ℂ𝕃𝕆𝕊𝔼ℝ 𝕋ℍ𝔸ℕ 𝕐𝕆𝕌 𝕋ℍ𝕀ℕ𝕂

║SIXTEEN║

       NEIL DARWIN SLID HIS HAND ACROSS the table to touch Bailey's hand, he squeezed it smiling. Today was their wedding anniversary and they decided to celebrate by going out on a date and here they were in a restaurant eating dinner, having an alone time together without the disturbance of their children who were being babysitted by Bailey's twin sister– Shirley Lockhart.
“Today reminds me of the first time we met.” Bailey said, smiling.
“You supposed to say the first time I met my cupcake.” Neil winked at her and she laughed heartily. “You know you were the one who started calling me cupcake.”
“That’s because you ordered cupcake on our first date for the both of us and we both love cake.” she grinned revealing her perfectly arranged white set of teeth.
“Who would have thought I would  fall in love with a Christian. Before you preached Christ to me, I hated anything religion ’cause I never believed in it. Even after I threatened you never to come to my friend's store to preach to us, you still kept on coming to my friend's store where we normally hang out to drink. Bailey you saved my life, I can't thank you enough. The third time you came, my friend and I conspired to pretend to accept Jesus so you could leave us alone…” Neil chuckled, “Our plan didn't work. You gave us a flier, inviting us for a youth retreat which my friend and I attended…hmm, that was the beginning of a turn around in our lives, we accepted the God we never thought existed and till today Matthew and I are still in the faith just because of a petite brunette who painstakingly took it upon herself to win us over to christ. I love you Bailey.” Neil caressed her hand, smiling. Bailey's eyes glistened with tears.
“It’s God's doing, Neil.” she said admist tears. “I love you too.”
“Aw, but I am not accepting that, you forgot to mention one word.” Neil pouted with a faux frown on his face.
“Oh yeah! Cupcake lover. I love you cupcake.” Bailey rolled her eyes and laughed, pinching his hand on the table.
“I love you too, cupcake.” he laughed too. They finished their dinner and went to the cashier to pay for the dinner.
“Crap! I forgot to bring my credit card with me.” Neil said searching his breast pocket and side pocket for his credit card.
“You must have left it in the car, remember you brought it out from your pocket to pay for the gasoline we purchased.” Bailey said.
“Oh, I am sorry for the delay. I'll go and get my credit card while my wife will wait here.” he told the cashier who nodded her head with a faint smile.
     Neil walked brusquely out of the restaurant to the parking lot, he pressed a button on his car key to open his car. He opened the door and began searching for his credit card.
“I swear if I set my eyes on that fool, I'll kill him. He thinks he can do an incomplete business with me. He promised to pay me and he never did!” Neil heard someone rant angrily. After the indefatigable effort of searching the entire car for his credit card, he slumped on the driver seat and decided to eavesdrop on the heated conversation of the two men standing behind a wine coloured Jeep beside his car. They wouldn't even be able to see him because it was already dark outside.
“He never keeps to his promises. He promised to help my sister to fix her dishwasher but he failed to do it and the annoying thing is that we paid him money.” the other man said.
“Look man, Gary needs to be thought some lesson.”
At the mention of the name Gary, Neil froze while sitting on the chair.

Gary? That name sounds familiar, could it be Gary Baxter they are talking about?

He thought.
“I have to find out,” he muttered pushing the car door open and got out. “Enjoying the cool breeze outside?” Neil interrupted their conversation.
“Hey.” One of them with a long black hair, packed at the back and a goatee greeted Neil. Neil recognize the voice to be that of the one who mentioned Gary's name, the one who was ranting aggressively.
“What's up dude? Came with your girlfriend?” The dark skinned one shook Neil.
“Nah, I came with my wife. Today is our wedding anniversary.” Neil smiled.
“Oh cool. Happy wedding anniversary, man.” the dark skinned man said.
“I am Neil by name, yours?”
“William and he is Kyle.” the dark skinned man introduced himself and his friend.
“Nice to meet you.” They exchanged handshake.
“Do you in anyway know any man by the name Gary?” Neil went straight to the point on why he came here.
“We know lot of men named Gary, except if you are talking about the dubious one, Gary Baxter.” Kyle said.

