Nothing Above You

Four

Mateo Delacruz

My family sits on the table of the fancy restaurant.

There is a red carpet on the floor and huge chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

The slow, steady jazz music plays in the background and we sit on the round table.
My parents sit across from each other and the chair across from me is empty.

It's for him. The person with whom we are supposed to have a family-business dinner with.

My mother wears a red dress with some elegant jewelry. Her hair are also neatly done and indeed she looks like a business man's wife. Me and dad are in our suits. Mine is more simpler than him. I look around and everyone here indeed shouts riches.

God, I hate places like this.

The more we wait, the more annoyed I get. "Isn't he a little too late for a business call?" I say looking at my dad and take a sip from the wine that was in front of me.

"He is a busy man." Dad says while looking at me. His voice is strong and by that I can tell that he too, is getting annoyed by this.

"He shouldn't have agreed to come then. You hate people who are late, how are you gonna work with him." I say while leaning back in my chair. The annoyance is very visible in my tone. I fold my arms over my chest and shake my head in disapproval.

"He is an intelligent man" my dad replies with so much confidence and respect for that man. Why is he trying to be so calm about this? If we were waiting for someone else, my dad would've stormed off without waiting for more than five minutes yet here we are, waiting for almost 20 minutes.

Why is he so determined to work with this guy anyway? He is younger than my father so he doesn't have much experience either. Then why?

As I'm about to speak something, four men in black suit walk in the restaurant and everyone eyes them. What the hell?

All of them are wearing headset, glasses and their hair are well set. They all look well organized. Their bodies are well built and huge. A person like me could easily hide behind their huge bodies.
They must be someone's bodyguard. I study their figures as they walk around the restaurant in search of anything dangerous and talk in their headsets.

Once they are done, they nod to each other and take their positions on the door. Two on each side and wait for the arrival of their boss.
Who in the hell needs bodyguard to go to a fucking restaurant?

I look at my father and he is looking at the door as well. My eyes fall back on the door and once the door opens, I feel my eyes glued to the person who walks in that door.

The man walks in with such a confidence. His head is high and upright in a arrogant way and his posture is so sharp. He looks like a mafia. He has this intimating aura. The other men follow behind him as he walks in. As I look at him, as well as the other people at the restaurant, the man seems to ignore the attention he is getting. The man is wearing a beige suit and underneath it, he is wearing a white shirt. His black hair are pushed back while some strands fall on his forehead.

He walks in the restaurant and takes large steps to our table. Why is he coming towards us?

I can almost feel my breathing getting faster when the man stands by our table. He walks closer to my dad and looks at him.

"Mr. Delacruz. I hope I haven't kept you waiting for a long time." The man smiles and his voice comes out like it's shooting daggers in a calm way. It's so harsh yet so soft. His voice is deep and thick. I gulp and look at the man who is talking to my father.