Miss Secretary takes charge

Chapter 45

Recap

     She switched on his game, it was paused since yesterday. She continued to play the chess, she increased the volume and made all wrong moves. The wrong buzzer kept blaring, which was annoying. Julie was anxiously waiting for some movement. In the next few minutes, Julie heard the sound of the door clicking open.

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     Julie couldn't contained her excitement but she did not express it. He came to her, got the controller and finished the game in next few minutes without a word. Mr and Mrs Ross observed them silently.

     "Thank you for bringing the girl with you, she is very smart. You should relax your conditions on the boy, I was blindly following your words these many years, what if something happened to him? I cannot compromise with his health anymore. He is after all our Lily' son" Eliza reasoned with her husband.
"It's unfortunate that Lily is not with us today, but no way the boy is responsible for that. To be honest, to wash off your guilt for not taking proper care of your daughter, you have shifted the blame on her son for her death. Your mind knows where the fault lies, so please stop treating him badly" Mr. Ross remained quiet.

     "Mrs Ross, can I get something to drink please?" Julie asked.
"What do you like to have?" Julie turned to the boy and asked.
He was hesitant to speak. Mrs Ross said, "I know what Lucas likes, I am going to bring his favourite strawberry smoothie"

     Someone addressing him with his name seems different, also the fact that she remembered his favourite drink, he felt loved. Someone noticing him itself was the special feeling for him. He looked at Mrs Ross affectionately.

     "Sounds yum, I would like to taste it too" Julie said happily.
"Shall we go sit in the garden and play something?" Lucas looked alarmed, he peeped at Mr. Ross, who was sitting at a distance and at Eliza who stopped midway, said, "of course you can, I will bring your drink there" she smiled.
Lucas did not move or seemed okay with the idea for the fear of facing Mr. Ross' wrath.

     Eliza understood his anxiety, "Mr Ross wouldn't mind, would you Mr. Ross?" she asked loudly. He looked at his wife with a blank expression.

     Julie intervened, "Why would he? He's not a bad man, he wouldn't yell at kids or neglect them as he know that it is a
Serious Offence, isn't it Mr.Ross?"
Julie tactfully locked him. Mr Ross nodded awkwardly as he was helpless to say otherwise. Julie winked at Eliza and left with Lucas to the garden.

     They were painting a scenery when Eliza brought the smoothie and roasted potatoes wedges as he was starving since yesterday. He quickly finished his food. Since it has started turning dark, Julie said she would leave. Lucas face turned sad.
"Do you want Julie to come tomorrow?" Eliza asked Lucas.
He nodded with a bright smile. Julie shown a thumbs up and raised her hand for a hi-five, he hit her hand and ran off happily.

     Eliza held Julie's hands and said,
"I owe you a lot dear, you made me take a stand for my grandson, thank you so much. He was being punished mercilessly. I thought to provide for his needs but did not focus on his mental health. It was you who made me realise my mistake. I should have spent more time with him but with Mr Ross, I always feared that he would give him up for adoption, saving him from that had been my priority, so I blindly followed his conditions. Last night, it was the wake up call for me when I feared what if something bad happened to him, I wouldn't have forgiven myself" she cried uncontrollably.

    Julie said, "He was neglected for so long, it takes time to bring him back, but if we try consistently and care him well, he will be out of this trauma"
"Please help me with this, will you dear?" She pleaded.
"I love spending time with kids, I will come everyday after work. Tomorrow we shall take him to the park. He needs fresh air, some physical activity and a chance to socialise with kids his age"
"Do you think it's safe? Because he may be violent at times" Eliza was worried.
"Unless something triggers him, he wouldn't overreact, also we shall be on watch, no need to bother, I will take care" she assured her.

***

     It was seven in the evening when Henry and Clara finished a meeting with business associates. Everyone dispersed once the meeting was over, Sr Kingston paid a visit when these two were discussing.
"Good evening Young Leads" he proudly greeted them.
Clara wished him too.
"You both work very hard"
"We were meant to and fortunately we love to, right Henry?" Clara asked.
Henry just gave a small smile.

     Since Julie' quitting, whenever he was around his grandfather, he would be edgy, he tends to ignore him else he may lash out all his aggression at him.
"Why don't you both go on a holiday together?" Sr Kingston suggested.
Henry' annoyance reached its peak. He looked straight into his grandfather's eye and said,
"I do not take woman for a vacation unless she is MY GIRL"
Having said that, Henry walked out without a second glance.

     Henry was frustrated meeting his grandfather and at this stupid matchmaking. He got back home and opened his keep-safe cabinet.

     He took out all the notes written by Julie right from the doodle note during the budget meeting which just initiated a beautiful journey by making him curious in meeting the interesting employee who had worked out budget for her vacation and lingerie shopping by diverting the company funds to employee salary to the note sent on his felicitation party "No alcohol pls Let's celebrate with SODA" and the bracelet box with a note
"To Mr Kingston" with a butterfly. He just smiled fondly at the notes and in the memory of the girl who caught his attention like no one. The connection he felt for her was beyond his control.

     He poured himself a glass of wine. He stood near the glass railing in his balcony and reminisced the time he had spent with Julie there, (Refer chap.16) working for the presentation, teasing her, pulling her into the pool, the way she blushed, her lips turning purple in the coldness and those steamy hot moments. Thinking about it, a great zeal of sensual desire coursed through his veins, he felt electrified that gave him a boner. He looked down to his pants and said,
"You don't fail to amaze me" he shrugged and went to take a shower.

***

    Julie and Eliza took Lucas to the park. Though Eliza was skeptical, she trusted Julie completely. Lucas was quiet for sometime observing his environment. His social awkwardness was very evident. He was hesitant, but Julie encouraged him to try the swing. The giggles of the little boy filled Eliza's heart with warmth, she felt guilty for depriving this from the kid for these many years. A part of his childhood was lost due to the ego and negligence of his grandparents.

     Julie slowly asked him, "if you find a kid of your age and he ask for a turn on the swing, what would you do?"
He shook his head with a sad face.
"Why? She asked.
"I like this, I don't want to get down"
"Okay I understand, but listen, if you give him a turn, he would do the same with you, and will be your good friend"
"Who is a friend?"
"One who plays with you and you like spending time with"
"Like you to me?" He asked innocently with a cute face.
"Awww.." Julie hugged the cute little boy who stuffed her heart with his pure love.

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* I know how much you all are anticipating their meeting, all the comments are about Henry and Julie' reunion. We are nearing that iconic episode so the wait is ALMOST over😉 in the next chapter you will get a spoiler.
Happy reading!