Chapter 21:
The Heir:
Student Council Office:
Thursday,
“Boo!”
I sit up quickly, eyes
unfocused and glazed for a moment before blinking rapidly to stare into Anna’s
amused features. “An…Anna?”
“The very same,” she replies
with a soft laugh while placing several folders on my desk. “I can’t believe
you’re dozing off already. You must have had a long night.”
You have no idea.
Instead, I give a small smile
and nod towards the folders, trying to stifle a yawn at the same time. “What
are those?”
“These are a list of the
colleges and businesses stopping by to set up their stalls around the school
grounds. You told me to get a complete list of them and Kenzo and I have been
working around the clock…” Her cheeks go pink and I have an inkling that dear
Anna and Kenzo have been doing a whole lot more than just browsing over school
notes. “…trying to get things organized. I think we managed to get it all
done.”
“Thank you,” I reply, sighing
inwardly as I pull the papers towards me. How ironic that the first college to
top the list is the very school I plan to attend when high school is over and
done with.
“Ah, I wish I could go
there,” Anna says with a sigh of longing. “But I doubt my scores on the finals
will be good enough. I bet you’re going to Kensington, Heero.”
I shrug lightly, trying not
to flush at the slight accusatory look in her eyes. “It’s no big deal. I might
not even go there anymore.”
Especially after the events of last night.
“Eh?! How can you say that?!
I hear Kensington even has a waiting list and you’re just going to say no?! Do
you know how many people would kill to be in your position?!”
“I haven’t even been admitted
yet,” I say quickly with a wave of my hand, trying not to laugh at the panicked
look in her eyes. “Let’s just wait and see what happens, okay?”
“Lucky,” she says with a
pout. “I wish I could be like you and decide whichever school I could go to. I
have only two options and neither looks any good. Anyway, I’ve got to get going
now. Everything to your satisfaction?”
“Everything’s cool, Anna.
Thank you.”
She blushes and gives me a
small bow before leaving my office with a soft click of the door behind her.
Immensely glad for the silence again, my eyes drift towards the Kensington
‘profile’, noticing that Professor Kawamura would be the visiting faculty
representing the school. I have met him once before during one of my father’s
dinner parties and he seemed like a nice enough man. He can be stern but
underneath it all is a man who loves and lives life to the fullest.
But how can I be thinking of
university and some Career Day when someone close to me is hurting right now?
How can I even entertain the thought of my future when I do not see him sharing
it with me? Groaning softly, I lay my head back on the desk and close my eyes,
my mind drifting back to the sequence of events that took place in the wee
hours of the morning.
I was unable to go back to
sleep after Duo’s heart-wrenching phone call since I was so damn worried about
what he planned to do next. Although he had reassured me that everything would
work out in the end, I was still concerned at how bleak he had sounded over the
phone. I remember pacing my room in agitation for a long time before lying on
my bed, hoping to catch a few winks. But no sooner had I laid my head on the
pillow did the doorbell ring, almost sending me toppling to the floor in
surprise. And yet, somehow I had known it would be Duo standing outside that
door waiting for me. Don’t ask me how, it’s just a gut feeling that refused to
quit.
Sure enough, it was Duo and I
swear my heart was twisted in knots of sadness for him as he flung himself into
my arms. I somehow managed to close the door to prevent the cold from coming
in, but we didn’t make much progress to any other part of the apartment. We
remained in each other’s arms, sliding to the floor as I held his trembling
body against mine as tightly as I could. His flesh was cold and it was no
surprise since he wasn’t really wearing appropriate clothing. I noticed that
his face was also bloody but I remained silent, simply letting him cry as long
as he wanted and yet knowing that nothing I could ever say would be good enough
to comfort him at the time.
I guess we both ended up
falling asleep in that position because I remember opening my eyes and feeling
my neck and back muscles protesting every damn movement I made. Duo was still
curled up in my lap. His face was slightly puffy from all the tears but at
least his features didn’t look so troubled. With some effort, I managed to get
to my feet – he stirred at the disturbance but otherwise remained dead to the
world – and dragged him to bed. I took off his stained clothes quickly but carefully.
A quick trip to the bathroom cabinet had me cleaning up his wounds – it looked
like something had clawed his cheek (
So as you can see, I still do
not know the full details of what happened the night before but what I do know
is that Duo needs me now and I have made a promise to be there for him every
step of the way.
