Nicholas rested his back. It was as if the good news was a bad news to him. He didn’t know why, but he remained unhappy. He had dropped his head down, shedding tears since Doris and Stella took their seat.
“Sincerely, you don’t need this, Nick.” Doris said.
He raised his head a little and looked at Doris. “Why is everything happening to me this way? Why? I thought I was going to share a good news when I got home, I never knew I was going to meet what would make me unhappy again.”
“Don’t talk this way, Nick. What’s the good news?”
He sniffled. “I thought it was only Vivian I was going to meet again, I never knew that boy with her was my son.”
“What!” They all moved closer to him. “Son?” They chorused as they glimpsed at one another.
“How sure are you, Nick?” Henry questioned.
“You can’t believe that she never married since then, Henry.”
Henry sat down back. “Is this a prank or what? I hope they are not pranking you, Nicholas.”
Nicholas shook his head. “Vivian is not a person like that, I know her well. She only told you that to scare you away and to probably make the child not to know she never married.” He replied.
“Wow! Nicholas!” Stella grinned. “What’s his name again?” She asked.
Nicholas kept mum for a while before he answered. “He’s Anthony.”
“Anthony!” Doris grinned. “Yeah, that’s his name.” She added.
“I saw the same birthmark on the boy too, Henry.”
Henry shook his head. “That has confirmed it, Nicholas. So something happened between you two many years back?”
Nicholas hissed and chuckled. He wiped the tears on his face and nodded. “While serving the fatherland.”
Henry winked. “Nick! Nick the Don!”
Stella and Doris took their seats, smiling broadly. As much as they were shocked, they were also happy to hear that from Nicholas.
“What’s the plan now, Nick?” Doris asked.
He scratched his brow and dimmed his eyes. “Want to start slow and steady again. We will be having lunch tomorrow.”
Stella grinned. “I’m sincerely happy for you, Nicholas. Joy is ending all this gradually.”
“It’s just sad that everything is coming like a surprise, everything is coming like a dream.” He sniffled again.
“But at the end of the tunnel, we’ve found a great light already, Nicholas.” Doris winked.
“If not for you all, where would I have been too? Where would I? I owe all the joy to the three of you, I just can’t tell it all.” He began to cry again.
Doris also wiped her tears. Happiness was flowing from the deepest part of her heart. “It’s been God, Nicholas. It’s been God.”
Stella shrugged. “That is true. Who are we if God never agreed to help you? A man plans his ways, God directs his paths.”
Henry chuckled. “Bible scholar!” He teased.
“That’s your business, dear.”
** ** **
“Mummy, don’t talk to me.” Anthony tried to bury himself under his pillow.
Vivian sat by the edge of his bed and rubbed his back. “I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want you to be disappointed. I never wanted you to know yet because I never wish to see you cry because of that.”
Anthony removed the pillow and sat up. “As if I knew, I already asked uncountable times, but you never answered even once! You’d just tell me there was no photograph to even see him, Mum!” He exclaimed.
“All I did was to make you happy, so that you won’t be crying at the end of the day. If i had told you, it might have affected your education, you’d always seek to know your father while I don’t know where he has been all the while. I knew I’d tell you the truth someday, I only wanted to tell you before him and thank God you know now.” She brushed to her feet. “We’re going out with him for lunch tomorrow.” She informed and walked out of the room.
Anthony laid down. He didn’t know why, he couldn’t sleep.
** ** **
“How do we now sort out this Prince issue?” Henry brought up the discussion again.
“I suggest we tell the King.” Stella drifted forward.
Nicholas shook his head. “I’m annoyed with that man.”
Doris was surprised. “Why, what’s annoying you again?”
Nicholas brushed to his feet. “If he didn’t banish my mother, would she have died?”
Doris chuckled. “If she never banished your mother, you might be as well dead, Nicholas.”
He gazed at her. “How?” He asked and sat again.
“By you living under one roof with the King’s brother and his wife, those dangerous two might have ended your life since they know you are the heir to the throne, you are the throne apparent.”
He nodded, being convinced with what she had said. “That might have truly happened.”
“How would you have even washed away these bad men like Chief Sam and the likes to the station?” Henry added.
“Joy might not be ending your story like it is now, Nicholas.” Stella added her part too.
He sighed.
“I think we should go to the Palace tomorrow, Nick.”
“Tomorrow? That’s so soon.” He replied.
Henry winked. “Are you not happy to be the Prince?”
He glimpsed at him and shut his eyes.
** ** **
