RIA ♠
EPISODE • THIRTY • NINE
THEME: doom! ????
°°°°°°°°° IDAHO °°°°°°°°
ROBERT MANSION
FREDERICK POV ????
“Darling -” my wife Vivian called at me when she stepped Into our luxurious living room
“What is it Vivian?”
I asked with my newspaper high up in the air.
“I think I’ll travel to Chicago” she said
I dropped the newspaper and stared at her in shock
“When?.. Why? -”
I paused
I studied her expression
Vivian ha-rd ly request to go on a vacation outside Idaho. Not that she hasn’t been out of Idaho to other states or countries..but she doesn’t fancy travelling all around the world.
She’d rather stay back at home or spend time with her friends having dinners.
“I know you’re wondering why I wanna travel to Chicago?”
She said
I cleared my throat
“Yes..I’m not saying you can’t travel.. But I’m only disputing the fact that you chose Chicago. There are better places to go on vacation”
“I’m not going on a vacation. Or have you forgotten I said that I would consider going on one after I must have seen a grand child”
Oh yes! She always say that anytime I ask her to go on a vacation with me.
I gave her a nod
Thank Goodness we are having a grandchild soon!
“At Dinner my friends didn’t st©p taking about this new clothe sto-re in Chicago.. And some of them went to the launch. I watched it online. Darling you nee-d to see those stunning dresses in that sto-re! Even the designer is currently famous on National Tv,billboards…”
I listened to Vivian as rattles on about the clothe Designer and her sto-re.
How on earth is that my concern?
She c@m£ closer and settled beside me.
She placed her iPad on her palm
“Watch this”
Vivian cli-cked on the screen and pla-yed a video.
I saw a big building with a designer br@nd engraved at the entrance “RRC”.
It was beautiful! Whoever owns this business must be rich!
The inside was crowded
“This was the launching of the Sto-re. It took place three days ago”
“Isn’t that Ian Bryant?”
I pointed to Jack’s son when I saw him
“Yes..he is p@rtnering with the designer”
“Well maybe because he’s running a textile company”
“I guess so. Perla was there too”
“Really?”
“Yes..and some other famous people in Chicago”
Then I saw Perla talking to a group of women
“What is RRC?” I asked
It was engraved on the walls and windows and they even showed it on a dress a woman was holding
“It Means Ria Robert Couture”
“Ria Robert Couture?” I repeated
“Look at her!” Vivian screamed as she points to a lady.
She was walking up a podium
I swallowed ha-rd
“She’s a beauty goddess!” Vivian exclaimed
I shifted uncomfortably on the couch.
I stared at the image of the Lady smiling on the phone
“Ria Robert”
The name echoed in my head
She looked like someone I used to know..but I’m trying not to think she’s the one!
“This lady has been throu-gh a lot in life”
“How do you know?”
“She shared her life experience on national TV and..even In This video… listen -”
Vivian increa-sed the volume and cli-cked to forward the Video
The cl@pping ended abruptly and the lady called Ria continued
“I used to be a blind lady with a dream of becoming a clothe designer”
My heart beats ra-pidly at her words
“She used to be blind”
“She was blind but she still held on To those dreams. Isn’t that wonderful?”
Vivian asked
But I didn’t respond
My head was trying to put two and two together
This Ria Robert used to be blind but now she can see.
I know of just one Ria Robert in my entire life..she was a little blind girl.
My step brother’s child.. Didn’t know much about her though.
It can’t be that..this Ria Robert is the same Ria I got rid of years back.
“I want to meet her”
She blurted as she stare at the devise.
I heard just cl@pping from the crowd now.
I didn’t pay attention to what she had said..I was lost in my own thought.
And I realized that I was sweating when I placed my palm on my forehead.
“Are you okay darling?”
“Yes..yes..I’m fine”
“Are those sweats?”
“Yes..I’m feeling h0t. It must be the weather”
I stood up from the couch
“But it not sunny today?”
“I’ll just take a shower and rest”
“Okay..but can I go to Chicago?”
