Jamal POV
“I’m doing well, Sir.”
“Why are you here? Same reason?”
“Same reason, Sir.”
“What have I told you in the past?”
“That she is not meant for me. But hear this, Sir. I really don’t care what you think about us anymore and honestly it’s been hard for me as well having to see the one who I love reject me so often. So here’s what it is. I’m trying just one more time. Just one. That’s why I am here. To make my peace one last time. I really love her, Sir. I know that deep down you know it. She must have told you about out time during surrogacy. Even though you might look at it as a thing of tragedy which I completely understand, I implore you look at it from the point of I and Methis as well. She really enjoyed it, and so did I, Sir. You can ask for her own opinion. Just don’t intimidate her when doing it.”
I sat staring for a while. Thinking if I should go on or just keep quiet. It would be nice to know what he was thinking but from the way Methis’ father kept his countenance, it was hard to tell.
“Are you OK, Sir?”
Methis father looked up at me, he stared around his house before bringing his gaze back to me. I knew what he was doing. He was trying to protect Methis. He was trying to imagine her leave his house, leave under his watchful eyes but it would be very difficult to do so. Somehow I understood what he was feeling but I could not relate to it very well so I offered no words of encouragement. I did not want to see Methis in the wrong hand. I wondered if I was going to be this protective for Summer. She was my only daughter so it was understandable but unlike Summer, Methis was not just the only daughter but the only child as well. More reason it was harder for him to let her go.
“Mr. Delis. I know you are a great father and you want the best for your daughter. But keeping her under the radar like she is never going to experience exposure in her life is perhaps a more dangerous thing than letting her off. She would experience exposure later on. And it might not be the way you want it, Sir. It will be rough and she will be carried away with the thrill of it all.”
“Is all this just to convince me to let her go with you?”
I froze for a while. I did not know what to say so I decided to just go for a rather direct answer. “Yes,” I said.
Methis’ father laughed at my response. “You really are a persistent one. Maybe you should have said all those lines sooner. Were you keeping them for a greater purpose?” he joked and I laughed along with her.
Mr. Delis rose to his feel and I followed suit. “Honestly, Jamal,” he began saying. “I did not like you the first time I heard about you but seeing you come and go every time makes me realize what kind of man you are.” He stopped for a while before dropping the punchline. “A wolf.”
We laughed hard at his joke and almost fell over doing so. After we had regained composure, he said: “You are a man of resilience, you are a type of guy who don’t give up. I really like that, Jamal. I really do. I’d like to be my daughter’s husband. I’d like you to be my son in law. I’d like you to marry Methis.
If it was a dream, then I had not yet woken up because never in my life had I received such good news before. I was exhilarated. I ran to her father and hugged him tight. I lifted him off the ground and beamed into his eyes as I joyfully tossed him around playfully. It was the best time I had ever had. I could not believe it. After all this time of persuasion it was finally ready, the good news was finally ready and it was delivered from the mouth of the very person who had pointed a shotgun at me, none other than Methis’ father.
I knew I was going home the happiest man alive.
I pull up with my black SUV in front of the hostel complex.
Walking to the elevator, I couldn't help but think of Xander and his involvement with The Watcher. "Why does he want to help?" I thought deeply as I recalled the little boy's face. Standing in front of the elevator, I pushed the up button and during the waiting time, continued to think.
Ding!
The elevator doors slid open and almost subconsciously, I walked in and watched as the doors slid shut.
"I've got to find out what the kid knows," I muttered in thought when suddenly,
"Whoa, you've got a kid?" A female voice interjected my thoughts. Quickly turning around, I was met with the sight of a young blonde teenage girl. She kind of looked familiar. I didn't answer less because it was a weird question and more because I didn't even know who the hell she was!
"Do I know you?" I asked, a bit perplexed by her forwardness.
"Geez, I can't believe you forgot so quickly," she said as she shook her head in disappointment. "You really don't remember me? The cheerleader?" She asked. I jogged my memory a bit and what do you know? I did remember her. The obnoxious, narcissistic cheerleader who thought I was Methis’ uncle.
Almost rolling my eyes, I answered, "Now I remember."
She burst into laughter almost instantly. Okay now I was even more confused than before.
"What's funny?" I asked with one eyebrow arched upwards in seeming displeasure.
"You guys are so hilarious," she said as her laughter dampened gradually to a halt with occasional chuckles at sporadic intervals.
"What?"
"You think pretending not to remember me will make you look important?" She asked standing sassily with her hands on her hips.
What the hell was she going on about?