Gary Baxter. That must be the name.

Neil smiled as he thought.
“Y…yes, that must be the person I am talking about.”
“I already know why you're asking of him, he has played one of his devilish tricks on you right?” William said.
“I don't understand.” Neil creased his eyebrows.
“I mean he duped you.”
“Uh…yeah.”
“I knew it, that boy goes around duping everyone in London. Gary and I had a deal and he failed big time.” Kyle said through gritted it.
“What deal?” Neil asked
“Shady deal.”
“Shady?” Neil arched his eyebrow tilting his head. “You can confide in me. We are all victims of Gary, we can work together to take him down, is that not what you want? You want him dead.”
“Exactly!” Neil saw him smile wickedly. “I traded my gun for his motorcycle. He told me he wanted to use it.”
“Use it for what?”
“Take his pound of flesh.”
“After the deal, did you see him?”
“No, he disappeared into thin air. I have searched the whole of London for him and he is no where to be found.”
“Hmm,” Neil sighed “Gary needs to die. He has had enough already.”
“He deserves to be slaughtered like a chicken! He is an ingrate!” William cussed.
“Can I get your numbers so we could contact each other if we get any information about Gary?” Neil asked. They agreed and they exchanged contact.
“Thanks for the info.” Neil said.
“Gary's days are numbered bro.” Kyle slapped William's back and Neil imitated Kyle's wicked smile and left. When he opened the door of his car, he saw his credit card on the driver's seat. He slapped his forehead and chuckled softly and immediately jogged back into the restaurant.

         ☬              ☬             ☬

          Cleaning her shoe on the foot mat on the porch in front of Alfred's apartment, Nicole knocked on the door. She turned the door knob open when Alfred refused to answer her.
“Alfred, I am sorry. It wasn't your fault and it wasn't my fault either.” she said as she walked into his sitting room.
“I came so we could talk and straighten things out. Please come out, I know you are at home… please. I badly need to talk to you. Forgive me for my reaction that day, I am deeply sorry.” she said blinking rapidly, trying to prevent tears. She walked into his hallway, leading to his room and continued talking, “I am sorry for been harsh to you, I am sorry for not picking your calls… I was trying to process everything that happened that day. I know you are listening, please wherever you are come out,” she approached Alfred's room and met his door ajar. She pushed it a little and felt fear engulf her with it's deadly embrace. She gaped when she saw Alfred seated on the floor, resting his back on his bed highly intoxicated with alcohol.
“My, Alfred what have you done to yourself?!” she rushed to him, cupping his face in her hand. Several beer bottles were sprawled on the floor, his singlet was soaked with his sweat and vomit, he was looking pale and his hair was disheveled, he was an eyesore.
“Why are you so hard on yourself? I am sorry. Look at me… ” she shook his head lightly because his eyes was closed, he looked like as if he would pass out any moment. “Alfred look at me, please.” she sobbed. Alfred finally opened his eyes, he yanked her hands away from his face.
“Go away! Go away, I know you have come back to haunt me Sally. Get out!” his words were sloppy
Nicole became confused.
“Alfred,…”
“Don't dare call my name! Get out!” he picked up a beer bottle which had a little content in it, hurling it at her. Luckily for her, she dodged it and it landed, shattering into pieces on the floor.
“What are you still waiting for? Go!” he yelled, angrily. She could see his eyes red with anger. She ran out of the room before he would throw another thing at her. She walked briskly to her car, crying.
“This can't be happening, I have never seen Alfred this way. Sally, why did he mention Sally?” she wiped her tears away, puzzled as she slouched on the driver seat.