“For what?”
“I want to get dresses for myself,Bay and her mom”
“We’ll discuss it later”
“Why not now?”
She frowned
“Are really going to do this to me?”
I raised my hands up to silence her
Vivian stamps her feet on The floor like a child as I motioned towards my room.
It not a good idea for her to meet Ria Robert.
If this so called clothe designer is the same Ria Robert then there is a big problem!
But it can’t be!
I remember Lucas said that he’d fun with the little girl in his car and threw her off a cliff.
Ria Robert is Dead!
But..what if Lucas had spared her life but lied to me?
No..no she’s dead!
But even if it that I can’t sit back,now that I know there’s another Ria Robert in Chicago!
And looking at her closely..she looks like Madison..Ria’s mother. And that her vibr@nt Aquamarine eyes look like that of my step mother’s!
I have to do something before things gets out of hand!
I nee-d to find the truth!
But how?
Then it struck me that there was only one way to find out the truth about what happened six years ago.
♦••♦••♦••♦••♦••♦
LIMOS COMPANY
DRAKE POV ????????
I sat at my desk. This time I wasn’t handling any task neither was I signing deals. I was staring at an image on my System.
The image of Ria Robert!
I met her at the BMW p@rty and it was ha-rd for me to take my eyes off her the moment my gaze fell on her.
She was beautiful!
And I haven’t seen any woman as beautiful as Ria Robert!
At that moment I would have made my Move but I couldn’t cause she was with Ian Bryant.
She was his d@t£?
I searched the room for Ian as I greeted some business as-sociates in Chicago..and all thanks to Harvey Wesley who told me where I could find Ian in the p@rt of the crowded room but he didn’t warn me that I was going to see a beauty goddess with Ian so I won’t have drooled when I saw Ria Robert.
And at first l felt happiness within me when I introduced myself to Ria. My first impression about her was that she was a business woman who was just talking to Ian..then I thought I’d take the chance when she said Ria Robert.
Something was strange about her.
I studied her carefully.
Her smile disappeared the moment Ian introduced me properly to Ria.
Even though she’d tried to maintain equanimity…but she failed at it.
She knew who my father was..no she said that she heard about him.
She excused herself..and that was lame to me. Wanting to visit the toilet after introduction and leaving at a close run.
Was it what I said?
No I didn’t say anything.. Just my name and position.
Maybe it was the way I stared at her.
I shouldn’t have stared too much.. But I couldn’t control it.
Ria must be the type of woman who doesn’t like men staring at her and taking in her beauty.
But that’s impossible!
She was irresistible!
And her beauty was enough to cause traffic on highway!
Ian didn’t tell me much about Ria when I asked who she was
“She’s my d@t£”
He had clarified..and he also sounded like he was warning me to back off and not get silly ideas in my head.
FLASHBACK TO BMW p@rtY
“You’d have a beautiful d@t£ Ian”
“Thanks” he replied with a frown
“Come one Ian I’m not going to steal your d@t£ away”
But well I could steal Ria Robert from him if I wanted to.
Ian didn’t respond
But I didn’t attend this p@rty to steal anyone’s d@t£.
I c@m£ to Chicago for Business!
“Well I’m yet to get a response on the technological deal”
“40%” he said
I followed his gaze
It was on a Lady. She was dressed in a skimpy red c0cktail dress. Her che-st was large enough to drive any man insane except me. I hate ladies with too big bo-ob s!
Ian c@m£ with his d@t£ but was still staring at another Lady. I wonder how Ria would feel if she saw him staring at another lady..bad I guess.
If I were Ian I would be faithful like an old dog to Ria Robert.
I wouldn’t nee-d another woman if she was with me.
“And why are you insisting on 40%?”
“Why are you insisting on giving 25%?”
He looked back at me
“Would you have accepted 25% if you were in my shoes?”
“No”
I replied sincerely
“But you Ian Bryant can accept 25%..your industry won’t go bankrupt because of that 15%” I said
And that was true!
