Michael the Third pointed. "There is our ride."
Sure enough, there was a man holding a sign that said Chang in Japanese but Jones in English.
They walked up to him and he and Michael the Third talked. Then the man led them outside to cars waiting to take them to the estate.
They loaded the cars then climbed in to take off. It was a thirty minute ride with the Changs pointing out various attractions.
They pulled up to a big mansion on the outskirts of town. People poured out of the house to help with luggage. Among them were two semi elderly people.
"Mother! Father!" Michael the Third bowed before hugging his parents.
"Michael." Gertrude "Gertie" Chang patted her son's cheek. "No see me much. Why?"
"We were always coming, Mother. We wouldn't have let the year close without seeing you."
"Good."
Michael Chang the Second clapped him on the back. "Look good."
"Thank you, Father." Michael the Third inclined his head. "Meet our friends. This is Dr. Marcus Jones Jr. and his children, Marcus Donald, Mercedes Catherine and Marceline Anne."
"So pretty!" Gertie cupped the girls' cheeks.
Mercedes Catherine and Marceline Anne smiled.
"Look him!" Gertie went to Marcus Donald and touched him all over. "Good boy!"
"Mamma, no!" Malcolm took her from him. "You can't touch him like that!"
"Very handsome!"
"I know but you're a lawsuit waiting to happen."
"Have model?" She fought her grandson off to inquire of the strapping university student.
"Um... yeah." Marcus Donald nodded. "I've modeled. But those days are behind me."
"No, no. You model now. Pretty sisters, too." Gertie tapped their chins.
"Stop it, Mamma." Malcolm picked her up and set her next to her husband.
Michael the Second laughed.
"Mother." Michael the Third smiled ruefully. "Let's go inside. It's cold out here."
"Inside!" Gertie clapped before leading them inside.
"Tea?" Michael the Second asked once the great doors were shut.
"Let's put our things away and then we can join you." Michael the Third suggested.
He nodded. "Up."
The travelers followed staff upstairs but not before Gertie swatted Marcus Donald on the bottom.
"I'm sorry about her." Michael the Third said as they stood in the hallway. "She's handsy."
"It's okay. She's a sweet lady." Marcus Donald shrugged.
"We can meet at the bottom of the stairs in thirty minutes."
"Come see me before then." Malcolm pulled on Marceline Anne's hand.
"Alright." She kept walking.
They all went to their separate rooms.
M-
Marceline Anne knocked on Malcolm's door. He bade her entrance so she slid the door open. "What's going on?"
"Nothing." He peeked at her as he continued to unpack.
"You're so slow." She walked in and closed the door behind her.
YOU ARE READING
Morphine
Romance"I can feel you; just like a drug..." Marceline Anne Taylor-Jones is what one would call a bad girl. She does what she wants when she wants because she wants. Malcolm Chang is what one would call a good boy. He follows the rules and does what's requ...
