The Meeting
848 Words
"... I'm gonna take my horse to the old town road... I'm gonna ride till I can no more..."
Trevis Kitridge whistled while digging the earth of his garden to plant chrysanthemum seeds.
Thinking about nothing in particular, he dug another little hole and put in a few seeds.
He was still whistling when his phone rang. He washed his hands with the water from under the tap and dried them on his shorts. He walked to the porch and carried the phone from on top the stone railing.
It was his sister calling.
He picked on the last ring.
"Hello, lil' sis. Is this the wedding invitation?"
"Don't be silly, big brother. Why are you hell bent on getting me married?" his younger sister said from the other end of the line.
"I want to stop worrying about you,
"Awn..."
"Stop blushing already. Say, where are you? Hot date?,"
"I'm at the hospital with..."
"Hospital? Your date had an accident? Send my apologies," he said dramatically.
Jossy laughed. "Hey! That's dippy. I'm with mom."
Trevis sighed. "What happened now?"
"Just started crying and walked off when we went shopping," Jossy said solemnly.
Trevis sighed again. God help him, this was getting out of hand.
"And this is the second time this week." There was a moment of silence. " Trev?"
"Yeah?"
"'Member that sapphire glass ball I bought her on Christmas?"
"Yeah?"
"She broke it."
"God."
"Maybe she just misses her daughter," Jossy said.
"I've told her times without number that her daughter is a big girl and can take care of herself, but mummy wouldn't listen," Trevis said.
"And her first love?" his sister enquired.
"Moved on...or dead," Trevis said like as if he was he was saying a normal thing.
"You're wicked," Jossy said.
"What?! Just stating the fact," he replied.
"Oh, wow. And what if one someone somewhere, discussing about us said that dad was dead?"
"Fine, as far as I don't hear it," he replied.
"I said you're wicked. Just remember that you heard it here first," Jossy said.
"That's not a new headline, sis, not a new one. Say, how's my little sister?" he asked, smiling.
"It was taking you forever to ask, wasn't it?" Jossy said, feigning anger.
"Well, now that I'm asking, you're not answering."
"I'm fine, as far as big bro is," she replied.
"I'm good, thanks. And now that I've got time, why don't you let me plant those chrysanthemum seeds? Before Liu would call."
"As much as I want you to plant those heavenly flowers, I want you to keep me company. Tell me about your escapades with Liu. Come on, big brother, keep me company," Jossy said in a tiny, whining voice.
Is that a command or a request...Oh oh, here, she calls. You're satisfied now, aren't you?" he said in a voice that said he was tired.
"Why now, of all times?!" she whined, and Trevis could almost see her stomp her feet on the ground.
"Let me go, sis. Duty calls,"Trevis said, trying to hurry her up.
"Make sure you call me back," she said.
"Yes, ma'am," he replied.
"If you don't..."
"I will." He hung up.
Phew.
What a big, beautiful lie.
He just hoped that his step mom was alright. She suffered from PTSD ever since forever, well, ever since he knew her. According to her, her first love's parents never liked her and demanded that he marry a business partner and family friend's daughter to seal their bond, and this family friend's daughter is already married, and his step mom had to leave. She wasn't even allowed to take her daughter with her, at least, to comfort her.
Trevis' dad, Lake Kitridge, had married Sylvia more out of pity, although they'd dated back in highschool.
Presently, Trevis walked back to the garden and had just bent to pick up the bag of seeds when his phone rang again.
Groaning, he dropped the bag and went back to the porch, carried the phone and picked up the call without even looking at the ID.
"Josephine Kitridge, can you, please, let me work?"
"No time for chit chats, Trev. Meet me in my office now," the voice of his boss replied at the other end of the line.
Liu Quinping, the young, Chinese C.E.O. of Home of Flora and Fauna, Searie's largest domestic forest and game reserve.
"Oops. I wanted my sister to get off the phone and let me work, so, I told her that you were calling me, and now, you really are calling me. Oof, the tongue really is powerful," Trevis said, regretting lying to Jossy.
"Don't keep me waiting," she said.
"I won't have you order me around, young lady. Accord me some respect," Trevis said, imitating his dad's voice.
Liu laughed. "You sound just like my grandfather. Okay, sir, please come to my office now, I tell you something..."
"That you can't say over the phone," he cut in and sighed resignedly. "I'm on my way."
"Thank you, sir."
"Drop it, Liu. That voice doesn't suit you."
***
- Writer
