“Miels, stop mopping around over Lois. There’s no point crying over spilled milk.” Father said to Miels who wore a long face as he walked out of the room.
He sighed heavily but
didn’t say a word.
Father shrugged and continued.
“Remember that employment letter I asked you to draft?”
"Yes Father but I haven’t printed it out yet.”
“You can do that on your way out. I need you to take that letter to Jeremy in Belet. When you get there, I’ll communicate to you who to hand over the letter to.” Father explained, still without looking up.
“Father?” Miels asked.
“You of all people should know Lois
will have me for dinner if he finds out I’m giving out his position to someone
else.” Miels voiced out his fears.
Father smiled. “If and
when you’re asked, you don’t have to tell that your assignment in Belet is to
give away his position. Only tell that you were there to inspect the new land
in Belet. Which you will do.”
“One more thing Father...” Miels
spoke up.
“When he sees or hears that I
went looking for Jeremy, don’t you think he’d…?”
“Invite Jeremy over to the new
land and have your conversation there.” Father cut in, smiling.
“Alright then!” Miels raised his
hands in surrender, bowed and left.
*****
The moment Miels
pulled up at the parking lot, all eyes were on him.
“This one Miels is here, hope
we’re safe?”
“Are y’all sure we’re not in
trouble?”
“Oh my, this is not good.”
“I guess someone is about to be
evacuated today.”
"I thought we all agreed to be
of good behavior in this community?”
Whispers and whispers
were everywhere. Everyone had something to say.
The moment Miels stepped out of the car; some people moved closer to him while three middle-aged men walked up to him and bowed slightly.
“Sir Miels, is everything alright? Seeing you here at this time of the year is frightening.” One of them said and turned to the others who nodded in the affirmative.
Miels smiled. “There’s
nothing to worry about. I come in peace. I came to inspect Father’s land here.”
The sigh of relief
that spread the small crowd around him was obvious. They smiled and started
leaving one after the other.
“Jay, can you please get me
Jeremy? Tell him to meet me in the purple-roofed tent.”
The men nodded.
“And please, tell him to come
along with the boys.” Miels added.
“But you said everything was
fine.” One of the men questioned.
“Dan.” Miels called and placed a
hand on Dan’s shoulder. “Trust me. Everything is fine. You can come along if
you have doubts.”
Dan smiled.
Half an hour later,
Jay returned with Jeremy and four other boys. As they walked into the tent,
they each bowed to Miels who stood to acknowledge their greetings. Miels shook
hands with Jeremy who was reluctant at first and he quickly started a
conversation about the land Belet was to release to Isle.
As they conversed, a
broad shouldered handsome young man walked in. With his height and fine face,
he was bound to be recognized anywhere he stepped feet into. He looked like CEO
material. He was on a call when he walked in and bowed slightly to Miels who
returned him a smile.
“Who’s that?” Miels inquired.
“That’s my first son Abel.”
Jeremy replied and gave Miels a broad smile.
“Hmm.”
“He must be the one Father asked me to deliver the letter to.” Miels thought.
Miels walked briskly
to his car and just as he unlocked the door, his cell phone rang. He received
the call with his Bluetooth earbuds.
“Father…”
“Don’t even think about it.”
Miels was reaching for
the document in the storage compartment of his car when he stopped.
“What do you mean Father? Abel
is…”
“Not CEO material as you think!”
Father cut in in a firm tone.
“I don’t think so Father. He
walks and wears the look. He looks like the man for the job.” Miels argued as
he stood with his back against his car.
“I like your choice of words.
That he looks like the man does not qualify him to be the man. That he wears
the look doesn’t mean it suits him.” Father explained calmly.
Miels looked towards
the purple-roofed tent, and a guy who looked just like Abel was walking into
the tent. He looked more sophisticated than Abel.
“Must be Abel’s brother. Maybe
he’s the one.” Miels thought.
“Nope!” Father said.
“Father…” Miels was saying.
“You’re wasting time outside. Go back to them.” Father said.
Miels silently obeyed.
He walked back to the tent while still on call with Father.
And again, the moment
he stepped foot in the tent, a young man who looked more like Jeremy walked in
followed by four other boys.
“Sir Miels, this is Abraham my
second son and Sam, his immediate younger brother.” Jeremy said to Miels when
he got to them.
“Good evening, Sir Miles.” Abraham and Sam bowed.
“No!”
“Excuse me, please.” Miels
excused himself and walked some feet away from Jeremy.
“Father, this is the third no.
How many more to go?” Miels frowned.
“I sent you on an errand. You
should be patient enough to follow my instructions. I know who you’re to hand
over that document to and…”
“I hope you know that the longer
I stay here, the more chances my cover would be blown and the more chances my
cover will be blown, the more Lois…” Miels explained.