If Ian could give out a Million dollars for just one night..and millions to a Charity home then he could spare me that 15% too
“I don’t run my Industry -”
“Hello”
A soft voice interrupted Ian
I turned towards the voice and saw that lady Ian was staring at earlier. I’m sure the Lady must have noticed him staring at her..that was why she c@m£ to us.
Now I think someone is going to steal Ian from Ria Robert.
If that happens maybe I can go home with Ria..just for tonight… I’m willing to take Ian’s place.
“Valerisa Diaz” she introduced
I shook hands with her
“Drake Robert”
“It’s a plea-sure”
She flashed me a s£dûçt!vesmile before turning to face Ian who now wore a concerned look on his face.
He was distant with his gaze at the entrance
“Where is your d@t£ Ian?” She asked
“Excuse me I’ll just go ahead and find my d@t£” he said to me
And he was almost leaving when I gr@bb£d his upper arm
“We aren’t done talking”
“Let’s talk later”
He j£rked free and walked away
“Still a bad as-s” Valerisa muttered
She looked angry
Well calling him a bad as-s..I s-en-se some connection between them
“Perhaps do you know -”
“Yes we used to d@t£”
She said before I completed my statement
She now replied with a bright smile..like she was proud to be his Ex.
Now I know!
Ian wasn’t staring at her because he liked what he saw.
“I met his d@t£ tonight and I told her about us”
Oh that’s bad!
He wasn’t happy Valerisa introduced herself to Ria Robert.
“So what about you?” She asked
“Did you come with anyone?”
“No..I’m here to meet Ian”
But now she ruined everything!
We were discussing business before she joined in. I was sure her pres£nce made him leave. Now he didn’t agree as planned even though it seemed like he was about to give in.
“Same here”
She opened her purse and brou-ght out her card
“You know – we can hook up some other time” she said with an alluring smile
“Sure”
I just don’t want to be rude by rejecting her card.
So I accepted it.
She wasn’t bad too but not as pretty like Ria.
She leaned in
“I’ll be expecting”
She whispered into my ear before k!ss!ngmy cheek.
I managed to stiff in a laugh.
What was she thinking?
“Bye”
She walked away
That I would hook up with her?
Never! She isn’t my type!
Definitely far from from my ideal type of women.
I hate women ma-king the first move.
But,
I can always call her up to warm my be-d anytime I’m in Chicago.
I waited to see if Ian would return back to the p@rty but he didn’t.
I tossed Valerisa card into the waste bin on my way out of the room.
I concluded that i don’t nee-d her!
I have too many problems to deal with and I don’t want anyone showing up at my parents home with a baby.
She is not my type so there is no nee-d to hook up!
I was angry that this night didn’t turn out the way I planned it. I should have stick to my plans to enticing Ian or doing some background check on him.
FLASHFORWARD
A beeping sound on my desk snapped me out of thought.
It was my phone!
I looked down at it “my mom” was the caller ID
“Hello Mom”
“Son how are you?”
“I’m fine – what’s wrong?”I asked when she didn’t sound like her usual self
“It’s your Dad” she sniffed
“Tell me about it”
“He won’t let me go to Chicago”
“Chicago?”
“Yes. I want to get some dresses in Chicago”
“Mom you can get them here in Idaho”
“No I want the dresses from Ria Robert Couture her designs are beautiful!. And some of my friends alre-ady visited the place while some went to the launch”
Oh! I never knew my mom was aware of RRC. I also watched the launching on YouTube after I heard my staffs talking about this new couture in Chicago. I typed RRC Launching and It turned out to be for Ria Robert. And I wished I was there at the launching of RRC but I wasn’t even aware Ria was a clothe designer until I watched some cli-ps about her and even the interview on National TV.
“Have you heard about her too?”
“Yes and I’ve met her once”
“Really?!”
“We met at BMW p@rty in Chicago”
“She was at the p@rty too?”
“Yes mom..she c@m£ with Ian Bryant”
And I didn’t get to see Ian till I left Chicago after a week.
