Chapter 6

Jasmine 

"I guess dad is going somewhere with your dad" cassie says and arranges the table mats on tables and I poke my head up from under the counter table behind which I was ducked , arranging the wrap papers as my ears piques up and i look at her "where?" I ask her and she shrugs "I don't know , yesterday ,I just saw some papers on dad's table with his and Uncle Richard's name on it and visa and other things , last night" 

Oh?

As she says , stress forms on my forehead .

She sees my forehead wrinkling with thoughts and waves her hands in gesture to not think much about it.

But...

"Just my guess" She adds in a rhythm like voice and I bite my lips.

Visa...

Visa for what?

Why would dad need visa? He's going somewhere? As soon as this question swirls in my head visual memory hits me and I pause.

My heart thuds because yesterday ,I have seen somethings too! 

Things like documents , visa , passport and files , he'd been working on them as though he's leaving the country just tomorrow. 

The only difference is that she paid attention to her dad and I didn't...

But now that she's said it,  I could feel something is happening...

Something that escaped my notice...

Something that ain't really very genuine because...

How come we both saw their visas at the same time?  same day? 

Is dad leaving? Where? And why? 

He always used to ask me to pack his bags with every essential cautiously remembered but this time he didn't utter a word...

Not like he ever used to tell me where he was going but this time I could feel something going utterly wrong.

Ugh! 

Ain't you just thinking too much on something that's is totally stupid?

Now just because you always packed his bag doesn't mean he can never pack it for himself! 

Ugh! 

I try to put my mind at ease but once again for some reason the conversation of dad on call from that morning swirls in my mind.

He said about plans and things I didn't really understand but somehow my instincts says that whatever I overheard  - is happening - dad is doing it .

And whatever it is , it's terrifying me.

Could it mean what I think it means ? Or is it all a big misunderstanding?  Result of miscommunication 

I hope this all is a big misunderstanding but I could see him plotting things , working too much,  meeting too many people,  doing things in secrecy of night.

Ugh! 

Maybe it's just his work and you need to take it easy!

But then why do I witness hate glimmering in his eyes whenever our eyes meets and I question him with my gaze about that call , about whatever I sense is happening...

If it's just his work then why my instincts hasn't silenced ever since I overheard him on that call?

I am watching everything happening in front of me and I could feel my instincts letting me know that some thing is breaking and falling apart but all I could do is feel my instincts yelling and go on with my day because what else could I really do? I could feel my instincts yelling at me that something is happening to break me and all I could do is blankly stare.

But what else could I do?

Tell dad that I feel he's doing something wrong?

"Where did you get lost?" She says and I startle as though someone shook me harshly.

"Dad seemed in hurry too , I will ask William" I say and she makes a face before she throws a table clothe at me . Ouch !

What?

What did I do?

Why did she hit me now?

"What?" I screech and she purses her lips before she rolls her eyes and adds

"You and your friendship with my dad! It was you working in shop from early the morning and my dad woke me up too saying she's working alone , go join and help her" she says and adoration for William enters my eyes.

He cares way more than he shows , doesn't he?

He never differentiates between me and his own daughter...

I bite my lips and let the overwhelming gratefulness wash over me as i smile "He loves me" I say and stick out my tongue at her playfully even though my heart just turned heavy hearing about William's care...

I have people and hearts who cares about me...

I might not have many but I have few and that makes me rich. 

It's said that if you have one person who genuinely cares about you then you are the richest and I have more then one so how rich I just become? 

I grin and she shakes her head , huffing a laugh  "I still feel like I'd fall asleep right now and right here! It's literally Sunday and five in the morning , what's wrong with our old men?" She says and sighs in time i stand up and pout as a bird fleets by our shop's door and tinkles the windchimes and fleets out as she smoothens the table cloth , adding in exasperated voice "and and and leave all this nonsense and tell me more about that mystery man who flirted with you ? Why am I never lucky like that ? In my time only dad is in shop , lecturing me on waking up early and doing hard work and if not him then maybe some annoying customer-" She is half way in her sentence as loud ring of her phone stops her from continuing and I pout and make a comical whining face.

Ugh!

Ever since three days ago that man with cowboy's hot body , deep brown eyes , mysterious look on face with masculine charm oozing from him , walked in with confidence as though he owned the place , I haven't been able to think of anyone else and since then I'm trying to tell her everything about him but everytime something came up and I had to pause. 

Just like now.

This tease needs to stop because we both want to gossip about him

I sigh softly and pout as she almost screams "What are you doing dad? First ,you wake me up early the morning to clean tables in shop and now I've been here for barely an hour and now you want me to go to your office and do student's roll uid arrangements? No!"

I make a comical face at her reddening cheeks and childish voice.

She's just annoyed because she had to wake up early and now she has to travel. 

"Dad! Please!" She whines and pouts looking at me as she adds "okay. Fine ! Don't forget my pizza tonight"

She huffs and hangs up the call and cries dramatically "guess dad has plans to drain me of my energy" 

She slaps her hand on table and runs towards me "at 1 or 1:30 I'd return and I'm almost sure we're not going to have customers so then you are giving me every juicy detail" 

My face flushes as I remember how he made my nipples stiffen as he said two scoops of cream , eyeing my breasts and that lick in the cream with his tongue.

"You're blushing! Girl ! I need every tiny detail!" She snaps with excitement and I blush harder .

"Promise! Go now" I say to her with a smile and she grins "Please tell me you weren't looking like a homeless and you had something sexy on" 

"Side cut hot pants and tube top" I say and she gives me a naughty grin before she leaves my hands and starts walking towards my side of counter "car keys?" She speaks with a naughty grin and I smile as I grab the keys and extend out to get it in time she slaps my butt.

Ouch!

This girl!

"Side cut shorts ? Hmm ? You dirty little thing! Did he check out your ass? Did you bend a little to show him?" 

My mouth widens and I slap her shoulder "take the car keys and go!"

She giggles and takes the keys "today I'm going to hear everything!" She starts leaving and as she reaches the door she adds "bet , if you'd have twerked a little , he'd have spanked you" 

Damn this naughty girl! Somebody silence her of her dirty words.!

I widen my eyes at her and she runs out.

As I see her rushing in her car and driving off , I sigh.

He checked me out like no man had done before.

I wonder if I'd ever see him again...

Half an hour passes where I prepare the shop for the day and at last i wipe my forehead and walk towards the black board and sit on my knees to re-write the ice cream flavors in time I hear shoes footfalls entering the shop.

Customers!

Woah! Today's first customer!

I twist around , excitingly chirping "welcome sir-" 

I stop mid sentence as I see Dad , William and one another man.

Maybe in his early 30s , he looks like a successful businessman with confidence oozing  , wearing black suit and white shirt with black stripped tie , hands in pocket. He's already staring at me and our eyes meets and he smiles.

Something in his smile scares me as I see something dark and dangerous in his eyes.

Just like...

Just like I saw in that man's eyes who flirted with me...

He resembles that man in looks but there is something in him that wasn't in that man...

Maybe the darkness I see in his eyes.

He darts his eyes lower and then tilts his face at my butt and I stumble. 

Lord!

He smirks and dad chuckles .

"Jas , meet him, he's Mr Alrick , my new business partner , Mr Alrick that is Jasmine , my clumsy 19 year old daughter "