__
My Apartment
The sound of laughter from
the television screen heralds my entrance and coupled with the faint smell of
coffee, I know that Duo’s finally awake.
I lean against the door and
watch him - at least what little there is of him, since he’s still curled up
beneath the blanket with only his head sticking out – for a while. His dark
blue mug (we had bought and customized the oversized things sometime ago) and
his cell phone are on the table. There’s also a small piece of paper that looks
like a business card sitting beside it and as I make a move for it, he mutters
something beneath his breath.
“What did you say?” I ask,
leaning close to place a soft kiss on his forehead. “And how long have you been
up?”
“Long enough,” he replies
quietly while watching me peel out of my uniform. “And I said, you could have
woken me up you know.”
“You were dead tired. I
didn’t have the heart to do that.” I kick off my pants and then eye it
carefully. I think I can still wear it tomorrow. There isn’t any stain…
“I’m going to my father’s
funeral on Saturday.”
The pants slip from my
fingers as I turn around quickly to face him. But he’s no longer looking at me
and instead has his eyes trained on the TV again. Trying to control my rapid
heartbeat, I nod slowly and make my way to the bed to sit beside him.
“This Saturday, huh?” I
finally manage to say. Believe me there a million and one questions running
around in my mind right now but I know I have to take things slow. Duo will
tell me everything in his own due time.
“Will you come with me?” he
asks softly. “I can’t do this alone, Heero.”
“Duo…” But he silences me by sinking
a hand into my hair to pull me closer, our lips meeting in a slow kiss that’s a
heady taste of coffee and sugar. Moaning softly, I tug the blanket to slip
beneath it, joining him in this silent communion that seems to be getting
heated with each passing second. He rolls to lie on top of me, deepening the
kiss, his tongue almost greedy in its ferocity before finally pulling away to
give us some much-needed air.
“Well?” he asks again,
licking his swollen lips slowly.
“If that kiss was supposed to
make me change my mind then I’ll have you know that I was going to say yes
before you even started.” I had hoped that my little attempt at a joke would
make him smile, but it didn’t. His eyes are dark and for the first time, I
notice how really empty and lonely they look. It sends a shiver of fear and
helplessness down my spine, reminding me of just how useless my role has been
so far.
“I’ll come with you,” I say
thickly, wrapping my arms around his waist and press his body tightly to mine
again. He buries his face against my neck and we remain that way for a long
time allowing the laughter from the television to shield us from the harsh
bitterness of reality.
Finally, he speaks again and
his voice is a low rumble against my skin. “I left Eleanor last night and I’m
not going back. She had no right to do what she did to me and…”
And he tells me everything.
Eleanor’s story about Daniel and Duo’s birth. The burning of the letters and
the screening of the phone calls. As he continues, I can only try not to growl
in disbelief at what she had done to them. I have heard of selfish and
unconditional love but this is ridiculous. Duo also mentions that the ‘scars’
on his cheek are courtesy of Eleanor and all thoughts of Pearl being the guilty
party flies out the window. I find myself caressing the band-aids gently, hoping
that I would be forgiven for thinking such horrible things about that woman.
“I…I’m sorry, Duo,” I finally
managed to whisper, knowing that the words just don’t seem good enough to
convey the sadness I feel for him. His response is a series of feather light
kisses along my neck and jaw which has me reluctantly stirring below the waist
– not that Duo’s body against mine has been helping my cause all this time
anyway.
“You have no idea how much
I’d kill to have a cigarette right now,” he murmurs before sighing softly.
“I’ve run out of gum and will have to stop at G’s to get some more. But before
that, we’re going to go see Professor Archibald.”
“What for?”
“I’ve got to find out a few
things about dad…and we’ll be leaving for dad’s place tonight anyway.”
I stare at him incredulously.
“What?! Tonight?! I thought you said the funeral was on Saturday!”
Duo lifts his head to look at
me and my cheeks grow dark at the determined look in his eyes. “We can leave
tomorrow after school then, if school means that much to you.”
“I’m not saying…”
“That’s all that matters to
you, isn’t it, Heero? Good grades? Good college? Mr. Fucking Perfect!”
“That’s not fair, Duo and you
know it,” I reply tightly, feeling an intense guilt within my heart at his
accusation. “I said I’d come with you and…mmmpff!”
This time the kiss is hard
and near-bruising in its intensity, something I’ve never experienced before. And
yet even though a part of me is angry at him for being this rough with me, I
know that it’s only a way for him to vent the frustrations in his heart. I
taste blood and try to push him off, but only manage to have his hungry lips
trailing along my neck, biting gently and wouldn’t you know it, I’m as hard as
a goddamn rock.
