C14 RILEY AND ROSE

"Dad?" Shed called immediately and entered his house but no response came.

"Dad, where are you?" He called again climbing the stairs up to his father's room. He got to his dad's room and heard his dad having a conversation with someone over his cell. So he walked in quietly.

"When will you be back?" Mr Lennox asked the person at the other end.

"Dad, is that Mom?" Shed inquired.

"What a good time! Come over here, your mom just asked about you." Mr Lennox beckoned to his son.

"Hi, mom!" Shed greeted her happily.

"My darling!" Mrs Lennox called, "How're you doing?"

"I'm excellent mom, what about you and my jewel?" He asked with joy.

"Your jewel is doing so fine."

"I miss you guys." Shed muttered, faking a sad tone.

"We miss you too, darling."

"When will you be back?" He asked with concern.

"Soon enough dear." Mrs Lennox assured.

"Kate called." He delivered.

"Really? When?!" Mrs Lennox asked, overwhelmed at the other end.

"Yesterday, at rehearsal." He answered.

"Is she fine?"

"She's better, she promised to visit after this semester." Shed relayed.

"That will be good, I feel more relaxed."

"What about my grandparents?"

"They are also doing good." Mrs Lennox fibbed.

"Remind my grandmother of my cookies."

"I will." Mrs Lennox whispered sadly.

"I have to go now, I have to prepare for school today."

"Wait, hold on, this is past eight." Mrs Lennox said with concern.

"I spent the night at Maths home after rehearsal."

"Alright, alright make sure you have breakfast before you leave and don't rush." Mrs Lennox cautioned.

"I'll do all that, love you, kiss kiss."

She said hers too before he ended the call.

Shed hurriedly went into his room to prepare for school not like he would be scolded for going but because he was a good boy.

He finished all his preparation as soon as he could and left not after greeting his dad goodbye.

People troop into the Grand Carnegie Hall to celebrate the ex-president's birthday. The whole place was already filled with people chattering while some danced. It was a beautiful arena.

Duke stood at the entrance of the gate waiting for the arrival of the special guests. Since he was the only son of his father, he had no choice but to welcome them in himself. A few minutes later, he heard the alarm coming from afar indicating the presence of the guests.

Quickly the guards opened the gate while some moved around arranging themselves in numbers at the entrance of the gate. Two army Jeeps were the first to enter followed by the big tour bus which was also escorted by another three army Jeeps.

"Be careful ma," Duke said to the vice president, Mrs Casey as he helped her step out from the tour bus.

"How have you been, Duke?"She asked, giving a handshake.

"So good Mrs President." He answered, returning the handshake. He looked up to others coming out of the bus and also greeted them. Then his eyes caught the most important person he had been waiting to see. "Yo! Mr Albert, it's nice to see you today." Duke extended his hands to get a handshake from the Minister of Finance.

"Nice to meet you again, Duke." Mr Albert retorted.

"Seems like someone is having a good time on his father's day." Miss Owens, the female assistant to the vice president, teased.

"You look so good in your gown, Jane." Duke countered and winked.

"I'm flattered." Miss Owens answered, separating her lips into a beautiful smile.

"Can we move in?" Mrs Casey, the vice president, asked gracefully.

"You can lead the way, your highness," Duke whined. Then, they all enter the hall with Mrs Casey leading the way, leaving the guards who surrounded the whole building for protection.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I hereby welcome you to this grand party, Mr Stewart!" Duke announced into the standing mic with his hands spread wide.

"I'm your father!" Mr Stewart shouted as the whole hall made a thunderous laugh.

"I'm so sorry, father!" Duke pleaded. "I just wanna be formal."

The occasion went on for some as the celebrant was invited to make a speech, cut the birthday cake and also asked to show some dance of his.

Even though the whole pleasure was filled with happiness, there was still some gang of people who were not interested in the so-called birthday party but had no choice but to attend. They fumed in anger.

"That place is too crowded, I can't hear you," Rose complained over the phone.

"Hold on a minute, let me leave this place," Riley mumbled and stood up from the table he has been sitting on for the past hours waiting for the party to end.

Rose and Riley had been close friends since childhood. Though their friendship was long but was mainly about chatting, playing, having fun together and most importantly, sharing secrets. But, their relationship wasn't sorted out to the next level. Rose had someone else she loved and cherished. She met this person during college and had great feelings for him.

Riley was down when he discovered her feelings for someone else. He loved Rose but couldn't express his feelings towards her thinking he had lots of time to tell her his feelings. But then, Rose doesn't feel the same for her childhood friends and falls in love with another man. Riley on his own, finally gave up his love for her since she insisted on being with the one she loved.

Rose sealed her relationship with Eduardo by marrying him. Their marriage was a successful one not until she discovered that her husband loved his work rather than his family. After seven years of argument and misunderstanding, Rose filed a divorce leaving her four years old child alone with him. But it was too late, Riley was married.

"I'm out, what were you saying?" Riley asked immediately when he got outside the hall.

"I'm sorry to bother you, I don't know you are at the birthday party." Rose was feeling guilty already.

"It's okay."

"I have a complaint again," Rose muttered, her voice sounding pitiful.

"About Davis?" Riley asked since that was always a complaint.

Davis is the only son of the president and Rose is his close friend. Riley knew how Davis kept disrespecting Rose, so he told Rose to always inform him about anything that transpired between them.

With it, Rose will always confide in him and plead with Riley to warn Davis of his behaviour toward her, it's getting out of hand.

This has also made Riley become the Godfather of Davis since he always calls him over to have a word with him.

"Not him this time." Rose relayed. "It's Eduardo."

"Eduardo?!" Riley shrieked, bewildered. "What about him? Is something wrong?"

"He came to visit yesterday."

"What?! Why?!" Riley exclaimed, getting tensed.

"A private number came into my house phone when I was preparing for work this morning." Rose began to explain. "I picked up the call and the caller said he was outside and that I should come open the door. Thinking it was one of the delivery men who came to drop off the goods I ordered, I rushed to open the door and to my utmost surprise, he was standing there."

"Was he alone?" Riley inquired, hastily.

"I thought he was alone and invited him in but_"

"You let him in?" Riley asked amused, cutting off her words.

"You know, him Riley, you do. You know he isn't the kind of person to stand alone outside discussing with me." Rose continued to explain.

"What was your discussion?" Riley implored with much curiosity.

"Hey, Riley what's up with you?" Someone interrupted.

"Is that Sideon?" Rose asked, disappointed.

"Yes_"

"Who are you talking to?" Sideon whispered and put his hands over his friend's shoulder.

"I'll call you back, Rose.

"Hold on, would you mind visiting this weekend?", Rose invited.

"Alright then, see you soon". Riley accepted.

"And Rose?"

"Yes?"

"Don't think too much about it and take care of yourself."

"I won't, thanks." She replied before ending the call.

"It's been a long time since I've seen her." Sideon bellowed to his friend.

"Yeah." was all Riley could mutter.

"Is she okay?"

"A little bit I guess."

After a pause, "Eduardo visited her yesterday." Riley Informed.

"Wait, What did you just say?!" Sideon asked, shocked.

"Keep it, cool man, let's move in before they notice your absence," Riley warned.

"Update me on it tonight." Sideon implied and patted him on his shoulder as they walked back into the hall.

"I don't know the details yet till the weekend."

"I'll be waiting."

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