I tried all my best to see him but it either he was in conference meeting or emergency meeting with board of directors or that he didn’t show up at work.
It was as if Ian purposely avoided me.
And he was ma-king a big issue out of this deal.
I should have considered p@rtnering with another company but p@rtnering Lint corps will fetch me more money.
A whole lot of money that with increase my company fund if he agrees to 25%. The deal would be profitable if I have the 75%.
“Yes son. She’s p@rtnering with Ian Bryant. And it seems like Ian is her backbone cause she confessed that he helped her a lot”
“Yes I know mom”
No wonder she turned up as his d@t£!
“So mom why did dad refused to allow you go to Chicago?”
“He didn’t say anything”
“Give him time Mom. Maybe dad is thinking that he would be alone at home.. But don’t worry I’m sure he will let you go”
“You think so?”
“Yes and I will talk to him”
“Thank You son – have you talked to Bay?”
“Yes we spoke earlier this morning. She’s fine”
“I want to get a dress for her too. Isn’t that a good idea?”
“It is mom”
“Okay”
“Bye” i hang up
I tapped on my desk softly
Then an idea popped up in my head
The best way to get Ian to sign the deal.
Limos produces the best fabrics in USA. I can offer to supply Ria at lower prices. I can bear the cost for the time being.
I will make a deal with Ria!
If Ian sees me with her I’m sure he won’t like that.
He will feel insecure with me around Ria and he will have to sign the deal to make me stay away from Ria Robert.
Yes! Yes! It perfect!
I just nee-d to have a perfect plan on how to reach Ria and talk to her.
I will act on it!
♦••• ♦
What goes around comes around Karma!
????????
Always having plans!
And I think Ria would be glad to meet the Roberts.
And easy way to make them pay for Fredrick’s crime even though they are innocent!
EPISODE •••• FORTY
THEME:MY OLD FRIEND ????
°° RIA ROBERT COUTURE °°
RIA POV ????
I heard the soft knock on my office door
“Come in” I said to whoever was at the door.
Then Ian popped his head in
“Busy?” He asked
“Not really”
I dropped my pencil and stood up to meet him half way
“Good morning” I said
Ian placed a k!sson my forehead. We’ve been doing that a lot these days..i mean Ian k!ss!ngme. He k!sses just my cheeks or forehead when we greet in the morning or whenever we’re about to call it a day on my porch.
“Morning.. I brou-ght Coffee”
He raised the 2in1 coffee park in the air.
Ian made a custom that we have coffee together every mornings ever since I started working at my place.
We have our coffee before he drops me off at school.
Ben always come around to pick me when I’m done with clas-ses cause Ian was always busy during the middays.
What I’m trying to say is that Ian has been doing all he can to make sure I’m comfortable and fine. And not go throu-gh the stress of getting a taxi.
“Thank You”
I collected the coffee and drank it. It was refreshing!
And it tasted good
“What time are you scheduled for clas-ses today?”
“12:00pm”
“12? I’ll be in meeting by then”
“It fine you can s£nd Ben over”
Ian drew in a de-ep breathe
“What’s wrong?”
“Ramsey called me this morning and said that Ben tendered his resignation letter”
“Why?”
“I don’t know Ria..but I’ll talk to him when I get to the office…even if I will have to increase his salary”
“Do you think he wants to resign because of the payment?”
“I have no idea.. I’m only suggesting that I will increase his pay if I have to”
Well I don’t think it because of the payment. Ben’s salary is good.. Better off than the normal driving salary. And Ian do give him bonus. And sometimes I ti-p him whenever he drops me off at school.. Even though I always have to persuade him to accept it from me.
Now he wants to resign!
Cas-sidy won’t be happy because Ben won’t be coming around anymore.
They are pretty close now and Mrs Elise alre-ady s-en-sed a connection between them.
Like Cas-sidy is in love with him!
Now what’s she going to do?
“I was thinking of something” Ian said
“What?”
“Even if Ben wants to leave I’ll allow him..but at the same time I will ask him to teach you how to drive before he leaves finally”
“How to drive?”
