Nicholas and his ‘family’ hopped into the car and he began to drive. He glanced at Vivian when he saw that her eyes were wet. He constricted his eyes and touched her by her shoulder. “What’s wrong?” He asked, looking so much concerned.
“I don’t even know which one to say, Nick. My Parents already disowned me ten years back, am I am now going to see them again?” She sobbed.
Nicholas smiled. “See dear. It’s a matter of time, and the time is here already. Don’t bother yourself with the thought of how you are going to face them, they will be happy to see you and even their grandson. They must have done all that out of anger, Vivian.”
“For more than ten years now? They never tried to contact me, no green light, nothing!”
He sighed.
“I should have even told the King I don’t have parents anymore.”
“No! Don’t say that, Vivian. In fact, just tell me where exactly they are, let’s go there right now.”
He gazed at him quickly. “No, Nicholas! Why now?” She questioned.
Nicholas shrugged. “Now is the best time. Let’s know what’s up once and for all. I really don’t want to see you in tears.”
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Can’t we go home?”
“Vivian, I insist. Let’s go there once and for all.” He said again.
And there was a loud silence.
** ** **
The car stopped at the front of the building. Nicholas glanced at Vivian again and removed the key from the ignition. “So, it’s here?” He asked again.
Vivian looked at the building again and nodded. “This is their house.” She replied.
“Okay, let’s go. Anthony, you should come down too.” He said as he alighted from the car and stretched. He stood for some second staring at the building for seconds before Vivian and Anthony finally came down.
Just then, they knocked at the gate and waited.
Not quite long, a woman came to the door and opened it. As she was about to ask who Nicholas was, she saw Vivian behind him with Anthony. “Vivian?” She just called out, looking totally shocked to see her.
“Mum.” She mentioned. She didn’t know if she should move forward or stay at the same place. What if she moved closer and embarrassed. Let me first be able to predict them very well before moving closer. She had thought in her mind.
“My daughter.” She left the way and came of to hug Vivian. “Where have you been all these years?” She started crying.
Vivian whose eyes were not dry too wiped her eyes with a face towel. “I have been alive.” She replied.
“Vivian.” She hugged her again.
“Mum, can we enter?” She asked.
“Follow me.” She led the way.
** ** **
Vivian walked inside the house with her mother. She looked sad as she entered he living room and looked around. It looked like decades that she lastly got there. She sniffled as she saw her father and bowed.
“Dad.” She called.
The old man fluttered to his feet as he saw her. He looked totally shocked to see her again. “Vivian.” He called her name as he took some steps forward.
“Dad.” She muttered his name too as she took few steps forward too.
The two hugged. “How are you, my daughter?” He asked.
She sniffled again. “I’m good, Sir. What of you?” She asked.
He shrugged. “I am good. I’m sorry for my past actions, I wasn’t meant to have thrown you out like that, I was under anger when I did that.” He told her.
Vivian sighed.
He held on to her again. “I’m really sorry, Vivian.” He told her again. “I never knew you’d even leave without coming back, I have also searched for you everywhere but you’ve been nowhere to be found. Truly, you made a mistake. That doesn’t guarantee that one should neglect you.”
“We are very sorry, Vivian.” Her mother said from behind.
Vivian could not believe all she was hearing. It looked as if she was dreaming. The scene of how she was thrown out shadowed in again; she didn’t want to believe it was a mistake. At least, she wasn’t dead, and her son had been hale and hearty too.
Just then, Anthony and Nicholas walked inside the living room. The two had been by the entrance since they got to the house, just waiting to know the situation of things before going in. Who knows, the man might have totally disowned her as she told Nicholas.
He bowed as he greeted her father. “Good day, Sir.”
“Hello, young man.” He waved at him.
Vivian cleaned her face. “Dad, this is Anthony.” She pointed to her son.
“My grandson?” He asked.
She nodded. “And this is his father.” She added, pointing to Nicholas.
He stared at Nicholas for a moment. “So you are the guy?”
Nicholas widened his eyes as he stared at him too. “weldone.” He stammered.
“What am i doing that deserves a weldone?” He accused.
Nicholas just kept bowing his head as if he would be sent out. “Where are you from?” He heard the voice again.
“This Kingdom, Sir.” He replied.
“Dad, he’s the real Prince of this Kingdom.” Vivian added.
“What?” Her parents chorused.
** ** **
Craig and Doris had been busy sorting out the case of the evil company directors. It was high time for them to be sent to where they really belonged. They had already brought out all the evidences against each of them and the case was already filed. Thanks God they were helped by The Unknown, they might not have gotten as much evidences as they had then.
Craig’s mind had just been striking Nicholas since he started filing the case with Doris. He had been wondering that Nicholas had been away for a moment and Doris never for once did as if she cared. They were close, at least she should be concerned about him sometimes, but she had never spoken about him to Craig since they found out he was missing.
He began to doubt if Doris never knew where Nicholas was. At least he was their prime suspect and he should be kept an eye upon. He had been glancing at Doris for a moment now until he finally spoke up and asked her if she already heard from Nicholas.
It was just as if Doris was expecting the question too. She had also thought of it that while filing the case, Craig would remember Nicholas surely and then, she would be able to tell him he traveled and now back after he got to know he was the real Prince.
She just cleared her throat as she swiveled her chair. “We were able to talk yesterday, Craig. i was waiting for you to ask me because I knew you would do that today.” She told him.
Craig tittered. “Where has he been? Since The Unknown was shot, I haven’t been able to get in touch with him, what’s wrong?”
Doris chuckled as she shrugged. “He only told me he found out something beyond him and had to travel so he wouldn’t be noticed or killed. You can’t believe what he told me, Craig.”
Craig dropped his pen. He was eager to know what she was talking about. “What is it?”
“Nicholas is the real Prince of this Kingdom!” She finally let out.
Craig was dumbfounded.
She chuckled again. “I was more than shocked when I heard too. He should be in the Kingdom presently, Craig. He had to run away when he found out who he really was.”
“Honestly, my thoughts have been wild before. I have been thinking maybe he ran away because he was shot. That does not prove that he is not The Unknown, though.” He added.
Doris shrugged. “Let our investigation continue.”
He shook his head. “I don’t even wish to. He has been a real and great source of help who has also saved your life. The only thing is that he took laws into his hands, do we really have to still be after him?”
Doris shrugged again.
Craig snorted.
** ** **
”You were the one, weren’t you?” Vivian’s father questioned Nick as they all sat down.
Nicholas didn’t know what he was talking about. He began to wonder if he had ever met him while carrying out his operation as The Unknown. “I don’t understand, Sir.” He stated.
“You lured my daughter, didn’t you? I know she wouldn’t have returned back home pregnant if she wasn’t lured into the sin.”
Nicholas swallowed. He was speechless just as Vivian also was. He raised his head slightly and glanced at her and dropped it back.
“You want to talk about it, right?”
There was silence.
** ** **
…story continues…
