Red Collar (15 page)

“Me too,” his mother sobbed. “Now come along,” she ushered them into the house. “I don’t want you catching a cold. Have you eaten? That must have been a long flight. You must be tired.”

Kate didn’t know which to answer first. Instead she smiled, trying to remain as calm as possible. Inside her, her
heart writhed with pain from her deception and the overwhelming joy and kindness of the two women. How could Clayton do this to them? How could he even contemplate the possibility of hurting them so badly if they ever found out that the engagement was nothing but a sham to get through their six day visit?

“Your father is in his study, Clayton,” his mother instructed. “Why don’t you go say hello while I show Kate the bedroom.”

Kate paled. Her mother was naturally assuming that they were sleeping together. “Mrs Reid,” she began to protest.

But Clayton caught onto her quickly and added, “I won’t be long, darling,” and placed a kiss on her head. “You must be tired.”

With those words, he made a quick exit, leaving her in a discomfiting state of emotions. There was no possible way in which she could share a bed with Clayton. Not when she had only come to acknowledge that she had more feelings for him than she should.

*****

Rudy stared at the woman filing her nails in the only good couch in the living room.

She had walked into their apartment, immediately taking charge like it belonged to her. He had half-expected that she would take some responsibility in at least heating the frozen meals stocked in the
freezer. But it seemed that that task also would be left to him to do.

He
then watched Libby fidget with her phone angrily. He felt uneasy on thinking how he would he have to manage with two women who despised each other and under one roof too.

He remembered t
hey had first met Bridget almost three years ago. Libby and Kate’s close friend had an intense dislike for each other from the start, although Libby was no more than just twelve at the time. Her stubborn streak was inherently long born before Bridget walked into their lives.

Until now, Rudy never had
any cause to quite worry about their differences. Because until now, there was never any need for Bridget to be around Libby unless Kate was there.

He winced silently. It all seemed calm at present but then wasn’t it the proverbial th
at there was always a calm before the storm. And he was sitting in the dang middle of the eye.

“Should I start heating up the meals?” he asked, trying to break the suffocating silence. The blaring
TV didn’t help ease the tension in the room.

As he expected, no one responded. Their disregard began to eat at his nerves. He didn’t understand why he bothered to ask. He should simply do what he wanted since no one else really cared about dinner.

He looked over at his younger siblings. Someone needed to take responsibility for them and since snapping at Libby last night, it seemed he would have to do it alone. Libby had certainly associated his yelling at her as siding with Kate because she rarely spoke to him after that, in addition to removing herself from every responsibility she had in the home including those to their younger brother and sister.

“I asked if I should heat the meals?” he repeated, somewhat more sternly.

Libby looked up at him, her chin in the air. “We heard you the first time. If you’re so keen on it, why don’t you just go feed yourself?”

He scowled. “If you haven't noticed, Libby, Joh
nny and Lily can’t exactly use the oven. Don’t you think we should do it for them?”

“Well, if you’re so overly concerned, then you do it. Since
, isn’t it you who Kate put in charge? You and that slut over there.” She nodded her head at Bridget.

Bridget raised her eyes. “You don’t want to be getting me mad
, Libby. So I suggest whatever’s pissing you off, you had best keep it to yourself.”

Libby snorted. “I was merely making an observation. Calling you like I see it. It’s not my problem if it irks you to be told that in your face. But really, if you dress like one, you expect to be called one.”

Bridget jumped out of her chair. “Why, you little piece of …”

Libby braced herself to attack. She was tall and strong
for her near sixteen years. The fact that Bridget was ten years older than she was didn’t deter her in provoking her at all.

Rudy jumped
between the two women and held out his arms, trying to keep them apart. “Okay, time out! Both of you!”

He breathed out a sigh of relief when he watched them back down. For a split
second, he was worried he would be heaved into their tussle. He certainly was not in denial of the fact that he was no match for the two women. Alone.

“You better watch it, Libby. I’m not Kate,” Bridget warned. “I’m not gonna be run over with that dirty mouth of yours.”

“I was hoping more like run away,” Libby snarled.

“No, no run away,” Rudy chipped in quickly. “We love to have you here, Bridget. Thanks for dropping in for the week. You will stay, right?”

Bridget fumed.

Libby snorted. “You want her to stay? Are you kidding me?” she growled at Rudy.

Rudy rolled his eyes in growing impatience. “Mom isn’t well. And if anyone gets a wind of us being on our own, we not only get accommodated at foster homes but Kate gets into trouble too. It’s six days, Libby. Long enough for someone to find out and short enough for Bridget to help out. For god-sakes, use some common sense and not just think of yourself.”

Bridget s
mirked at Rudy. “You’re intelligent, kid. When did you get all that smarty?”

“He was always smart,” Libby sc
offed. “But you wouldn’t know intelligence if it hits you in the face. You must be more accustomed to the smarty pants instead of smarty brains. Or is it a barely there smarty g-string?”

Bridget flared and swung herself at Libby.

Rudy flung himself against her, restraining her from Libby. He pushed his buttocks into the air, preventing Libby from getting any closer. All the while the women shouted at each other, provoking and daring the other to “bring it on”.

And even as the door knocked, they continued
their bickering in loud voices. It was a wonder that Rudy even heard it. Although he hated the idea of anyone finding out about the current chaotic status of his family, he had to acknowledge he desperately needed help.