I growl and sink my fingers
into his hair, tugging it hard enough for him to wince. He lifts his gaze to
mine and if anyone ever wanted to know what Duo would look like when angry and
yet horny…forget it. Words will never do justice at how hot he looks and I’m
not even going to try.
I hear the rip of my briefs
as he gets rid of that and suck in a harsh breath as he strokes my cock and
wets his fingers with my pre-cum. I’m barely aware of lifting my hips to let
those talented fingers into my ass to stretch the tight muscles. It’s hard to
believe that we just made out lovingly the night before because this is a far
cry from that. With no warning, he turns me around, forcing me to bury my cries
of ecstasy into the pillow as he thrusts hard and deep into me. His hot breath
against my ear and cheek is a huge turn on and my poor cock will have to suffer
not being satisfied this afternoon. I can feel Duo so deep within me that I
can’t help the lusty cry that is wretched out of my throat.
Take me completely, I beg inwardly, arching into him to accept this wild ride that I wish
would never end. Let me feel every pain
you’re going through, Duo. Every fucking pain.
And when I eventually come, I
am sent into a world of pitch darkness.
Bliss.
__
The Regal Hotel:
Duo’s been apologizing like a
child reprimanded all afternoon. He says he didn’t mean to be so rough with me
and although I’ve told him several times that I understand, he doesn’t want to
believe me. So I settled the matter but reciprocating the hard kiss we had
shared in my apartment and I think that shut him up…for a while at least.
P.S: My ass still hurts a
little. But I’ll live.
“Wow, so this is the Regal,
huh?” he asks, as we make our way towards the Welcome Desk. “Fucking awesome.”
“Indeed,” I reply while
trying not to laugh at the familiar look of curiosity in his eyes. I’m glad
that at least the sadness isn’t in those violet depths anymore. It was really
beginning to bother me.
Since Duo no longer has his
bike, we had to use the bus to get to the hospital to pick up his gum from Dr.
G and then hailed a taxi to bring us here. It cost us more money than I would
have liked but it’s only a reminder about my decision to buy a car soon.
I hate to say we look a bit
out of place but amongst the well-dressed men and women in business suits or
evening attire, Duo and I look like we just stepped out of a cheap clothing
store. He’s in jeans and a long-sleeved black jersey, while I’m in black cotton
pants and a light blue shirt. He had told me that the Winters looked like
cultured people and I like to think I’m dressed appropriately enough.
“Hello and welcome to the
Regal Hotel,” the beautiful woman behind the counter says. Her name tag reads
Mina and with her dark hair and bright green eyes, she definitely looks
friendly enough. “How may I help you this evening?”
Duo breaks into a smile of
his own and I watch in amusement as the woman’s cheeks flush at the sight.
Amazing how that boy can charm his way through anything, isn’t it?
“I’m here to meet with
Professor Archibald Winters and his son. They are expecting us.”
“Oh, you must be,” She reads
a note beside her. “You must be Duo Maxwell?”
“The one and only,” Duo
replies with a wink.
She giggles and punches in a
few numbers on the phone. “I will just let them know that you are here, Mr.
Maxwell.”
As she talks, I turn away to
survey my surroundings with great interest. The Regal is one of the grandest
and most expensive hotels in the city and its obvious why. The architectural
structure alone is an eye-catching design of sharp angles and delicate curves
that boggles the mind at first glance. The interior seems to have gotten its
inspiration from the Greco-roman era and with its tall marble pillars,
brilliant lighting, and enough foliage to rival a miniature forest, it’s no
wonder many wish to come to this place for a weekend of relaxation.
“They are ready to see you
now,” Mina says as she hangs up the phone. “Adam will take you to their room.”
Adam, a man who reminds me of
an eel for some reason, walks up to us with a wide smile. “Please follow me,
sirs.” I notice the way he looks at Duo…and then at me – obviously checking us
out – and I nudge Duo gently with a smirk. He catches my gaze and winks before
making mock thrusting motions at the concierge’s back. I have to stifle the laughter
that threatens to spill from my lips as Adam turns to look at us with that wide
smile still stuck on his face.
“Everything all right, sir?”
he asks – his eyes are literally eating me up now. Good grief, why doesn’t
someone just stamp ‘Fuck me please!’ all over his forehead?
