Audrey, who had all along being waiting for her son for the past hours, glanced at the clock and it was already 11pm yet no sign of him at all. Wondering what had kept him up so late in town, she rose to her full length with a furrowed brow. Anxiety and much brooding combined to shed several kilogrammes of fat from her body.
"What's going?– He had never stayed out so late like this." She stated and as if on a sudden impulse, gasped with darting eyes. "Or did something really happen to my son?" She cried. Just then, she heard a voice– it was high pitched with laughter and giggles along with chats which sounded like one coming from someone outside the room. She instinctively shuffled to the door and pulled the lace curtains. Audrey peered through the glass window with eagle eyes just then, she noticed a familiar figure in the garden. It was Rubin who seem to be adoring the beautiful evening. Her lips instinctively curved in a smile as she let out a sigh of relief but then, something seem to bat her mind.
"Who was he talking and laughing with?" She wondered, her eyes swiftly searched for his companion but then, all signs proved he was alone. She glanced through the window with a furrowed brow, a brick of confusion visible on her face. "I see no one apart from him, so who is he talking to?" She stuttered. But then, she shoved off the thought and pulled the door open as she sauntered out.
Rubin was still engrossed with the stars and his little chats with Laura when she suddenly disappeared and a voice instinctively followed.
"Hey, you're here– I've been worried sick about you." The familiar voice called from behind which made him jerked up from the ground, turning towards the intruder.
"Mother!" He howled with a stunned gaze, his voice was pitched high; but then, was little taken back with Laura's sudden disappearance again. "Where did she go?" He wondered, his eyes earnestly scanned around which brought Audrey's wondering gaze, lurking as well.
"Why?– Who are you looking for?" She asked with a faint smile after what seemed like a pointless search. Rubin instinctively glanced at his mother with an alarmed stare; a sheepish smile suddenly formed on his face.
"Oh, nothing mum" He snapped, secretly taking another glance.
"Are you sure about this?– You seem to be on edge as if expecting someone or looking for someone " She probed further and Rubin spontaneously gave her a meaningful look, which warned her not to probe any further. She had no choice than to let go no matter how much her curiosity pressed on. She allowed the words to trail as she saw the look on his face.
" Okay, I give up. Can I join you; it seem its warm out here tonight ." She asked and he nodded, making way for her to sit. She heaved a sigh of relief as she settled beside him– She was literary aglow with happiness which made her look younger.
Just then, she complimented with a chuckle on noticing the beautiful, refreshing sky.
"Well, I get it now why you like this particular spot"
"Why?" Rubin smiled, staring expectantly at her.
"Just look at that" She pointed to the sky, full of smiles. "So refreshing to watch– I already feel like I'm back in my 18s."
She joked which made Rubin burst heartily with laughter. Audrey stared at his son and felt relieved in a long while; after many years, she finally got a chance to share a hearty laughter with him which barely came up. She glanced at him again and laughed as well.
All along, Laura gazed at them from the door and she smiled as she reminiscences her moments with her mother. Silent tears trekked down her face which she swiftly sniffed it back and vanished through the door, into the house.
************
It was was well past midnight when Ben's car finally drove through the gates of "The Hansel's " mansion. He instinctively pulled up in the parking lodge and pushed the door open as he leaned back in his seat with closed eyes and clutching at the steering wheel, filled with a deep sense of foreboding.
He could not shake off the nagging fear, which gripped his heart each time he thought of his mother's condition.
Ben was forced to make a choice– to return to the past or wade towards the flickering light that beckoned him. He was literary thorn between crossed path– Ben lapsed into long period of brooding as he considered his thoughts.
Meanwhile, Mr Hansel waited for his arrival while the seconds ticked into minutes as they marched rhythmically along. He spontaneously glanced out of the window at the sound of his car– He watched him in a long eerie silence. Ben finally got off the car and sauntered down towards the door.
Hansel stared expectantly at the door with a face flashed with daggers as he watched it gently push open with Ben slipping in.
“ Where are you coming from?– I know you where not with your friends because I already spoke to them before calling you” His harsh voice echoed with a sharp edge to it, just when he stepped in– causing him to halt in his tracks. Ben was first startled at the voice which surprisingly welcomed him in a rather unwelcome manner. His gaze swiftly travelled up to the anger stricken man, a few meters away from him. He looked like a time bomb, ticking away slowly, ready to explode at any moment.
“ I just asked a question which demands an answer, Ben." He pressed on in fury. “I said where the hell are you coming from?”
Ben who wasn't at all moved by his wrath, rather languidly walked up the stairs towards his room, ignoring him.
“Stop there, you rascal– Don't you dare walk out on me!”
He spontaneously paused, looking back at him with eyes full of rage and pain. He knew without doubt that his father's hand isn't so clean with what happened to his mother. He had earlier on heard all about his custody issues and the man he knew was like most rich men who never gives in so easily. He'll go any length to get what he wants and had no qualms whatsoever about trampling on others to achieve his goal.
Not ready to get hot with him, Ben struggled to bring back his composure. The wild thumping in his chest began to ease, he felt his tensed muscles relax.
“ Had a call from Mr Drake that mum was attacked and shot so I had rushed over” He explained but Hansel on the other hand just tilted his head with an indifferent expression.
“Oh, I see ..” He reflectively just exuded.
“But she had been recuperated at the hospital and in quiet a stable condition now” Ben swiftly added which brought a sense of disappointment over his face.
“ And I know you have something to do with this, Dad– I know you tried to kill my mother” He shouted after his inability to suppress his pain and anguish.