Chapter Thirteen
Christopher Meyers stood at the foyer with his arms folded on his chest, his expression solemn just like the calm before an impending storm.
Jade unlocked the main door with her spare key and entered. She glanced at her dad and closed the door softly. Then turning around she faced him.
"Where are you coming from young lady?" He spoke in a stern voice.
"Work dad," she answered, calmly.
"Dustin Moore works with you?" He asked, frowning at her.
"My car had a flat tyre so he offered to drop me home, " she answered, looking him in the eye. She wasn't lying so there was no reason to be intimidated.
"I see. You are an hour and a half late," he stated, looking at the wall clock.
"Yeah, we talked dad," she said, calmly.
"Are you two dating?" He asked, looking at her suspiciously.
"No dad. We just talked," she confessed.
"Whatever you do, don't get pregnant. I have a good reputation here," he stated firmly.
Jade rolled her eyes. She knew that and she was mature enough not to allow that to happen. "I know dad," she assured him.
"Let's eat dinner and go to bed. It's late already," said her dad leading the way to the dining room where Stella was serving dinner.
"That would be all Stella. You can go home now," said her dad and Stella nodded happily. After she left, they ate dinner and went up their rooms to sleep.
The next morning Jade took a shower and went downstairs to make coffee. "Make one for me too," said her dad, picking up the newspaper from the front porch. He closed the main door and sat down at the table to read it. Jade brought coffee and cookies to the table and sipped hers. Her dad too sipped his coffee.
It was just seven-thirty in the morning. Jade was checking her emails when the doorbell rang. Who could it be so early in the morning? Stella came at 9 o'clock in the morning.
Jade went to open the door. She stood rooted to the spot, seeing Dustin standing there, grinning at her. "You?" She asked incredulously.
"Yeah, I couldn't sleep. So I showered and came here to fetch you," he said, scratching his head looking like a naughty schoolboy doing what he shouldn't be doing.
"Who are you talking to Jade?" Asked her dad. Dustin's eyes grew wide and he went to hide behind the pillar on the porch.
"Dustin, it's just dad. Come inside," she coaxed, holding his hand and pulling him inside the house.
"Dad, Dustin's here to take me to see granny. I didn't visit for a week," she informed her dad.
"Come join us for coffee, Dustin," he invited and Dustin nodded, "Thank you, sir," he said and sat opposite her dad. Jade went to get him coffee.
When she was gone, Mr Meyers asked him,"Have you received the compensation from the government?"
"No, sir, it will take a month," he informed.
Mr Meyers nodded in understanding,"Yeah, these things take time. So, what do you plan to do with the money?" He asked, curiously.
"I'll be building two more floors above the restaurant sir and turn it into a small motel. We have sanction for the floors but didn't have money to build," he said and her dad nodded appreciatively.
"But you would require more money for that," he stated.
"Yeah, I thought about that. My maternal uncle James Caldwell left some money to me last year when he died. I have spoken to Jayson. He will help me acquire it," he informed her father.
"That's wonderful news," he appreciated.
"Yeah, it's a big amount. I can buy a house and save the rest in the bank," he told him.
"That's very good news but keep it to yourself. Money brings out the worst in people. You never know what people can do for money," he advised.
"Yes, sir," Dustin said as Jade brought him his coffee and some cake. They talked about the two cases some more and then Dustin took his leave.
"Do drop in sometimes when you're free Dustin. Would love to talk more," said her father.
"Yes sir, I will," Dustin promised.
"Call me uncle Chris. Quentin and I had studied together since our freshman year. We were good friends," informed her dad. Quentin Moore was Dustin's dad. He was a general physician at the Travis Springs state general hospital where he met Dustin's mom, Dana. She was a nurse there. During Dustin's final year at school they met with a fatal accident while returning from Alabama where Dustin's uncle James Caldwell lived. He was the only brother and the only living family of his mom.
"I know uncle Chris, granny told me many times. You used to come home when dad was younger and at school," said Dustin and Christopher Meyers smiled in remembrance.
"Yeah, those were the days," he stated. "Anyways, you both carry on now. I'll go take a shower," he said, getting up to go to his room.
Jade cleared the table and ran upstairs to get her handbag and then after kissing her dad's cheek, left with Dustin.
They climbed onto Dustin's Ford F-150 and sped off towards the restaurant. "Weren't you supposed to come at 9 o'clock?" She asked, looking at him.
He grinned without looking towards her. "What can I do? You kept popping up in my dreams and I just couldn't sleep. So I took a cold shower at 5 in the morning and have been fidgeting around since then," he informed her and she sat with her mouth open wide.
"Oh, you could have counted sheep and slept," she suggested.
"I didn't want to. We were doing so many interesting things, who wanted to count sheep in the middle of it all?" He stated, glancing at her briefly to wink.
"What things?" She asked, frowning.
"Oh, well. I was on top of you and was eating you..," he started and she screamed covering her ears with her hands.
"Shut up, you perv. I don't want to hear," she said with a red tomato face.
"What? We will do it soon," he stated matter of factly.
"No we won't," she said firmly.
"Yes, we will. How else will we have our children, silly," he stated and she stared at him dumbfounded.
"Our children? We're not even married. Dad will kill me if we produce children before marriage, " she said, glaring at him.
"Oh we will marry too, give me a little time, baby," he said, with a wide wide smile.
"Baby? I like it," she said smiling back.
They reached the restaurant and Jade jumped down and went into the kitchen. Dustin parked his truck and followed, whistling a merry tune as there were no customers.
"He looks so happy with you around. I'm so thankful to you dear. Do drop in once a day, else he goes crazy. He's whipped with you dear," said granny and Jade nodded.
"I will granny. But don't tell him," she said with a naughty smile. Granny chuckled. Jade helped with the breakfast items on the menu. Dustin dropped by every now and then when the restaurant was a little empty. Finally he placed Richardson at the counter and walked into the kitchen.
"Granny, I'm hungry," he said, opening every pot and pan for food. Granny slapped his hand away.
"Those are for customers. You go to our kitchen. There's pasta. Heat it and eat. Take Jade with you. She could also do with some food. She's so skinny. She needs more food," said granny, shaking her head.
Dustin grinned mischievously. "Sure granny. You're right. She needs to eat. Come on Jade, let's go and eat," he said, catching her wrist and pulling her away with him before granny changed her mind.
He didn't leave her till he opened the door of his apartment and led her inside, closing the door after him. "Who wants food when I can have you?" He said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Jade's eyes went wide. What was he planning to do?