“Everything’s fine,” I finally
manage to say as we step into the elevators. “Everything’s just fine.”
__
I was sure I was ready to
face the Winters after Duo’s description and their mannerisms, to me. However,
it still didn’t stop me from having a rather surreal moment as the two men
approached us to shake hands in greeting. My first irrational thought was that
Archibald was actually Santa Claus dressed in regular clothing (since his beard
and hair are that white) and that Harold was his live-in lover. Dear God,
forgive me for that stray thought. I know Duo told me they were father and son
but…
“Grape juice, Mr. Yuy?”
I jerk out of my reverie as
Harold holds out a glass of the purple liquid before me. I smile quickly, my
cheeks flushing with embarrassment as I accept the offering. “Thank you. Oh and
call me Heero…please.”
“Heero it is then,” Harold
replies as he makes his way to the mini-bar. “You sound like someone from
“Ah…”
“My son is notorious for
trying to guess where people come from by their names and accents,” Archibald
explains from his position on a comfortable leather chair. “I’ve tried to make
him stop the habit but it’s quite addictive.”
“Come now, father,” Harold
says, laughing softly while making his way to the other end of the sofa. “You
know you have a flair for the dramatic yourself. I do not need to remind you
about the time you accused a poor French woman of being a Mongolian. Believe
me,” he adds, turning to look at me. “He can be quite persuasive.”
“Oh phooey,” Archibald says
and laughs out loud. Even I have to chuckle at the use of that word. I don’t
think I’ve ever heard a grown man say ‘phooey’ like that before.
However, the laughter quickly
dies down as we all notice Duo’s drawn countenance. He’s trying to smile but I
can see it’s with an effort. It’s easy to see why he feels so…out of place, if
you will. Here’s a father and son with easy camaraderie and a healthy
relationship. He had never been given the chance to experience something like
that and I have no doubt that it must hurt to watch the two older men in the
room with him. Archibald seems to realize this too and he coughs lightly before
sharing a quick glance with Harold who looks just as guilty too.
“Perhaps we should get down
to business, hmm?” Harold begins with a firm nod towards Duo. “I’m sure you
have a lot of questions to ask us, so please, feel free to ask us anything.”
Duo reaches for my hand to
squeeze it gently and I reciprocate the act. He takes a deep breath and then
lifts his gaze to pin a determined look at the older man. “How did you know my
father? What was he to you? Why didn’t he search for me all these years? Why
just recently?”
(I’ll have you know that
Duo’s squeezing my hand tighter with each question.)
Archibald finally holds up a
hand. “One at a time, my boy. One at a time.” He sighs and picks up his pipe as
a sad and distant look comes into his eyes. “How did I know your father? You
could say that I raised him as my very own son, Duo. His father and I were very
good friends and when Edward passed away during a mission; I raised his son,
Daniel, in his stead. He was a very precarious child that boy was. Always
trying to do something dangerous or dare himself to do something no one else
had done.” He focused his gaze on Duo’s. “When I look at you, I can’t help but
see him all the time, so please forgive me if I tend to choke up a bit.”
At Duo’s slow nod of
understanding, Archibald continues. “I was in the military at the time, leader
of the 101st Airborne division. We flew a lot, had to go to
dangerous places and all what not back in the day. Believe me, I wouldn’t have
wanted Daniel to follow in Edward’s footsteps but you might as well try to
having a conversation with a brick wall. Daniel was a stubborn young lad and
wanted to be in the military. It was in his blood, you could say. Go, go, go,
that was his motto. By the time he joined the army though, I was getting ready
to retire. I was fifty years old, son and I felt that teaching in a college was
my true calling. So l left the base just as Daniel was getting his first
stripes as a cadet. But I watched him grow over there. I watched him with pride
as he passed every test with flying colors. He became one of the best pilots
out there, Duo. You can be proud of that at least.”
I see Duo’s lips quirk a
little and I move even closer to him.
“However, if there was one
flaw your father had, it was his irrationality and brash decisions. He was not
the most patient of men, Duo. Everything had to go his way or he would make
sure it went his way, no matter how he achieved it. He was also a…what is the
word for attracting women these days?”
“Babe magnet?” Duo offers
with a weak smile.
“Indeed he was,” Archibald
replies with a soft chuckle. “Ah, the number of girls – even from grade school
– that would come home with him for cookies and milk to other things I’m sure
you young men are aware of, was rather amazing to witness. He broke a lot of
hearts, I can assure you of that. But then…he met your mother.”