“Yes..or don’t you wanna learn how drive a car?”
“I want to Ian”
“Good it will much easier for us if you can drive a car”
It a good Idea!
“I know you are busy but Saturdays and Sunday evenings will do”
“And Wednesdays too..no clas-ses”
“Yes Ben will teach you on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I will take Sunday”
“But won’t he feel like you don’t want him to go?”
“I will pay him. Or do you wanna go to driving school instead?”
“I’m too busy Ian”
“Then Ben is our best option now”
“Talk to him about It first”
He nodded
“You don’t have to worry..I’ll work on your driving license when you can drive perfectly”
“Okay. And thanks”
“You’re welcome”
“So what are you up to?”
Ian sat on the couch
“School project”
I went back to my desk and took the big notepad and pencil
“ma-king a new design?”
“Kind of -”
I settled beside him
Then he placed his hand on my shoulder.
“A wedding go-wn design”
I gave it to him as I soak in his scent.
“Your lecturer asked you to design a wedding go-wn”
“Yes..and this is my first design”
Wedding go-wns!
The main reason I decided to attend a fashion school!
The design I sketched on the pad was an off shouldered dress and it flowed out in a billowy wave with it veil attached to it.
“It beautiful”
He complimented
“Really?”
“Yes” he grazed his knuckles on my cheek
“And what else do you have to do now?”
“I’ll make it look better than this when I wanna submit it. And I think we’ll have to make the sample too”
“Wedding go-wn clas-ses this week I guess?”
“Yes for three weeks”
“You can do this Ria” he said
“Yes I know Ian”
“So what else are you working on aside this one?”
“Mrs Elise and Loretta are the ones working on The dresses for now. They want me to focus on school works”
“That’s right. What about the supplies?”
“They will deliver it today”
“Everything is fine?”
“Yes Ian everything is fine”
“Okay”
He gave the pad to me
He stood up and I did the same too
“Are you leaving?” I asked
I wanted him to stay!
“Yes”
He covered the inch between us
“I really want to stay too Ria..But -”
He cu-mpped my face
“I have a lot to do at the office”
My mouth twisted as I studied his expression
“I un-derstand”
Then he placed his forehead on mine.
“Thanks for un-derstanding. I’ll give you a call”
He k!$$£d my forehead
“Okay”
Ian stepped backward
“Bye”
He walked out of the office
My mind was spinning!
I was trying to control my whirling emotions
What is this feeling?
A voice whispered in my mind
“You’re in love with him!”
In love?
It couldn’t possibly be!
I knew I was attra-cted to him but not in love.
There hasn’t been enough time for that..
“But maybe you’ve fallen in love with him”
I heard the soft voice again
“In that ridiculously short time?”
I said loudly
“Short time?..it’s been months!”
It not a short time..thinking about it now…we’ve been together for months now.
Is this how it feels to be in love?
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
RORY THOMAS INSTITUTE
AUTHOR POV ????????
He sat in his car,holding an old picture in his hands. He compared the lady he had saw on TV.
There was no doubt that she was the same person. He just wasn’t sure if the 16 years old girl in the picture had survived six years ago. The cops confirmed her dead but they never showed her true b©dy.
And he had searched the whole town cause he never believed she was dead! He kept searching,hoping to find a sixteen years old blind girl but he failed!
Days turned Into weeks and then Into months.
Then he had to believe it!
But it was really ha-rd to accept that she was dead!
Ria was talking to a man at the hvge steel gate of the institution!
They men in uniforms knew who she was…the latest clothe designer in Chicago.
Then she moved to the roadside to take a taxi to her shop. Ben resigned but agreed to teach Ria how to drive while Ian was busy at work.
He glanced up from the picture and saw Ria Robert trying to hail a taxi.
She was alive!
Feeling of guilt washed over him!
He should have done better!
He should have searched!
He shouldn’t have given up like that!
The 16 years old girl was now a fully grown woman.
The dimple on her right cheek was still eminent enough to prove that she was Ria Robert.