“Johnny!
” he screamed, trying to avoid being hit by Bridget’s flailing arms. “The door!”

Johnny
, who sat watching them in absolute fascination, strode up calmly and opened it.

The door pushed
open wildly. It was Lorenzo.

*****

Clayton didn’t want to see his father but he knew better than not acknowledge the master of the house. The least he wanted was another uproar as a result of him.

He and his father
, Frank Reid, never met on eye level on most of their business theories. His mother called it a clash of egos because they were too alike.

However, Clayton didn’t think he was anything like his father. In physicality perhaps, but it stopped there. His father was the humanitarian who sought the comforts of his employees before business. He, on the other hand, was the ruthless business man with success and dynasties to conquer.

His father was the sort who was popular on a first-hand basis amongst his employees in Sitka and referred to as the gentle giant in his businesses based elsewhere.
He didn’t understand how his father could have expanded his grandfather’s businesses with such a humanitarian approach.

He recoiled in disgust
even thinking that his father’s employees could approach him so casually without offering him the respect he should command. How could a captain steer his vessel under such conditions without running the risk of a mutiny? It was no wonder that his father’s businesses were plagued with union talks, employee rights and the occasional strikes. As someone once said, a lion leading a herd of deer was no match for a lion leading a pack of lions.

Ove
r the years, he and his father had each learnt to respect their distances by keeping their communication to a minimum. But it was on such occasions as this one, where they couldn’t just simply ignore the presence of the other even if they tried.

He knocked on the sturdy oak doors of the study. “Dad?” he called out.

“Yes?” he father answered.

He opened the door and found his father staring out the window of his large, comfortable study.  He was tall as Clayton himself, his shoulders were broad and he
still invoked an aura remnant of his youth. Clayton didn’t know how he managed to keep himself as young as he did but it certainly was the one quality he admired and endeared to possess of his father.

Frank
Reid strode forward, sticking out his palm. “I heard you land,” he said.

“And yet you never bothered to greet me when you did,”
Clayton thought. He nodded. “Yes, we just did.”

“We?” his father rose an eyebrow.

“I brought along my fiancée, Kate Ripley,” Clayton explained.

Frank
poured him a drink of whiskey and handed it over to Clayton. “When did this happen? The engagement?”

“An hour ago
.”
Clayton gulped down his drink. “A week ago. I thought this would be the best time to introduce her to the family since she would now be a fixture in my life.”

Frank
sipped his drink, smacking his lips from the after-taste. “Where did you find her?”

“She was my secretary.”

“I thought your secretary was old Mrs Joanne Johnson. When did you replace her?”

“I didn’t. Kate was more PA than secretary to oversee my work not based in the office.”

Frank nodded. “Yes, you need one of those.”

He stood silently, swishing his drink.

“Congratulations,” he said at last and reached out to hug his son.

They stood a while in each other’s arms and then with a final slap of pride on Clayton’s back, he finally released him.

“You should get some rest,” Frank said. “Leah’s coming tomorrow with the kids and then the rest of the family pours in soon after. They won’t be any more ‘me’ time once that happens.”

“Yes, of course.” Clayton began walking out of the study.

“And I could meet Kate tomorrow,” Frank chirped quickly before he could exit the study. “I’m glad you brought her over, Son.”

A muscle moved in his temples. Clayton wasn’t sure if he would be as glad if he ever discovered the true purpose of Kate’s presence. He was going to have to make sure no one ever found out about Kate’s past.

*****

“I’m going up to check on the k
ids, Mama,” Lorenzo called out to his mother.

The
beaded fly curtain rustled and a middle-aged robust woman emerged from within the narrow corridor.

“Should I come to? I’ve never met the kids.”

“Mama,” Lorenzo sighed. “Later. Let them get used to me checking on them first.”

His mother shook her head in sympathy. “Poor kids. When is she coming back? The oldest one? What’s her name?”

“Kate? In six days.” He rechecked himself in the mirror.

“I’ll pay a visit to the mother probably tomorrow.”

“Not tomorrow, Mama.” Lorenzo rolled his eyes.

“So
, when? You keep saying I can’t. And why you all dressed for like that? You going out with a girl?”

“Mama,” Lorenzo
growled in a low voice. He bent down to kiss her on the cheek. “
Chau
.
Hasta luego.”

“
Si, si
,” she grumbled. “Don’t be late.” She called out from behind him as he shut the door.

Lorenzo tugged at his collar to straighten it and headed for the stairs. He had arrived early from work simply to check on Kate’s family. He even had negotiated with the manager to switch his night shifts to the day for their sake claiming “family commitments”. He didn’t understand why he sensed an urge of responsibility towards them. But he had long learnt to follow his instincts.

He skipped up the stairs and towards the first floor, devising an excuse for appearing at their door.

“Hi, just checking on you guys,” he mumbled, practicing it aloud. He shook his head in disapproval. “Lame, lame.”

“Hi, how you guys been doing?” He grit his teeth. “No, no.”

“Hi, remember me?” He frowned and hoped they did.
Well, at least Kate’s brother Rudy would.

He smiled. “Hey, is Rudy around?”

Yeah, that did sound better. He repeated it to improve the authenticity.

As he approached the door, he stared at it, willing it to open on its own. Gathering courage he knocked on it.