I feel Duo stiffen beside me
and his fingers around mine get a bit damp with sweat.
“I am not aware of the
details of that relationship but I will tell you that I had never heard Daniel
so excited about any woman before in my life. He actually called me to say he
had found the woman of his dreams.”
Duo gives a low moan that
only I hear. Oh God, I can’t even begin to imagine what he must be thinking
right now. I wish I could just pull him within my arms and hug him tightly but
it will have to wait.
Archibald sighs again and
taps some ash out of his pipe. “My son here was with Daniel at the time, so I
guess he can continue the story for you.”
Harold gives us a small smile
but I can see the pain in his eyes making me wonder if he had felt anything for
Daniel, if you know what I mean.
“Like my father said, Daniel
seemed quite happy after his meeting with Eleanor. They must have met at the
party held at the base for a successful mission at the
Duo says nothing forcing
Harold to continue. “Well, needless to say, less than two months after Daniel
leaves, I find that Eleanor has disappeared from the base. She left no letters
or notes or messages to any of her co-workers about her decision and I was almost
mad with worry at what Daniel would do when he returned. I searched, to the
best of my abilities, for your mother. But when Eleanor Rose decides to
disappear, she can do that very effectively. I didn’t know how to tell Daniel
the news and seeing that face, so happy and eager to meet his bride-to-be,
crumple with dismay…it killed me, Duo. It really did.”
He rubs a hand across his
forehead and takes a huge gulp of his beverage. I can see that his hands are
trembling and I think it confirms my thoughts about Harold’s relationship with
Daniel. He must have loved Duo’s dad more than he let on but being in the
military and with a guy who obviously loved girls, it must have been hard for
poor Harold.
“Daniel was distraught, as
expected,” he begins again, his voice sounding a bit hoarse. “For days he
wouldn’t eat or sleep and he kept saying that there was something wrong with
Eleanor. That he had dreams of her and a baby and that they might be in trouble
and he had to find her before it was too late. But no matter how long we
searched, we never found your mother. And after almost a year of nothing, he
assumed that she must have passed away with no one ever knowing. He grieved for
her, but he was a man, Duo and had to move on. You do understand, don’t you?”
Duo can only nod slowly but
again, he says nothing.
“He met Emily a few months
later when stationed in the North and as they say…the rest is history. At
least, I was glad to see my friend happy again even though there was always
that shadow of sadness that lurked around him.”
“He would say to me
sometimes,” Archibald cut in quietly. “A part of me feels empty, devoid of all
emotion and Emily feels that too. She says she can’t reach me all the time. He
looks at his two children and he says that he has a feeling that there’s one
more out there…looking…searching for him too. He has dreams of a young man
and…”
He stops as his eyes fill
with tears. I hate to say that I’m faring no better and Duo…Duo’s gaze is still
fixed on the old man even though his eyes are too bright with unshed tears.
It’s as if he’s forcing himself not to give in to them and before I can stop
myself, I lean close to kiss the corner of his mouth gently before whispering
into his ear.
“It’s okay to cry, Duo. It’s
okay.”
But all he does is nod slowly
and squeeze my hand again and out of the corner of my eye, I swear I notice
Harold looking at us wistfully. Even Archibald seems to have realized just what
kind of a relationship we have and I have no intention of hiding it from anyone
anymore. I really don’t care what anyone says and I think I convey that message
in my eyes.
“So how did he finally know
about Duo?” I ask, breaking the tense silence.
Archibald and Harold share a
look before Harold speaks up. “Daniel never really gave up the search for
Eleanor completely and of course he still didn’t know about Duo. But wouldn’t
you believe it? A year ago, at a dinner party to honor the 101st,
one of the government attaches invited to the event went by the name of Eleanor
Maxwell. Of course, Daniel didn’t want to put too much stock in the name. There
are a lot of Maxwells in this world and he had done extensive searches only to
come up blank. However, that was where he finally met Eleanor after almost
sixteen years of absence…”
“Did he recognize her? Talk
to her? Anything?” Duo asks.
“No, not at first. Sixteen
years is a long time, Duo and she was no longer the skinny, shy girl he had
fallen in love with at the base. Here was a woman who was sure of herself and
was definitely the belle of the ball.” Harold gave a bitter laugh. “He didn’t
approach her that evening but he did take the risk of asking her superiors any
information related to her.”
