Memories of a Life That Never Happened

Chapter 18 - The Trump

With a feast of ambrosial goodies, Agnes welcomed the five men back at the manor. To ease the summer heat, she had prepared coconut sponge cake and iced cocoa. Alan's favorite snack was the toothsome cheese bread with a crispy crust and spongy insides. Past the tall windows, dispiriting clouds kept the sun away and called for heartening food.  

Saliva pooled in their mouths as the boys approached the table to help themselves. Alan was the first to ransack the silver trays neatly set on the center table. Three pieces of cake and five cheese breads formed a wobbly heap in his plate.  

Theo laughed at his friend. "Careful not to choke. You do realize you can have some more at any time, right?"  

Yellow teeth and mashed white crumbs flashed in Alan's striped grin. 

A suicide morsel jumped out of his mouth as he spoke, mid-way from swallowing the food. "I'm gathering energy for tonight." 

Theo shook his head in amusement. "At least save some space for supper." 

Nicholas nudged Alan away from the table, secured a piece of cake for himself. "Agnes, where's Carolina?"  

"Resting upstairs, Sir." 

Nicholas nodded, pivoted toward the boys. "We should follow her example. We need to be in fine feathers for this evening."  

Alan's hand shot up in the air while he gulped his cocoa.  

"I'm in," he said, licking his lips. "I could use my beauty sleep." 

Leo and Nick exchanged a derisive side-glance and then Leo pulled Nick out of the room, into the study.  

At the bottom of the wooden staircase, Theo reached his father.  

"Hey Dad, I left my book in the truck. I'm going to read some more."  

Nicholas twisted his torso to throw Theo a keychain and resumed climbing the steps.  

Alan yawned, scratched his head. "Do you want me to wait?" 

"No need. I'll be reading for a while," Theo replied before walking out the front door. 

In the study, Leo slumped on the elegant brown leather couch, hugged a velvety pillow.  

"Dude," he started, resting his feet on the center table. "If your brother were not all mopey since he got dumped, I'd say he and Alan were a couple." 

"I know," Nick chortled and took a seat on the couch across Leo. "Alan's such a dork." 

"He sure is." Leo nibbled on a cheese bread. "Your brother isn't much bright either."  

From over the rims of his iced cocoa glass, Nick stared at him. "What makes you say that?" 

"You know how come he thought your parents were divorcing?" 

Nick shrugged, put down the glass. "He's been all weird and cranky since he had his butt kicked."  

"Well, there's more to it, actually." Leo took another bite, swallowed. "At the restaurant, when Alan and I stepped out, he told me some pretty interesting shit."  

Word by word, Leo passed on to Nick what he had learnt at lunch. 

"If my brother's right, he's not so dumb." 

"He is if he doesn't plan to act on this information." Leo sprung up. "You, however..." He pointed the last of the cheese bread at Nick before downing it. "Can use it in your favor. If your dad's unfaithful and, who knows, even has a second family, you'd better find out."  

Nick swiveled to watch his friend move past the couch and stop at the tall bookshelf behind it.  

"Do you really think I'd tell my mother if I found anything? I'd never rat on my dad. Not to her anyways." 

Leo examined the small ensemble of liquor bottles. After considering the labels, he settled for scotch and unscrewed the lid. 

"Such a daddy's boy," Leo clicked his tongue. He swirled the bottle under his nose. "First of all, if today his flings are none of your concern, tomorrow you may think otherwise. Being aware of potential rival heirs is always handy. I don't suppose you'd be happy to share the old man's legacy."  

"No." Nick shook his head. "I wouldn't."  

"Right, but that's not all." Leo poured himself some of the golden liquid and took a sip. "There's a second, more pressing reason, and that's having something to milk him for. Next time he tells you what you can or cannot do, you reply with a threat. You might never man up to tell your mom, but he does not have to know that." 

Nick looked away, gazed at the plush khaki rug under his snickers. His fingers drummed the slippery, empty glass in his hand.  

"No doubt, having a leeway with my dad would be great. There's just one small problem." 

The glass of scotch waved in the air with Leo's hand, spilling some of its contents in his t-shirt. "What's that?" 

"Let's say I go after this woman and find her. How do I get her to blab?"  

"That," Nick said, brushing his free hand over his shirt. "Is what we have to figure out."