Legitimate Clue

Chapter 10

KATIE SAT ACROSS her children in her brother's parlor. Thinking of the best way to thank her brother for the times he spent with her kids. She wished she had found out a long time ago Nick was shedding and sacrificing his time at his company for her. And now because of that his company was suffering slightly. The words of his manager kept on re-vibrating and echoing in her ears, 'he turned down six consecutive investors just because he couldn't make appearance at the company.'
"Mummy!" Manuela mumbled to get her mother's attention.
"Yes sweetheart" Katie tried to look cheerful.
"Uncle Nick is going to be sad if we leave him. He loves us." Manuela tried to convince her mother to let them stay.
"I know! But sweetheart your uncle needs to get his life straight. Besides he could visit you on Sundays at your grandpa's place." She grinned, "don't tell me you don't miss your grandma's cookies and grandpa's hugs and jokes."
Manuela's mood suddenly lightened at the thought of her grandpa's jokes and hugs, "yes I do, but can Lilac come with us?" She put on a rueful look, "please mum, she is sweet and nice. And she's changed me a lot. Please mum!"
Manuel backed his twin sister, "mum please, grandpa is really going to like her too. Besides we will like to be there when she delivers our baby brother."

Katie smiled, "who told she is carrying your baby brother?" Her children could really be shocking and surprising most times.
Manuel chuckled, "uncle Nick of course."

"Don't you dare ever try to stop me from doing anything! " Lilac muttered angrily and viciously towards Nick immediately she entered his penthouse.
"Are you insane? I was trying to protect you!" Nick growled from pure anger and irritation. He could throttle and kill her instantly if not for the baby she was carrying. God! She was so rude and ungrateful for his liking. Always angry and when asked questions retort with cheeky answers.
"I don't need your stupid protection!" She raised her hands to stop him from approaching her, "don't get closer, I don't need your stupid help. Do you think it's funny my grandmother and mother was nearly killed right at my father's burial." She held back the tears that were threatening to fall from her large lilac eyes, "do you think you can bring my father back or protect my family."
Nick pressed her against him to calm her down. "I understand, I'm sorry." He consoled her even though she struggled to get away from his embrace. "Let me go! I don't belong here, I need to protect my family." Lilac jerked her body away from him_but ended up crashing into Katie who looked very sorry for her.
"Accept my condolences for your father's death." Katie tried to look into Lilac's eyes. "Jake Donovan was really a nice person. I remember when I was your age when he used to visit my father and hug me, saying I was one day going to save his life with my knowledge in medicine." Katie moved closer to hug her and was grateful when Lilac hugged her back and and was weeping. "He couldn't be dead, It can't be." Lilac sobbed.

Nick interrupted their trance, "what are you doing here, aren't you supposed to be in an operating theatre?" He sat beside his confused nephew and niece, caressing their finger to assure them everything was fine.
"I'm taking the kids to the mansion." Katie edged Lilac to the seat she had vacated_as the two of them made themselves comfortable on it.
"And why would you send them there?" Nick nearly yelled.
Katie frowned, "Nick please! It's our parent's house, not the house of some stranger." She tried to relax.
"Did I do anything wrong to them? " He diverted his attention to his nephew and niece, "did you tell your mother I maltreat you?"
"No! We wanted to stay. It was all her idea." Manuel frowned.
"Nick stop it! " Katie growled.
"No I wouldn't. You can't send them to the mansion." he clasped Manuela's hands, "are you choosing your grandpa over me?"
"No! As much as I hate seeing you making Lilac cry and angry. I still like to be with you." Manuela blurted distressingly, causing all of them to freeze in thought. Nick composed himself, " I'm not responsible for her tears and anger, she is just too damn dramatic and crazy." He growled, causing Lilac to chuckle and throw him a dirty look.
"Mum, I think I will be going to grandpa's house." Manuela muttered. Nick grumbled, "I thought you said you were going to stay with me." , Manuel answered for his sister, "we changed our mind." , Nick cursed beneath his tongue, "Manuel! ".
"What! Why do you keep making Lilac angry. Do you want our baby brother to suffer and hurt from her mother's anger and frustration. Mum, we want to go to grandpa." She added turning her head to face Lilac, "please come with us to our grandpa's house. He is nothing like our uncle. He is going to make you laugh all day and hug you so many times that you won't be able to count. "
Manuel took over, "we promise you, he is nothing like our uncle, please Lilac. Remember you said you would always grant us our wishes. Come with us please. Our grandma bakes nice cookies. And she also knows how to take care of babies. Mum said she was the one who took care of us when we were babies."
"Please Lilac, please!" Manuela begged, and when was almost at the verge of kneeling and crying, Lilac rushed to carry her petite body into her arms. "Yes! I will go with you to your grandpa and I will let him make me happy."
Manuela burst into laughter, "really?"
"Yes! Really!" Lilac grinned at her.
"Our things are already in mummy's car, so why don't you let us go and pack your things so we could get going, I'm sure grandpa is missing us already."
Lilac held the hands of both Manuela and Manuel as the three of them rush to collect her belongings.