“It’s hard to get information
and personal ones at that,” Archibald explains with a small nod. “But with my help
and of course, Daniel’s outstanding achievements, we were able to find out a
few things. There wasn’t much about her past and I have the feeling she must
have faked most of her history on the documents. But there was no doubt she was
a brilliant woman. She did take the exams and passed every one of them with
flying colors.”
“And then, two months later,
there were the rumors about a young man named Maxwell, who was moving from one
school to another across the Southern region.”
Duo has the grace to flush at
this segment of his history and even Archibald smiles a little. “Ah yes, a
Maxwell who likes to be on the go. Something about blood running thicker than
water, eh?”
“Anyway,” Harold interrupts
with a smile of his own. “I brought this to Daniel’s attention and he was quick
to pounce on it. Of course by then his health was beginning to deteriorate.
He…did have the habit of smoking a lot in his younger days.”
Duo and I exchange a look and
he flushes darkly. Great. Like father like son, huh?
“He sent private
investigators to check out the so-called rumors and I think they began to tail
you a month before Eleanor approached you. By then it was too late for Daniel
to make his move.”
“I was tailed for that
long?!” Duo squeaks out in disbelief.
“Just precautionary
measures,” Archibald explains quietly. “Daniel wanted to be really sure it was
you and not just another impersonator. But as you can see…Eleanor beat us to
the punch. Personally, I never saw your pictures but Harold told me all the
same. He says that…”
“Daniel was floored when the
photographs arrived,” Harold says with a small smile. “He simply couldn’t
believe it.”
“So why didn’t he do anything
about it then?!” Duo cries out vehemently. “What took him so long, huh? He was
father, wasn’t he? He had a right to take care of me to, damn it!”
“But you have to remember
that he and Eleanor never got married, Duo,” Archibald explains quietly. “It’s
his word against hers if the case ever went to court…”
“DNA tests?” I volunteer with
a raised brow. “That would have worked.”
“Yes, it would have, IF
Eleanor had agreed to it,” Harold says with a slow nod. “Daniel wrote several
letters to her at first, requesting for a meeting…just to talk to both of you
and see if you would want to meet him face-to-face.”
“But Daniel received a
scathing letter in return,” Archibald adds. “According to your mother, you
never wanted to see Daniel. You were quite happy with her and any more letters
or phone calls from him and she would make sure she took you so far away, he’d never
be able to find you two ever again.”
Duo seems to deflate beside
me. He releases my hand to bury them into his hair, moaning as if in grave
pain. “All this time,” he whispers thickly. “All this time she made me think he
didn’t give a shit about me. She kept telling me of how happy he was with his
family and how he had sent her letters saying he never wanted to hear from us
again. When it was the other way around…all this time…it was the other way
around.”
“Duo…” I begin softly, trying
to reach out to touch him, but he shrugs my hand away and gets to his feet.
The three of us watch as he
paces the spacious living room and looking at Harold and Archibald, I can tell
that they are no longer seeing Duo, but rather Daniel. It was Daniel’s spirit
in the room and he was alive and well in this young man.
And yet something about the
situation is beginning to worry me.
He finally stops walking to
stand before the large windows. He stares for a long time at nothing in
particular and after what seems like eons, he turns to us with a look of
determination on his handsome features.
“What do I do now,
Professor?” he asks curtly. My worry grows tenfold. It looks like Duo’s
changing before me. In some weird and unexplainable way, Duo’s…changing.
Archibald smiles and rises to
his feet. Harold does the same and to my surprise, both men give a small bow of
respect.
“Since you are Daniel’s first
heir and oldest son, it is required that you take over his Estate and all other
business ventures or dealings he was involved with.”
“We are talking about over a
twenty million dollars in assets, Duo,” Harold adds and I think I’ve stopped
breathing. “Not to mention important decisions regarding his shares and stocks
in several Fortune 500 companies.”
“You are only seventeen yes,
but in a year you will be old enough to take care of everything, Duo. Until
then, Harold and I will be your personal advisors, if you wish to have us of
course. And we will teach you all you need to know.”
“So, Duo Maxwell,” Harold
says in a much louder voice as if done reading through a declaration. “Will you
accept all of this?”
From across the room, his
eyes meet mine and even before he opens his mouth to give an answer, I know
just what it will be.
“Yes,” he finally replies in
a firm voice as he continues to stare at me with a blatant dare in his gaze. “I
accept.”
~End Period Twenty-One~