The Flu

Chapter 12

Andy looked at his lawyer close the files and exhaled loudly. This case with the model found dead in a hotel suite they had shared 8 years ago still haunted him.

The family of the girl kept dragging the case anytime they felt like. Finally the case had been closed. The court found him not guilty.

"Why wouldn't they just do that before?" he filled his glass with whisky. He knew the girl's family wanted money which they didn't get after all.

"The public was suing you. This case could drag on for years since even the evidence can't be found, the witness stopped showing up and out of no where their dusty files went missing after the Judge retired. I told you to sign a cheque back then and silence the family. " the lawyer told him.

" It doesn't matter now. They lost it. Nella said I shouldn't write the cheque. It was the only way to keep my only child close to me. I think its time i stopped looking for pretty "Things" and look for a woman almost my age and retire. We could still travel to places I still haven't gone and may be get babies. "

His lawyer gasped as he started laughing and handed him a glass too.

" Babies won't work anyway. But you might want to announce my retirement. "

The lawyer just looked at him. He had never seen his client so serious. For once he sat comfortably and sipped the whiskey. This was interesting.

" Anna Rita. Can you look up where she lives? She was perfect. She didn't want kids though but why am I thinking about kids now? Nella will bring me grandchildren anyway. She..."

The lawyer started laughing. He was a friend of Charlie and knew they had broke up. He told Andy who just felt left out of her daughter's on goings.

" Also were you serious about retirement? " he asked.

" Let me find a good woman I will update you. In the meanwhile have your cheque. You deserve it. Annarita left due to this case. She got dragged too much. You think she wanna return?" Andy still couldn't give up.

What he didn't know was Annarita was now settled on a beach house at the lower coast dedicating most of her time to mixology of cocktails and art. She had dropped modeling after she learnt she couldn't get pregnant yet she wanted a child. She had felt lost for a while until Nella had moved in for a three months holiday. She had not visited in two years.

Andy later called Walter and they left for a beer. Walter's son dropped by and they had a heated argument with the kid and later sat back looking all blue.

" what's not happening with our kids! He just lost his shares on the estate. I told him. Then his kid is sick, he wants money again. I even doubt whether the kid is. Look, I haven't seen the kid we just video call. I mean, he just won't bring my grand kid around. He is just like his mum! " he hit the table spilling beer on the table.

" Damn you Walter! That kid is a copy of you! Hannieta is nothing like him! "

Andy always found him too dramatic. At one time he is complaining about his son, the next thing his daughter who is into a cult. All the time he had met Walter's daughter dressed all in black with a shed of purple eye shadow. She was always looking like she could pierce the clouds with her ever spikey hairstyle. He had even nicknamed her "Porcu", more like porcupine.

"You know nothing! You only have one kid who you didn't even raise. You know no trouble Andy! Your life was all planned out. Was one enough?"

He poked the wrong side of Andy. The whole beer thing broke apart and each left after heavy insults on each other. This was normal between them. Old buddies knew everything about each other. They knew which part of a person was weak and which was strong.

In the recent times, Andy having had only one kid had started to hit really hard. He had gotten tired of the parties and wanted a simple life alone somewhere in a desert even! He didn't care now. He wanted peace!

He called Nella but she didn't pick up.

"She is rejecting me. I am only an old man looking for love... Am looking for love.." he started singing.

He did this for a few hours then dropped on his seat in his office. He wasn't going home. To who? To do what? For the last 8 years he had spent his time proving people wrong. Looking for a not guilty approval. Now he had it and felt so empty. This wasn't the thought of how it would have felt, it was terrible.

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