The same Blind girl that had mended his rags.
The same Ria he had helped to school whenever he was less busy at work.
Memories flooded his mind…images of how they used to pl@yin the small garden in her family home.
Now here she was,after six years!
Would she recognize him?
No she possibly can’t because Ria was blind back then. But She identified people by their voices.
He started the car and drive closer to Ria.
He stooped the car right in front of her and rolled Down the glas-s.
Ria raised her brows at him while he stared at her.
Taking in her feature closely,cataloguing every changes from The 16 years old girl he used to know.
The patches on her eyes were gone,now replaced with Vibr@nt Aquamarine eyes. They stared back at him intensely.
Those eyes was just like the old woman’s picture he used to see in her home.
Her Grandma.
And she now looked like her mother.
A striking image of her late mother..just that her mom had a brown hair while hers was black. She got the black hair and nose from her dad.
He had promised that he would help her see the world and he had worked ha-rd back then…and gave the tokens he had to her mother to add it to their savings for Ria surgery. But he couldn’t fulfill that promise cause he found out she was dead.
At first he didn’t know what happened cause he was out of Town until he received the call that they were dead and Ria was missing.
He wondered how she had left Idaho as blind girl and made it big in Chicago.
♦••♦••♦
RIA POV ????
I stared back at the man in the car. He doesn’t look like a taxi driver and the car was a BMW.
Definitely not a cab!
He didn’t say anything.
He just stared at me.
I moved away from his car.
Where are the taxis in Chicago?
I heard the closing of a door.
The man was alre-ady out of his car.
He was tall and well built-in..
I knew he would be regulars at the gym center.
His hair was cut in a way that suited his face and extremely pointed nose. He was dressed in a fitting dark Jean and a blue b©dy hogging t©p that showed off his ti-ght arms and well sculpted che-st. He paired it with a dark vans.
I don’t nee-d a free Ride!
He must be insane to think that I would just go into his car like that..cause I couldn’t get a taxi.
Men have no shame!
Luckily for me a taxi st©pped in front of me and I entered it without looking back at the man.
“Where ma’am?” The taxi driver asked
“RRC” I said and he looked back at me and smiled
“Ria Robert Couture” I completed
“Yes ma’am I know. And it nice to meet you in person”
He said before the car hit the road again
And I smiled back at him
“Perhaps ma’am can I get an autogra-ph for my daughter?”
He said seconds later
“She want to be a clothe designer like you”
“How old is she?”
“She’s just 7 years old. She actually watched your interview on national TV where you had shared your success story..so then she decided that she want to be a clothe designer too”
“Okay”
I brou-ght out a large paper and pen from my bag.
I don’t have an autogra-ph so I just wrote down my name and signed on the paper.
Then I gave it to him.
“I’d like to meet your daughter Mr -”
I waited for him to tell me his name
“Mr Maureen”
“Mr Maureen just bring her to RRC with this note”
“Oh thanks Ma’am”
He collected it from me
“I’m always less busy on Saturdays”
“Okay ma’am”
My phone buzzed. I took it out of my bag. It was Ian!
“Hello Ian”
“I’m coming to pick you up”
“No you don’t have to Ian I’m in taxi now”
He was silent
“Since Ben resigned and I figured you’d be busy at work so I took the taxi. I’m on my way to the shop now”
Ian called me around 10 that he wasn’t able to convince Ben to stay but he had asked him to teach me how to drive before leaving finally. Ben told Ian he wants to st©p working as a driver.
“Okay”
“Believe Ian I’m in the taxi”
“I believe you. See you at the shop”
“All right” I hang up
“Excuse me ma’am”
“Yes Mr Maureen”
“Do you know the owner of that car behind us? I noticed it being following us”
I looked back and saw the same car from earlier.
What does he want from me?!
“I don’t know whoever own that car”
“Should I call the cops?”
Now don’t tell me I’m being stalked by some weird guy!
I wanted to say yes but p@rt of me wanted to know who that guy was.
He can’t be following me like that!
