loping along through the cosmos

42: JADE BECOMES HER BODYGUARD'S ASSISTANT

The bodyguard pulled up and unlocked the doors for his passengers to open.

"Jade, stay outside," Jenevieve advised.

"Why? I'm the only one who knows where it is," she said. "And it's not the only reason why I was adamant to go here."

"What else?" Nazaire asked.

"There's this man... Theodore talked to him during the incident at the other school. You know, when my cousin got shot. Anyway, the man said his son needs to be in surgery and that he did that job," she air quoted the last word. "For him."

"So, you're going to give them money?" Lilith asked.

Jade nodded. "But I want to see if the kid really needs money. And of course, I want to see the garden too."

Kieran sighed in defeat, now with a bag strapped on his shoulder. "Then we're all coming."

"Just keep your wig and mask on to be sure," Nazaire suggested.

Lilith and Jenevieve were wary of Jade coming with them.

This woman could be Agustus' mother, the one who may still have a grudge against her and their four other friends.

But before any of the two could tell her, Jade already rang the doorbell twice until someone opened it for them.

A woman in her 50s looked at them with a smile. "Hi. What can I do for you?"

"Good morning, ma'am. We're from the Sinclair Foundation. Someone told us about the De Villiers and their situation so we came here to talk to Mrs. De Villiers. Is she inside?" Kieran asked. Before he could forget, he flashed his infamous smile that he only uses when he needs to get something.

"The foundation? Oh, that's lovely! Mrs. De Villiers would be happy to hear that," she said, eyes watering. "Could you wait here for a moment? I will tell her and ask if she's okay with it."

"Sure, ma'am," Kieran answered.

Once the lady closed the gate, Lilith looked up at Kieran. "The Sinclairs have a foundation too?"

Kieran nodded. "They've got lots of things going on."

"You're super rich then?" Jenevieve poked Jade. "At this point, you could beat the Kardashians."

"We could beat them with the family drama we have but not the fortune. They're billionaires, we're not," Jade chuckled.

"That's what you think," Kieran mumbled. Jade stepped on his foot, making the bodyguard groan.

"I'm sorry for making you lot wait," the woman came back. "Mrs. De Villiers is here."

She's not taking us in? Nazaire thought. That's understandable.

Mrs. De Villiers revealed herself behind the older woman.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. I am Kieran." The bodyguard reached for a handshake.

The woman shook his hand firmly. "Marissa De Villiers. Can I see an ID showing that you're really from the Sinclair Foundation?"

The two students looked at Kieran simultaneously. Luckily, the bodyguard was already fishing for his wallet to get his ID card.

Lilith and Jenevieve, on the other hand, stared at the woman before them. They felt a rush of relief.

She's not Agustus' mom.

"These kids are rookies for the foundation. They were tasked to come with me and assist," Kieran explained when the women were also waiting for Jade and the others to show their IDs.