CHAPTER III

CLYDE

                Clyde got up and turned to face her.

                “You will tell him who I am, Samantha. And that’s not a request.”

                “I will. But I need more time –“

                “You already had four years!”, he exclaims.

                He saw a tear drop from her right eye. “Will you please stop yelling? He could hear us,” she pleaded.

                “I will do anything I want and no one can stop me. Now, I want you to tell him everything now.”

                “My son is just three years old! You can’t expect him to understand everything in just a snap!”

                “Then, explain everything to him. He seems like a smart boy,”

                “What? What do you want me to say, huh? That after almost five years, his dad finally decided to show up –“

                “Show up?! Show up?! C’mon, Samantha, give me a break! I didn’t even know he exists until today!”, he said. He feels like he’s loosing his temper.

                “Exactly! You were fine until today. In fact, you were doing really great before you met him. So why bother?”

                Oh, boy. This woman is killing me! “Why? You have the nerve to ask me why? Samantha, he’s my son, for fuck’s sake! My blood and heir!”

                She closed her eyes tight. When she opened them, tears are pooling and dropped in her smooth cheek.

                “Fine. Fine,” she said. Admitting defeat. “I will tell him everything. But you have to give me at least a week to find a way to explain –“

                “You had almost five years to figure everything out, Samantha. Stop beating around the bush. There will be no more escape,” he threatens.

                “I’m not prepared, okay? I didn’t not expect this to happen so soon. Hell, I did not expect this at all. Please?”

                “Tomorrow,” he said

                “What?”

                “You have until tomorrow to tell him about me or I swear to God, I’ll tell him myself.” He said with finality.

                She took a deep breath and wiped her tears with her hands. “Fine. Tomorrow it is,” she said.

                He turned and opened the door of the car where his son quietly sits down. “See, buddy? I didn’t hurt mom. Now I want you to be good to her, okay?”, he’s smiling as he says the words.

                He smiled back and nod. He turned back to her with a satisfied smile plastered on his face.

                “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”, he said as he got to her closer.

                “Eerr. W-what are you doing?”, she asked him innocently.

                “Nothing. Why? What were you thinking?”, he asks as he continiues to take a step closer. She steps back until she reached the side of her car and no way of escape.

                “What are you doing? Can you back off?”

                “I’m just bidding you goodbye,” he said. And without a warning, he claimed her lips in a kiss. The first thing he really wanted to do since he saw her in the hotel’s function hall. It lasted for a second and he feels like he wanted more.

                “Still sweet as the last time I had them,” he stated.

                “Go to hell, murderous jerk!”, she said. Her cheeks still flustered from the kiss they shared. He’s tempted to do it again but he stopped himself.

                “Oh baby, I’m just getting started,” he said and opened the door for her. “Get in. Or else,” he offered with a smirk. He chuckled as she quickly gets into the car. “Drive safe, babe. I’ll see you tomorrow, buddy,” he said as he waved his goodbye to his son.

                He watched as the car drove off with a victorious smile. I get what’s rightfully mine, Samantha. I’ll make sure you’ll realize that, he whispered to himself. When the car was out of his sight, he rushed back to the function hall. He needs to find Kylie, now.

                He found his friends having drinks on the same table. Good thing the party’s over and there are only a few guests left. Tyron saw him first as he reached the table.

                “Hey. Where have you been, man? You missed the blowing of candles,” Tyron asked him.

                He grabbed the glass of scotch in his hand and drank it, bottoms up.

                “Yeah, you really need that,” Xavier remarked.

                “Where’s Kyle?”, he said, looking at Tyron.

                “Why? She’s just thanking the caterers and other staffs, I guess. She’ll be here soon,”

                “Why? You wanna get home already?”, it’s Zachary.

                “No. I need to talk to her,”.

                He saw his friends sharing a questioning look and shrug. In less than a minute, he saw Kylie approaching to their table.

                “Hey, you guys. Thanks for coming,” she started.

                “Kylie, I need Samantha’s address,” he said without prelude.

                “Samantha, what?”, she asked unknowingly. “Oh! You mean, Sam’s? But why?,”

                His friends looked at him at the same time.

                “Hell, no.” said Tyron, shaking his head.

                He nodded.

                “Wait, I don’t understand. What’s going on here?” Kylie insisted.

                “Just get a goddamn pen and paper honey. I’ll explain it to you later,” Tyron said. Even without a clue, Kylie followed her husband’s request.

                “For real, man?” asked Xavier.

                “He’s mine,” he said with a nod.

                “No shit!” exclaimed Zachary. “How? I mean, how old is he?” he asked after a while.

                “Three.”

                “Okay. I know you, C. And I know that you will do anything and everything to have him. But Sam’s my friend too. You should know that she is really a good person. Whatever it is that happened between you two, I’m telling you, as far as I know her, she has no bad intentions. And she went through a lot of hell to have Tam. So please, consider everything and try to be as reasonable as possible, okay?”

                “Don’t worry, T. I’m not going to do anything that would harm her,” he answered. Tyron looked into his eye for a good measure of time then nod.

                “I know you wouldn’t,” he finally said with a smile.

                Kylie appeared with a piece of paper and handed it to him. He slowly read it. He still could not believe how easily his world was turned upside down.