“Miels, how many
times have I taught you to trust me?”
Miels didn’t reply.
“Even I have lost
count myself. I sent you on a risky errand. Don’t you think I’d have prepared a
way of escape for you just in case things go south?... and the only way things
can go south is if you do not heed to my instructions.”
“Yes Father.” Miels
replied tersely.
“Do not stress over
the rest of the boys. They are not fit the spot.”
Miels stared at the family who sat few feet away from him. His eyes,
scanning them.
“If my guess is
right, the youngest here should be nothing less than twenty years of age. Do
you want to hand over the company to a minor?” Miels said.
Father laughed long and hard. “You call a 20 year old guy a minor? How old were you yourself when I picked you to become the HR of Isle?”
“I’m waiting for my
answer.”
“I was 12.”
“I didn’t hear
that.”
“12, Father.”
“So who then is the
minor?” Father asked sarcastically.
Miels rolled his eyes. “Fine then. Nevertheless, Father, if you say the
boys aren’t fit the spot, who does? I don’t think Jeremy has any more boys.
“Let him be the
judge of that. Ask him if those are all his boys.” Father replied.
Miels beckoned to Jeremy who joined him swiftly.
“Are these all your
boys?”
“Of course! I have
seven strong boys.” Jeremy smiled with a pinch of pride.
“Hmm.”
“He suffers from
amnesia at intervals. Ask him again.” Father said over the phone.
“Jeremy, I don’t
have all day. Are you sure you don’t have any more boys?” Miels frowned
slightly.
Jeremy itched the back of his hair. “Err… actually… there’s the last
one…”
Miels raised a brow.
“But I promise you don’t
want to see him.” Jeremy added quickly.
“Hmm. Let me be the
judge of that. The instruction was to come along with your boys, not with some
of them.” Miels said placing more emphasis on the word, ‘some.’
“Are you sure sir?
I don’t think…” Jeremy was saying.
“Until he arrives,
no one leaves. Therefore, it’d do you a whole lot of good if you get him here
as fast as you can. Get someone to get him for me.” Miels cut in with an aura
of authority and found a chair where he relaxed in.
“That’s my boy!” Father
declared over the phone.
Miels smiled satisfactorily.
Abel walked up to his father.
“Dad, I’m sorry but
I have somewhere else to be. I don’t have all day.”
“I need your
brother to be here. Sir Miels wants him.” Jeremy explained to Abel who was much
more taller than he was.
Abel chuckled. “Do I have any other brother asides these ones?” He asked, pointing towards his siblings.
“He’s referring to
the school teacher.”
Miels could hear their conversation from where he was seated but he
feigned ignorance.
“I don’t know how
you even refer to that tiny tot as your son.” Abel expressed his disgust.
“Regardless, he’s
still my son and he’s your brother!” Jeremy frowned.
“Sorry.” Abel said
with a tone of sarcasm.
“Well, I have to
go. Good luck with, your-son.” Abel added.
“You can’t leave.
Sir Miels said until he arrives, no one leaves.”
“How does my
leaving hang on the school teacher’s arrival?” Abel queried.
Jeremy dragged Abel away from where he stood to a few feet away from
where Miels was seated. “Shhh!’ he shushed him. “Don’t let him hear you. It’s
Sir Miels. So we have no choice order than to comply.”
Abel was going to speak when Jeremy cut him short.
“Whether you like
him or not!”
Abel sighed in defeat and beckoned to one of his brothers. The youngest
one came.
“Get the school
teacher here ASAP!” Abel commanded.
“Why?” the boy
questioned frowning.
“When did you start
questioning me?” Abel made as if to give the boy a slap.
“There’s no need
for this. Let the boy go.”
Jeremy turned to the boy. “In all you do, make sure you come back with
that boy. Don’t keep Sir Miels waiting.”
“Wow. What a way to
treat the last born of the family.” Miels shook his head.
“Those are the
kinds of people I love to exonerate. The kind that seem unlikely from outside.”
Father said over the phone.
Half an hour later, Miels sighted two young men just a few meters away
from the tent. The first one was walking ahead and it seemed like he didn’t
want to be associated with the other person. In no time, they got to the tent
and Miels stood immediately! All eyes turned towards the youngest lad who
walked in. He was Jeremy’s doppelganger, yet a finer and smaller version. The
word for him was beautiful and he wondered why anyone would not love the guy. It
was like at first sight for Miels.
“That’s your man.”
Father said and his smile could be heard over the phone. Miels returned the
smile.
“Hello, young man.”
Miels greeted the moment the young lad got to him.
“A very good
afternoon to you sir.” He bowed, his fingers touching his toes.
“What’s your name?”
“Demi.”
To be continued...
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