“No don’t call the cops”
“Okay”
Mr Maureen pu-ll-ed off from the road and cornered into a quiet Street.
“Don’t worry we’ll still hit the highway. Let’s see if the car will come after us Ma’am”
“Okay”
At least I was in safe hands!
But then I looked back and saw the car now ma-king the same turn.
“He’s coming”
Who is this man?!
“Mr Maureen st©p the car”
I’m not going to allow him come after him like we are on a chase. It better I face him!
“Are you sure Ma’am?”
“Yes plea-se” he st©pped the car.
And the other car st©pped too and the man c@m£ out.
I got out of car
I was re-ady to lash out harsh words at him!
“Who are you?! A stalker?”
I screamed at him
He didn’t respond
“If you don’t have better things to do other than stalking women with your car then you might as well find a better job!”
He stared at me
His Adams apple bobbling up and down his throat
This is so annoying!
He’s good at just staring!
“You know what – you should consider a staring competition”
I hissed and turned back to the taxi
“Ria” he called
I heard his voice
I was three steps away from him.
My heart beats ra-pidly as I tried to trackback where I’d heard that voice.
It was familiar in my ears!
Like a voice I was used to hearing everyday!
It couldn’t possibly be!
I turned to face him.
“You’re Ria Robert”
He took one step forward
“The child of Mr Nathan and Mrs Madison Robert”
He took another step
My mouth opened slightly
He knew my parents names!
“Am I right?” He asked
There was only one person with this voice…
Is this really him?
When I was blind I recognized my parents and Friend with my s-en-se of t©uçh and hearing their voices. And I was very familiar with three voices..my dad,mom and a Friend named Ethan..the only friend I had back then.
And now this man’s voice sounded like Ethan’s and he knows my parents names!
What if he is Ethan?
“I used to know a blind girl named Ria Robert and she used to help me mend my torn clothes. But I don’t know if I’m mistaken now or if I’m right..that the owner of RRC is the same Ria Robert I used to know”
He paused and drew a de-ep breathe
“plea-se just tell me if I’m Right”
He whispered
This man Ethan!
No doubt about it! With everything he just said!
“Ethan?”
I muttered
And a smile formed on his face.
Of My God! I can’t believe this is happening now!
“Are you Ethan Dantes?”
“Yes I’m Ethan Dantes”
Then without wasting time..like in slow motion I went to him and hvgged him.
“Ethan”
My eyes bec@m£ blurry
“Ria..it me” he said
I was so happy to see him!
Extremely a glad to see someone who knew things about me.
Another companion who encouraged and stood by me when I was blind.
Ethan was my childhood friend even If he was older than me.
My mom met him when I was 6. She took me to the sto-re that day and Ethan had offered to help her carry her load so she could hold me properly. Then Ethan was 10.
He followed us home and ever since then Ethan was always coming to help my mom buy materials from the sto-re..and practically Ethan ran errands from my mom. He did things I wasn’t able to do for my parents
My parents loved him…most especially my dad.
I c@m£ out of the embr@ce and stared at him.
“I’m sorry Ria”
“Sorry about what?”
I noticed the drop of tear on his right cheek
“We nee-d to talk Ria. I want to know how you survived”
I nodded
“Yes there’s a lot of Talking to do”
He wiped the tear with his f!ngerti-ps
“Can we do that now?”
I looked around
“We can go somewhere else”
He said
“Okay..I’ll just get my bag from the taxi”
“All right”
I walked to the taxi
“Is everything okay Ma’am?”
“Yes Mr Maureen. He’s an old friend”
I took out some notes from my purse and gave it to him
“Thank You Mr Maureen and I will be expecting you at RRC”
“Thanks ma’am”
He drove away and I walked back to Ethan.
Meeting Ethan again was the answers to my prayers!
I nee-ded someone who was in Idaho around the time my parents died. Ethan must know what happened after the cops c@m£ around that night!
He will give me answers to the missing puzzles!
And there was only one thing I was more concerned about which was where my parents were la-id to rest.
Tbc