ELEVATOR WAYS

CHAPTER FIVE

"You have been ordered to meet with the president."

That was what the text message Violet sent to him read. If he did not know her well, he would have believed that he was being ordered back to his father's house. Only he did know her well. A little too well if you asked him. And this was definitely her handiwork.

Who would have thought, from the way she lashed out earlier and berated him, she would still try to get him in line to work with that "Elizabeth something" on the elevator? He couldn't remember her last name though. Violet cared about their business very much. No surprise because, even as PA she had bought major shares that he only just found out about recently. So she was working overtime because good business meant more money for her. She had the mind of a mogul.

He sat on the balcony waiting for Dave to pull up. His father always sent meeting up details to Dave directly instead of him. It was something he still did not understand, but it seemed that his father trusted these people too much for his convenience and his safety.

Dave pulled up minutes later and Luke went down to meet him. He was dressed in smart clothes and Dave nodded in approval to his dress. Then he was shown the text from his father. They were to meet 'over drinks' at 6pm. His house was a good drive away from his parents, so he would arrive at around that time. Once again, anyone that read that would think he was going over to have fun with his Dad and catch up over drinks. In real fact, he was going to get scolded and advised over a glass of fine strong wine while his Dad slowly but steadily sipped from a cup of tea. The rate at which his father drank teas recently, one would think he was of Asian descent.

Luke didn't want to think of what would become of him when he could no longer drink alcohol as much as he would want to. He dreaded that part of his life so much that he decided to leave the imagination alone lest it crept on him faster than it was initially supposed to.

During the journey, Violet sent a couple of text messages, emails and documents containing much needed information about the Elizabeth lady of the elevator. It wasn't all pointless though. He learned her surname. Halle. What kind of name is that? What the hell did it even mean? Why would someone want to bear that as a name? It literally had the same pronunciation in disasters. He used that to justify himself and feel better.

Hours later, he saw him at his father's residence. Or as they would like to call it, home. A gust of wind greeted him welcome. He could still perceive his mother's scent even though she had been long gone. He used his eyes to survey around as if expecting that something had changed since the last month he had visited. Everything remained the same as it was. Papa did not care about luxuries as much as he did. That personality trait he had acquired from his mother instead. She was the reason why their house remained as grandiloquent as it was. If left to Papa, they would all be barefooted, sitting on prayer mats, cross-legged and the house would be bare or full of boxes. The only place Papa had concerned himself with decor was the office.

Luke had moved across town away from the family house two years ago to start a life of his own as an eligible bachelor or what not. In fact, the way he moved, one would almost think that he had plans to settle soon. His house was furnished as if it housed more than one human presence. However, it was evident that Luke's thinking was far from marriage. He did make it a duty to show up to visit Papa every month. Even if it was just once. Domestic staff could never replace family. Especially now that his better half was gone.

"Where is he?" He asked Agatha. Bless her soul, she had been his nanny when he was a child. After his mother's death, Papa had requested her presence back in the house. He needed someone he was familiar with. She had practically been family all Luke's formative years, so why not? In fact, Luke secretly wished Papa would develop an interest in her. So he wouldn't be alone anymore.

Besides, she was the only one who could tend to Papa with care. She understood his every need. Even though they were almost in the same age, she sometimes acted as such a mother to him. And something about nannies is that they do not grow old. Scratch that. They do, but only in the soul. It took time to show their age in comparison to their body.

Agatha led Luke down the hallway after engulfing him in a bear hug for more than a minute. The experience left him red and out if breath. Luke could see that they were headed for studies. God! What kind of human being drank in their studies? Luke shook his head when a little laughter escaped him . Agatha understood perfectly and nudged Luke for being so judgmental of his father. After all he came from his loins, there is little difference between a father and his child.

Agatha knocked and stepped back, leaving the door to be opened for him to step in. He did.

"Howdy Father!"