CHAPTER V

SAMANTHA

               

                Fuck! My head hurts like hell. What in the world happened? She silently asked herself without bothering to open up her eyes. She then remembered everything that happened the day before. With  that thought in her mind, she opened her eyes in an instant.Shit! We got to get out of here. Before he finds out where we at, we need to go.  It’s a good thing that they just recently renewed their passport. We can go anywhere. Anywhere is fine as long as it’s far from him. He will find us out eventually, but all we need to do is keep running.She got up with a decision in her head. She went straight to the bathroom. As she was about to brush her teeth, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes are still swollen from crying overnight.God, I’m a mess! She ignored how awfully she looked and proceeded brushing her teeth. She got out of the room and went downstairs to look for her son.

                “Sam? Samuel, where you at, honey?”, she called.

                She heard his voice coming from the living room. “I’m here, mom.”

                Samantha went straight to the living room and couldn’t believe her eyes.

                “Good morning, Samantha,”

                What. The. Fuck!

                “Hi, mommy,” her son rushed into her and gave her a hug. “Your friend is here and he brought me a lot of presents,” he said while returning to the center table to continue what he’s doing.

                She looked at Clyde. Unable to comprehend everything that’s happening right now. “Let’s talk,” she said after a while.

                He tilted his head and said, “after you.”                                                         

                He followed her to the hall and ended up in the kitchen. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she asked in a low, but angry voice.

                “Why? What’s wrong?” he asked. Pretending not to know a thing she is saying.

                Oh, God, forgive me. But I swear I’ll kill this man. “What do you mean what’s wrong? Why are you here? How did you find us?”

                “Aren’t you gonna offer me something first? It’s a basic manner, you know,” he said cooly.

                “Offers are only for welcome visitors. You most certainly are not,” she said with a raised eyebrow. She watched him roved around as if looking for something.

                “So,” he started. “This is where you’ve been hiding all this time, huh? So near yet so far,” he said. She’s pretty sure she saw a side of his lips turned up.

                “I am not hiding. And you haven’t answered my question yet,” she insisted.

                “Oh, that? I have my ways. I told you I am a powerful man. I got your address in a blink of an eye. As for why I am here, I think we both know the reason,” he said as he continues to look around.

                Samantha took her back on him and closed her eyes. She took and deep breathe. “Samuel!” She called out to her son. “How about pancakes for breakfast?” she asked after a while.

                She heard him say “Yes, mommy!”

                She walked over the fridge and get all the ingredients needed. She then faced the stove and started cooking. She can feel his eyes on her, watching her every move. She put a hand in her temples and massaged them gently. Fuck hangover! It’s killing me.

                “Here,” he said. She looked down at her left side to see him holding a tablet of Advil in his right hand and a glass of water in the other.

                She looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

                “What? It’s completely safe. I got this from your medicine cabinet, right there,” he points at the drawer beside the door.

                So, this is what he’s been looking for all this time. She shrugs at the thought and took the pill and the glass of water he offered. “Thanks,” she said softly.

                “Anytime,” he answered.

                She continued cooking. He’s right. There’s no escaping now. I just need to think of a way on how to make this situation better. For my son’s sake.

                “Okay. Once and for all, I need to make this clear,” she started.

                “I’m listening.”

                “You can borrow him any day you like except Sundays, granted that you will say it to me first. And return him before the end of the day. No sleepovers.”

                He chuckled. “Borrow? What do you think of my son? A toy? A thing that can be borrowed and returned after using?” he asked in a sarcastic tone.

                “Whatever. I don’t care what you think. If you want to do this, we’re doing it my way,” she said firmly.

                “Fine. What else?”

                “No spoiling him. No out of town or out of the country adventures or whatsoever.”

                “No spoiling him? But he’s my only son! I can give him everything he wants!” he exclaimed.

                “Oh, I’m sorry to burst your bubble, your majesty. But we don’t operate that way. If he wants something, he should earn it. That’s how it works,”

                “Whatever. Anything else?” he asked.

                “No, I think that’s it.”

                “Okay, good. I guess we have an understanding,” he agreed.

                “Oh! No, one more thing,”

                “Yes?”

                “No introducing to a perspective wife,” she said, looking at him directly in the eyes.

                His mouth twitched up in what seems to be a half smile. “Getting territorial, are we?”

                Her left eyebrow raised up. “Oh, don’t flatter yourself too much. I just don’t want my son to be confused. I’m his mom. Just. Me.”

                “Just. You. Understood,” he said jokingly with a salute.

                She rolled her eyes at his gesture as she finishes the last piece of pancake. She arranged the table and place three plates. She got one glass and poured fresh milk she got from the fridge. “What would you have?” she asked him.

                “You.”

                She turned her head to him promptly. “Can we please stop fooling around here?” she said irritated.

                “Who said I was fooling around? You asked me what would I have –“

                “What would you have for breakfast, that’s what I meant, idiot,”

                “But I’d rather have you,” he insisted.

                “Right. Let’s make one point clear. You are here for my son. I am not part of the bargain,”

                “Oh, yeah? I thought it was a package deal,” he answered jokingly.

                She put the forks down with such force that almost broke the plates.

                “Coffee,” he said.

                “What?”

                “I’ll have coffee,”

                She went straight to the coffee maker and started the process. She blended the coffee with her own made recipe of creamer and whatnots. He offered two cups and she poured the mixture carefully, not wanting to spill even a drop. As a chef, every drop of food is life.

                “You can take a seat now. I will just call Tam in the other room,”

                “Are we going to eat breakfast?” he asked before she could take her leave.

                “Yeah. Does this set up looks like anything but breakfast to you?”

                “No. I mean, it certainly looks and smells like breakfast. My question is, you’ll gonna eat looking like that?” he said and looks at her from head to toe.

                “What –“ she looked down and she felt her cheeks fired up. Only then did she realize that she was wearing nothing but her sleeping shirt. An oversized light pink shirt without anything underneath but a lace panty. And she’s damn well sure he can see through it.

                “I mean, it’s fine with me. In fact, I love it. But I don’t think it’s a good idea to wear that especially if there’s a kid involved. It’s kind of distracting, you know. And tempting,” he said, looking like he just won a marathon.

                “Fuck you,” she said as she tries to cover up herself.

                “Oh trust me, baby. I’d love to,”

                Samantha runs out of the room and went upstairs immediately. She even heard him laugh devilishly. Stupid woman! How could you not notice you were almost naked in front of him? I’ll make you pay for this, asshole! She mentally promised herself to get back at him the very first chance she can have.