CANVAS GIRL

Banker

Today was the least of days Kayden had expected his mood to be spoilt. Husuella had left early to pick up the kids from school, somehow she had always managed to finish her work in time and wouldn’t stay an extra second in the office, not even for his sake. He had woken up to a smiling Husuella beside him, then she called his name and his heart raced. The memory seemed to have been carved in his mind and he had kept smiling through out the day. Everyone had been wondering what was wrong with him until Lisa and her bussiness father had decided to ruin it. How could he suggest that he marries his daughter for business? His daughter had always had a thing for him but he wouldn’t look at her twice.

As if that wasn’t enough, he had just received a call from someone he wasn’t expecting to receive calls from, Banker. That was the name he had given him after he couldn’t get his real name, besides it had suited him since he was collecting money he didn’t work for and now he was demanding a raise as if what he was doing was perfectly legal and normal. Maybe if he saw Husuella and the kids, it would calm him down. Putting down the paper he was trying to work on in vain, he picked up his coat and closed his office before leaving.

Raphael sat back and watched, he had attended the same classes as Gogiana and everything had seemed to be okay, he had not noticed anyone disturbing her and he wasn’t even walking with her. he had felt good that Kayden had brought him to school but he was cautious. He didn’t want to get attached since he didn’t know for how long he was going to keep the little girl safe and he was told to go but for the time being he was grateful to have a nice place to sleep. He was just about to walk up to Gogiana and ask if she wanted to eat lunch together when he noticed a group of three boys and four girls walk towards her and he hurried towards her. “Oh you are such a looser, so you lie and then take off like a little coward, beside who would be with someone like you?” he heard one of the girls say.

Gogiana was about to cry when a hand came over her shoulder, she looked up to find Raphael giving her an encouraging smile. “I would,” he said and everyone turned to look at him. “what? Haha, am sure he is making fun, you are not a looser like her,” smiling, he looked straight into their eyes one by one making them uncomfortable “Well I wouldn’t, if she was a loser like all of you, as a matter of fact she is my girlfriend and the next time I catch you making fun of her, you are dead meat,” he said and held her hand before pulling her with him towards the field.

“Thanks for earlier,” Gogiana said shyly making him smile, “it was nothing, am just doing my job, besides I hate bullies and id definitely do that again. “So are you really my boyfriend,” she asked hopeful “Well not really, but if you want, besides you are very pretty,” he said and sat on the grass making her sit beside him. “Okay,” she said excited “But we are still young so well wait till we are big enough and if you still think am handsome by then…” he said making her giggle, “That’s fine with me it’s a deal.” “okay, lets get back to class then,” and with that the two talked all the way to the class.

Husuella got out of the car just in time as the two kids came out of the school and was engulfed in a tight hug by Gogiana. “Uh did anything happen that I need to know about?” she asked noticing that the little girl was extraordinarily happy. “Nothing, I just enjoyed my math class today,” she said making Raphael giggle. He noticed that he felt happy seeing her happy and for a moment he wanted to keep it that way.

Kayden walked in through the front door to notice the kids playing around the room, Ami seemed to be a lot at ease because she rushed to him and hid behind him clinging tightly to his legs and immediately his sour mood disapeared. “Daddy don’t let them get to me,” she pleaded in between pants and Kayden froze, he didn’t expect her to call him that. “Noooo,” he was startled out of his state when she yelled and picked her up making the other two miss her by a scar and start grumbling. The way she was happy it was like she had been denied her childhood, like she wasn’t allowed to play because of how cautious she had seemed at first when Gogiana wanted to play with her.

After sometime, he put her down and ordered them to play in the front lawn and not get lost. He felt the urge to talk to Husuella and as he was about to move, he heard a sound in the study. It seemed like someone was really mad and was cursing and it felt like her so he walked towards the study instead.

Kayden opened the door only to be met with a stuck of papers. “Are you alright,” he asked and was met by a startled Husuella. “Yeah , am alright,” she lied between her teeth. “You don’t look aokay to me, anything the matter?” he asked looking at her curiously. Husuella thought about lying but this mostly concerned Kayden and she didn’t think it was in her place to lie to him. “Its about Ami, do you know why she was brought here?” she asked looking at him for reaction. “Well from my mother you can expect anything, maybe she just got tired of her like she did me who knows what goes on through her mind?” he said looking curious.

“Well maybe, and maybe she got herself involved in a much bigger mess, I think Amis dad is abusive and much more,” she said feeling coutious, she did not know how he was going to react. “Well I didn’t expect much, I don’t know what crime she is involved in anyway, I just received a call today demanding that I pay more for her safety,” Husuella started noving away from him. He seemed too calm to be real and she knew what was coming because she had seen this before. She ducked down just in time before the chair that was in front of him came flying on top of her before the books on the table went flying after them.

Without thinking, she jumped and held him from the back tightly. He wanted to struggle but he looked down and immediately noticed those tender hands. “Calming down, Kayden turned around and hugged Husuella to himself, somehow in between this confusion, he had found comfort in her arms and it was a miracle her presence made her calm down before he did much damage. “Its so annoying you know, somehow my dear mother always finds a way to reel me up,” he said sounding frustrated and Husuella knew she hadnt seen the end of it. Picking up the letter, she pulled him towards an empty hallway and locked the door after her leaving him with the letter she had found in Amis forgotten bag. She hoped and prayed he will take it well and hopefully only dent the door a little and not break it down.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it,” Kayden shouted from the other side, Husuella stood calm and waited for the door to fall down but it never came, instead when the door opened she was engulfed in a bone crushing hug which left her struggling to breath. She wanted to say something but decided to let it be, it felt like somehow he was seeking for comfort so she let it be. When he stopped and let her go, he pulled her with him to his room, he needed to tell her a lot of things which he had planned to tell her before he was interrupted by the letter.

“Today I received a call from someone, there is this unknown person who called me once and demanded that I pay money if I want to keep my mum alive,” he swallowed hard. This is a part of him that he had never let anyone know and it scared him what she was going to think of him after telling her the truth. “I remember, the one that made you give him most of the money your dad gave you for upkeep?” she asked looking at him with concern. “Yeah, after I took over Skimlink, he raised the amount I was to pay by thousands then today he calls me and tells me I need to pay two million then he will set my mum free, he said that last time and I don’t trust him. He refused to let me speak to her and I have this sinking feeling inside of me, it scares me and I only hope she is safe. I know she hasn’t been much of a mother to me but still she is my mum and I cant let anything bad happen to her.” he looked into her eyes willing her to look through to his emotions.

“I know, she may not be a mother figure to you but she is still your mother and you’d do anything within your power to protect her.” she said slowly cradling his face between her hands. “Thank you, I’m just worried he may do something to her and I don’t know,” he said sounding worried. “Don’t worry she will be fine just get the money and send it to him,” she said smiling at him. Kayden felt humbled that she had understood and not judged him.