The yellow taxi car parked on the other side of the road, opposite the restaurant. The glasses were tinted, and it would be difficult to spot whosoever was inside it, the car's occupant's dark gaze was fixed on the average man who was sitting next to the transparent wall of the restaurant.
He did not seem to be in a hurry or have the intention of driving away anytime soon, and his dark gaze wasn't ready to be taken off the man sitting in the restaurant. Even when he lit his cigarette, he did not take a glance off the man.
The car's occupant rested his back lazily on the driver's seat to enjoy his sight and his cigarette better -he rarely takes cigarettes but this time, he is using it to pass away with time...
******
Ferdinand sat next to the transparent wall of the average restaurant, his gaze fixated on the outside world -the bustling roads of the streets of States. He seemed really bothered and the expression on his face was far from calm, he still managed to conceal it, but it has its own way of reflecting on his face, though.
As he watched people passing by, his mind was filled with thoughts of the future and what it could bring. Despite the chaos of the world, he was determined to find peace within himself and make the most out of every opportunity that came his way.
But on the other hand, he knows he will never find peace and if he does not -none of his brothers would. How are they supposed to when Ciara refuses to die? Over the years, his ears ached badly for the news of her death, but she just won't die.
The thought of seizing over Fellers' company after Ciara's death enveloped his whole system and mind and on several occasions, he will take a sip from the water that he was served by the waitress a couple of minutes ago. He was not only bothered and restless, he seemed to be in a hurry but as well wait for someone to show up.
He checked his phone every once in a while, hoping for a message or a call from that someone. The cool breeze of the evening brought a slight relief to the warmth of the day, but it also brought an uneasy feeling to him. He brushed it off and kept his gaze fixed on the people passing by, waiting for his companion to arrive.
Ferdinand was tempted to pick his phone and call Brandon but the eerie feelings he was having is making it difficult, he mentally resolved to wait on his arrival instead of wasting his airtime on the call.
As time ticked by, Ferdinand's uneasiness grew, and he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was amiss. He glanced at his watch, contemplating whether to send a quick text to Brandon or not. However, he decided to maintain his patience, trusting that his brother would soon arrive with an explanation for the delay.
Just as expected, his phone buzzed, vibrating in his chest pocket; Ferdinand could only hope that his guess was right and that it was his brother, Brandon, calling. He checked the caller and with no hesitation, he answered the call and placed the phone on his left ear afterward.
"Why aren't you here yet, Don?" Ferdinand requested sharply, beating Brandon to it before he could utter any words. Apart from his voice being sharp, it was also laced with the anger in him and Brandon, on the other hand, could feel it. "What's keeping you, and why is it taking forever for you to get here?"
"I'm older here, Ferdinand!" Brandon stated, returning the same vibe as Ferdinand. "You should never speak to me casually like I'm your kid, do you hear me?"
Ferdinand hissed loudly into the phone, he made it loud purposely to Brandon's hearing; he wanted to annoy him since he was angry himself for waiting all day for Brandon, who would not show up.
"I have every right to speak casually to you or even scold you if I had the chance to, Don." Ferdinand blurted out. "You kept me waiting here for long and I'm busy drinking water like a fish in the ocean."
"Oh! You want to blame me now?" Brandon, on the other hand, sprouted out, trying to keep his cool -he felt there was no need to get angry when they are after the same goal. "I wouldn't have kept you waiting if I did not have my reason, you know I'm never like this!"
Although tensions were running high, Ferdinand took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. "Look, Brandon, I understand that you may have had a valid reason for being late, but I've been waiting for hours. Can you please just let me know what's going on?" He asked, his voice getting calmer.
"I'm sorry, Fred, it's more like a personal issue and I can't disclose it to you; at least, not yet." Brandon muffled out, trying to sound considerate. "I find it improper to keep you waiting and inappropriate not to have informed you beforehand."
"That doesn't matter anymore since you've called." Ferdinand cited in a flat tone. "What's more important to me is to know when you will be here, are you close? My patience is running out already, Brandon!"
"This is why I called, Fred!" Brandon began in a voice barely escaping a whisper. "I know this won't settle well with you, but I swear to you that I'm sorry that I won't be able to make it anymore. I can't meet with you today again, can we fix another day for it?"
Ferdinand thought he heard wrong. "Brandon, I think the network isn't good over here, it's fluctuating. What did you just say?" He asked, trying to convince himself that he was the one having issues with his ears.
"Look, little brother, I won't be able to make it anymore, and I apologize for any inconvenience this will cause you. I need to deal with the emergency at hand first." Brandon stated slowly. "We can always fix another day for this, can't we?"
Ferdinand was very much angry as hair stood on his back. If only Brandon were before him, he would have vented his anger freely on him. "How can you be this inconsiderate, Brandon?" He asked, his rage reflecting clearly in his voice. "You should have informed me of this beforehand and not kept me waiting here for hours!"
"I told you; I'm sor..." Ferdinand was too impatient to let him finish his words, as he angrily cut the call and pocketed his phone. He stood up and stomped his feet away from his seat, making a screeching noise with the chair.
Ferdinand reached outside the restaurant, since it was by the roadside, it was easier for him to flag down a ride home. A taxi drove by, stopping before Ferdinand, before he even got the chance to flag it down.
"Where is your destination, sir...？" The taxi driver asked, his voice was that of a professional cab man.
"Seventh blocks, Everton Street." Ferdinand replied to the taxi driver almost immediately.
"Come in, sir." If only Ferdinand had noticed the driver's facial expression, he would have seen the dirty smirk on his face and wouldn't have boarded the taxi...