain (who had saved her) and the business and nothing or no one else. But she had already developed a soft spot for the girl.

20 minutes after the girl walked away, she hadn't done anything on the laptop making it go into sleep mode. She just closed the lid and went to bed exhausted.

By 5:00 hours, he was by the door to Max's apartment. She came to open the door for him. Yawning, she greeted and hugged him then headed to Otis' room to wake her up to get ready. He was surprised she hadn't woken up the girl already.

Returning to the living room, she just collapsed next to him on the couch. Folding up like a little girl, she passed her arms around him in an embrace as they began to whisper to each other. He was returning by the weekend because he intended to meet with his boys from the southern region there.

Some 30 minutes later, the girl emerged from the room with her clothes in the leather bag. Laughing, Max stood up and went into her room and brought out a gift bag asking her to use it instead.

After hugging and kissing Cain, she hugged the girl and told her don't forget to call me when you get home.

By 6:05, the air conditioning system was on, and his speedometer was jostling between 80-100mph as he drove out of the Island on the 3rd Homeland bridge heading for Cantina.

While she slept for most of the journey, they chatted whenever she was awake with him answering questions about the things she saw on the way mostly. Stopping for gas and breakfast at Ore, he refueled again at Altim and Udi, and by 5:pm they were at Bruges junction.

As they crossed River Cantina, he began by telling her what she would say to her folks and people about her abduction and eventual rescue. At no point was she to make mention of the Hornets to anyone including her parents. And as for Mona, she was to act as normal as possible until she got further instructions from him. Besides, it was a certainty she was going to go back home and attend school from there. Which meant she might not get the freedom she needed for a long while.

Some 40 minutes later, they were in front of her gate. Leaving her with both his and Max's phone numbers, he dropped her off and left. He told her he was still in town but wouldn't see her until perhaps his next trip down here.